MALVERN Town Reserves first home West Midlands division one game of the season ended in a 1-1 draw against Bridgnorth on Saturday.

MALVERN TOWN RES 1, BRIDGNORTH TOWN RES 1

Malvern started the brighter of the two sides and almost scored on eight minutes when a Rob Cullen long throw was played from Ollie Endacott to Anthony Smith, but Smith fired inches over the crossbar.

Fifteen minutes later, Paul Edwards put Endacott into space, and leaving the defenders in his wake, Endacott fired straight at Matt Lunn, the ball ended up trapped beneath the keepers' body and the chance was gone.

Town were guilty of overhitting too many midfield balls which ended up running harmlessly to the visiting keeper. They also gave away free-kicks just outside the 18 yard box which led to unnecessary pressure.

From one of these free-kicks the ball was crossed to the far post where Lee Goodman tried to clear, but instead headed across the face of his own six- yard box where Ian Smith just beat Julian Robinson to the ball, and Bridgnorth took a 0-1 lead.

Bridgnorth almost doubled their lead when Mike Cole should have headed clear a simple ball, but instead brought the ball down and was robbed by Smith, but fortunately he fired wide of the mark, much to Town's relief.

Bridgnorth passed well in defence and midfield but never really threatened in the final third of the pitch.

At the same time Town lost a bit of rhythm until the 65th minute when Cullen split the visiting defence with a superb ball and Endacott raced through, beating two defenders, before poking the ball past Lunn from eight yards out.