MALVERN Town returned from Stafford Town with all three West Midlands League Premier Division points after a comfortable 2-1 victory.

The visitors found the small pitch difficult to cope with initially and struggled for the first halfhour.

Malvern conceded after 20 minutes when a cross from the right was fired home by captain Carl Morris.

Ten minutes later, John Pykett retaliated by running down the right and firing in a shot which was saved by Stafford keeper Andrew Le Feaver.

Dave Reynolds headed a corner wide on 35 minutes and, soon after, Pykett delivered a fine cross for Lee Hooper but he took a touch and the hosts cleared.

However, Malvern equalised on 41 minutes when Reynolds rounded the keeper and pulled it back for Hooper to tap home.

Stafford started the second-half brightly and centre-half Rob Tomlinson grazed the bar with an early effort.

But Malvern took the lead for the first time in the 59th minute when Oliver Endacott played in Reynolds, who saw the advancing keeper off his line and successfully chipped him.

The goal raised Malvern’s spirits and disheartened Stafford, whose task was made harder when they were reduced to 10 men following a straight red card.

The Worcestershire side went close to a third on 75 minutes when Michael Cole and Endacott combined to set up Reynolds, who was only denied by Le Feaver’s save.