MALVERN Town thrashed basement boys Bartley Green 6-0 in the West Midlands League Premier Division at the Langland Stadium.

Desperate for success after a run of tough games, striker Dave Reynolds’ hat-trick in the last nine minutes, completed with a spectacular injury-time bicycle kick, fired Les Jones’ side to a handsome success.

Bartley, under new management and with only one draw to their name from 19 fixtures, arrived with former Malvern players Paul Edwards as assistant manager and Wesley Joyce up front.

For the first quarter-of-anhour, the visitors were upbeat but unable to produce a shot on goal due to the defensive abilities of Lee Barmby and Matt Cole.

Reynolds thought he had put Malvern ahead on 17 minutes but his header was ruled offside after he diverted Lee Hooper’s wayward shot following a darting run by Mark Saysell.

However, four minutes later, Malvern took the lead when the ball was crossed into the box and broke for Reynolds whose cross was converted by Hooper.

Reynolds rolled an effort wide from Hooper’s knockon before Louis Loader chipped over goalkeeper Karl Frankham and the bar on the half-hour mark after a fine through-ball.

The goal kick fell to Reece King who played it up to Dave Reynolds but he shot across goal with Frankham advancing.

Both teams struggled to find the target with Jason Wellings firing wide for the visitors and Joe Leighton doing likewise for Malvern from Loader’s cross.

However, winless Green did their cause no good before the break when Scott MacKellar was booked and then received a second yellow card within a minute for a two-footed tackle.

Malvern took quick advantage with a minute of the half to play when Reynolds moved a free-kick onto Hooper who fired home the second goal.

Loader added to the scoresheet seven minutes into the second period against the 10 men, controlling the ball to find the net after good work from Harry Wickett and Reynolds.

The same player fired over and into the side-netting before Reynolds took centre stage in the last nine minutes.

Andre Rodrigues unselfishly crossed for the striker to score and then, on 86 minutes, he weaved his way into the box to bag a second.

Frankham saved well with his feet following a dipping free-kick and Loader hit the post from 30 yards.

But, in injury-time, Reynolds completed the scoring and his hat-trick with a superb bicycle kick from Rodrigues’ header into the box.

Malvern host lowly Wolverhampton Sporting Community tomorrow (3pm) and visit mid-table Sporting Khalsa next Tuesday (7.45 pm).