Malvern Town manager Lee Hooper feels his side are not getting the rub of the green of late after a number of "blatant" penalties were once again missed by the officials in Tuesday night's 1-1 draw at Lydney Town.

Malvern followed up last weekend's late draw t home to Fairford with another 1-1 scoreline away at Lydney mid-week and Hooper says that in both games decisions went against his side.

Malvern's Dave Reynolds cancelled out the Lydney's first-half opener and in the second-half Hooper couldn't believe that there was not at least spot-kick awarded.

"It's a bit of a joke really, how he can't give at least one of the four," he said.

"They all looked blatant to me and the players have come off laughing about it.

"I was frustrated last Saturday and I don't like to get frustrated by officials because we should be good enough to win without relying on them but against Tuffley at home, last week against Fairford it was bad again and that tonight... there were four blatant penalties.

"It's frustrating. We come away with a 1-1 but it's not good enough on all fronts."

Despite his dismay at the performance of the refereeing, Hooper admits his side are still not performing at levels they set earlier in the 2021/22 campaign.

The 1-1 draw at Lydney was no different; "We didn't do enough to win and be the team I know we are.

"I'm just so frustrated, we deserved a few more goals but this is three weeks in a row where we have been done over."

The two draws mean Malvern have only won one of their last five in the Hellenic League Premier Division and remain in fourth place in the table.

It's been a tricky period for The Hillsiders and this weekend they visit the side one position below them in Longlevens AFC (3pm kick-off).

Malvern travel to Gloucestershire to tackle a side who have won four home games in a row, including putting six past Shrivenham recently.

It provides another challenge for Hooper's men but the boss says his side are also having to compete with officials as much as they are with the opposition.

"It's tough, we are up against teams but also officials at the moment," he added.

"But we have to get to training, work hard, go again Saturday but hopefully we can get some things to go our way.

"These things normally even themselves out and we are owed one or two now to be honest."

That all being said, a win could see Town go back into second and they do have a game in hand on two of the three sides above them in the table.