MALVERN Town claimed an impressive 2-1 West Midands (Regional) League victory away at Dudley Sports.

The visitors started brightly and in the very first minute a cross by Oliver Endacott was met by Andre Rodrigues, who hit the crossbar with his header.

Malvern took the lead in the 30th minute when Rodrigues’ right-wing cross to Lee Hooper was knocked down for Dave Reynolds to score.

Six minutes later, Endacott’s shot was caught by Sports keeper Dominic Richard.

Sports’ only real chance of the first-half came in the 44th minute when Daniel Evans’ free-kick went round the wall and bounced just in front of Charles Weaver, in the Malvern goal, but he chested it away.

Malvern gained a free-kick three minutes into the second- half, which Hooper took, but a Sports defender managed to get a head on it and send it just wide.

In the 55th minute, Reynolds weaved his way through several Sports players, but his shot was blocked. It fell to Endacott, who sent it across the box but no-one was able to get on the end of it.

Three minutes later, the ball was played down the right and Reynolds played it to Harry Wickett.

His blocked shot fell to Reece King and as he crossed it back in it hit a Sports hand and the referee and assistant both signalled for a penalty.

Reynolds saw his spotkick parried by Richard, but the Town striker was able to convert the rebound.

In the 71st minute, Sports attacked down the left and sent in a wonderful cross for Dominic Strevens to head home powerfully to pull a goal back.

Four minutes later, the ball fell to Reynolds, who found himself in another one-on-one with the keeper, but this time Richard smothered the shot.

Reynolds again broke away and found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but Richard certainly earned himself the man-ofthe- match award by blocking or saving almost everything thrown at him.

In the 89th minute, Reynolds ran down the left and fired from an acute angle, but the keeper once again saved.

In time added on for injury, Mark Saysell, who was booked for a tackle earlier in the half, was adjudged to have knocked the ball away and the referee showed him a second yellow, followed by a red, to spoil what had been a very good display.