DISCIPLINE is the problem for Malvern Town in the early games of the new season according to co-manager Lee Hooper. 

The Hillsiders lost back-to-back games over the Bank Holiday weekend as the reality of playing at a higher level begins to set in.

But what has also set in, is Malvern's ill-discipline. A red card and five yellows on Monday in the 3-1 loss to Cribbs comes after having two players sent off in the 3-2 win over Yate the week prior. 

And Hooper knows it needs to be stamped out quickly if they are to be competitive this season.

"We cannot keep getting yellow cards for dissent," he said. "We have had five yellows and a red today (Monday) and only one of those was for a foul, so that's not good enough.

"We need to look at that, we need to address it and we need to be better with the new rules.

"You cannot be on edge, you cannot be on that yellow for naive things like chatting back to the ref, be involved in melees off the ball, you have to keep your nose clean, because it leaves you vulnerable and it can come back to bite you, which it did."

On Turner's red card: "On a yellow card, it's daft, it's silly from Milky (Matt Turner). We are not going to be successful this season if we keep making silly decisions like that.

"Now we have another suspension to deal with and they are starting to rack up, it's got to be addressed. Our discipline has to be a lot better."

Malvern will be hoping to put the last two games to one side and get back to winning ways this weekend when they make the trip to Westbury United (3PM KO).