Broadway United 2, Malvern Rangers 3.

MALVERN Rangers advanced to the semi-finals of the Worcestershire Junior Cup with a sluggish victory over Broadway United.

All too often Malvern almost paid the price when overdoing their short passing game. Rangers conceded a sloppy free-kick on 27 minutes and keeper Ian Hill did well to parry the first shot but could do nothing to prevent the one-two follow-up effort, which was dissallowed for offside.

The visitors’ first attempt came following three quick passes which put Dale Humphries into space on the edge of the box. But his feeble effort did not trouble the home keeper.

Rangers opened their account when Hill cleared to just over half-way and as Lee Hooper chased down the left-back, he was forced to pass the ball to his keeper. But a weak clearance saw the ball fall to Ed Lyons. He made no mistake, firing into an empty net.

With 40 minutes played, Jamie Thomas, who had a superb all round game, intercepted the ball and picked out man-of-the-match Lyons on the edge of the box and, losing his marker, the striker fired his side’s second.

With 60 minutes played, Broadway put in a rare attack which saw their left-winger shoot goalwards.

Hill did well to turn the ball away and Thomas cleared the immediate danger.

Broadway pressed forward once more and this time Richard Craig gave Hill no chance with a low, hard shot, making it 2-1.

This woke Malvern up, and Rob Cullen picked out Olly Endacott on the wing and, holding off the right-back, he drove the ball goalwards.

But, just as it was crossing the line, Hooper slid in to make sure.

With Paul Edwards and Joe Leighton dominating the middle of the park, further chances fell to David Lawrence and Hooper.

Endacott could have settled the game as a contest, when he was set up with a goalscoring chance eight yards out, but he blasted it wide, when scoring looked easier.

This let off encouraged Broadway and a late attack saw their right-winger go close, before Mark Evans followed up and drove the ball home, but it was too little too late.