A second-half collapse on Tuesday evening saw Malvern Town surrender a 3-0 lead to drop points at home to Tuffley Rovers in a 3-3 draw.

Town took the lead inside three minutes when Joe Bates fired home and Matt Turner's penalty, quickly followed by Dave Reynolds put the home side in a commanding lead at the break.

But the visitors pulled one back with 70 minutes on the clock through Jamal Lawrence and then Brennan Denness-Barrett and Archie Woodall secured an unlikely point late on.

The Hillsiders remain top of the Hellenic League Premier Division table but only by two points and second-placed Cribbs have a game in hand.

It was the perfect start for Lee Hooper's men as Harry Clark provided a cross over to Bates, who tucked inside and slammed one home to go ahead.

Bates, who now has nine goals in his 12 games this season, could have doubled the lead mid-way through the half and Adam Sauntson also went close.

As half-time loomed, Tuffley gave away a penalty that Turner dispatched before Reynolds finished from a tight angle to extend the advantage.

It would seem another win was on it's way but the away side had other ideas.

With 20 minutes to play, Lawrence broke free into the box before curling it around Kieron Blackburn to give Rovers a boost.

Town stemmed the tide but with minutes to play it was 3-2 when Denness-Barrett reacted quickest to tap home after Joe Shutt's drive crashed off the bar and then the comeback was complete when Woodall stabbed home from a goalmouth scramble.