LEAGUE leaders Malvern Town recovered from a 2-0 deficit inside the first ten minutes to come back and beat Chipping Sodbury Town 6-3 on Saturday.

George Neill and Conor NcCormack had given the visitors a shock 2-0 lead with just eight minutes on the clock. 

READ MORE | Ex-Worcester winger scores sensational Six Nations try vs England 

READ MORE | City boss Cornes praises 'superb' captain Roberts after Tivi win

But Lewis Spurrier's deflected finish, Dave Reynolds' equaliser and Joe Bates' instinctive finish put Malvern ahead going into the break. 

Malvern Gazette: Joe Bates finds the net in the 6-3 win over Chipping Sodbury Town. Pic: Cliff WilliamsJoe Bates finds the net in the 6-3 win over Chipping Sodbury Town. Pic: Cliff Williams (Image: Cliff Williams)

Ben Hayes made it 4-2 shortly after the restart before Josh Pandolfino got one back to reduce the arrears.

But Bates and Hayes both found the net again later in the second-half to wrap up the three points for the hosts, to keep them two points clear at the top of the table.

Malvern Gazette: Ben Hayes scores in the 6-3 win over Chipping Sodbury Town. Ben Hayes scores in the 6-3 win over Chipping Sodbury Town. (Image: Cliff Williams)

After the game, co-manager Stephen Cleal admitted his side were below par but did enough going forward to get the points.

"We didn't hit the heights we know we are capable of defensively," admitted Cleal.

"Fair play to Sodbury, they came out and caused some damage early to go 2-0 up.

"Credit to the lads, they showed character to come back but we cannot keep doing this. We have to be better deffensively.

"But ultimately we got the three points we needed and we were very good going forward. Ben Hayes was brilliant, as was Joe Bates.

"Now we have to keep putting points on the board, we have to keep applying the pressure on Cribbs, it's up to us to do that."

READ MORE | Raiders' Billingham scores brilliant volley in win over Mangotsfield

Second-placed Cribbs, who beat Westfields 2-0 on Saturday, still have two games in hand on Malvern.

Worcester Raiders also picked up three points from their clash with Mangotsfield United to keep themselves in the conversation for promotion. 

Next weekend sees Cribbs and Raiders go head-to-head and Malvern will be hoping Karl Gormley's side can take something from the game to halt Cribbs' momentum. 

Malvern are back in action on Tuesday away at Hereford Lads Club before another tough away trip to Corsham is on the cards on Saturday.