Town home after sealing semi spot (From Ledbury Reporter)

Town home after sealing semi spot

3:30pm Friday 16th March 2012 in Sport

MALVERN Town are back on home soil this weekend as they seek to build on reaching the Smedley Crooke Memorial Trophy semi-finals.

Les Jones’ side booked their place in the last four with a 3-1 win at Perrywood last Saturday and return to the Langland Stadium tomorrow to face Goodrich in the West Midlands League Premier Division (3pm).

Malvern previously played in the league two weeks ago when they went down 4-2 at home to Bewdley.

Last Tuesday’s trip to basement boys Darlaston was postponed with both teams struggling to field a side.

Darlaston are in turmoil following the resignation of their manager, while the Malvern squad were on a pre-arranged trip to the Cheltenham Festival.

The league allowed the match to be called off and will try to fix a date for it next month.

Malvern, however, are in good form following their Perrywood triumph which came courtesy of two goals from John Pykett and a Lee Hooper strike.

Midland Combination Division Two outfit Perrywood forced keeper Ian Hill into a 10th-minute save from Samuel Smith.

Dave Reynolds fired over for the visitors soon after and, following further pressure, Chris Allen’s near-post effort was blocked by keeper Lewis Pinches. Malvern took the lead in the 21st minute with Hooper weaving his way into the box before unselfishly laying the ball off for Pykett to fire home.

The hosts began to threaten and equalised in the 65th minute when Ian Urry headed in following a throw-in.

But Malvern then restored their lead five minutes later as Hooper drilled home a free-kick and Joe Leighton then played in Pykett to curl in the third goal soon after to confirm the victory.

􀁧 Bromyard Town head to Sporting Khalsa tomorrow (3pm) looking to bounce back from Premier Division home defeats to Wolverhampton Sporting Community (2-0) on Tuesday and Wellington (3-1) last Saturday.