JITTERY Malvern Town levelled three times before eventually beating Smethwick Rangers 4-3 in a home thriller.

The mid-table visitors ended up with eight men after two injuries and two red cards in the West Midlands League Premier Division.

An entertaining clash started as it meant to go on at the HDanywhere Community Stadium.

Sam Rathbone's header hit the post for Town before Matt Turner and Dave Reynolds had shots blocked in a sixth-minute goalmouth scramble.

But Smethwick went ahead in the eighth minute when keeper Sebastian Mann's clearance found Parminder Singh, who looked offside but beat the onrushing Charles Weaver.

Lee Hooper hit the bar with a quick reply and Kirk Layton struck the post on 20 minutes.

A Smethwick defender prevented Turner from providing the finishing touch after Reynolds lofted the ball over the keeper.

Malvern finally netted in the 29th minute when Turner's low 30-yarder went under Mann and into the corner.

But Smethwick regained the lead on 40 minutes when Martin Lewis' shot was ruled to have crossed the line before Harry Wickett cleared.

Three minutes into the second period, Malvern equalised for a second time.

Reynolds pulled down Phil Harris' pass into the box and supplied Turner, who dispatched a volley past Mann.

In the 55th minute, Smethwick's James Beddle suffered a nasty cut to his leg and was carried off. They had already used their only substitute and were reduced to 10 men.

Weaver saved well before Rangers scored again in the 69th minute through Sandeep Singh's chip.

Malvern piled on the pressure with Layton and Aaron Richards firing just wide.

But Richards was on target six minutes from time with a glancing header from Ben Hayes' cross to make it 3-3.

Smethwick's Ricky Sandhu was then sent off for foul and abusive language.

Against nine men, Harris hit the bar with a free-kick and Reynolds shot over.

But the two combined for an injury-time winner when Reynolds headed in Harris' cross to put Malvern ahead for the first time.

Sandeep Singh was shown a second yellow card for dissent late on to reduce the visitors to eight men.

Malvern, who are sixth, visit second-placed Sporting Khalsa on Saturday (3pm).