MANAGER Les Jones is bracing Malvern Town for two tough away trips as they bid to extend their unbeaten West Midlands League Premier Division run.

Town head to improving AFC Bridgnorth tomorrow (3pm) and then high-flying rivals Wellington in Herefordshire on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Malvern are unbeaten in 14 league games after a “frustrating” 1-1 home draw with Bewdley Town on Wednesday night.

The fifth-placed hosts took the lead with a cross-shot from Dave Reynolds after 34 minutes but Bewdley levelled when Dene Whittal-Williams headed into his own net.

Luke Corbett rattled a post in the dying minutes for Malvern.

Jones said: “It was a difficult night because Bewdley came to get a draw and seemed to adopt time-wasting and gamesmanship tactics. It paid off for them because they left with a point.

“We took the lead and then gave away a really bad goal just before half-time, which gave Bewdley the impetus and played right into their game-plan.

“It was the first goal we had conceded in the league this season and I don’t think we played well enough to win the game. We didn’t have a natural left-sided player on the field apart from Reynolds, who was up front, and we badly missed that.”

Town are still handily placed, just five points adrift of table-topping Wolverhampton Sporting Community. who have won all five matches.

Jones continued: “We just didn’t have enough quality to break Bewdley down in the second half.

“But we’ve now gone 14 games unbeaten in the league stemming back to last season and have won 13 of those games, so it’s still a record to be proud of.”

Lewis Platt and Harry Wickett are due back from holiday this weekend but Whittal-Williams and Corbett are away at a wedding. Midfielder Reece King (knee) should be fit.

Jones said: “Bridgnorth have been runners-up in this league for the past two seasons but their results have been a mixture of big wins and defeats so far. Wellington are a very good league team who are on an excellent run, having won four from six this season, so we know it won’t be easy.

“We achieved the double over them last season but Derek Williams has assembled a good squad.”

Jones says Malvern are playing some “attractive football” and are still on course for their goal of finishing in the top five.