MALVERN Town played out an incident-packed 3-3 draw at Hereford Lads Club in Uhlsport Hellenic Football League Division One West.

They went behind in the opening minute on Tuesday night when Oliver Price fired home after keeper Jordan Dibble parried Kiea Cowley-Hair’s strike.

Harry Clark was denied a goal before Louis Loader rewarded Malvern pressure with the equaliser and Matt Turner shot the visitors in front.

But a controversial Lads Club penalty five minutes from the break was fired in by Adam Hockey after Phil Harris was ruled to have fouled.

Then Price regained the lead for the hosts only for Town’s Kyonn Evans to turn in a free-kick from close range in first-half injury-time. There were no more goals in the second period but Malvern had penalty appeals waved away after claims of a push on Clark.

And another controversial spot-kick was awarded to sixth-placed Lads Club deep into injury-time but Hockey missed.

The result left Malvern in second position, four points behind leaders Hereford Pegasus with three games in hand ahead of Saturday’s home clash with 12th-placed Cirencester Town Development (3pm).

Malvern co-manager Dene Whittal-Williams said of the midweek draw: “We started really slowly and if anything conceding so early kicked us into gear.

“We managed to get into our stride and go 2-1 up with some gritty performances and decent play.

“We deserved our lead but then switched off towards the end of the first half to concede two quick goals which was disappointing.

“It was a funny performance. There were times when we played some decent stuff but we also allowed our hosts to make life difficult for us.

“We knew they would dig deep and raise their game and we dealt with most of the problems they posed to us.

“We’ll take the draw. It was always going to be tricky coming here, particularly on the back of Saturday’s tough game (4-2 home win over high-flying Cheltenham Saracens.”

Malvern: Dibble, J Sauntson, Hunt, Harris, J Febery, Loader, Reynolds, Hayes, Clark, Turner, Evans. Subs not used: Fusco, Emblem, Craven, B Febery, Skidmore.