A DEPLETED Malvern Town slumped to a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Westfields in the quarter-final of the West Midlands League Premier Division Cup on Tuesday.

WESTFIELDS 3, MALVERN TOWN 1

However, the first half begun as a fairly even affair, with most efforts on goal being largely speculative, but it was the home side who opened the scoring in the 40th minute, when the night's outstanding player, Mark Hibbert, gave Town keeper Dave Alden no chance from close range.

Minutes later Alden kept Town in the tie, when he reacted brilliantly to push a ball onto the post.

The second half saw Town begin to press a little more, but they were caught in the 59th minute when Westfields broke away and set up Matt Morris to score a crucial second goal.

Six minutes later though Town were back in the game, when Dean Roberts, playing despite a hamstring strain, headed home from the edge of the six yard box and it was Roberts who almost equalised for Town, when he spotted home 'keeper Jon Pugh out of his goal, but fired just wide from 20 yards.

At this stage Town looked as though they might get back into the game, but suffered a blow on 79 minutes, when an unmarked Darren Lynch saw his header come back off the underside of the bar and as the statuesque Malvern defence stood and watched, the rebound was gleefully headed home by Morris for his second goal.

Substitute Lee Hooper almost pulled a goal back for Town in the 81st minute, but the right hand of Pugh did just enough to deflect the youngsters' seemingly goalbound effort past the post.