MALVERN TOWN are hoping to grab their eighth win of the season, and move up towards the playoff places against Melksham Town tomorrow (November 5). 

Last time out, Malvern drew 2-2 at home with Bideford. 

"It probably was a fair reflection," said Lee Hooper, co-manager of Malvern Town. "We had a bit of trouble at the start of the game where a car with some of our players couldn’t get there for the start, so we had to make a change to our starting line-up. Half an hour before the game we made three changes.

“We started the game quite well, obviously scored in the first minute. But we still hadn’t quite set, and they scored so 1-1 after three minutes, which is obviously not an ideal scenario for us.

“To be fair to Bideford they were quite a good unit, they stick together well and they scored a 40 yard screamer to go in at half time 2-1 up. So 2-1 down at half time for us, you sort of would take 1 point at that point.

“We went out in the second half and we dominated the second half, had a lot of possession, quite a few chances. But we just couldn’t quite get three points. We got the goal, which was definitely coming. We put them under a lot of pressure, but we just couldn’t get the winner at the end. So probably a draw was a fair reflection maybe, a good point in the end and it keeps our unbeaten run going."

The draw extended The Hillsiders' unbeaten run to eight in a row - a run that has seen wins over fellow playoff rivals Evesham United and Helston Athletic. 

Hooper is hoping that the run can be extended even further against Melksham Town. 

He said: "We are at home and we back ourselves at home. But Melksham are a good team, they have started the season really well so it will be a tough task. We are ready for that, we believe in ourselves, so yeah, we will be looking to extend [our undefeated streak]."

Town will be forced to go into the game with alterations to their side, following injuries that were picked up against Bideford. Noticeably, captain Lewis Platt will be out with a hamstring injury. 

With other results going their way, a win could see Malvern move up into the playoff positions - putting them on track to achieve their pre-season target. 

"[Our goals for the season] haven't changed from the start, which was our ambition is to get playoffs," said Hooper. "We thought that would be a realistic goal, it will be a tough task but I think it is possible with the squad we have got, and we've got to be ambitious. 

"I think if you rewound the clocks three weeks ago you might question that, but with where were at now, with what we said at the start of the season we are probably on track to do that.

"We have got to keep taking it game by game and make sure if we can’t win a game then we don’t lose it."