MALVERN Town started the New Year with a dominant 4-1 home win against Hartpury.
Goals from Reece King, Joe Bullock, Ryan Brunt and an own goal helped the Hillsiders to a comfortable victory at the HDAnywhere Community Stadium.
The result means Malvern sit fourth in the Southern League Division One South table, five points behind league leaders Frome Town.
Lee Hooper’s side made the perfect start when King met Ben Baxter’s corner and his powerful header found the net with the game just six minutes old.
And King almost grabbed a second goal moments later when he headed narrowly over the crossbar from a long throw.
Former Malvern stopper Seth Locke then denied both Bullock and Joe Tumelty as the home side pressed for a second goal.
However, Hartpury equalised against the run of play on 17 minutes when Billy Osborn’s shot from the left-hand side of the penalty area deflected past Josh Bishop.
The Hillsiders reclaimed the lead just three minutes later as Sol Kent inadvertently turned Levi Francis’s speculative cross into his own net under little pressure.
And Malvern extended their lead on the half-hour mark when Bullock’s goalbound shot took a slight deflection which deceived Locke who could only help the ball on its way into the net.
The home side almost struck again in first-half injury time as Bullock headed Harry Clark’s cross narrowly over the crossbar.
Malvern spurned another chance after the break as Sam Clark failed to find the net when clean through on goal.
However, the Hillsiders eventually added a fourth goal on 86 minutes when substitute Brunt scored from the penalty spot after Bullock drew a foul in the box.
Malvern are next in action against Bideford AFC on Saturday, January 10 with kick-off at 3pm at the HDAnywhere Community Stadium.
