MALVERN Town scored five goals in a league game for the first time this season in a 5-1 victory against bottom-of-the-table Tavistock AFC.
Both Harry Clark and Piers Walton scores braces while Ryan Brunt also found the net after Jacob Bowker briefly drew the visitors level at the HDAnywhere Community Stadium.
And the result means Malvern sit fourth in the Southern League Division One South table, three points behind leaders Portishead Town.
The Hillsiders spurned a glorious chance to break the deadlock early on with Joe Tumelty unable to head home Clark’s cross from six-yards out.
Chances remained at a premium in the first half thereafter as Clark’s audacious overhead kick attempt and two further efforts from Tumelty failed to seriously trouble the Tavistock goalkeeper.
The home side’s best chance of the half fell to Tumelty who saw his shot cleared off the line after quick feet from Charlie Johnson.
However, Tavistock almost took the lead against the run of play on the stroke of half time when Bowker held off his marker only for Josh Bishop to take the ball off the striker’s toes.
Malvern finally broke the deadlock moments after the break when a chipped ball over the top evaded the Tavistock defence and Clark lifted a shot over the onrushing visiting goalkeeper.
However, Tavistock equalised less than a minute later as Bowker headed a floated cross from the left into the net at the back post with Bishop stranded.
And Bishop then made a crucial stop moments later to prevent the visitors from taking the lead.
Malvern reclaimed the lead on 52 minutes when Brunt controlled the ball on his chest and hooked a shot into the net from 12-yards out.
The home side pushed for a third goal as Tumelty saw another shot cleared off the line before some pinball in the box ended with Walton shooting over.
Town eventually sealed the points on 75 minutes when Clark stabbed the ball into an empty net from point-blank range after Tavistock goalkeeper Jack Arthur produced a stunning reaction to keep out Ben Hayes’ deflected cross.
And substitute Walton sealed the points for Malvern four minutes from time when he finished Clark’s cross from the left after good work from debutant Yuri Quintas.
Clark almost completed his hat-trick late on only for Arthur to deny the Malvern man a treble.
The Hillsiders completed the scoring in injury time as Quintas burst down the left and rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Walton to apply the finish.
Malvern are next in action against Mousehole on Saturday, December 13 with kick-off at 3pm at Trungle Parc.
