MALVERN Town returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Falmouth Town as Luke Salter’s goal proved decisive.
Salter scored the game’s only goal on 65 minutes when he finished Sam Clark’s goalbound effort at Bickland Park.
The result means the Hillsiders sit seventh in the Southern League Division One South table, two points outside of the play-off places.
Malvern made the long 470-mile round trip to Falmouth on the back of successive defeats in the league while the Hillsiders shipped six goals against Frome Town last time out.
However, the visitors made a positive start as Levi Francis fired over the bar while the returning Josh Bishop made a couple of saves at the other end.
Bishop, who recently rejoined the club on-loan from Kidderminster Harriers, made another smart stop later in the first half to keep the game scoreless.
Just past the half-hour mark, Ben Hayes delivered a cross into the box which Francis met as the latter flashed a shot wide of the target.
Falmouth piled on the pressure at the end of the first half as Malvern survived two goalmouth scrambles to keep the game level at the break.
The home side remained on the front foot after the interval as Hayes headed a goalbound effort off the line.
Malvern created a chance of their own at the other end with Piers Walton just unable to pick out Hayes as he charged in towards the back post.
Falmouth thought they had finally beat Bishop in the Malvern net only for the goalkeeper to recover and drop on the loose ball before it crossed the line.
However, the Hillsiders broke the deadlock on 65 minutes when Salter made sure Clark’s initial header at the near post crossed the line from Joe Tumelty’s corner.
The home side pushed for an equaliser, with Malvern content to preserve their lead, as a shot hit the inside of the post and bounced into the arms of Bishop.
And Falmouth spurned a glorious chance to snatch a point in injury time as the home side somehow fired wide from four-yards out.
Malvern are next in action against Bashley on Saturday, November 8 with kick-off at 3pm at the HDAnywhere Community Stadium.
