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Bromsgrove 20 Malvern 0

When the weather turned to gales and driving rain, making Finstall Park a sticky playing patch, Malvern’s running game was always going to prove risky. Putting into the equation the fact that injury call-offs meant the leaders had to field their lightest pack of the season and the odds of an away win reduced even more. Then factor in a mixture of naïve tactics and a spirited Bromsgrove side fighting for survival, and the runes were cast for an upset, something that many of the Malvern faithful hadn’t discounted after the recent Cup match at the same venue. For the first 10 minutes it was all Malvern as they virtually camped in the Bromsgrove 22 metre area, but a succession of spilled balls and some sterling defence, especially by an outstanding home back row, kept the leaders out. Poor on-field decision making saw a penalty chance refused in favour of a tap and run, only to see the ball turned over as the slippery conditions took their toll. As Malvern, with the wind in their favour, failed to make the most of their advantage, Bromsgrove became heartened and their first venture into Malvern territory saw the home side drive upfield for Roke to score and convert his 11th minute try. Malvern continued to have most of the play for the first half-hour, but time after time tried to run the ball in from the backs where more forward play would have been the right choice, but even then the bigger back row of the Boars was taking the honours. Slow ball from out to the Malvern three-quarters also enabled Bromsgrove’s drift defence to deal with the Malvern threat. In the 34th minute Malvern tried to run the ball from defence and as the move broke down a penalty was conceded for Roke to increase the home side’s lead. Towards the en of the half the referee handed out the first of several yellow cards, many a little unnecessary as Malvern unsuccessfully strove to gain some parity before the turnaround., but Henshaw’s gallant effort after a sustained attack was stifled 8 metres out just before the half time whistle.

Fighting the elements and the slope in the second half, it was Malvern’s turn to be put under the cosh. The mobile home pack took play deep into the visiting half and increased the score with a try 10 minutes in. Despite some outstanding defensive work by the Malvern team, they couldn’t halt the bigger Bromsgrove ball carriers for ever and the home side sealed a deserved win after a catch and drive move to give themselves a lifeline and find Malvern needing to win both of their remaining games to ensure automatic promotion.

Malvern Director of Rugby David Robins was deeply unhappy with his side’s performance, whilst paying tribute to the victors. “I had a bad feeling about this match for most of the week. We had several call-offs through injury and unavailability which meant we had to put out a much lighter pack just when a forwards game was called for. However, Bromsgrove were deserved winners – they played the conditions far better, their back row was immense and they had a real hunger, born of their fight against relegation. We, on the other hand, threw the game plan out of the window and tried to play a dry pitch game on a quagmire. Ally this to some very below-par individual performances and we have made our promotion attempt much harder for ourselves, especially with Hereford having beaten Walsall and sitting just one point behind us. We now go into a cup match at Luctonians this Saturday, which will show our lads exactly the sort of standard which will b expected of them if we get into Midlands One. More importantly, we have to get there first, and to do that we have to beat Burton at home, always a tricky fixture, and then end the campaign against Solihull, where we go to the infamous Portway ground and attempt to take both points off a team we have never beaten. Solihull’s links with Pertemps Bees gives them a pool of experience to call on, even if it’s in the basic surroundings of Portway rather than the main club. We must put the Bromsgrove result behind us – I have every confidence that the talent we have in our squad will mean that we fight to the bitter end to achieve our goal. We hope to have several of our injured players, especially in the pack, available for the last two games to enhance our efforts. We look forward to a big turn out of support to drive the lads on in the last two games.”