Malvern win at Weston with last minute score
Aug
Weston Super Mare 22 Malvern 24
Malvern RFC travelled to former National League side Weston for a pre-season friendly last Saturday, fielding an 18 man squad. Although still not at full strength because of holidays, the visitors took the game to the South West one side and put sustained pressure on the home line. This effort was duly rewarded when James Hynes barrelled over to open the scoring, with full back Chris Hooper adding a conversion. The home side were spurred into action by this early setback and came back hard at Malvern, their backs looking sharp. The left winger took advantage of some slack marking to dance his way through the Malvern defence to score and set up a conversion to level the scores. With both teams playing fast, open rugby, Malvern again went into the ascendant, having the lion’s share of possession and constantly threatening the Weston line. However, knocks-on and missed passes meant that chances were wasted. Midway through the first half Malvern won a line-out and stand-off Tom Longley dummied and broke to set up Hooper for a try. Malvern stretched the lead when a quick move across the back line put Rob Whitehouse in. at the corner, but the home side responded just before half time to fight back after a clever miss-move set up the try.
Straight after the break, Weston’s full back joined the line to scorch through at speed and put the home side n the lead for the first time. Malvern tightened things up and some fine defensive work closed Weston down, whilst excellent performances from Dave Smith, Bruce Thomas and Longley kept Malvern’s attacking options open. However, despite these efforts, Weston increased the lead after forcing a scrum inside the Malvern 22 and spinning the ball out for a try in the corner. Just when all looked lost, with the game in the final minute, Malvern ook a line out, the ball was shipped to Man of the Match Tom Longley, he broke the line and fed the ball to the waiting Richard Fleming, who pounced to score and level the points. Hooper stepped up and sent a bullet of a conversion between the uprights to win the match for Malvern.
David Robins, Malvern’s Director of Rugby, was pleased with the way his diminished squad had performed. “We missed 2 or 3 fairly simple scoring chances, so could have been further ahead. I was pleased with the way the lads shape up. Playing a smaller squad than the previous week gave us a better look at some of the newer faces and to assess our options for the make-up of the squad. Whilst there were areas in which we need to improve, I was pleased with the overall showing. We have another warm-up game against Risca from Welsh National Division Four this weekend, which will give us the chance to play some of the players returning from holiday. We expect the guys from the Valleys to be tough and competitive, with no holds barred, which will be an ideal test for us as we develop the squad. Kick off at Spring lane is 3.00p.m.”
BEECHY SIGNS UP AS MALVERN STRENGTHEN SQUAD
Robins announced that he has signed Tom Beechy from National League 3 outfit Lydney. The speedy winger, who made a guest appearance for Malvern in the end of season match against The Guanos, scoring three tries, has also played at Stourbridge. A local Worcestershire man, Beechy brings out and out pace to the Malvern squad and Robins is excited about the options he will bring. “With his experience at a higher level and his speed, I am certain that Tom will bring an added dimension to us. With Ryan Henshaw on the other wing we have real pace and power to offer outside our strong running centres.”
