A MONTH after Malvern had taken away Burton's unbeaten home record, the Brewer's came south looking for the win that would put them back in the driving seat in Midlands Two West.

MALVERN 18pts, BURTON 20pts

The visitors had a dream start after five minutes when the full-back fielded a long clearance kick and put the speedy left winger away to catch the Malvern cover napping and set up a conversion. This score would prove to be Malvern's undoing as they clawed their way back into the game.

The match was played throughout at a furious pace, with neither side giving any quarter. Andy Longley pulled back two penalties by the 20th minute as Malvern began to make their rucking game pay, Jamie Anderson having an immense match with big hitting tackles and driving runs. One such foray gained Malvern another penalty as the home pack forced Burton into desperate defence and Longley slotted the ball home to take the lead in the 27th minute.

Burton came straight back, a driving maul sucking in the Malvern defence for the centre to score a second try, again converted. Burton again forced Malvern back and won a penalty for pulling down the maul, but Malvern recovered the ball after the line-out and Eastwood's powerful break saw Burton again infringe with a blatant offside for Longley to bring back the point's difference to just two.

With the combative Lancett sin-binned seven minutes before the break, Malvern made light of the numerical disadvantage and continued to press Burton, the visitors' defence holding firm. However, on the stroke of half-time Longley was given another opportunity to punish a further Burton indiscretion for Malvern to take the lead 15-14.

With the match being played on a knife edge here was plenty to keep the large crowd enthralled, Burton's superb travelling support making themselves heard all afternoon. Anderson quietened them with another barrelling 30-metre run but Malvern surrendered the advantage with a delayed put in. Burton went upfield and won a penalty to retake the lead at 15-17 and Malvern were subjected to a long period of sustained pressure.

King made a break to relieve the pressure and Burton again offended, but Longley's attempt was just wide. Burton had a flanker sin-binned and Malvern piled on the pressure from the hour mark onwards, but the visitors denied the Spring Lane men any advantage, even when a second forward was shown the yellow card 10 minutes later.

Ott and Smith foraged but Burton again managed to clear the lines until the 70th minute when they gave away another penalty for Longley to restore Malvern's lead by one point. Burton went on a forward drive but Thomas turned it over and Malvern kept battling to keep the line intact. However, with three minutes left Burton won a five-metre scrum and Malvern gave away a penalty which was converted to give the visitors a narrow win.

A disappointed David Robins, director of rugby, said: "We paid for giving away two soft tries, we put enough pressure on Burton to force them into giving away penalties, and although we couldn't break their line, that should have been enough.

"To their credit, they defended well and we also couldn't dominate them in the tight as we had done in the first match, so on balance they just about deserved the points. Our lads played their hearts out, especially in the frantic last 10 minutes, and they are bitterly disappointed.

"However, we still have 10 games to go and with some of the other teams in the league gathering a bit of momentum, the title race is still wide open.

"We now have a break until January 8, when we travel to Old Laurentians, then entertain University College, Worcester in the North Midlands Cup."