OLD Patesians, their first team riding high in National Three South, put out a strong second string in this friendly at Spring Lane on Saturday.

MALVERN 41pts, OLD PATESIANS 22pts

They shoved a surprised Malvern pack off their own ball in the first scrum and attacked the home line with verve, forcing Dave Beech to make a saving tackle. Having ridden this affront and some more well drilled moves, the Malvern pack shook themselves and collectively decided to take the game to the opposition.

Playing a controlled and co-ordinated game the forwards refined their pick and drive moves, with Shawn Lancett and Simon Reiter well to the fore. Driving to the Pats 22 metre area and winning a penalty, the Malvern pack, assisted by some of the backs, drove over for Andy Logan to score in the 12th minute, Paul Jenkin converting.

Pats drew level after one of their men, standing yards offside, interfered with play and they scored a breakaway try and conversion. However, this just served to sting Malvern into more action, centres John Martin and Gareth Richards shining in defence and attack. Martin showed he was totally back to full fitness with some incisive breaks whilst Richards repeatedly set up his forwards for more trundling pick and drive moves which Pats found difficult to defend.

Forcing a lineout five metres out, Malvern once again drove over, Simon Reiter bagging the points from the No 8 position. Martin then crashed through the middle to set up good second phase for the forwards and Ben Hughes cut in from his wing to bedazzle the Cheltenham side's defence with the score of the afternoon. Jenkin's conversion took the Malvern lead to 19-7 at half time.

Steve Ironside, a good first half performance behind him but having taken a knock, made way for the ever-youthful Andy Ridley at No 8, Reiter moving to the open side. Minutes into the half, Martin kicked ahead under pressure and followed up to feed Jenkin for a fine try and five minutes later the pack repaid Pats opening scrum affront when Logan took the ball against the head, then drove them back over the line for Ridley to score, Jenkin adding the extra two points.

Pats took the ball up field and replied with a try after some lax marking as Malvern relaxed slightly. Given the chance to use more replacements, the Spring Lane outfit started to ring the changes. Stewart Lucas came on for Tim Allies, who had put in his normal rock-like performance as the cornerstone of the pack. Martin made another break and Pats conceded another of the many penalties they were forced into. Jenkin slotted the kick over as livewire Dave Hill made way for the ominous presence of Marc Gaubert.

Dave Beech's blistering run down the right finally came to naught as Malvern were penalised and Martin was sin-binned, seemingly for offering advice to the match official. Soaking up the pressure Pats applied with the extra man, Malvern responded when Beech put in some good work to set up the platform for the pack and Ridley's burst of speed gave him his second try, Jenkin's conversion going in off the post.

Hughes left the proceedings after picking up a cut to the nose. Malvern used all their replacements, which inevitably disrupted the rhythm of play, and Pats ran in two late consolation tries as time ran out.

However, skipper Vince Hill was satisfied with the day's work and said: "We had some enforced late changes but settled down to dominate for over an hour with some fine retention. We broke down a determined defence and only slackened off when we got over the 40 point mark."

The match was a good sharpener for this week's away league match at Kenilworth, when Malvern will look to break their away duck at the scene of last year's finest victory on the road.