AN away trip to the bottom club in the Midlands One league, on a wet, dull and cold day set the scene for what was always likely to be a dour encounter.

BARKERS BUTTS 13pts, MALVERN 25pts

And so it was, with the Coventry based side short on ideas but skilled at provocation and disruption. Malvern started well, but over-enthusiasm to get points on the board rebounded as silly penalties were given away to allow home standoff Paine to put Barkers ahead in the sixth minute.

Malvern took control and went on a series of forward drives, Marc Gaubert and Andy Ridley revelling in the conditions in the back row and Gareth Richards and John Martin spearheading attacks in the centre. Attacks broke down due to an over-eagerness to score, but Malvern put the Barkers' defence under pressure, flanker Dave Hill doing his Neil Back impersonation with some big hits. The Malvern front five, having negated the home tactic of wheeling the scrum, took a strike against the head, fly half Paul Jenkin went on a inking run and the ball was fed out to left winger Sam Hardcastle to score in the 21st minute.

Malvern again attacked into the wind and good work by Gaubert took them close but the final pass was dropped. Barkers Butts cleared downfield and a well-worked try by centre Lee Clarke, converted by Paine, put the home side ahead again on the half-hour, much against the run of play. Malvern continued to dominate possession and territory and when a penalty took them to 10 metres out, the line out ball was fed to Gareth Richards who fought his way through a packed defence to level the scores in the 40th minute. In the third minute of injury time Malvern again needlessly conceded a penalty and Paine slotted the kick to give the home side an undeserved half time lead. The Barkers Skipper was yellow carded for persistently offending at the ruck.

Malvern came out determined to make use of the extra man from the off and Jenkin went clear, only for the referee to call play back for an earlier Barkers Butts offence. Sustained pressure on the home line saw the first outbreak of bad temper, but Malvern stuck to the task and prop Shawn Lancett burrowed over to take the lead back for Malvern in the 45th minute, Hardcastle converting. With young full back Andy Isaac gaining in confidence and putting some intelligent kicks in to pin Barkers back, the home side started feeling the pressure and responded with a litany of stamping and raking at the rucks, provoking the Malvern pack, but only succeeding in having their centre sin-binned.

However, the tactics of provocation rebounded, despite a red card for skipper Vince Hill as the Malvern team showed even more determination and grit. With scrum half George Blakeway calling the tunes, the Malvern pack dominated in the tight and hooker Dave Irish took more ball against the head as Malvern made their superiority pay.

Paul Hart, so aggressive on the training field in the week, replaced Hill in the second row, prop Steve Cooper replaced Tim Allies to make his first appearance of the season and Mark Coulston came on in the centre for the unlucky John Martin. Forcing a line out 8 metres from the Barkers' line, Blakeway whipped the ball out to the lurking Hardcastle on the blind side and he scored in the corner with five minutes left, then slotted a penalty on the stroke of full time to give Malvern a deserved victory.

Director of rugby David Robins said: "It wasn't very pretty out there, and certainly not for the faint hearted. Barkers tried blatant intimidation all afternoon but our lads stood up to it, giving as good as they got. Our forwards didn't flinch, although the red card for Vince Hill was a setback. Unfortunately the referee didn't see the foul play that led to the retaliation! However, we stuck to the task, the front five playing exceptionally well, and the better side won. Marc Gaubert and Andy Ridley revelled in the conditions and I was pleased with the performances of Andy Isaac and Sam Hardcastle. We were a bit rushed at times, which led to mistakes, but the bottom line is two points away from home."

Malvern travel to leaders Longton on Saturday, the memory of the recent home defeat still fresh in the minds. However, there is a determination amongst the players to perform well against the promotion favourites and an air in the camp that exudes pride in the Malvern badge.

"Although the task seems mountainous, Robins says: "We can go up there and acquit ourselves well. The Longton players said that their game at Malvern was the best of their season and they have since lost to Leicester Lions in the cup. They aren't invincible."

CHRISTMAS TREAT FOR MALVERN SUPPORTERS

The RFU has insisted that the home match against Dunstablians, originally postponed due to cup games, be played on December 28. Although this causes a problem for both clubs in terms of availability over the holiday period, it gives local rugby followers a breather from cold turkey and indigestion.

The Malvern Seagulls also plan to run a family day on that date, so there is plenty of excuse to get out of the house and enjoy the offerings at Spring Lane.