TWO unbeaten records were on the line last Sunday and Malvern put their coach and supporters through many agonies before finally preserving theirs intact.

MALVERN U15s 22pts, OLD HALESONIANS 0

The home side started slowly and for once the Spring Lane slope looked like a mountain and for long periods of the first half Malvern had to rely on determined and sometimes desperate defence to stay on level terms. A typical breakaway try by Chris Prosser secured a 5-0 lead at the interval which they scarcely deserved.

A fire-and-brimstone speech by Adam Blackmore together with the prospect of playing downhill produced a much more positive start to the second half. No 8 Richie Richardson broke from a scrum near the visitors' line and proved unstoppable from such close range.

A wealth of promising possession was then squandered through poor handling and indecision among the backs, and when Richardson was stretchered off with a leg injury the game was still far from won.

This young Malvern side applies unrelenting pressure which grinds most opponents down, and Old Halesonians buckled at the end like so many others before them.

A timely steal at the line-out by Andy Powell launched an attack which saw Chris Prosser over for his second touchdown, coolly converted by Ross Tolley. The final flourish was a moment of pure magic by fly-half Matt Tighe, who sold a dummy in midfield and ran half the length of the pitch for an outstanding try.

The final score may have flattered a little, but winning by big margins is an good habit and one the U15s show no signs of losing.

THE Malvern U14 Pirates endured a bruising encounter with Old Halesonians U14 last weekend but finished the game as winners with only 14 players and worrying injuries to two key players.

With the slope and breeze in their favour, Old Hales made the first score with a crafted threequarters move but Malvern hit back to lead 17-5 with tries from winger Giles Dawson, skipper Will Bowen and John Brierly. By half time the scores were back level at 17-all.

With the slope in their favour and sharp words from the coach ringing in their ears, Malvern began the second half well.

A well-timed decoy run from Brierly and Craig Smith in midfield dragged the Old Hales defence wide, allowing Bowen to pick-up and drive home to put Malvern back in front by five points.

The loss of lock-forward Stefan Milosavaljvich to an injured foot, meant Malvern had to battle on with 14 players.

Will Bowen made a powerful break to score out wide and although Brierly missed his fourth conversion from five, a winning result was out of reach for the disenchanted Old Halesonians side.

Skipper Will Bowen was named the Malvern man-of-the-match.

THE Eagles (Malvern U10s) travelled to Old Halesonians on Sunday, looking to put into practice some of their newly acquired skills, developed in recent training sessions at Spring Lane.

Although finally defeated by six tries to three it was a fine performance by the Eagles on which they can build.

Malvern's try scorers were new signing Jake Richardson, Dave Humphries and John Pykett.