THIS was a game that for long periods The Dogs were in total control, yet looking back at the game it is difficult to pinpoint why exactly the game was lost in the last few minutes.

LUCTONIANS II 13pts, MALVERN 'DOGS' 12pts

Getting off to the worst possible start the early pressure from the heavyweight Lucs pack told within two minutes as they scored out wide.

This spurred the Dogs into action, and straight away the more mobile forwards set their mark on the match, and the back row trio of Thomas, Smith and Radley made great sways deep into the home side 22. Cynically, the more experienced Lucs forwards killed the ball on several occasions without more than a ticking off, but eventually quick thinking by scrum half Beano White saw Colston find a predatory hooker Dave Irish wide on the wing to score a try most wingers would have been proud off.

For the rest of the half The Dogs laid seige to the Lucs line but couldnt quite break through.

Playing with the elements in the second half Malvern used the possession wisely again putting a marker down of intent.

A turnover ball inside the Malvern 22, was fed wide to Beech who in turn found Issacs, eventually brought down on the Lucs 22 line, but the Malvern pack were there and the recycled ball was fed along the back line for Ben Hughes to go over for an early contender for try of the season. The conversion from Moaby was good, and it looked like a certain win for The Dogs, until a late charge from the home side.

Malvern bizarrely lost both scrum half and replacement hooker at the same time, as Lucs drove forward, communication slipped and they squeezed over in the tightest of angles wide out, which put the game beyond Malvern with four minutes left.