MALVERN Rugby Club's first visit to Walsall in Midlands One, ended in defeat as they went down 35-20 at Delves Road.

The visitors started brightly with skipper Andy Longley cutting through the defence to score and then convert to put Malvern 7-0 ahead after just three minutes.

They went further ahead with a Longley penalty from 40 metres. The ex National League side came back strongly and winger Malcolm Walker touched down in the 18th minute to close the gap.

Five minutes later David Butler, the home scrum-half put over a penalty to narrow the gap to two points. Hooker James Allen then scored in the 35th minute to put them ahead at half time.

Malvern repeatedly infringed in the second period, conceding territory and Gilbert punished them with a converted try then a penalty within four minutes of the restart.

The Spring Lane side kept their heads up and a clever Blakeway move put Paul Jenkin through to set up a converted try by Longley to bring the score to 23-20.

Malvern, tails up , kept up the momentum and after a five metre scrum, lock Jon Owen scored near the corner, Longley converting.

Malvern's discipline was severely tested and centre Gareth Richards was sin-binned for a high tackle. Owen then went off with a recurrence of a knee problem, before flanker Rod Dickson to score and put the home side in the driving seat. Cooper joined Richards in the sin-bin and depleted Malvern conceded another try, from full back Richard Marsh.

Longley put over a penalty five minutes from time, but Walsall managed to keep the visitors out to take the points in what had been an exciting, if error strewn match.