THIS North Midlands Cup semi-final took place at Spring Lane with gusting winds making conditions difficult at the lineout and accurate kicking a lottery.

MALVERN 57pts, HEREFORD 7pts

For the first 20 minutes, both sides struggling to acclimatise, there was little for the sizeable crowd to relish. Malvern then realised that the pick and drive, sucking in the Hereford pack, with quick ball out to the backs, was the way to go. With number 8 Jamie Anderson repeatedly bulldozing through the middle and flankers Owain Wynne and Andy Ridley looking sharp, Malvern looked much better equipped.

The front five, James Daniell returning at loose-head, were solid in the tight, whilst the lineout improved as the afternoon wore on, despite the wind. In the 18th minute Richards, playing at scrum half, made a break, Eastwood took the ball on and passed it out to winger Martin, took the return inside pass and set up a simple conversion for Longley.

Stand off Dave King received the ball from a ruck and dummied the defence to stroll through unopposed between the posts for Longley to make it 14-0.

Mark Eastwood's sheer power in the centre gave the young Hereford defence all sorts of trouble and they were forced into conceding penalties. From a quick tap, skipper Dave Irish scored Malvern's third try, Longley seemingly untroubled by the near gale force conditions as he converted again.

The second half saw more of the same, Martin again unlucky to be put into touch, but Longley stretched the lead with a penalty. Eastwood went off with a dead leg, Dan Kaye coming on to join the fray.

Dan Cullen had an impressive game in the other centre berth, feeding of King's creativity, whilst Anderson and Wynne seemed to be in the thick of everything. Another brilliant dummy from King put Cullen in then Anderson's charge set up a ruck from which Wynne went over. This led to Longley's only miss of the day, kicking into the teeth of the gale.

Ridley and Anderson made way for Taylor and Gaubert as the Malvern backs continued to move the ball around. Richard Fleming's burst up the right wing was held up, but he stayed on his feet as Martin came round on the loop to take the ball over.

Consolation score

Hereford then got a consolation score as they intercepted another Malvern passing move, but Malvern weren't done yet. Gaubert carried the ball on, King fed Martin, who put Fleming in, then Malvern hacked a loose ball ahead and King's deceptive pace and body swerve took him through for the final try and Longley's seventh conversion.

Malvern now face a tough away trip to either Aston Old Edwardians or Whitchurch in the semi-final on April 24, but director of rugby David Robins remained upbeat.

Robins said: "In all truth, Hereford didn't offer as much opposition as in the league encounter. After a rest week next Saturday, we look forward to a stirring game here on April 3 when we entertain league leaders Derby. Although we will be the underdogs, I feel that they will find us one of their toughest tests so far. The cup semi-final will also be tough for us, but the whole squad are up for it - they want to lift that trophy for the second time in three years."