HAVING put together a six-game winning Midlands Two West sequence at home, Malvern went to struggling Leamington seeking a first win on the road.

LEAMINGTON 17PTS, MALVERN 35PTS

The seemingly ever-present injury jinx had struck once more, Phil Rawle and Ian White sidelined late in the week. Julien Davies came to the rescue to travel from Wiltshire to fill the number 9 shirt, with Aidan Ruddock coming off the bench to fill the vacant flanker position.

After a fairly lacklustre start, conceding a try after four minutes, Malvern got into gear and took the game to Leamington. The first few times that the opposing forwards locked horns it was clear that Malvern had the greater firepower all round.

Vince Hill and Chris Smith dominated the line-out, the knife-sharp Dave Irish took several against the head and busied himself all round the park whilst props Lancett and Richardson were busy giving their opposite numbers a torrid time.

With Gareth Taylor and James Hynes excelling in their ball-carrying duties, Malvern piled the pressure on to win a penalty, which Steve Ott dispatched safely. The novelty of having a lady referee from Canada was soon over as she dealt efficiently with each situation, and quickly won the respect of both sides.

Leamington's backs looked dangerous when running the ball from deep, courtesy of some wayward kicking which allowed them to counter, but Malvern's tackling was generally sound, with more turnover ball being won than in any other match this season.

In the 23rd minute, George Roberts fielded a Leamington clearance, dummied his winger and went on a weaving run to put Malvern in the lead and for Ott to convert.

Leamington hit back, moving the ball from deep for the right-winger to re-take the lead just after the half-hour mark. But Malvern continued to win the battle up-front, forcing the Spa town side to defend. From a scrum just before the break, Dave Wilkinson looped round and Chris Ridgers squeezed through a tight gap, hit the gas and scored a dazzling try for Ott to claim the extra brace.

Jamie Anderson came on for Ruddock in the second half. Malvern put a home scrum under pressure and Ridgers picked holes in the defence to canter in for his second score and Ott's conversion put Malvern 12 points clear.

Another Ott penalty and Malvern tails were really up. Alistair Hills' powerful bursts in the centre set up second phase, the pack mauled, rucked and even tried some fancy inter-passing moves, such was the confidence surging through the side. Gareth Richards, taking over from Davies at scrum-half, showed he had lost none of his old wiles, linking up well with the back-row.

The pressure forced Leamington into more desperate defence and consequent infringements, two being punished by Ott's boot.

Even when temporarily down to 14 men, the seven-man pack took a strike against the head, then another move from a throw-in set Ridgers off to once again speed through for his hat-trick.

Leamington scored a consolation try at the end, but it was a day for celebration as the Malvern side took two more points towards safety.