AS is often the case, the first league match of the season showed up some ring-rustiness in terms of fluidity of play, but Malvern were well worth the two away points on a hot, energy-sapping afternoon.

LEAMINGTON 15pts, MALVERN 23pts

With the team's arrival delayed because of a motorway accident, kick-off was put back half an hour so the team could warm up.

When the game started, Leamington, boasting a pack that hadn't been shoved off the ball for two years, came out strongly.

The referee gave the first of at least a dozen penalties for not releasing the ball, although he seemed to ignorethe two second rule normally applied, giving the home stand-off Robertson an early three points.

Malvern struck back straight away as Aidan Ruddock turned the ball over and gained the chance for Longley to even the scores.

With Richardson and Lancett the solid anchors at prop, Leamington couldn't move the Malvern set piece, whilst Drage and Ruddock made a habit of stealing a high percentage of the home side's lineout ball. Hooker Wenden's tender years couldn't disguise another assured performance, his throwing- in giving cause for good cheer .

Alex Thomas and Nick Smith marauded from the flanks all afternoon whilst Anderson again made his presence felt at number eight.

Leamington broke out on the quarter hour with a good interpassing move after a missed tackle, not even Smith's fine tackle back enough to save Robertson's try.

Malvern took play repeatedly deep into the home half, but the not-releasing rule was liberally applied several times to frustrate them.

Despite this, Malvern continued to dominate, with a rejuvenated Blakeway directing his pack, which in turn applied the pressure require to start driving Leamington back.

The Old Vigornian, one of seven in the Malvern side, showed all his old guile and took play to the opposition to give standoff King a little extra space to set up moves. A new combination of Ott and Cullen in the centre proved to need a bit more familiarisation, but the Malvern back row was always in close attendance.

Anderson made a trade mark pirouetting run through the middle to suck in the defence and the ball was spun quickly to Longley, who cut in between the home backs almost lazily, drifting in for a glorious score which he then converted.

On the half-hour, Malvern lost the influential Anderson, with a too familiar shoulder injury. However, another product of King's School rugby, Tom Davies, took up residence at the base of the scrum and immediately impressed with his mobility and strong tackling.

The game moved more Malvern's way with two Longley penalties in as many minutes.

Drage was replaced by the mountainous Hynes, who immediately added even more power to the already dominant Malvern pack. Malvern maintained the attacking mode but were caught napping after conceding a penalty for crossing. Leamington broke quickly and Murphy executed a kick and chase to score, Robertson bringing it back to 15-16 with his conversion.

In the 56th minute Ruddock stole a Leamington throw, Blakeway whipped the ball out to King whose feinting run opened up space for him to score under the posts and let Longley increase his bag for the day to 18 points.

The game was played out in the Leamington half, apart from a driving maul that was halted and turned over, the Malvern pack showing almost total domination and only the incessant warble of a whistle punctuating the action.

Malvern play Old Coventrians, unbeaten last year, at home tomorrow (Saturday). Kick-off at Spring Lane is 3pm.