HAVING stretched their winning run to five in a row with a 20-10 defeat of Chaddesley Corbett the previous week, Malvern took a much-changed side to Mortimer Park on a Saturday where the atrocious conditions always looked likely to spoil the day.

LUCTONIANS II XV 19pts, MALVERN II XV 5pts

Continuous torrential rain made scrummaging a lottery, with decent footholds at a premium and ball handling a near impossibility.

The home side made better use of the conditions early on with aggressive rucking and solid lineout play providing a steady flood of possession. Malvern, forced into a series of errors, conceded ground and paid the price, allowing Luctonians to break their line and cross under the posts for seven points.

An early injury to the Spring Lane outfit's second row Stuart Smith brought about hasty re-arrangements, with the improving Jon Pritchard taking the place of Steve Cooper at prop, Cooper moving to second row.

The home side, now under pressure in the scrum, continued with their high pressure play in the loose and again forced their way through to stretch their lead to 14 points.

Malvern centre Rhys Hurst left the field with a cut eye, prompting further changes, with the powerful Pete Sharpe joining the fray. Malvern's pack, galvanised by a series of incidents and decisions, stepped up several gears and tore into the opposition, creating space for Lee Varney to cleverly grub kick through for winger Will Clee to score as half time arrived.

The second half, played in worsening conditions, became a war of attrition, in which Sharpe, prop Kim Withnall and Andy Ridley shone for the visitors.

The home side's monopoly on possession was repeatedly thwarted by Malvern's doggedness, with flanker Stuart Clark again putting in an immeasurable tackle count, and slowly the tide began to turn. First Withnall and then Pritchard tested the home defence with powerful runs, but a slippery ball spoiled their efforts.

The new half-back pairing of Dai Hodges and number ten Dave Green began to click creating chances to reduce the deficit, but spilled ball fell kindly for Luctonians' backs who outflanked the defence to surge over.

With the score at 19-5, Lucs seemed home, if not dry, but Malvern showed great character to dominate the last ten minutes, rattling their opponents in all areas, to finish on a positive note for tomorrow's (Saturday) home fixture against Stafford.