MALVERN'S play so far this season had promised a score of giant proportions, so with a top versus bottom clash on the menu at Spring Lane, the players focused and primed by the coaches, the crowd gathered expectantly.

MALVERN 81pts, NUNEATON OLD EDWARDIANS 0

The whole Malvern side came out of the blocks at top speed and the agenda was well and truly set at the first scrum when Nuneaton were driven back effortlessly.

Rob Young nearly opened the scoring in the corner, just shepherded into touch, then Hynes, deceptively quick for someone of his powerful proportions, went on a 30 metre charge as the visitors were pinned back in their own half.

A driving maul sucked in the defence, the ball was whipped out to Mark Eastwood and the centre cut through five defenders to open the scoring.

Having staunched a Nuneaton breakaway and won a penalty, Longley cleared. Malvern turned over a ruck and the ball went along the back line, Longley making the extra man to put Young in, the full back converting in the 19th minute. Five minutes later Eastwood made a typical bruising run through the middle, the ball again going to Young for his second try.

The Malvern pack were dominating both tight and loose play, shoving Nuneaton back on their own ball and taking the lion's share of the lineout, Drage and Ruddock reigning supreme.

On the half-hour Malvern broke down the left for Anderson, this week a flanker, to score. Hynes continued to batter through, offloading the ball well and creating options, then John Drage stole a Nuneaton throw, Dan Cullen held up the ball well and Dave King drifted through in his deceptive way to set up Longley's conversion. The home pack was on a roll by now, skipper Richardson and fellow prop Shaun Lancett giving hooker Alex Wenden an armchair ride to win against the head on several occasions.

Alex Thomas, returning to the back row, was in the faces of the Nuneaton midfield all the time and Julien Davies and King at half back controlled the playmaking at will. Although not on the score sheet, winger John Martin made a great contribution with some fine angles of running to set up second phase ball. Nuneaton's only real scoring chance of the match, an intercepted long pass, came to nothing when the ball was kicked dead in the chase to the Malvern line, and the sides changed ends with the crowd expecting more of the same.

Malvern didn't disappoint them. Longley made an immense clearance from the restart, Malvern seized possession and the Cullen/ Eastwood centre pairing carried through to put King away on the break to put Anderson in for his second try and Longley kicked the extras.

Ten minutes into the second period, another simple but classic move along the line saw Young speed through for his hat-trick and three minutes later Eastwood went through unopposed for his second try, duly converted.

Steve Ott came on for Anderson as Malvern continued the destruction of the Warwickshire side's pack, which still battled on gamely. A line-out was won deep in the away 22 metre area, the catch and drive was employed and Hynes came up trumps.

Just past the hour King put a beautiful grubber kick deep in opposition territory, Malvern stole the ball again and Ott was on hand to power through to give Longley another brace.

Malvern were now on an average of a point a minute when Lancett decided that the front row needed to get onto the score sheet. However, he only succeeded in spilling the ball five metres out, but then made amends as the scrum was again won against the head, going to Cullen, who jinked through to make it 65-0, Longley pushing the score up two more.

From the restart Malvern ran the ball and Young made 40 metres. Two penalties later and Eastwood was on hand for his hat-trick score and Longley's seventh conversion. With two minutes left the ball was again moved along the line for Young to score his fourth try with a triumphant dive, Longley rounding off the afternoon with his final conversion.