MALVERN Rugby Club's 'A' team used this friendly to introduce some of their promising young players and, although they went down 24-15 to Dudley-Kingswinford, they were not disgraced.

D-K fielded several first team regulars from their National League squad and looked sharp in the back division, where incisively angled runs ultimately led to the tries that won them the game.

The Malvern pack dominated throughout, the front five embarrassing their higher ranked opposition in both the set scrums and the line-out.

For 15 minutes the Spring Lane side kept D-K pinned in their own half, frustrating the visitors.

D-K finally shook off Malvern's shackles and showed themselves to be a well-drilled outfit, taking the ball at pace and cutting through the Malvern def-ence to score after 17 minutes.

Stand-off Sam Kelly pull-ed back three points from a penalty.

The Malvern pack continued to dominate up front but the D-K backs added two more converted tries to turn round 19-3 up at the break.

In the second half it was all Malvern, the forwards honing their pick-and-drive game and putting DK under constant pressure.

After a controlled rumble deep into the visitors territory Malvern forced a five-metre scrum and Andy Ridley picked up to dive over. Kelly converted to put them back in the hunt.

D-K hit back with try and having lost George Blakeway's experienced leadership to a shoulder injury, Sam Hardcastle took over at scrum-half.

Malvern replied by going on another long distance forward drive, then spread the ball wide for winger Rob Young to score.