FOLLOWING the previous week's heroics at Broadstreet, the belief in the Malvern squad was there to be seen as the match build-up started with a team breakfast at the Railway Inn.

MALVERN 26pts, NEWPORT 19pts

With a more settled look to the squad and looking for a fifth successive home win, the players took to the field against third-placed Newport with the exhortation of 'seek and destroy' ringing in their ears from the pre-match build-up.

Supported by a sizeable crowd, including vice-presidents and guests from sponsors The Foley Arms Hotel, Malvern tore into their higher-placed opponents.

Breaking downfield, courtesy of feisty scrum-half Ian White, Malvern won a scrum; the ball was whipped away quickly and passed out to Andy Burns on the wing, who out-muscled the Newport defence to run in a fourth minute try, which Steve Ott converted.

Stung into action, the well-drilled Newport pack and their busy scrum-half took the game to Malvern and eventually forced a penalty. The ball was put into touch for a line-out and the long ball to the back set up a catch-and-drive move ending in an unconverted try.

Play swung back Malvern's way, White giving his opposite number a torrid time. A Newport drop-out was charged down but Malvern couldn't make it pay.

Newport were awarded a penalty and their back-line broke from deep to craft a well-worked try and conversion.

Malvern then began to settle into a rhythm, the forwards taking play to the opposition, whilst the defence of Rawle, Taylor and Ruddock tied up the Newport back-line and midfield. With Wilkinson's intelligent playmaking allowing his backs to run at Newport, the crowd were being entertained and Malvern pressure resulted in a penalty which Ott despatched with ease.

Malvern continued to dominate the end of the first-half, a clever White box-kick only narrowly evading a full-tilt Roberts. Irish took a scrum against the head; Malvern replied to a Newport counter by marauding back upfield and at the break looked the stronger of the two sides.

The second-half began in the same fashion, Malvern coming from deep and Wilkinson breaking to set up the forwards. Chinese prop Han, in his last home game before returning to duties at Hartpury, came close to scoring but ultimately the Malvern efforts were rewarded with a penalty which Ott scored to retake the lead in the 50th minute.

More attacking play from Malvern kept the Spring Lane faithful warm as the mist started to close in and the temperature dropped, Wilkinson again showing a deceptive turn of speed to set Roberts away. The Newport defence killed the ball once too often and their number five was given 10 minutes in the sin-bin, Ott put over the penalty.

Burns came off and Anderson took the field, the versatile Ruddock moving from the pack to the wing. The injured Dan Ott had already been replaced by Julien Davies, also making a farewell appearance due to job commitments.

On the hour, Malvern again attacked from their own half, Wilkinson again breaking. His superb chip ahead into no-man's land left the Newport defence stranded as he went over to set up the two points for Ott.

With an 11-point deficit, Newport had to raise their game and dutifully did so, running at Malvern and setting up the maul. The Malvern defence soaked up the pressure but Newport were able to create an overlap for a converted try and suddenly there was only one score in it with ten minutes left.

From the restart, Newport conceded a penalty and some backchat to the referee took the kick another 10 metres closer to goal, Ott punishing the indiscretion with his fourth three-pointer of the day.

A final Newport rally threatened but Wilkinson stole the ball to clear the danger.