ON a day when it was vital to win to secure promotion, the entire Malvern team put their bodies on the line against a hard, uncompromising Solihull side to win 18-15 and take the Midlands Two West title.

Starting hesitantly and playing into a strong, gusting wind, a needless line-out was conceded by Malvern in the third minute.

Solihull sucked in the visiting defence at the maul and scored in the corner to put the league leaders on the back foot.

However, the Spring Lane side knuckled down to the task and forced their way deep into Solihull territory. With the back line and loose forwards in the faces of their hosts, Solihull made hasty clearances and an element of panic crept into their play, forcing them to concede penalties.

After one such decision, some back chat was punished by an extra 10 metre, putting Chris Hooper in range for a ninth-minute score.

From the restart, Hooper fielded the ball and kicked deep for Tim Streather to chase. Solihull didn't release the ball and Hooper's resultant kick into the teeth of the wind was just wide.

Malvern tails were up and the pack showed how good their intensive scrummage training had been as they took the first of several balls against the head.

After another Malvern penalty, Owen Jones burst through from the line-out but a knock-on halted what looked like a certain score.

As Malvern looked to be more in control, Richard Fleming used his strength and pace to link up with Streather for a 60-metre run from defence.

Malvern's pack then put in a 30-metre driving maul to threaten the Solihull line, before the ball was whipped out for Fleming to score. Hooper added the extras.

The second-half began with Solihull revitalised and determined to fight their way back in to the game.

A saving tackle by Streather stifled the imminent danger, but when the Solihull stand-off was tackled late, running a tapped penalty, the resultant kick saw the home side back to within two points.

A yellow card reduced Solihull to 14 men and, just before the hour mark, another controlled Malvern drive deep into home territory saw Hooper step into the pocket and put over what was to prove a significant drop-goal.

Ten minutes before the end, Malvern won a line-out and the ball went quickly across the line for Streather to outpace the defence and go over.

However, Solihull put in a period of sustained pressure deep into injury time, forcing three penalties. They opted for catch-and-drive moves each time and Fleming picked up a yellow card on the way.

The home side finally forced their over for a converted try to give the substantial Malvern following an anxious last few minutes, but the whistle went and the Spring Lane side were champions allowing the crowd and players to begin the celebrations.