AS Malvern searched in vain for that elusive first Midlands One win, the injury toll mounted further as two more forwards had to leave the field in their 29-0 defeat at Hinckley.

With seven forwards from the squad already either injured or unavailable, this game was always going to be difficult and so it proved.

Malvern had started brightly, pinning the Leicestershire side deep in their own half for the opening spell.

However, the story of the season has been an inability to convert pressure into points, and this, plus a highly competent Hinckley defensive effort, kept kept the Spring Lane men at bay.

Having survived the opening onslaught, the home side drove upfield and their first attack yielded a try in the corner.

Malvern took play back to Hinckley, but a couple of penalties were wasted as touch wasn’t found, allowing Hinckley to run the ball back.

Malvern still continued to threaten, but the home defe-nce prevailed and the visitors missed some crucial tackles as the mobile Hinckley pack rumbled towards the line and a move around the fringes scoring the try which was converted in the 26th minute.

The home side went further ahead just before the break with a well-worked try in the corner, also converted, while Malvern missed a penalty.

The second-half began like the first, with Malvern running what ball they could.

Malvern’s best chance of scoring went begging as the ball was spilled.

Hinckley heeded this threat and replied with a try.

Then the injury curse struck as Simon Daws took a crack on the head, before Stewart Doolittle went off with a back injury as Malvern were again forced to play people out of position.

The game was effectively over in the 63rd minute when the Hinckley forwards drove the weakened Malvern pack backwards for the final score of the match.

The game had little to excite the crowd, with both sides making many errors, but Hinckley took the two points, while Malvern were left with a mounting injury list.

Malvern host reigning champions Chester in the Intermediate Cup on Saturday. Kick-off is at 2pm to allow for any extra-time.