MALVERN slipped to a 38-22 home defeat at the hands of National Three Midlands high-fliers Luton.

The Spring Lane side pinned the Bedfordshire outfit back in their own half for the first 10 minutes.

A well-executed Jay Martin chip-and-chase took play to the Luton five-metre line, Malvern won the scrum and the pack drove over for Martin to open the scoring. Tom Beechey converted.

The visiting backs then pressed, the ball was taken into the forwards and South African prop Mike Posthumus went over. Full-back Dan Howells levelled the scores with the conversion. Luton skipper Matt Allen cut through twice in four minutes to set up Howells conversions and it looked as though Malvern were in for a hiding. Howells and Beechey traded penalties before a kick-and-chase saw winger Rhys Peakman outstrip the Malvern cover to score and Howells added the extras.

Malvern skipper Phil Rawle was sin-binned, but the hosts kept forcing Luton backwards with young stand-off Ollie Meadows impressing.

Posthumus was also given a yellow card, before Beechey set up debutant James Aston for a score.

Playing deep within Luton territory, a series of rucks drew in the away defence, allowing Beechey to grab a try he converted himself.

The Malvern pack won a penalty, but the referee decided not to award it although no advantage had been gained. He then awarded one to Luton and they rubbed salt into the Malvern wounds as Allen went over late on to copmplete his hat-trick, before Howells’ conversion signalled the end of proceedings.