Rugby - Malvern in ‘must-win’ tie (From Malvern Gazette)

Rugby - Malvern in ‘must-win’ tie

2:00pm Friday 4th January 2013 in Local

 MALVERN Rugby Club are targeting a strong finish to the National League Three South West season as they look to move clear of the division’s drop-zone.

The Spring Lane side have the perfect chance to make a flying start to 2013 when they travel to rock-bottom Maidenhead tomorrow (2.15pm).

Malvern are currently in the league’s third relegation place but will look to claim a five-point haul against the division’s whipping boys, who have managed just one win and one losing bonus point in 14 outings.

In the corresponding fixture at Spring Lane, Malvern ran out convincing 53-11 winners and club spokesman Peter Woods is eager for a similar result on the road this weekend.

Malvern go into the trip buoyed by taking a losing bonus point from leaders London Irish Wild Geese with a 24-20 defeat in their previous league outing on December 15.

Maidenhead, on the other hand, suffered a 46-3 home drubbing against thirdplaced Weston-super-Mare.

Woods said: “It is a mustwin game for Malvern as we are in the relegation zone now.

“If we can’t beat the bottom side, there’s not much hope for us.

“We put more than 50 points on them at home and will be looking to do the same again this weekend.

“We have pretty much a full-strength squad to select from with just prop John Clark, who has a rib injury, missing.

“Hopefully, Tim Pickard should be fit to return, so we will be OK in the front row.

“We will be looking to build upon our good performance against London Irish Wild Geese and are targeting several wins in the remainder of the season.”

He added: “Five points tomorrow would close the gap on Avonmouth Old Boys who are just ahead of us in the table.

“Now we have played all of the teams in this division, we know there are some we could have beaten first time around.

“There are five or six teams in this league who we feel are beatable and we will be targeting them as we look to move into a stable position in the division over the rest of the season.”

Malvern follow up tomorrow’s clash with a league clash at Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, January 12 (2.30pm).