A “CRISIS” game awaits Malvern tomorrrow, according to director of rugby Dave Robins, as his side travel to already-relegated Bedford Athletic (ko 3pm) in National Three Midlands.

Robins says a victory is vital for his side as they look to bounce back from their 53-0 loss to leaders Ampthill at Spring Lane and stave off the threat of relegation.

With just five league games remaining, Robins has dubbed the trip to Bedfordshire as a season-defining 80 minutes.

But injury-hit Malvern’s cause hasn’t been helped after they were dealt a triple blow with full-back Richard Fleming (groin), loosehead prop Dominic Murphy (shoulder) and scrum-half David Hadkiss (unavailable) all missing.

Number eight Jay Martin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a broken leg in the defeat to Ampthill.

Robins said: “Tomorrow is a crisis game for us. We’ve got to go down there and do the business.

“We badly need a result for our cause. Bedford have already been relegated and have not won a game all season but they won’t roll over. We need to go down there and get the points. If we don’t, it makes our task almost impossible.

“If we can pick up maximum points tomorrow we are still in the hunt. Throughout the season we have been operating with a very thin squad due to injuries.

“Ampthill were a well-organised and disciplined side. Despite the scoreline, for large parts of the game we played OK.”

First-team squad v Bedford Athletic (away-ko 3pm)-bus leaves Spring Lane at 10.15am and the Ketch Hotel, Worcester at 10.30am, number one dress code, from: M Humphreys, A Murphy, J Clark, G Taylor, M Williams, P Rawle (c), C Edwards, S Daws, J Southall, A Dixon, T Morgan, T Hupfield, D Reagan, L Rolleston, W Farris, S Cooper, A Ruddock, S Smith.

Second XV v Tewkesbury II (away-ko 2pm), meet at Spring Lane at noon, from: A Jones, L Moloney, S Watson, D Wolfe, D Beggs, G Fraser (c), B Merret, D Smith, C Williams, M Cock, N Potter-Farrent, B Ash, J Persey, G Wills, S Clark, I Diamond.

Third XV v Old Patesians (home-ko 2.30pm), meet at Spring Lane at 12.30pm, from: W Downes, M Prosser, T Wolke (c), G Martin, A Hill, J Smith, TBA, T Jones, J Engough, L Jenkins, J Harrison, I Hill, B Sharrett, S Campbell, R Francis, M Sharp, G Richards.