FOLLOWING a record defeat in their previous game, Malvern director of rugby Andy Longley has demanded his players “deliver”, starting tomorrow.

The Spring Lane side suffered a crushing 84-0 loss at “clinical” National Three Midlands leaders Rugby Lions.

Big-spending Lions, whose head coach is England 2003 World Cup winner Neil Back, fired 14 tries in a dominant display against an under-strength Malvern outfit.

Now Longley has called on his side to be more pro-active in games, when they host fourth-placed Syston tomorrow (ko 3pm).

Outside-centre Adam Billig returns to the Malvern line-up tomorrow after a month out with a knee injury. Olly Marshall comes into the back row, while Tom Longley starts at full-back.

Malvern, who have now lost four of their last five games, slumped to ninth in the table.

Tomorrow’s clash will be followed by a break from league action when Malvern entertain Old Halesonians in the North Midlands Cup quarter-final on Saturday, November 5 (2pm).

Longley said: “We need to show a bit of fight and determination, only things that the players can provide.

“The spirit and talent is here at the club, we’ve got to be more pro-active too. The players need to take responsibility individually.

“We need to win now, the squad has to deliver. We need to put in a good performance at home tomorrow, after not playing well in our two previous home games. I’m looking for a response after the Rugby Lions game. We need to put in a good performance at home.

“Rugby Lions are on a completely different level to anyone we have ever seen before in the division.

“Our confidence is a little bit fragile because we have not won for a month.

“Syston will be a tough game for us. They will be looking to build on their early-season momentum.”

Tomorrow’s Malvern teams First team v Syston (tomorrow, home – ko 3pm), meet at Spring Lane at 1.15pm, from: J Tsang, M Humphreys, D Wrightson, A Cannock, M Williams, O Marshall, C Edwards, C Griffiths, J Southall, A Dixon, J Bennett, R Fleming, A Billig, I Mustow, T Longley, J Baker, S Daws, L Milton.

Development team v Newport (away, ko 3pm), meet at Spring Lane at noon, from: M Prosser, A Almond, N Murphy, D Smith, R Hobbs, S Clark, O Jones, J Budd, J Doorbar, S French, R Watkins, TBA, G Roberts, J Schofield, R Gratwohl, J Hillier, M Jones, A Ruddock, J Wilkes.