CAMP HILL 27PTS, MALVERN 32PTS

MALVERN travelled to Shirley to play an already relegated Camp Hill side and were expected to win.

However, as so often happens, expectations can also breed complacency, and this showed several times during an exciting game as Malvern squandered good possession through careless play and missed tackles.

However, the Spring Lane team were in control up front and the pack put in another excellent performance under deputising skipper Jamie Anderson.

The game started with a feisty young Camp Hill side attacking Malvern from the off, a try saving tackle from Chris Hooper keeping the line intact. The Malvern pack then took control and drove downfield, winning a penalty, which was put into touch in the corner. The resultant catch and drive was inevitable, as was the emergence of Shaun Lancett to add to his incredible tally for the season in the 11th minute.

From the restart Malvern counter-attacked, Roberts fielding a kick ahead and working the ball across field for Hooper to join the line, his pace taking him through to ground the ball between the posts for Watkins's conversion.

Camp Hill pulled back a penalty midway through the half but Malvern responded by driving a maul 25 metres before the ball was released to Richard Fleming to power through the defence for a well-earned try.

Muli was sin-binned for a superb tackle on a penalty taker, who unfortunately hadn't been allowed to run 10 metres, and the referee appeared to be struggling to keep up with the fast and furious pace.

The home team pulled back another penalty, but Malvern responded on the stroke of half-time when Hooper, deep in the pocket, put over a stupendous dropped goal from around 45 metres to leave Malvern ahead 20-6 at the break.

With Camp Hill having the slope and wind advantage in the second period, Malvern needed to stretch their lead, and five minutes in the pack again made ground up the slope. A penalty to the corner, another catch and drive move and the irrepressible Gareth Taylor, Malvern's hardest working player, took the five points. Watkins saw his conversion hit the post.

Camp Hill then raised their game, winning a series of penalties as Malvern showed some poor discipline, and after a line out, attacked the centre of Malvern's defence to pull back a converted try on the hour mark. Malvern needed to raise the game again and the pack responded magnificently, winning a scrum against the head. The ball was whipped out to Muli, who used his strength to break through and feed Fleming for his second score, Watkins converting.

The last 15 minutes saw a determined Camp Hill side raise their game and a five-metre line-out saw the ball moved away from the Malvern defence and the line was breached, although a dispute over whether the ball had been held up cost Roberts a yellow card.

Playing the final 10 minutes a man short stretched Malvern and Camp Hill broke out of defence to bring themselves within a score of Malvern's total, leading to a nail biting last five minutes. However, Malvern saw off the spirited challenge to take the two points.