MALVERN 10PTS, SOLIHULL 33PTS

AN eventful final league game at Spring Lane saw lots of controversy, mainly centred round the refereeing, or rather its lack of consistency.

With the two most powerful packs in the league coming head to head, the contest was always going to be tough, but as the game progressed the atmosphere on the pitch, like the weather, became more heated.

The first half saw a dropped goal from the stand-off put Solihull ahead after 16 minutes of early probing by both sides. The packs were even throughout, Malvern having the edge in the set pieces, although Malvern were guilty of taking the ball back in to the tight instead of spreading it wide as the game plan demanded. When the ball was passed out, Solihull looked nervous and the blind side flanker was sin binned for a deliberate shoulder charge, giving the official the chance to show one of his favourite colours for the first time.

Malvern were in the ascendant for a 20 minute period, constantly testing the Solihull defence as they tried to plough a path through the middle. Malvern won a penalty for hands in the ruck and employed the catch and drive, Shaun Lancett coming off the fringes to power over for his 20th league try of the season in the 35th minute.

However, the lead was short-lived as Solihull went on a charge upfield and the stand-off, Davis, standing deep in the pocket, slotted over a second dropped goal. The balance then swung firmly in the visitors' favour when Matt Richardson was shown the yellow card and Solihull scored through prop Pettit from a rolling maul. To make the score 5-11 at the turn-round.

The second-half began in the same vein, Malvern trying to win the battle up front and being stifled by Solihull when the game cried out for more expansive rugby. As each side struggled to impose themselves, things became a bit fraught and Roberts and the Solihull hooker were given 10 minutes in the sin bin.

However, Solihull then caught Malvern cold from a quickly taken free-kick and winger Coates sped in to widen the lead. The referee, who was clearly at a standard far above his capabilities, then sent both stand-offs for a minor skirmish, having indicated that he was sin-binning them, but producing a red card.

The game then lost cohesion and Malvern lost shape, conceding two more tries, one from an intercepted kick, before playing a simple move along the line for Roberts to score.

However, the referee then brought out the red card again to send off Lancett for offering an opinion too vehemently and Solihull wrapped things up with another breakaway try from a free kick. However, the colour parade had not finished, as David Robins, Malvern's Director of Rugby and a former referee, was shown a red card after the whistle when criticising the official's handling of the game. This decision was later rescinded.