MALVERN Rugby Club slipped-up on the first of two crucial games before the Christmas break when they lost 18-17 at home to Solihull on Saturday.

Director of rugby David Robins was bitterly disappointed by his side's capitulation after they led 17-0 at half-time.

He said: "If you lose to a better side it is more bearable, but to totally throw away a game as we did is inexcusable.

"We should have had for more points on the board by half- time and we still suffer from not kicking all our conversions, which alone would have still secured victory.

"In the first half we opened them up with some incisive running rugby. They outweighed us considerably in the pack, and when they started dictating play in the second half with a physical mauling game we were bound to tire quicker.

"It is beyond me why our lads didn't stick to the game plan which had been so successful in the first-half and we must ensure that is better communication on the field in future.

"Solihull are, by their own admission, a fairly average side with only one way of playing. They stuck to it and we handed them the two points.

"We still top the league, with Lichfield having lost to Burton, but we now travel to Burton with a tough task ahead of us.

"The gap is closing at the top and it will be a dogfight to the end in this league - we must show that we have the dog' in us to maintain promotion form."