Malvern hunt for victory (From Ledbury Reporter)

Malvern hunt for victory

2:57pm Friday 5th October 2012 in Sport

MALVERN Rugby Club will be looking to bounce back to winning ways in National Three South West when they entertain free-scoring Old Patesians tomorrow.

Last time out the Spring Lane side travelled to Devon to tackle Newton Abbot, who are currently fourth in the table, and suffered a chastening 71-7 thrashing.

Back on home soil this weekend, they will be hoping for a much better result, but will be wary of Old Pats, who are just one place and two points ahead of them in the table.

The Cheltenham-based outfit went try crazy last weekend as they hammered bottom-of-the-table Maidenhead 95-12, so will be brimming with confidence.

Malvern director of rugby Liam Hughes said: “It will be a difficult game after we suffered a sound hammering last week, but we have to bounce back against one of the teams around us in the league — Old Patesians, who scored over 90 points in their last game.

“I’m not going to say we’re doing well with a load of players back, as I did that last week, before five lads failed fitness tests, meaning it was a vastly understrength pack that went to Newton Abbot. Not to discredit their efforts though as Rambridge, Dumitrescu, Green and Hobbs gave everything they had in a very difficult fixture.

“Saying that, we are confident we should have closer to our full strength team out this week minus a few lads still out with long term injuries/unavailability.

“We must fight back, we can’t allow ourselves time to sit and feel down about a few missing players and the bad luck we’ve had lately; this league is simply too tough for that.

“The lads understand what they need to do this week and 1-18 will give everything to rectify last week’s poor show.”

Malvern first XV (Old Patesians, h): Milton; Hale, Mustow, Miller, Fleming; Dixon, Southall; Murphy, Prosser, Day, Williams, Smith, Marshall, Nuttall, Gratwohl.

Replacements: Clark, Hobbs, Hillier.