Malvern edged out by physical Barkers Butts outfit - The Malvern Observer

Malvern edged out by physical Barkers Butts outfit

Malvern Editorial 20th Feb, 2017   0

MALVERN were outmuscled by a physical Barkers Butts side in a 17-14 Midlands Two West (South) defeat at The Bob Coward Memorial Ground on Saturday.

The hosts’ huge pack proved to be superior from the offset as they drove forward with force for an early try.

During the score, James Redfearn picked up a knock to the head, leaving the visitors’ pack a bit lighter as he was replaced by the smaller, although tenacious, Stewart Clarke.

With the pack being driven backwards at every set piece, Malvern struggled for decent possession and were unable to get their incisive backs moving.




Despite that and an increasing penalty count against them, the Spring Lane side defended well and kept the score close at 5-0 going into the interval.

The second-half saw George Amphlett and John Friths come on for Glen Potter and Rory Atkins, but a series of Barkers penalties put Malvern on the back foot as two quickfire tries saw them trail 17-0.


The Malvern scrum then began to steady as they came into the game, with Amphlett’s passing and vision helping the visitors to make inroads.

A cleverly flighted cross field kick then found Tom Hale who grounded in the corner, which Ben King converted to reduce the deficit.

A second score soon followed as Adam Dixon linked up with Amphlett, who in turn fed Jack Curtis to put in a blistering run down the wing to score in the corner.

King again put over the resulting conversion to leave Malvern trailing by just three points.

But the comeback wasn’t to be as Liam Roleston was sin-binned for an offence he didn’t commit, leaving Malvern’s pack light and allowing Barkers to hold onto the slender lead.

Malvern visit county rivals Droitwich in the quarter finals of the North Midlands Vase at The Glyn Mitchell Memorial Ground on Saturday (kick-off 2pm).

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