Bromsgrove 10
Malvern 19
North Midlands Cup quarter-final

AN UNDER-strength Bromsgrove side were eliminated from the North Midlands Cup by Malvern.

The Boars took the opportunity to rest a few players who were suffering from niggling injuries.

Without fly-half Duncan Roke, it was left to Bromsgrove stalwart Richard Stockholm to fill the number 10 jersey.

Jo Baker made a welcome return to the side in the front row.

Against a Malvern side without some of their first choice pack, Bromsgrove competed manfully in the tight.

Malvern who probably expected to have supremacy in the forwards struggled to exert control and Bromsgrove's tight five led the way, with another excellent contribution from the back row. But the visitors opened the scoring when their winger Ryan Henshaw broke through the Boars' defence to score an unconverted try.

Bromsgrove continued to battle and stifled most of Malvern's attempts to produce quick ball.

When they succeeded, Bromsgrove defended defiantly and the centre partnership of Dan Quinn and Dan Ingram competed well with Malvern's formidable three-quarter line.

However, Malvern managed another try before half-time.

Their confidence to run out of their own 22 was rewarded when their full-back ran virtually the length of the pitch to feed the supporting players for a score.

The try was converted and Bromsgrove trailed 12-0 at half-time.

The Boars fought back during the second-half.

Their first try came after several phases of play and a well-worked move saw flanker Drew Harper crash over the line.

The conversion attempt was missed. Bromsgrove then had a period of sustained pressure in Malvern's 22.

Ruck ball was fiercely contested and the pack did not take a backward step.

Despite skipper Richard Arnold having to come off through illness, Bromsgrove still competed in the front row, but without a genuine hooker.

Nigel Burrows was constantly stripping ball from Malvern and represented a genuine threat at the base of the scrum.

Malvern were determined to gain supremacy and were within a whisker of scoring a try when Harper made a remarkable last-gasp tackle to prevent a certain seven points.

Despite the home side's best efforts, a moment of true class from Malvern's centre partnership created an opening for another try, which was converted to stretch the score to 19-5.

Undaunted Bromsgrove continued to fight and were eventually rewarded with a consolation.

Dan Hargreaves finished off an excellent passage of play which had started several phases earlier, with an exceptional break from Burrows and Jo Baker.