The Old Pats pitch was waterlogged before the start of this match and got progressively worse during the game. OPs opted to kick off down the considerable slope and announced their intentions at the first scrum, driving the Malvern pack downhill and scoring the opening try. Undeterred, Malvern pressed hard and made their way deep into home territory, Milton’s darting run a feature on a day when conditions made handling a lottery. Although Malvern battered away at the Ops line their defence held and they finally cleared their lines at the scrum, when superior weight once again told. Attacking the Malvern line, OPs forced a clearance kick to touch and from the line-out put in a drive to the line, the flanker picking up to score in the corner. As the clock wound down towards half time, Malvern would have been happy with a 10-0 deficit and the promise of slope and wind advantage in the second half. However, OPs had other ideas and twice forced scrums which ended in tries and a 22-0 gap at the break. The second period saw a brighter start by Malvern as they spread the ball wide for Tom Hale to score in the corner. However, OPs drove upfield and answered with another try from a catch and drive move. With the sides almost indistinguishable from each other due to the morass which the pitch had become, it was TJ Harris who finished off a Malvern move to score under the posts for Dunford to convert. As the sides tired near the end, OPs made sure of stifling any Malvern comeback with a breakaway move ending in a try at the corner. It was a relief for players and spectators alike when the referee blew the final whistle.
