Luton 81 Malvern 13
Luton showed no mercy as they ran in 12 tries against a Malvern side who were already 40 points down and beaten by the break.
Matt Allen
Luton’s director of rugby, Denis Ormesher, said: “This was a good all round performance, with the forwards providing quick ball and backs and forwards linking well in attack.
“The squad has worked hard in training this week and I was pleased with the way they responded. They were keen to put behind them the disappointment of last week’s loss at Luctonians and this performance has helped to do that.
“We have a tough game at home next week against Hereford, who had a good win against Kenilworth. The squad is determined to reverse the result of our away game in September when we lost narrowly.”
Luton took the lead after two minutes when a good break by No. 8 Matt Berryman, put in centre Allen for a his first try under the posts, full back Mark Kohler converted.
Malvern soon worked their way into the Luton half, where the home side infringed and centre William Farris narrowed the gap with a penalty.
Kohler restored the gap with a penalty and the score was 10- 3 after 20 minutes. Luton were beginning to open up some gaps and the Malvern defence were having to work hard to protect their line and tThe pressure told when Luton got their second try from a good break by Jamie Hood who put in centre Rhys Peakman.
Malvern’s Farris narrowed the gap again with another penalty but Luton winger Lee Anker set up the next score – a good counter attack with a high kick, which he chased and won in the air, with flanker Nick Stevens in support to score.
Allen scored his second, and Luton the bonus point, when a set move from a scrum opened up a gap. Two minutes later the skipper got his hat-trick, when a good break from Kohler, was taken on by Stevens and Allen scored again.
Luton’s superior fitness was beginning to tell and with Malvern flagging Luton continued to pile on the pressure with further tries from prop Neil Harris, and Anker before half time to end 46-6 to the good.
With a comfortable lead the key to the second half was for Luton to keep up the pressure and not to relax. Frequent stoppages in the second half due to injury, with Malvern having to opt for uncontested scrums with 14 men for the last ten minutes, meant the second half lacked the continuity of the first.
Despite the stoppages Luton did well to keep their focus scoring five further tries; Allen scored his fourth four minutes after the restart when a good break by Hood opened up a gap.
Prop Mike Posthumus scored after a good break by Hood and Peakman, and Hood scored himself five minutes later.
Kohler scored when Peakman, who was already over the line, passed inside to make the conversion easier and Posthumus got his second after a quick penalty.
Malvern however had the last say when prop Dom Murphy went over under the posts and Farris converted to make the final score 81–13.
Luton: 1. Neil Harris, 2. Andy Lake, 3. Joe Lynch, 4. Laurence Alden, 5. Pat Nelly, , 6. Mike Weston, 7. Nick Stevens, 8. Matt Berryman; 9. Mark Smith, 10. Jamie Hood; 11. Lee Anker, 12. Matt Allen (capt), 13. Rhys Peakman, 14. Scott Hills; 15. Mark Kohler: Subs; Mike Posthumus, Tony Begovich, Rob Wasterfall.