UPTON visited Handsworth on Saturday for a Midlands One (South) league game in a complete contrast in conditions from the previous week.

HANDSWORTH 6pts, UPTON 6pts

Last week, dry with good handling conditions, and this continuous rain with standing water at the posts, running water on the lines and everyone wet through before the match even started.

This was Upton's first ever meeting with Handsworth whose ground is close to Walsall. This Staffordshire club, who have had a yo-yo type history with one year promotion the next relegation, asked to join Upton's league as their own, and the Birmingham-based club league, was not challenging enough.

Upton kicked off down the hill but quickly found themselves back defending their line as Handsworth drove forward. With a slippery ball it was hard to keep control and duly knocked on, so giving Upton the chance to clear downfield and in turn test Handsworth's defences.

This was the pattern for the first ten minutes during which time Handsworth took the lead with a penalty by Pearce which quickly matched for Upton by Ali Drury for 3-3.

Just before half time Upton were robbed of a certain try when their forwards went on one their renowned rolling mauls from a catch and drive at a line-out. The maul was still moving forward and only one metre short of the line when progress was halted by a Handsworth player, who took the ball from Upton's ball carrier by going in from an offside position.

The referee deemed that the offence carried no greater a punishment than another penalty rather than a penalty try. From the resulting line-out the ball was knocked on and the half finished.

The rain continued relentlessly in the second half but both teams tried to play an expansive game which proved extremely difficult with the ball being spilled on numerous occasions.

This type of play kept the spectators on their toes as the ball bobbed up on one side and then the other. Also with the slippery conditions, players found it difficult to keep their footing and slithered into offside positions or were deemed to have deliberately collapsed the scrums.

These were the reasons given for two more successful penalty attempts, Pearce for Handsworth and a second one for Drury for 6-6.

Both teams had further chances for a win but in the end everyone was pleased to hear the final whistle in order to get dry.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Upton entertain league leaders Redditch and hopefully the planned fireworks party will happen no earlier than after dark.