BOUNCING back from defeat at the hands of Redditch, Upton produced their best overall team performance of the season to return to the top of North Midlands division one.

BREDON STAR 6pts, UPTON-UPON-SEVERN 26pts

With five enforced changes for this fixture, Upton took a little while to get use to the pace of the game and in particular for the forwards to act as a cohesive unit.

Bredon settled much the quicker using the brisk wind at their backs to their advantage and pinned Upton back into their own 22 for much of the first-half. With control over the Upton pack and continual disruption in their set pieces, Bredon capitalised on two penalty offences to go 6-0 up.

Aggressive tackling by Jones, Bookham and Daniell stifled many Bredon attacks whilst Raymond began to exert influence from scrum-half, allowing Upton to win some hard-earned territory.

Upton found cohesion in their large pack and began to get parity in the set piece. From a line-out on the halfway line, quick ball fed the back-line where slick handling by Tether, Edwards and Pimlow created an overlap that O'Neill gratefully took to get Upton back into the game. A further penalty gave Upton a narrow lead going into the break, the large crowd watching this local derby enjoying the game immensely.

With a change in the pack at half-time, Upton themselves began to exert dominance over the tiring Bredon forwards. Pickering, hooking two against the head in the first quarter of the half set the tone, locks Williams and Price in the engine house continually driving.

With gaps beginning to open in the Bredon defence, Upton, unlike the previous week, exploited these with devastating effect. The first such occasion saw Pimlow take the ball just outside his own 22 and proceed to meander downfield with formidable pace to score what is fast becoming a trademark try.

Upton, now in control, began to relax and play the rugby that they enjoy, uncompromising up front and creative in the backs. With 15 minutes to go and after six phases of forward power-play, the ball was released to the Upton backs where this time Caldwell charged through the Bredon defence to wrap up the game.

O'Neill as stand-in kicker did an excellent job and added further points with the game coming to a close to seal a hard-earned victory for Upton.

A break in league fixtures now gives Upton the chance to get their first choice team fit and ready for a busy December schedule.

Upton Haribo man-of-the-match Alec Pimlow.