THIS re-scheduled league match saw Upton get back to winning ways at 'fortress Upton' on a dry but cold and windy day.
UPTON 29pts, TENBURY 6pts
Tenbury were unable to field a team last week due to last minute illness and injuries and this week Upton were weakened as players were not expecting a league match and some had made other arrangements.
However, members put Upton to the fore and Rob Wynn even gave up his ticket for Twickenham.
Upton kicked-off uphill against the wind but immediately the forwards went on the attack and dominated things up front in all phases, the set scrums, rucks, mauls and line-outs. It was no surprise when Melvyn Hill came up with the ball after scoring a try following a catch and drive from a line-out 10 metres out after 10 minutes.
Soon Upton went further ahead with a similar try but this time hooker Rob Heeley emerged with the ball. Like the first conversion attempt, Chris O'Neill's kick could not overcome the strong headwind.
Tenbury began to realise the strength of the wind behind them and John Lankey put in some booming kicks downfield to clear Tenbury's line and test Upton's defence. Although Upton prevented any tries being scored, they could not stop two successful long range penalty kicks by Lankey to bring the score to 10-6.
With the wind behind them in the second-half, Upton were able to employ a more expansive game and from a good set scrum five-metres out, where the ball was taken against the head for the umpteenth time by Heeley, scrum-half Brad Raymond gathered and made a diagonal drive, stepping through two tackles to score near the posts. O'Neill converted.
Tenbury tried to keep the ball tight but Upton forced the errors and soon winger Richard Mills went on a run, kick and chase to start some handling skills that ended with full-back Alex Pimlow scoring wide out.
Pimlow then really gave the supporters something to get excited about as he went on another run to score his second try under the posts and O'Neill converted for a final scoreline of 29-6.
This result keeps Upton in second place and they play Kings Norton away tomorrow (Saturday).
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