There was strange lack of spectators for most of this match especially during the first half! Was there another match going on? Upton welcomed Pinley from Coventry in this league match where both teams had won one and lost won. Upton kicked off down the slope and straight away it was obvious that Upton were up against another typical uncompromising 'Coventry' team with a tough physical pack. In the early stages Pinley used their forwards to win the ball, drive on and then let the No 10 kick the ball long upfield. The first 15mins were spent in the Upton half and ended with Pinley securing a converted penalty when Upton were adjudged to have deliberately 'dropped' the scrum
As so often happens that score was the kick up the backside that Upton needed to get them into action and they took up residency in the Pinley half but Pinley were stubborn defenders and it took a further 10 mins but Russell Price ran in from a penalty move. Rob Heeley converted and also added a penalty shortly later
Upton were running the ball wide and before half time Chris O'Neil and Alex Pimlow had used their pace to out run the cover to score two more tries both of which were converted by Heeley
Pinley restarted the match and went back to their 'bully boy' tactics and scored a converted push over try
Upton went back to their open game and created some entertaining play but Pinley didn't roll over easily. Gradually Upton's superior fitness started to tell and young Kiwi Marek Willis ran some good angles to cut Pinley apart and from one run he ran in from 30 metres and then just before the final whistle another of his runs set up a try for supporting flanker Oli Jones, back after major knee reconstruction 2years ago. Willis converted the last try
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