With the end of season drawing nearer, Upton had the chance to improve upon their best season for several years. With a league situation where the third placed team are able to catch Upton there was now the possibility of progress in the North Mids. Vase. Although the weather was dry before kick off it unfortunately took a turn for the worse with continual steady rain as the teams took to the field.

Upton went down field first and straight away put Ross on the back foot with a number of forward drives and rapid backs moves and after nine minutes Upton got their first points when Michael Dodge kicked his penalty when Ross could only defend illegally

By now Upton had been forced into making a blood replacement for strong running winger Brad Raymond with a gash to his face and it soon became evident that he would not be returning in this match. Upton kept up the pressure and after 18 mins Dodge added a second penalty

Despite the conditions both teams were prepared to an 'open' game but Upton were having the better of the plan and following a kick downfield by scrum half Collum Harkin, Chris O'Neil followed up to put the Ross defence under more pressure, and when replacement winger Ben Ash kicked on but was pulled down without the ball as he was about to fall on the ball over the line, the ref had little choice other than to award a penalty try

With the rain continuing and conditions worsening Ross used their bigger pack to gain ground and Upton spent the last minutes of the half successfully defending their line.

Upton restarted and Ross employed the kick and chase game with an increasing wind behind them. Within 10mins. Ross had scored two converted tries through their scrum half who slipped through a gap 10 metres out for the first try and then got a good bounce on a ball as he chased his kick down field

Ross went further ahead with a penalty after 60 mins and for the final 20 mins the Ross defence just about held firm and repelled everything that Upton threw at them

BACK