Upton played hosts to Keresley, who had travelled from Coventry to fortress Upton. Playing with a strong wind the visitors kicked off, and soon made their intentions known of how they wanted to play the game. With a number of injuries and unavailability, Upton were unable to field their strongest set of forwards. Unfortunate as Keresley had a large well drilled pack, and soon had Upton in trouble at the set pieces and at the break downs. Driving strongly, and preventing the home side from obtaining any really decent possession.

Having being relegated from a higher league at the end of last season, the visitors were looking to prove a point. Never having been to Upton before they were unaware of how much advantage playing at home gives the local side. Although being on the back foot in the forwards, Upton stuck to their task, with all eight forwards playing their part. Matt Bookham at number 8 was immense in clearing up untidy ball at the base of the scrum, and making the hard yards with ball in hand. Oli Jones back at flanker was all over the pitch, putting in big hits on anything he could. Adam Heath at open side was always in support and disrupting the opposition back line.

Lorcan Lynch and Russell Price, were in the second row. Neither of which are specialists or really big enough to play there, put in sterling performances around the pitch, and scrummage formibably even though they were against a much bigger of second rowers.

Although the front row was under the cosh against a bigger trio, then never let their heads drop, and scrummaging as forcefully at the end of the match, as at the start.

Using the wind, the visiting fly half kept kicking his team into the Upton half, were they were pinned down for long periods, and 20 minutes, after a sustained period of tremendous defence keeping the visitors at bay, Upton conceeded a penalty in their 22 which was duly converted 0 - 3.

Upton fought back and after about 30 minutes Alex Pimlow scored a trade try, when the side won some decent posssession. Scorching in from 30 metres out, to score. Dan Keyte converted 7 - 3, which remained the same for the rest of the half.

Kerseley were in determined mood in the second, as they had had the majority of the territory in the first half, as well as the best of the possession. The visitors pressure brought them another penalty which was kicked, 7 - 6. Following some wayward kicking by Upton, who were desperate to clear their lines, they conceeded a try to the visiting number 8, who crashed over after a charging run. The converted try gave the Coventry side the lead again, 7 - 13. The try was followed by another visitors penalty, taking the score to 7 - 16.

At this point the game appeared to be slipping from Upton's grasp as Kersley's confidence grew, and they kept hammering away at the Upton team. But the return of Oli Jones following a blood injury, where he had been deliberately stamped on the head, and Alex Pimlow moving to scrum half for the injured Dan Aldersley, brought new life to the home team. Upton won a penalty, kicked by Dan Keyte, 10 - 16 and game on. This now became a game Upton could win, which they did, from tries by Matt Bookham, following quick work by Oli Jones, and Marek Willis, again following quick thinking by Alex Pimlow. With only one try converted the score was 22 -16, with 10 minutes remaing.

With the away team throwing everything at the Upton line, it seemed a very time for the final 10 minutes. But Upton held out with fantastic defence and believe in themselves, to win this encounter. To say Kerseley were not happy would be an understatement. Welcome to Fortress Upton boys!

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