A GOOD win for Upton in this friendly local derby game at Pershore.

PERSHORE 5pts, UPTON 22pts

With no league fixture for the week, the club's selection committee opted for 'select XV' with a number of second and third team players given a chance to impress.

And impress they did, with a robust display of attacking rugby.

From the first whistle, Upton's pack worked as a cohesive unit benefiting from a mix of old, experienced heads and younger players. New hooker Ian Jones started nervously but grew in stature as the game progressed. Regular hooker Mark Symington moved to the blindside to accommodate.

There was some fine play from lock forwards, Gerry Wheeler and Maurice Bottomely with highly effective lineout work. But it was the raw potential of prop Ben Leeke who started to make an impact. Leek scored twice, both from hard driving runs through a tough defensive line.

Before Pershore could take breath, Leeke scored from 15 metres with fly half Ray Gidley duly converting. The score stood at 7-0 for the next 15 minutes before Leek pounced again benefiting from a well-timed pass from Mark Symington. Gidley missed the conversion to leave the score poised at 12-0 as Upton began to dominate.

Five minutes into the second half, a Pershore winger danced through some poor Upton defence to score an unconverted try in the corner.

Minutes later, the referee awarded Upton a penalty which Gidley did convert to take the score to 15-5.

Upton's dogged perseverance paid dividends with a well put together move in Pershore's twenty two which saw Gerry Wheeler dive for the line in the last quarter. Gidley converted leaving the final score 22-5 to Upton.

Unfortunately, Wheeler retired hurt due to a clash of heads, which required stitches, but he has since made a full recovery.