Alex Pimlow grounds the ball for Upton's opening try.

UPTON 17PTS, PAINSWICK 18PTS

UPTON 1st XV entertained another Gloucestershire side in the EDF Energy Vase on Saturday with the visit of Painswick.

Having disposed of Tetbury earlier, expectations were high to complete a double against Gloucester sides.

From the kick-off things did not go Upton's way, with the kick failing to go the required 10 metres. From the first scrum, Painswick showed that once again Gloucester forwards are a handful. But credit to the visitors, they brought their threequarters into action early on, running good lines, and their fly-half, bringing in players on the inside.

But Upton's defence held firm, and from being under pressure from a strong Painswick attack leading to an Upton 22 metre drop out. They turned defence into attack, with a long drop out from Dan Keyte, which on the third bounce held up nicely for a chasing Alex Pimlow to out pace the Painswick defence. The conversion was missed.

Having piled on the pressure, only to see Upton score from their endeavours, Painswick attacked in earnest, and Upton were harshly penalised, when Oli Jones was judged to have been offside at a ruck. Painswick kicked the penalty for 5-3.

Richard Mills, the Upton centre, was unlucky not to score from a kick and chase, with the ball just beating him to the dead ball line.

Upton continued to put the pressure on the visitors, and use their threequarters whenever possible. But the opposition defence was firm, and following some uncharacteristic loose passing in the home side threequarters, Painswick intercepted, and ran in their first try. The conversion was charged down for 5-8.

It was a hard physical encounter in the forwards as the two sides cancelled each other out, and Matt Bookham had to be replaced for a blood injury. He was replaced by Mervyn Pretty, for his first game of the season, immediately making an impact at his first line-out, looking to take on the opposition pack.

The two sides were well matched, with Oli Jones and Adam Heath in the back row tackling anything that moved and causing mayhem as they rampaged around the pitch.

Following good linking play from the forwards and backs Alex Pimlow was given space to scorch in for his second try, again the conversion was missed so the half-time score was 10-8.

The second half began with both sides realising this was a game to be won. Matt Bookham had returned to the fray, and with Oli Jones and Adam Heath was contributing to a very strong back row performance.

But unfortunately early on, he sustained a nasty ankle injury which meant he had to leave the field for the rest of the match, being replaced by Mervyn Pretty once again.

Upton's defence held firm from sustained attacks by Painswick, and as the visitors looked to move the ball wide, Richard Mills intercepted from 50 metres out, and had the pace to score under the posts. The try was converted for 17-8, putting Upton two scores ahead of the opposition.

With the clock running down Painswick threw everything into the attack, and from sustained pressure charged down a clearance kick on the Upton 22, followed up and scored. Converting the try took the score to 17-15.

Upton were now on the back foot defending heroically, as the boys from Gloucester came back strongly, sensing that this maybe was their day, and so it was. Following a discretion at a ruck 30 metres out, Painswick were awarded a penalty which they kicked to go in front 17-18.

Upton did not take this lying down and came back strongly at the visitors, with Alex Pimlow almost being worked clear, but the defence was up to the challenge, and Alex was bundled into touch in the final play of an entertaining game between two well-matched teams.

11:04am Thursday 22nd November 2007

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