UPTON recorded a big 64-15 win over bottom-of-the-table Harbury in Midlands Three West (South).

Their season is improving after a slow start and the new signings are bedding in well.

Several regulars from the past are now struggling to make selection so Upton can boast healthy competition for places.

The Old Street side tried to move the big Harbury pack around from the start but it took 15 minutes for them to register their first score.

From a line-out on halfway, left winger Will Miekle cut a line off Dan Keyte and then with a great step rounded the full-back to score. Chris O’Neil added the conversion.

Fourth-placed Upton began to fall foul of the referee’s interpretation of the breakdown laws and Harbury won a scrum five metres out.

Their powerful pack drove over the line for a levelling score and conversion.

Harbury then took the lead with a penalty, which led coach Stu Brooks to make changes, bringing himself on in the pack for Matt Dunwell and Luke Sheppard in at full-back.

Upton had to get a grip on the game and, from another line-out on halfway, the pack drove the Warwickshire side to their 22.

They then unleashed the backs for some simple hands along the line, which Miekle again finished off to make the half-time score 12-10.

Upton’s message at the interval revolved around playing with structure, which they did in a scintillating second-half performance.

The pack, with Sam Ball moving to tighthead and Brooks up to loosehead, started to take control of the set-pieces.

This gave the backs and fast-paced back row plenty of opportunity to run Harbury ragged.

Upton scored eight second-half tries from all over the park with two each for openside Dan Hart and full-back Sheppard.

There was one for captain Max Macfarlane, Alex Flower, Matt Dunwell and O’Neil, who added two more conversions with Hart kicking a further four.

Upton are without a league or cup game on Saturday.