Fine form continues (From Evesham Journal)

Fine form continues

1:50pm Saturday 6th February 2010

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Pershore 33, Upton 7.

PERSHORE continued their rich vein of form with an efficient performance over local rivals Upton in Midlands Three West (South).

The set-piece laid the platform, with Pershore’s scrummaging allowing Martin Hope at number eight freedom to roam, and, with him targeting the fly-half, inside- centre channel, quick second phase ball, gave Pershore’s ball-carriers space to run into and cause Upton’s defence all sorts of problems.

However, Upton dominated the early moments but failed to turn pressure into points.

With this early pressure absorbed, Pershore slowly took control and, with a glut of possession, began to exert sustained attacks on the Upton line.

Marcus Whyte exploited a gap in the defence and crossed the line. The conversion was missed.

Pershore began another succession of sustained attacks and Upton defended heroically.

But the power of Pershore’s forwards was too much and, from two metres out, prolific-scoring second row Whyte crashed over to complete his double, Dolphin converted.

Just before half-time, a quick tap penalty from Steve Holmes saw him run clear out on the wing.

He passed inside to Ed Day, who in the tackle off-loaded to Alex Peel, who showed remarkable speed for a prop to outsprint the covering defence to cross the whitewash. Dolphin converted to make it 19-0 at half-time.

Pershore certainly lost the killer edge in the second-half, even though they controlled the play. Fifteen minutes into the second period saw Pershore’s first real attack, and with the forwards sucking in a disjointed Upton defence, quick ball was transferred to Steff Ellis.

He cut inside, then outside the full-back to score under the posts, Dolphin’s conversion was successful.

But Upton were rewarded for their tenacity when Alex Plimlow saw a gap in the defence and scored under the posts. The conversion was good.

This woke Pershore up and the last quarter belonged to the home team.

Gaps began to be created, and eventually Rob Owen, a welcome return from injury, touched down and Dolphin converted.

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