The hosts had complete control of the game against a club many of the Coops players had grown up representing, showcasing both their attack and defence.

Coops could have taken an early lead in the eighth minute when, after a sustained period of pressure following a lineout, Matt Carter spilled the ball on the try line. But the inside centre soon made amends for his earlier mistake, scoring the game’s opening try having taken the ball at pace from the back off a scrum before bursting through the Upminster defence to score, with the extas added.

Three minutes later and the hosts had their second of the afternoon when a flowing passing move through the backs put Tom Morgan over in the corner, but the full back was unable to convert his score. Morgan was able to add a penalty in the 21st minute to stretch the score to 15-0 after Upminster were penalised for being offside at a ruck as the hosts hammered home their control.

Eight minutes before half time, the ball went through the hands again for Coops, all the way Tom Wheatley who looked to be in before he was tackled high with the referee awarding a penalty. Head coach Pat Reed took a quick tap and go to dot over in the corner, with Morgan producing a superb conversion in blustery conditions to make sure the score got maximum points.

The bonus point was wrapped up with a minute to go in the first half when Joe Bilton crossed the line under the posts after some confusion in the Upminster defence, but the conversion was charged down with the score 27-0 at the break.

Coops continued their pressure after half time and were awarded a penalty try three minutes after the restart after an Upminster player infringed at the ruck. But it looked to be unravelling for the hosts in the 47th minute when Ryan Leader was sent to the sin bin, before being joined by team mate Billy Wyatt two minutes later as Upminster began to build some pressure.

The Coops defence, though, amazingly held firm during this period to keep their opponents scoreless before motoring away with three tries in the final 10 minutes.
Wheatley was first to go over, touching down in the corner after a quick counter, before captain Harry Fayers added a brace in minutes 79 and 80 to take the hosts past 50 points.

The win keeps Coops well placed in the battle for promotion to London Two North East.