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There were wins on Saturday for all three Uplands teams.  The 1st XV were made to slog out a 29-17 victory over a resilient Bryncoch side (Match report below thanks to Rhys Williams) whilst the Youth came out 14-30 winners away at Skewen.  The Vikings had a comprehensive win at home to the Cardiff Lions 36-3.

Uplands struggle to bonus point win against Bryncoch

Swansea Uplands kept up the pressure on the leaders of Division 3A West Central with a bonus point victory against a stubborn Bryncoch side.

The game started at 100 mph with the Uplands looking to get their speedy backline going and with Bryncoch also spreading the ball to their wings. It was the home side, however, who got on the scoreboard first. A speculative kick ahead found space, and the bounce fell into the grateful hands of Uplands' top try scorer Gareth Andrew, who ran in unopposed. 

Bryncoch looked to hit back and the men in green looked stretched in their 22, when an attacking pass was well read by winger Alex Greenslade who galloped in 80m under the posts and the conversion from the ever reliable Tom Osborne made it 12 - 0 to Swansea Uplands.

The try in the tenth minute was followed however with a long period of scrappy play. A succession of mistakes from both sides saw the game grind to halt, but it was Bryncoch who got the next points on the board, with a well taken try. 

A number of off the ball scuffles were taking place and the referee finally lost patience and sin binned Bryncoch fly half S. Ireland and Swansea Uplands new man Dan Stephens.

Bryncoch started brightest after the break after persistent pressure on the home sides goal line yielded a penalty try. This time, blind side flanker Ieuan Rosser was yellow carded for slowing the ball down. 

With the score now at 17 - 19 and a man down in the pack, captain Tom Edmunds now needed to rally his troops and get back on the scoreboard. And that they did when a powerful rolling maul took the men in green to within yards of the neath side's try line. The pack were still inching towards the line when Bryncoch's scrum half came in from the side to get under last week's man of the match prop Nathan Withers and prevent the try. The referee promptly blew for a penalty try and a yellow card for the half back.

At 19 - 17 up, Swansea Uplands were now one try away from an all important bonus point win and they looked to put Bryncoch to the sword. The away side were tiring and the Uplands were creating numerous opportunities but falling just short. Powerful scrum half Gareth Andrew was creating numerous problems, and a great run should have seen the home team score, but the half back failed to spot flying winger Greg Handley on his shoulder for a two-on- one and lost the ball in contact. 

The home side were ramping up the pressure now, and a great line out steal from number 8 Sam Winrow almost saw scrum half Andrew over the line but an excellent desperate tackle dislodged the ball in the act of scoring. 

Uplands' reward for their endeavour was finally to come ten minutes from time, when scrum half Gareth Andrew redeemed himself with yet another superb solo score. After the ball came loose at the back of the line out he broke away from 3 tackles to dot the ball down and secure the bonus point. 

Uplands looked to score some more in the dying minutes but Bryncoch's stubborn defence was holding firm. A penalty kick from youth product Dan Bennett - impressive in his 15 minute cameo off the bench - took the final score to 29 - 17. 

After losing 3 of their first 5 games, this young Uplands side have since won 11 out of 12 matches under head coach Malcolm Jones to put themselves in with a chance of promotion with only 5 fixtures to play. 

Pictured is ND John Man of the Man Richard Evans receiving his bottle of fizz from senior team manager Ashley Jenkins.

Up next are Cwmgors away for the Uplands, next Saturday at 14:30.