Newbury Blues forced into 7 changes due to injury and unavailability but manage to get the away win and 4 points from their first trip to Chichester RFC

Christian Collett makes his Blues debut
6 Players playing their first game this season for Blues

Newbury Blues kick off on a warm sunny afternoon against the gusty breeze, a good chase results in Chichester being tackled into touch, lineout won Newbury Blues attack taking play across the pitch and back before putting in a neat grubber kick, Newbury Blues manage to get hold of the ball and keep pressure on Chichester in their 22, Newbury Blues lose the ball allowing Chichester to clear to touch. Newbury Blues win their lineout but have soon knocked on, Newbury Blues pack shove Chichester back, injury time out for the Chichester prop who has to leave the field, Chichester get a penalty at the reset scrum which they tap and go, Newbury Blues manage to get a penalty at the tackle, Jonny Lees getting his hands on the ball.
Newbury Blues kick to touch win the lineout and mount another attack, Newbury Blues concede a penalty allowing Chichester to kick to touch, win their lineout and take play into Newbury Blues half and get a penalty at the tackle, the kick is too long and rolls dead so back for a Newbury Blues scrum.
Newbury Blues win their scrum and put up a kick, Chichester gather and run the ball but soon get tackled into touch, Newbury Blues take play across the pitch before putting in a cross-field kick which is gathered and Newbury Blues get a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues forwards maul from the lineout and get another penalty which is kicked to touch in Chichester’s 22. Again, Newbury Blues forwards maul but are held giving Chichester a penalty scrum, Chichester try running out of defence and get a penalty at the tackle which doesn’t find touch allowing Newbury Blues to counter attack and get a penalty which is kicked to touch in Chichester’s 22, lineout won Newbury Blues attack but lose the ball, Chichester run out of defence and get a penalty at the tackle, which is kicked into touch. Chichester get a free kick at the lineout and run at Blues making good ground and getting a penalty, Chichester kick for the posts 3-0 20 mins

Newbury Blues restart, Chester gather and kick long and good chase results in Chichester getting hold of the ball, Chichester attack getting over the try line but are held up by Harry Waye-Branch, play is brought back for a Chichester penalty which is kicked through the posts, 6-0 24 mins.

Blues restart, Chichester gather and run at Newbury Blues who manage to steal the ball and get it out to winger Harry Stevens who gets up to the try line before being tackled into touch, lineout won Chichester clear to touch and manage to steal the lineout attacking Newbury Blues defence before kicking long into Newbury Blues 22, Newbury Blues gather and clear to touch. Lineout won Chichester’s forwards maul, Newbury Blues hold them getting a penalty scrum, Newbury Blues run from their scrum but concede a penalty at the tackle, Chichester quickly tap and go, Newbury Blues concede a penalty for not being 10 and get a yellow, injury time out

Tom Hunt off Will Osborne on 33 mins

Play restarts with a Chichester scrum, they concede a penalty allowing Newbury Blues to relieve the pressure and kick to touch, lineout won Newbury Blues attack but soon cough up possession allowing Chichester to counter attack taking play across the pitch and back getting into Newbury Blues 22 before conceding a penalty, the kick doesn’t find touch allowing Chichester to run then kick, Newbury Blues gather and run, play is halted for a Chichester injury, play restarts with a Newbury Blues scrum, Newbury Blues put up a high kick, Chichester gather and run but a knock on halts their progress.
Scrum won Newbury Blues attack getting deep into Chichester territory and winning a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts 6-3 36 mins

Chichester kick off, the last few minutes of the half is stalemate both sides making mistakes and neither able to add to their score before the half time whistle.

Chichester kick off the second half and manage to get hands on the ball but knock on, Newbury Blues
Win their scrum try running the ball before putting up a long high kick, Chichester gather and return the kick, Newbury Blues attack taking play across the pitch and into Chichester territory before a grubber kick is put behind the Chichester defence, a great chase by Harry Waye-Branch means he gets hands on the ball to score, Dan Thorne converts 6-10 44 mins

Chichester restart, Newbury Blues gather and some good running rugby takes play back into Chichester’s 22, Newbury Blues keep up the pressure and soon have a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the uprights 6-13 46 mins

Chichester kick off and again Blues run the ball this time they have soon conceded a penalty at the tackle, Chichester kick to touch deep in Blues half, lineout won Chichester’s forwards maul getting a penalty, they play the advantage but play comes back for the penalty which is kicked to touch. The throe isn’t straight giving Newbury Blues a scrum, from the scrum Toby Thornes clearing kick is touched by Chichester giving Newbury Blues the lineout just in their own half. Lineout won Blues kick, Chichester gather and a good attack across the pitch takes play up to Newbury Blues 22, Chichester keep the ball live taking play back across the pitch to score wide out left, the long conversion is good, 13-13 52 mins

Newbury Blues restart and manage to get possession and attack across the pitch a knock on halts their progress giving Chichester a scrum, Chichester win their scrum but return the knock on favour, Newbury Blues play the advantage and attack taking play up to Chichester’s 22 before conceding a penalty at the tackle

Sam Bramhall and Harry Stevens off Ashley Doel and Christian Collett on 57 mins

Chichester’s kick doesn’t find touch allowing Newbury to counter attack some good inter play between Ali Magee and Oli Rhoads takes play into Chichester’s half, Oli Rhoads sends a kick rolling into the try area and a great chase means he wins the race to the ball to score a great try wide left, the long conversion is just wide 13-18 59 mins

Chichester kick off and again get their hands to the ball but knock on, Newbury Blues win their scrum and run the ball getting a penalty at the tackle.

Dylan Stewart off Harry Stevens on and a reshuffle for the pack

Newbury Blues tap and go taking play across the pitch conceding a penalty scrum for crossing, the reset scrum is won by Chichester who attack getting a penalty at the tackle, they tap and go making ground before Newbury Blues steal the ball and kick clear into Chichester’s try area, Chichester just win the race and touch down giving them a goal line drop out, after an injury time out they grubber kick from the goal line, Newbury Blues gather and attack across the pitch, a knock on halts their progress.
Chichester win their scrum and kick clear into Blues half, Blues gather and run but concede a penalty at the tackle, Chichester’s kick stays in field allowing Blues to counter attack and get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues again kick but the kick drifts straight out so back for a Chichester lineout just in Newbury Blues half.
Lineout won Chichester’s forwards maul and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch in Newbury Blues 22, Chichester attack from their lineout but good Newbury Blues defence wins the penalty and they clear to touch to relieve the pressure.
Newbury Blues run the ball from their lineout then put in a long kick and chase, Chichester get hold of the ball and kick clear, Newbury Blues mount a counter attack and some good play takes them up to the try line and they get a penalty, Newbury Blues tap and go putting pressure on the Chichester defence who concede a penalty, the kick is just wide of the uprights. Chichester take the goal line drop out, Newbury Blues attack but soon concede a penalty at the tackle, and Newbury Blues a yellow.

Sam Bramhall on Rob Drysdale off 77 mins

Chichester kick to touch win their lineout and attack taking play across the pitch before a knock on halts their progress, Newbury Blues win their scrum soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch, Newbury Blues just hold onto the ball at the scrappy lineout but the ball ends up loose and in the following melee Chichester knock on, bringing the final whistle

A tough well fought match that Newbury Blues just edged getting a valuable away win

Thanks to Chichester for the hospitality on our first visit to Oaklands Park, and good luck for the rest of the season, looking forward to the return at Monks Lane

MOM Jonny Lees Nominated by Newbury Blues
MOM Dan Thorne Nominated by Chichester

Thanks to the ref on the day, who kept control of a hard fought match

Newbury Blues Squad
Ben Hicks, Harry Waye-Branch (VC), Robbie Drysdale, Ben Davies, Ashley Doel, Charlie Lewis,
Dylan Stewart, Jonny Lees, Tom Hunt, Dan Thorne (C), Harry Stevens, Ali Magee, Oli Rhoads, Toby Thorne, Michael Klichowicz, Sam Bramhall, Will Osborne, Christian Collett.

Blues next Fixture is Sat 30th Sept Home v Guildford 3pm KO
Stags Away to Reading Abbey 3pm KO

Big thanks to the faithful travelling Blues supporters your support is invaluable

Big thanks to our match day photographers Ian Jack whose photos are on Pitchero and Peter Branch whose photos can be found on facebook Newbury RFC Seniors Supporters Photography Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063526195463

Big thanks to all our Player Sponsors and our Club Sponsors, your support is much appreciated