Winchester kick off Pink Day on an overcast damp afternoon, Blues gather and run the ball before kicking back into Winchester’s half, a good chase forces Winchester to kick, Blues return the kick, Winchester gather and send a kick rolling into touch, lineout won Blues try running but a knock on gives Winchester a scrum in Blues half. Winchester win the scrum and soon send a kick rolling into touch deep in Blues half, Winchester steal Blues lineout and attack getting a penalty they play advantage, Blues get hold of the loose ball and are off, play is brought back for the penalty which Winchester kick through the posts on 5 mins 0-3

Blues restart, Winchester gather and kick, Blues gather but a knock on gives Winchester a scrum in Blues half, Winchester win their scrum and attack breaking through Blues defensive line and getting into Blues 22 and get a penalty which is kicked, 8 mins 0-6

Blues kick off and manage to get hold of the ball, Blues attack taking play into Winchester’s 22 and soon have a penalty, Blues tap and go spreading the ball left through hands, Ben Davies cuts a great line and reaches out to score under the posts, Dan Thorne converts 7-6 10 mins

Winchester restart deep, Blues try running out of their 22 before kicking to touch, Winchester’s lineout isn’t straight giving Blues a scrum, Blues soon have a penalty they play the advantage but play is brought back, Blues kick to touch just in own half, lineout won Blues run at Winchester but lose the ball, Winchester kick into Blues 22 and chase forcing Blues to clear to touch. Lineout won Winchester attack taking play across the pitch and into Blues 22 before being tackled into touch, play is brought back for an earlier penalty which Winchester kick through the posts, 18 mins, 7-9

Blues kick off and a good chase results in Winchester knocking on, bit of handbags so the ref chats with the captains, Blues pack shove Winchester backwards before setting off in attack, Blues send a grubber kick into Winchester’s 22 and a good chase forces Winchester to quickly clear to touch still in their own 22, lineout won Blues spread play left across the pitch through hands, the final long pass from Toby Thorne is taken at pace by Jamie Futcher and he is gone the final 20m to score wide left, the long conversion is just wide. 25 mins 12-9

Winchester restart Blues gather and run the ball but concede a penalty at the tackle, they kick to touch deep in Blues 22 win their lineout and maul, they get another penalty play the advantage but play is back for the pen which is again kicked to touch, lineout won Winchester’s forwards again maul this time Blues get a scrum, Blues hold their scrum and try running out of defence, Blues get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch still in own half, Winchester steal the lineout and set off in attack but concede a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick to touch and win an untidy lineout, Blues put up a high kick and get hands to the ball but knock on giving Winchester a scrum still in Blues half.
Winchester hold their scrum and take play wide left a forward pass gives Blues a scrum still in their own half, Winchester get a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Winchester attack but a knock on gives Blues a defensive scrum, Blues hold their scrum and kick, Winchester catch with a foot in touch still in Blues half, Blues win their lineout but concede a penalty at the tackle which Winchester kick to touch in Blues 22, Winchester lose the ball at the lineout Blues clear to touch, Winchester win their lineout and take play across the pitch getting a penalty which is slotted between the posts 12-12 Half time and all to play for.
Blues kick off the second half and manage to get hold of the ball and attack but soon cough up possession allowing Winchester to kick out of defence, Blues gather and good runs from Jamie Futcher and Harry Waye-Branch takes play deep into Winchester’s half, Blues get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues spread play across the pitch getting another penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues again attack but resolute Winchester defence pushes Blues back but they concede a penalty which Blues kick to touch.
Winchester steal the lineout and kick clear, Blues run the ball back then put up a high kick and manage to get hold of the ball, again Winchester concede a penalty at the tackle on their 40m line, Blues tap and go and soon have another penalty, Dan Thorne’s long kick hits the uprights and bounces back infield, Blues are quickest to react and get hold of the ball taking play across the pitch and back before knocking on in Winchester’s 22. Winchester win their own reset scrum and clear to touch still in their own half, lineout won Blues again take play across the pitch and back before getting tackled into touch in Winchester’s half.
Winchester’s throw isn’t straight giving Blues a scrum, Blues attack from their scrum and soon have a penalty, the long attempt is just short allowing Winchester to clear to touch, Winchester steal Blues lineout but a knock on gives Blues a scrum, again Blues attack from the scrum getting up to Winchester’s 22 before a loose pass rolls into touch.
Lineout won Winchester kick clear, Blues gather and run back at Winchester taking play across the pitch and get a penalty for a high tackle, Winchester a yellow card 62 mins, Blues kick to touch in Winchester’s 22 win the lineout and maul getting up to the try line and a penalty, bit of a scuffle breaks out and the penalty is reversed and Blues get a yellow.
Winchester’s kick stays infield allowing Blues to set off on another attack and they soon have another penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, Winchester manage to steal the lineout and kick clear, Blues gather and attack getting into Winchester’s 22 and get another penalty Blues play the advantage and a crossfield kick is just missed by the Blues chasers so back for the penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts 64 mins 15-12.

Winchester restart Blues gather and kick, Winchester return the kick which rolls into touch in Blues 22 touched by Blues, Winchesters lineout throw is not straight giving Blues a scrum

Ashley Doel off Ben Kelly on for his debut 67 mins

Blues win their scrum and run the ball making good ground but have soon conceded a penalty at the tackle, Winchester kick to touch in Blues half, Blues steal the lineout and kick into Winchester’s half, Winchester gather and run back at Blues, a bad leg injury to the Winchester player in the tackle means an injury time out

Blues yellowback on and Ashley Doel on Ben Kelly off 72 mins

Winchester restart with a scrum just in their own half, scrum won Winchester send a grubber kick rolling into touch on Blues 22, lineout won Blues put up a high kick and a good chase results in a Winchester knock on at the tackle, Blues win their scrum and run the ball before kicking deep, Winchester gather and run the ball, good defence by Blues wins them a scrum, again Blues attack from their scrum before putting in another kick deep into Winchester’s half, Winchester gather and kick, Blues return the kick, Winchester gather and kick to touch from their own 22, lineout won Blues run the ball but have soon conceded a penalty at the tackle which Winchester kick to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Winchester’s forwards maul then pick and drive through several phases, Blues defence manages to hold them out and play is stopped for a head injury to a Blues player

Ben Davies off Charlie Lewis on 78 mins

Winchester restart with a 5m scrum and again their forwards pick and drive through several phases but cannot get over the line as great Blues defence keeps them out, Blues concede a penalty and Winchester elect to take the scrum not the easy 3 points to get a draw, Blues scrum holds firm and a big shove wins a penalty which is cleared to touch bringing the full-time whistle

Blues have got the much-needed win and go to 9th in the table, a second half Blues spent much of in Winchester’s half but their only reward was the penalty which turned out to be the match winning points
A great win for Blues on a great day which helps greatly in staying away from the relegation places

MOM Dylan Stewart & Ben Hicks

Thanks to the ref Christine Clark

Thanks to everybody who came and supported the Pink Charity day, lots of money raised for great cause’s, and thanks for cheering on the Pink Blues hope you all enjoyed the rugby and a great result for the Blues on a special day

Blues & Stags now have a week off before their next league games on Sat 2nd March

Newbury Blues Squad

Ben Hicks, Harry Waye-Branch (VC), George Robinson-Slater, Ben Davies, Ashley Doel,
Alex Du Sautoy, Dylan Stewart, Josh Winfield
Euan Lindsay, Dan Thorne (C), Jack Rampton, Oscar Worsfold, Oli Rhoads, Jamie Futcher,
Toby Thorne (VC), Ben Kelly, Charlie Lewis, Jacob Checksfield.

Next Fixtures are

Sat 2nd March
Blues away @ Tottonians
Stags Home v Tadley

Big thanks to the faithful Blues supporters your support is invaluable

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

And Ian Jack whose photos are on the pitchero website

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

Big thanks to Kennet Radio for their support, https://kennetradio.com