Blues kick off on a wet pitch after all the recent rain Tottonians having worked extremely hard to get the pitch playable many thanks to them, Totts gather and return the kick, Blues try running but an intercepted pass gives them the ball and they get into Blues half before a loose ball is kicked up field by Blues, Totts gather, Blues charge down their kick, Totts manage to regain the ball and kick into touch in Blues half, lineout won Blues soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch on Totts 22, Totts steal the lineout and run out of defence a forward pass gives Blues a scrum still in Totts territory. Scrum won Blues run at Totts but soon cough up possession, Totts kick clear, Blues gather and take play back to half way before a knock on gives Totts a scrum on halfway, scrum won Totts put up a high kick, Blues gather allowing Blues to gather and run at Totts, Totts manage to steal possession, Blues steal at the tackle and put a kick into Totts 22 a good chase forces Totts to kick, Blues don’t gather cleanly and Totts hack the ball through into Blues try area, Blues manage to touch down giving them a goal line drop out. Totts catch the kick with a foot in touch so Blues have a lineout still in their own half, from the lineout Blues kick deep, Totts gather and take play back to half way and get a penalty scrum, Totts attack from their scrum and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch deep in Blues half. Lineout won Totts forwards maul and get a scrum in Blues 22, Totts pack shove Blues back and get another penalty scrum 5m out, again Totts pack shove Blues backwards and they get the first score plus the conversion 7-0 16mins

Blues restart and get hands to the ball but knock on, Totts win their scrum and put up a high kick which they manage to get hold of and set up another attack, Blues knock the ball into touch giving Totts a lineout, Blues get a free kick which they tap and go then kick clear, Totts return the kick, Blues gather and a great Jamie Futcher kick from his own half rolls into touch in Totts 22, a 50-22 so Blues have the throw in. Lineout won Blues spread play wide and back across the pitch, Blues get a penalty which is kicked to touch, Totts steal the lineout and try running before their clearing kick is straight out giving Blues a lineout, lineout won Blues attack getting up to the try line but can’t get over to score, instead winning a scrum.

Ashley Doel off, Duncan Craigen on 26 mins

Totts steal Blues scrum and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues get their hands on the ball and run at Totts before a kick and chase means Totts clear to touch from their 22, Blues win their lineout still in Totts half before putting up a high kick, Totts gather and have soon put up a high kick, Blues take and attack, Totts manage to steal at the tackle and take play into Blues half getting a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Totts forwards pick and drive and after several phases get over to score close to the posts, the conversion is kicked 14-0 34 mins

Blues restart, Totts return the kick deep, Blues gather and kick to touch still in their own 22, lineout won Totts put pressure on Blues defence which holds firm and wins a penalty, Blues tap and go taking play up to half way, Blues get into Totts half before coughing up possession allowing Totts to kick deep into Blues half, Blues clear to touch on half way, Blues steal the lineout and spread the ball wide, Totts intercept a long Blues pass and are gone to score their 3rd try, plus the conversion 21-0 39 mins

Blues restart kick is gathered by Totts and they take play to halfway before a knock on gives Blues a scrum, scrum wide Blues take play across the pitch and back before a grubber kick is put through into Totts 22, Totts gather under pressure and the half time whistle is blown

A pretty even first half possession wise but Totts are clinical in the red zone and scoring where as Blues making mistakes when they are in the red zone

Totts kick off the second half up the slight slope, Blues gather and run before putting up a high kick, Totts gather and run the ball and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch just in Blues half, Totts win their lineout and attack but concede a penalty, Blues kick doesn’t find touch allowing Totts to clear to touch, Totts manage to steal the lineout and get a scrum when Blues knock on, scrum won Totts kick into Blues half, Blues gather and run the ball but Totts manage to tackle them into touch, lineout won Totts soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch, Totts attack from their lineout taking play wide before a neat kick bounces just right and they gather and score, the long conversion is wide 26-0 46 mins

Blues restart and get hold of the ball, after a couple of phase Blues put up a high kick and again get hold of the ball putting up another kick, Totts gather and kick clear Blues gather but have a foot in touch giving Totts the lineout, Totts win their lineout and soon kick into Blues half, both sides kick but Totts kick is straight out giving Blues the lineout. Blues win their lineout and attack getting a penalty which they tap and go and soon have another penalty which they again tap and go taking play into Totts 22 before a forward pass gives Totts a scrum

Ashley Doel on Duncan Craigen off 50 mins

Scrum won Totts run the ball before kicking clear, Blues gather and run at Totts before losing the ball forwards in the tackle, Totts win their scrum and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch on Blues 22, Blues steal the lineout and kick clear to touch.

Euan Lindsay off Jacob Checksfield on 55 mins

Totts concede a lineout at their lineout, Blues attack from their lineout and get a penalty, Blues tap and go getting into Totts 22, Blues keep up the pressure Josh Winfield makes the break through to score Dan Thorne converts and Blues are on the scoreboard 26-7 57 mins

Totts kick off, Blues gather and take play back to halfway winning a scrum, Blues take play wide from the scrum but lose the ball allowing Totts to kick deep into Blues 22, Blues clear to touch. Totts win their lineout and get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Totts attack but a knock on halts their progress and gives Blues a defensive scrum, Blues win the reset scrum and kick clear, Totts gather and mount another attack Blues manage to steal possession and get a scrum when Totts knock on just in Blues half

George Robinson-Slater on Will Butler off 67 mins

Blues get a penalty at the scrum which they quickly tap and go taking play through several phase’s before they lose the ball, Totts kick clear into Blues half. Blues gather and run the ball getting a penalty and Totts a yellow, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and maul, Totts manage to disrupt the maul and steal the ball taking play back into Blues half before being tackled into touch, bit of hand bags so the ref talks with both captains., Blues win their lineout and attack, Totts intercept Blues pass and take play into Blues 22 before a last gasp Blues tackle forces a knock on giving Blues a defensive scrum, Blues run out of defence but concede a penalty at the tackle, Totts elect to kick which is just wide 76 mins

Dylan Stewart off Duncan Craigen on 76 mins

Blues take the 22 drop out, Totts gather and run but get forced into touch in their own half, lineout won Blues spread play wide and get a penalty, Blues tap and go getting up to the try line before losing the ball allowing Totts to kick clear, Blues gather and run getting a scrum on half way, scrum won Blues attack getting a penalty scrum, Blues attack from the scrum but a chip kick drifts out and the full time whistle is blown

Blues put up a good fight against a strong Totts team, Blues again suffering from being unable to convert pressure into points

Good luck to Totts for the last few games in the league and hope you have a good cup run

MOM Jonny Lees

Thanks to the ref who kept control of the game

Blues & Stags now have a week off before their next league games on Sat 16th March

Newbury Blues Squad

Ben Hicks, Harry Waye-Branch (VC), Will Butler, Alex Du Sautoy, Ashley Doel, Jonny Lees,
Dylan Stewart, Josh Winfield
Euan Lindsay, Dan Thorne (C), Oscar Worsfold, Ali Magee, Oli Rhoads, Jamie Futcher,
Toby Thorne (VC), George Robinson-Slater, Duncan Craigen, Jacob Checksfield.

Next Fixtures are

Sat 16th March
Blues away @ Jersey
Stags Home v Thatcham

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