Sadly Blues are without center Jake Richardson who sustained a bad injury whilst training on Thursday night, he has a triple fracture and dislocation of his ankle as well as snapping his ligament and will be out for a while, good luck on you re-couperation and good to see you there today after your operation
The Blues squad has to make 3 enforced changes due to injury Chris Guyatt out with knee ligament damage sustained at Grove last weekend, good luck on your re-couperation and unavailability, Josh Winfield, Ben O’Shea and Nick Wackwitz coming into the squad

There is a minute’s silence for the passing of life member Malcolm Fraser

Blues kick off this Berkshire derby on a dry but cloudy afternoon in front of a big crowd that has just watched the Ladies game, and manage to keep possession getting into Maids 22 before a forward pass halts their progress, Maids win their scrum and kick clear Josh Bartlett takes and runs the ball which is then spread wide through hands allowing Mike Walker to get down the touchline before he is tackled and the ball lost forwards. Maids again win their defensive scrum and kick clear to touch, Blues win their lineout and Dan Thorne makes a break, Joe Pigott is in support and keeps the ball live feeding to Dylan Stewart who keeps the forward momentum going then releases Iain Herriott who passess to Josh Love who takes the defender out and slips a pass out of the back of his hand to Mike Walker who steps the final defender to score under the posts Dan Thorne converting 7-0, 5 min's

Maidenhead restart and a good chase puts pressure on the Blues forcing a knock on, Maids win their scrum and attack the Blues with some good running rugby and are rewarded with a penalty which they kick to touch in Blues 22, lineout won their forwards take control and maul towards the line they keep the ball live and manage to keep moving to score a good forwards try, the conversion is successful to bring the scores back level 7-7 10 min’s

Blues take the restart kick and manage to regain the ball allowing them to launch an attack on Maids defence, Toby Thorne sends a grubber kick well into Maids 22 who gather and kick to touch, Blues take quickly and force Maids to concede a penalty, injury time out for Blues player Iain Herriott.
Dan Thorne takes a long shot at the posts which drifts just wide.
Maids kick the 22 drop out long and chase, Blues take and run the ball before Dan Thorne chips the ball of the Maids defenders, Maids gather and send a kick well into Blues 22, Blues gather and run out of defence getting just into Maids half before they are tackled into touch.
Maids win their lineout and run the ball before sending a kick back into Blues half forcing them to defend, Blues run out of defence but lose the ball in the tackle giving Maids a scrum, Maids forwards win the scrum and maul towards the line before the ball is fed out but they are penalised at the tackle.
Blues kick to touch; from the lineout Blues put up a high kick which Maids gather under pressure and run back at Blues but lose possession in the tackle allowing Blues to quickly spread the ball wide making good ground before Mike Walker is just forced into touch.
Maids win their lineout and kick out of defence, Blues set off on another attack through several phases Dan Thorne and Josh Bartlett making good ground, Blues keep possession and get into Maids 22, Blues forwards take over and after a couple of pick and drives Josh Winfield on his return to the 1st team drags two defenders over the line to score close to the posts Dan Thorne converting 14-7 21 min’s

Maids take the restart kick Blues catch and run the ball before kick up fields, Maids catch and return the kick, Blues do the same kicking long, Maids try running and make good ground getting well into Blues half and win a penalty at the tackle, Blues earning a yellow card.
Maids kick to touch giving them an attacking lineout which they win allowing their forwards to pick and drive towards the try line, after several phases the ball is spread wide before a long pass to their winger opens the Blues defence and he is over to score in the corner the long conversion is good, 14-14 28 min’s

Iain Herriot takes the restart kick, Maids gather and run back at Blues but are penalised at the tackle Blues kick to touch, lineout won Blues attack and after several phases camped in Maids 22 they win a penalty right in front of the posts, Maids get a yellow, Joe Piggott slots over the penalty making the score 17-14 33 mins

Maids take the restart kick long Blues return the kick into touch and manage to steal the Maids lineout setting off on another running attack again the ball is spread wide through hands before Maids manage to shove Blues into touch. Maids put up a high kick from the lineout, Blues gather safely and set off on another attack but cannot break the Maids defence getting pushed sideways, eventually Blues win a penalty which they kick to touch in Maids half. Blues win their lineout but knock on giving Maids a scrum, Blues pack makes amends and win the scrum setting off on a good attack getting stopped in Maids 22 the final pass not coming, Blues manage to keep the ball live their forwards driving forwards through Rob Drysdale and Ben Hicks before the ball is spread out to the left to Rory Jones who breaks the defence to score Dan Thorne converting 24 –14 38 mins

Maids restart and a good chase goes wrong when they take the Blues player out in the air and get a yellow card, Blues kick to touch, lineout won Blues attack again and a good run from Rory Jones takes play into Maids 22, Blues keep up the pressure and are unlucky when Josh Bartlett gets over the line but the ball is dislodged by great Maids defence as he trys to touch down, half time and time for the coaches to do their work

******

Maids kick off the second half Blues return the kick well into Maids half, Maids take and run at the Blues making ground through several phases but Blues defence holds firm and shoves them into touch.

Dylan Stewart off Ben O’Shea on

Blues win the lineout and kick into Maids 22 and chase, Maids gather and kick to touch as they are tackled, long time out due to a bad ankle injury in the tackle, Maids player is taken to Hospital by ambulance, all at Newbury wish you all the best in your recovery

Maids kick the penalty to touch and win the lineout their forwards keep the ball and maul up fields, the ball is released out to their backs and spread across the pitch, Blues manage to steal the ball at the tackle through Joe Pigott and counter attack but a forward pass halts their progress. Maids win their scrum and attack the Blues defence which holds firm and wins a penalty, Blues kick to touch.

Ben Hicks off Graham Stewart on

Blues win the lineout and run the ball Josh Winfield and the forwards making a break, Blues keep the ball live and it is fed back to Dan Thorne whose drop goal attempt hits the upright and bounces back, Joe Pigott is first to react he gathers the bouncing ball and darts through the Maids defence to score under the posts Dan Thorne slots over the conversion to make the score 31-14 51 mins

Blues are now looking the better team and from Maids restart kick Blues kick long and a good chase forces Maids to cough up possession, Blues send another kick deep into Maids 22 who gather and run then try kicking across the pitch but the kick is straight out bringing play back and a Blues lineout. Blues win the midfield lineout but lose the ball which allows Maids to counter attack, good Blues defence forces Maids backwards and their winger try's a grubber kick through which rolls into touch giving Blues a lineout in their own half, lineout won Blues launch another kick up fields Maids gather and run the ball, Blues defence is good and they steal the ball at the tackle but don’t get far before they are bundled into touch in mid field. There is another injury timeout for a Maids player hurt as he tackled the Blues player

Josh Love off Nick Wackwitz on 57 mins

Maids win their lineout and spread the ball wide but a knock on halts their progress and gives Blues a scrum

Josh Winfield off Dylan Stewart on

Blues pack win their scrum allowing Blues to kick long into Maids 22, they gather and under pressure from a good Blues chase manage to keep the ball live and put several phases together and get out of their 22 before kicking into Blues 22, Blues gather and kick to touch under pressure from the Maids chasers. Maids win their lineout on Blues 22 and their forwards roll towards the line pushing Blues defence backwards, Maids swop tact and the ball is fed out through their backs but again good Blues defence stops them from making ground and ushers them into touch. Maids steal the lineout and again put the Blues defence under pressure spreading the ball through hands and across the pitch, Maids win a penalty scrum at the tackle in Blues 22, scrum won Maids make their attacking pressure count when their center breaks the Blues defence to score, the conversion is successful to make the score much closer at 31-21, 74 minutes

Maids now have slightly the better in the game and from Blues long kick off play the territory game and kick long into touch, Blues win the lineout and attack the Maids defenders getting just into Maids half and win a penalty, Dan Thorne takes a long shot at the posts and again he hits the upright, this time Maids gather and kick clear, Blues gather in their own half but are brought back when their kick drifts straight out.
Blues regain possession when the Maids throw at the lineout is not straight giving Blues a scrum, Maids pack do enough to steal the scrum and they set off on another attack, Blues defence holds out and they manage to fly hack the loose ball up the pitch and a good chase forces Maids to concede a penalty scrum.
Blues hold on to their scrum but a mistake comes and Maids set off on another attack which is stopped by a great Josh Bartlett tackle and Maids spill the ball, Blues pick up the loose ball and push forwards but get shoved into touch, Blues steal the lineout then win a penalty which is kicked to touch. Blues win their lineout but don’t make much ground and the Maids defence forces a mistake, Blues knock on giving Maids a scrum well in their own half.
Maids win their scrum but in trying to force the game a loose pass hands possession back to Blues and Blues then get a penalty, the long penalty kick doesn’t quite make touch allowing Maids to set off on another attack, Blues defend but knock on in the tackle

Josh Love on Iain Herriott off

Maids win their scrum and set off on another attack this time their 13 manages to break several Blues tackles and gets into Blues 22, the ball is chipped infields and only a great dive on the ball under the posts by Josh Bartlett saves a try, Maids have an attacking 5m scrum with only minutes left, Maids win the scrum and manage to break through the Blues defence to score a try and convert earning them the 4 try bonus point and bring the score to within 3 points 31-28 on 39 mins

Maids can now sniff an unlikely victory or a draw with only a minute or so left of the game, a tense end to the game for the faithful Blues support, Blues kick the restart long and into Maids 22 they gather and have no option but try and run the ball on one last attack, Blues defence has now regrouped and manage to tackle the Maids attack into touch for a Blues lineout the ref calls final play, Blues under real pressure hold their lineout and Joe Pigott kicks to touch to bring an end to a great Berkshire derby. Blues back on the winning trail and handing Maids their first defeat of the season, this derby game was a great advert for L6 rugby played with great spirit and well marshalled by the referee

Quote on twitter from world cup winner and sky pundit Will Greenwood Maids celebrity coaching advisor

Well played @NewburyRFC - cracking win against @maidsrfc - hugely impressed by your dynamism and organisation. Good luck

Blues presented Maids MOM John Marriott with a 24 pack of beer

Blues MOM was Iain Herriott who also got a 24 pack of beer

All at Newbury RFC wish Iain Herriott all the best for his new work adventure, this was his last game before he moves to Los Angeles with work, thanks for the 20 plus years you have been playing at Newbury coming through the mini/junior ranks to Colts where he was part of the successful squad that won the National Colts Cup Plate competion at Northampton's Franklins Gardens on May 5th 2008, then on to the seniors where he has played for the last 8 seasons coming back whilst he was at uni and the last few seasons travelling back from London where he is working and living, good luck and thanks for your loyalty to Newbury RFC, hope to see you in a Blues shirt again in the future

Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Jon Bastable, Kyle Doel, Josh Winfield,
Dylan Stewart, Rory Jones, Joe Pigott, Dan Thorne, Toby Thorne, Josh Love,
Iain Herriott, Mike Walker, Josh Bartlett, Graham Stewart, Ben O’Shea, Nick Wackwitz

Next week Sat 5th Nov Blues are away to Witney who had a good away win on Saturday beating Wootton Bassett, Blues have not won in recent seasons at Witney so a hard game is in prospect.
Six out of the top seven in the league play each other this coming weekend, results could mean that the top of the table could become even more conjested
Blues have a tricky November with two away games against teams in the top half of the league, first away at Witney then away at Old Centralians, followed by a home match against 2nd placed Old Patesians who are proving to be a title contending force in this league

Match details

Match date

Sat 29 Oct 2016

Kickoff

15:00

Location

Newbury RFC

Competition

South West 1 East

League position

Maidenhead

Newbury Blues

Team overview

Blues back to winning ways