Blues pass the Cents test

OLD CENTRALIANS 12 v 31 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues pass the Cents test
Saturday 17th Nov 2018, 2-30 pm KO South West 1 East

Newbury Blues come away from Old Cents with a hard-fought victory 31-12, first home defeat for Old Cents this season, and Blues keeping the 100% record intact

Blues travel to Old Cents for this top of the table clash knowing this will be one of their hardest games so far this season, with a squad showing 6 changes from their last game at Witney, the last time Blues visited Old Cents in the 2016/2017 season it ended up a 19-19 draw

Old Cents kick off down the slope on a sunny but chilly afternoon, Blues spill the ball and Old Cents regain possession taking play up to Blues 22 and winning a penalty which they kick to touch, Blues steal the lineout and the forwards take play up field, Old Cents hold them up winning the scrum, Old Cents hold their scrum and spread the ball wide to score wide out on their right, the long conversion is wide 5-0 4 mins

Blues restart Old Cents gather and kick back into Blues half, Blues counter attack getting back into Old Cents half before conceding a penalty at the tackle, Old Cents kick to touch, Blues again steal the lineout and take play up to Old Cents 22 before a knock-on halts their progress. Old Cents win their scrum and soon have a penalty which is slotted into touch, Old Cents win the lineout and run at Blues who manage to steal the ball and set off in attack Max Hayman making good ground before being tackled into touch on half way, Blues win a scrum at the lineout and attack but lose the ball in contact, Old Cents run then elect to kick.
Blues gather the kick and run at Old Cents but again spill the ball, Old Cents run at Blues but they cough up possession, Blues try running the ball but concede a penalty at the tackle, Old Cents kick doesn’t find touch allowing Blues to run the ball and win a penalty at the tackle which is kicked into touch.
Lineout won Blues attack getting up to Old Cents 22, Old Cents infringe giving Blues a penalty which just slides past the posts on 19 mins

Old Cents take the 22 drop out, Blues gather and set off on another attack taking play across the pitch and up to Old Cents 22 before a knock on gives Old Cents a scrum, Blues win a free kick at the scrum and take quickly getting into Old Cents 22 winning a penalty and Old Cents a yellow card, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and take play up to the try line but cant break through eventually a knock on gives Old Cents a defensive scrum, Old Cents soon have a penalty which is cleared to touch.
Old Cents win the lineout and their forwards pick and drive making good ground and win a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Old Cents attack but a knock on gives Blues a scrum, from the scrum Blues run at Old Cents making good ground but concede a penalty, Old Cents kick doesn’t find touch Alex Bancroft starts the move, Tom Erskine carry’s the ball making good ground then releases Josh Winfield who breaks through the defensive line on halfway and is gone to make the 50m and score close to the posts, Dan Thorne converts 5-7 30 mins

Old Cents restart kick is knocked on by Blues, from the scrum Old Cents spread the ball wide, Blues manage to steal at the tackle and get out of their 22 but are held at the tackle giving Old Cents the scrum, Old Cents win the scrum and put Blues under serious pressure for the remainder of the first half, Blues getting a yellow card during their efforts in keeping Old Cents out

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Blues kick off the second half, Old Cents gather and kick, Blues take and some good runs from Rory Jones and Ben Hicks takes play into Old Cents 22, Old Cents rob the ball and clear to touch in their own 22, Blues win the lineout and again attack but loose possession forwards, Old Cents win their scrum but don’t get far before they lose the ball forwards, Blues win the scrum and attack getting a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, Blues lineout isn’t straight so Old Cents have a scrum

Toby Pearce off Josh Bartlett on 45 mins and a back line reshuffle

Old Cents win their scrum under pressure and clear to touch in their own 22, Blues win the lineout and attack winning a scrum, Old Cents steal possession but don’t get far before possession is turned over, Blues put Old Cents under pressure winning a penalty, Blues tap and go keeping the ball and putting Old Cents under several phase’s until Josh Bartlett makes the breakthrough to score under the posts, Dan Thorne kicks the conversion 5-14 50 mins

Old Cents restart and Blues under pressure clear to touch still in their own half, Blues steal the lineout and run before a good kick and chase puts Old Cents under pressure, Blues winning a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts 5-17 53 mins

From Old Cents kick Blues run but concede a penalty which Old Cents kick to touch in Blues 22, lineout won they put Blues under pressure, Blues manage to steal the ball and run out of defence then kick into Old Cents half, Old Cents run then a neat chip and chase into Blues 22 results in a penalty at the tackle and a Blues player a second yellow which means a red and he is off 60 mins, Blues down to 14 for the remainder of the game. Old Cents put Blues under pressure through numerous phases but cannot make the breakthrough eventually Blues get their hands on the ball getting a penalty which they kick to touch.

Ben Hicks off Stephen Ansell on 64 mins

Blues attack from the lineout and after several phases of play have progressed into Old Cents 22, Blues keep up the pressure and again they stay camped in Old Cents 22 through several phases until Harvey North breaks through the Old Cents defence to score a good try Dan Thorne converts 5-24 68 mins

Alex Millar off Kris Ford on and a reshuffle in the forwards

Blues knock on from the restart kick, Old Cents win the scrum and run at Blues win a penalty which they kick to touch in Blues 22, lineout won their forwards maul and manage to keep moving to get over and score the conversion is kicked, 12-24 70 mins

Blues a man down need to give everything for the last 10 mins to hold on to their lead, Old Cents gather Blues restart kick but don’t get far before they knock on, Blues win the scrum and attack a neat kick from Dan Thorne and a good chase puts Old Cents under pressure and they kick clear under pressure, Blues gather and run before another Dan Thorne kick puts Old Cents under pressure, they again kick upfield Blues gather and run straight back at them, winning a scrum at the tackle, from the scrum Blues attack but lose the ball, Old Cents spread the ball wide, a forward pass gives blues an attacking scrum in Old Cents 22, Blues scrum shoves Old Cents backwards allowing Rory Jones to break off the back and score the bonus point try Dan Thorne converts 21-31 78 mins

Blues fitness is telling and even though a man down are producing the better rugby, from the restart Kris Ford charges through several tackles, Blues attack but spill the ball Old Cents run back at Blues get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Old Cents soon make the mistake when they knock on and the final whistle is blown
A great game of rugby and a great advert for this league well marshalled by the young ref

MOM goes to James Macaulay, a great game in the engine room
DOD goes to Josh Winfield

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Max Hayman, James Macaulay, Josh Winfield, Tom Erskine, Rory Jones,
Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Toby Pearce, Dan Thorne, Harvey North, Toby Thorne, Tom Martin, Stephen Ansell, Kris Ford, Josh Bartlett

Thanks again to the fantastic Blues support who travelled in numbers to Gloucester to cheer on the Blues

Blues next match is at home against Oxford Harlequins Sat 24-11-18, 3pm KO another tough game, COYB