Heading down to face bottom of the table Basingstoke they made sure not to underestimate their opponents. With “The cage” as it’s dubbed, now hard and dusty with the recent weather change, the Blues were hoping to make full use of their backs.

The Blues dominated in the scrum, to the extent that the referee asked them to hold back due to the laws of the league.

• A Basingstoke lineout in their 15 saw the home side retain possession but fumble it under pressure, a quick kick through from hooker El Brooks saw the chase on to the try line, though she was tackled off the ball. Penalty awarded, the forward back ran some pick and goes – sucking in a narrow Basingstoke to release the ball to the backline and into the hands of Winger Vicky Murdoch who popped it under the posts. Converted by 9 Maisie Litchfield.

• Not long after, a quick steal from the Basingstoke ruck saw Blues regain possession, the back line making swift work of drawing and passing the ball to the opposite wing to Eliza Holloway, who got the ball within scoring distance. A few scrums later, the ball finally made it over the line in the capable hands of Co-Captain Sarah Coleman. Converted by Maisie Litchfield.

• Off the scrum on the halfway line number 10 Fanny Fouin performed an award worthy dummy, completely fooling her defender and opening up a massive gap for her to perform a signature run over the line.

• Another set of textbook phases saw number 12 Beth Roch offload perfectly to Fullback Ellie Armstrong as she began a hard line, slipping through the Basingstoke defence and under the posts. Converted by Maisie Litchfield.

• Second half, a Newbury Scrum in the Basingstoke 22, the ball made it through the hands of the backs to Vicky Murdoch who once again took it over.

• Strong charge off the kick off from lock Annie Rankin took Newbury back into Basingstoke’s 5m. A few penalties to Basingstoke made the chance of scoring look unlikely – before a fantastic intercept from Fouin for another Newbury try. Converted by Oli Johnson.

• A strong leg drive from Brooks on the kick off drew the Basingstoke team in once again, fast hands from Newbury saw the ball out to the wing again to the more than capable duo of Murdoch and Armstrong. Who ran it down the channel with fantastic support, another try for Ellie Armstrong. Converted by Oli Johnson.

• Off the Kick off Lock Leah Bertram caught the ball with ease, picking a gap and slipping through she ran through the Basingstoke half unimpeded and over the line. Converted by Oli Johnson.

• With the scrums now uncontested – at Basingstoke’s request – the pressure was purely on in the field of play. Newbury’s forwards found themselves once again withing reaching distance of the try line, drawing in the women in black. Once again the balls made it out along the back line to 13 Roisin Winston to finish it off.

• Next try once again went to Vicky Murdoch, strong hands from prop Caitlin Steptoe saw the ball delivered perfectly and at pace. Converted by Oli Johnson.

• A strong steal and drive from Annie Rankin saw Newbury regain possession once again in Basingstoke’s half, running through the phases and drawing in their opposition it was only a matter of time before it made it out to the wing again. Another try for Vicky Murdoch.

• A failed kick for touch made the fatal mistake of giving the ball back to Murdoch, the women in Blue took in turns to make strong carries and charges from the likes of Rankin, Steptoe and number 8 Sophie Banister, before finally getting it to Armstrong for one final try. Converted by Johnson.

• There was still time on the clock for one more try, but the women in black had clearly had enough. As per league rules, with the score over 50 and no points on their side the home side asked for the game to end early.

Newbury women 2XV 76 – 0 Basingstoke
Now they wait for the results of next week’s fixtures to see if they’ve done enough to secure promotion, with Didcot needing to secure 113 points against Alton.