WITNEY 31 v 8 NEWBURY BLUES

Saturday 7th November 2015, South West 1 East League

Newbury Blues travelled to old foes Witney and lose at their Hailey Road Ground for the fourth season in a row

Newbury Blues lose at Witney with a poor second half performance, Witney on the other hand producing a good all round performance belying their start to the season

Witney kick off this league fixture with the wind behind them, the pitch is wet after the mornings rain but the rain has stopped in time for the KO, Blues have the better of the first 10 mins but are unable to turn pressure into points, Josh Bartlett making a couple of searching runs.
On 10 mins Witney win two quick penalties the second one is kicked for the posts from 40+m landing just short of the posts, Blues are first to score 4 mins later, after several phases of good attacking play they are awarded a pen which Ryan Trevaskis slots between the posts, 0-3, 14 min’s

Both teams have chances during the next 10 mins but Witney are first to score with a penalty on 23 min’s 3-3

Witney keep up the pressure and win several penalties in a row the last one an easy kicking chance in front of the posts which is kicked, 6-3, 30 mins

The Newbury restart is taken by the Witney 4 who breaks several Newbury tackles getting up to the Blues 22 before releasing their 3 who makes the final yards to score wide out on their right hand side, 11-3, 32 mins

Blues are stung into action and force Witney to knock on at the restart, scrum won Blues put Witney under sustained pressure which after several penalties conceded by the Witney defence ends up with a yellow for them and arty for Newbury wide out on the left from Tom Sanders 11-8, 38 mins

Witney restart Blues gather and run the ball at the Witney defence, Dan Thorne takes a knock to the head and has to leave the field Jamie Futcher comes on and the back row is reshuffled, Blues have one final attack and good runs from Kyle Doel Ben O’Shea, Josh Bartlett and Steve Denner takes play back into Witney’s 22 but they concede a penalty at the break down bringing half time

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Witney come out for the second half a different team and have scored their second try after only 3 mins of the second half breaking through several poor Blues tackles to score a soft try 16-8 43 min’s

Blues have a period of pressure but again a mistake halts their progress then they concede a penalty allowing Witney to kick to touch, Duncan Craigen off with a knee injury Nicholas Packham on 50 min’s, Witney attack and are awarded a penalty which is kicked to the posts, the ball slides past the posts but a great chase by them means they get to the ball in front of the sleeping Blues defence to score another soft try, 21-8 52 min’s

Play is fairly even for the next few minutes but again Witney are first to put several phases together winning several penalties getting well into Blues territory before a knock on halts their progress, George Robinson-Slater on for Ben Hicks. Witney keep up the pressure and are playing the better rugby, the pressure tells and Blues earn a yellow card after conceding several penalties.
Ben Hicks on Ben O’Shea off, Witney are unable to break down the Blues defence until the 74th minute when their forwards put several phases together to score the bonus point try next to the posts the conversion being charged down 26-8 74 min’s

Witney are now in control of the game and 4 minutes later have further increased their lead when they break through poor Blues tackling to score wide out on the right 31-8 78 mins

Blues mount a final attack and spend the final minutes camped in Witney’s 22 but are unable to break through, Witney earn a yellow but Blues still cannot break through, sadly Blues make a mistake and the final whistle is blown

Credit to Witney who deserved the victory, Blues produced a lack lustre performance, which didn’t live up to the level they have produced so far this season
Blues need to regroup and get back to winning ways for this Saturdays league match at home against Reading in a Berkshire derby

Squad
Ben Hicks, Tom Sanders, Graham Stewart, Kyle Doel, Duncan Craigen
Ben O’Shea, Josh Love, Josh Winfield, Joe Pigott, Ryan Trevaskis,
Steve Denner, Iain Herriott, Dan Thorne, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett,
George Robinson-Slater, Nicholas Packham, Jamie Futcher