Newbury Blues kick off 2016 with an away win

HIGH WYCOMBE 6 v 23 NEWBURY BLUES

Newbury Blues kick off 2016 with an away win

Saturday 2nd January 2016, South West 1 East League

Newbury Blues travelled to a wet High Wycombe and manage to start off 2016 with a hard fought away victory

Newbury Blues make several changes due to unavailability and injury, both Jack Walsh and Aaron Johnston coming off the bench for their first games this season, last time Blues visited High Wycombe was 27th Oct 2012 where they suffered a 34-21 defeat, both teams then fighting relegation, High Wycombe eventually being relegated Blues escaping on the last day of the season with a win over Salisbury.

Wycombe kick off and are soon back in Blues half when Blues clearance kick sails straight out, lineout won Wycombe attack getting up to Blues 22 before they lose the ball kicking into touch from a loose pass giving Blues a lineout. Blues win the lineout and run out of defence getting to half way and win a scrum, Wycombe steal the scrum and put pressure on Blues defence winning a penalty the long attempt just short, Blues take and run out of defence with Dan Thorne and Ryan Trevaskis making good ground getting over half way, Blues keep possession and win a scrum. Blues pack holds the scrum and Andy Herriott sends a grubber kick through, a good chase results in Blues winning a scrum, from the scrum Blues attack and after several phases are rewarded with a penalty which Ryan Trevaskis kicks through the posts 0-3, 7 mins

Wycombe’s restart kick is taken by Jamie Futcher who kicks back into Wycombe’s half the ball running up the touchline but not going out, Wycombe kick up field under pressure from the Blues chasers, Blues knock on giving Wycombe a scrum in Blues half, Blues pack puts pressure on at the scrum and win a penalty which just stays infield, Wycombe gather and run the ball getting to half way and win a penalty scrum. Josh Winfield off with eye problems Matt Horne on.
Wycombe win the scrum under pressure and elect to kick to touch the ball rolling out inside Blues 22, Blues win their lineout and clear to touch on their own 40m line, Wycombe win their lineout and run the ball making ground before a loose pass rolls into touch. Blues win the lineout and try running out of defence but are penalised at the tackle giving Wycombe another kick at the posts, which is just wide on 12 mins.
Blues take the 22-drop out Wycombe gather and return the kick which Josh Bartlett takes and sets off on one of his runs getting back into High Wycombe territory before being halted, Blues keep up the pressure but get penalised at the ruck allowing Wycombe to clear to touch. Lineout won Wycombe’s forwards maul up field before releasing the ball to their backs; a loose pass is hacked up field by Jamie Futcher, Blues chase is good and they win the ball but a knock on hands possession back to Wycombe, they play the advantage and kick into Blues half, Blues gather and kick back into Wycombe’s half, they gather and send a good kick into touch well in Blues half.
Josh Winfield back on Matt Horne off, George Robinson-Slater off Aaron Johnston on 20 mins
Wycombe steal the lineout and run at the Blues defenders who eventually concede a penalty, Wycombe’s kick by their 10 is successful 3-3, 21 min’s

Blues chase their restart and get their hands on the ball but knock on, Wycombe just manage to hold on to their scrum but their clearing kick is charged down but Blues knock on trying o gather the loose ball giving Wycombe a defensive scrum on their own 22. Wycombe hold their scrum and clear to touch on their 40m line, Wycombe steal the lineout and kick well into Blues half, Blues gather and a good run by Steve Denner, Iain Herriott then Ben O’Shea takes play back into Wycombe’s 22 before Wycombe are awarded a scrum.
Blues pack shove Wycombe back at the scrum which has to be reset with strangely Wycombe’s put in, Blues again shove Wycombe’s pack backwards, this allows Ryan Davis to scoop up the loose ball and run through the Wycombe defence to score the first try, Ryan Trevaskis converts to make the score 3-10, 26 mins

Wycombe’s restart kick is taken by Blues who run the ball out of defence but after several phases are strangely penalised at the tackle and even stranger receive a yellow card, Wycombe’s 10 kicks the penalty 6-10 30 min’s

Blues restart kick is taken by Wycombe who run the ball but are forced into touch giving Blues a lineout in their own half, Blues win the lineout and run the ball with their forwards Kyle Doel, Josh Love and Josh Winfield making good ground and winning a penalty which is kicked to touch. Blues win the lineout and again the forwards Kyle Doel, Ben Hicks Tom Sanders and Ryan Davis making ground, this time Blues win a penalty scrum on Wycombe’s 22. Blues win their scrum and again attack Wycombe’s defence and are rewarded with a penalty which Ryan Trevaskis slots through the posts 6-13 37 min’s

Wycombe’s restart kick is taken by Blues and kicked back into their half, Wycombe gather and return the kick into Blues territory, Blues gather and run the ball Steve Denner and Iain Herriott taking play well into Wycombe’s half before Blues cough up possession allowing Wycombe to kick to touch but the ball is straight out, ref blows for half time, time for the coaches to do their work

*****

Aaron Johnston off George Robinson-Slater on, Kyle Doel off Jack Walsh on
Blues also back to 15
Blues restart kick is not quite 10 so back for a Wycombe scrum on half way, scrum won Wycombe are pushed backwards by the Blues back to their own 22 where they are awarded a penalty at the tackle, the penalty kick doesn’t find touch which allows Blues to gather and kick back into Wycombe’s half, Wycombe gather and run the ball Blues hold them up but are penalised at the ruck.
Wycombe kick to touch win the lineout and their forwards maul up field but get stopped by the Blues giving them the scrum, Blues win the scrum then a penalty which is kicked to touch, Wycombe steal the lineout and their forwards again march up field winning a penalty but the long attempt just drifts wide and out.
Blues 22 drop out is straight in touch so play is brought back for a Wycombe lineout on Blues 22, Josh Winfield off Matt Horne on. Wycombe lose possession at the lineout allowing Blues to kick out of defence and back into Wycombe’s half, a good Blues chase forces Wycombe to kick back to the Blues, Josh Bartlett takes and runs back at Wycombe making good ground before they lose the ball just in Wycombe’s 22, Wycombe win a penalty which they kick to touch, lineout won Wycombe run the ball and get a harsh penalty on the Blues and even harsher Blues are given a yellow card.
Wycombe kick to touch, Blues disrupt the lineout but Wycombe manage to just keep possession and run the ball and again win a strange penalty, Wycombe kick to touch just in Blues 22, Wycombe win the lineout and run at the Blues defence which holds firm and after several phases manage to steal the ball, the forwards run the ball out of defence and a great run by Matt Horne scatters the Wycombe defenders, Blues keep up the attack but a knock on halts their progress well in Wycombe’s territory.
Wycombe hold their scrum under pressure and have soon coughed up possession to the Blues who set up another attack but again a mistake halts their progress and hands possession to Wycombe who are awarded a scrum, George Robinson-Slater off Aaron Johnston on.
Blues pack shove’s Wycombe off the ball and again Blues run at the Wycombe defence but a knock on gives Wycombe another defensive scrum, this time they manage to just keep possession but don’t get far before a forward pass halts their progress. Blues pack is now dominant in the scrum and they shove Wycombe backwards before Andy Herriott picks up the ball and releases the backs who make good ground, Dan Thorne releases Ben Hicks who charges through the Wycombe defence before releasing Ben O’Shea who breaks the last tackler to score wide out on the left the long conversion just wide, 6-18 65 mins

Wycombe’s restart kick is taken by Blues who return the kick, Wycombe gather and run at the Blues defensive line but spill the ball allowing Blues to mount an attack through their forwards, Josh Love, Jack Walsh, Ryan Davis and Matt Horne making ground before the ball is spread out to the backs by Andy Herriott, Ryan Trevaskis Iain Herriott and Dan Thorne getting into Wycombe’s 22 before the wet ball is lost, Wycombe gather and run out of defence but don’t get far before a knock on halts their progress.
Blues pack continues their success at the scrum and after several phases of play Blues are into Wycombe’s 22 but they are shoved into touch and their progress is halted, Aaron Johnston off with a leg injury George Robinson-Slater on
High Wycombe win their lineout but they make a mistake and the ball rolls into touch, Blues win their lineout and the forwards take play well into Wycombe’s 22, after several phases of attacking play Blues are up to the try line and George Robinson-Slater dives over to score wide out on the right the long conversion just wide, 6-23, 76 mins

Wycombe’s restart kick is caught by Blues who set off in attack, running the ball and getting up to half way before a knock on halts their progress and brings a slightly early end to the match. Blues taking the 4 league points for this hard fought victory

Congratulations to Ryan Trevaskis who passed the 100-point milestone on Sat

MOM goes to the industrious Ben O’Shea

Well done to both teams who produced a good game of rugby in very wet conditions

Thanks to the Blues supporters who braved the rain and traffic jam’s on the Marlow by-pass to cheer on this Blues squad
Happy New year to all

Next game is home match on 9th Jan against Swanage and Wareham who won their second match this Saturday against Maidenhead 19-17

January is a busy time in the league with all 5 Saturdays having games

Squad
Ben Hicks, Tom Sanders, George Robinson-Slater, Ben O’Shea, Kyle Doel,
Josh Love, Ryan Davis, Josh Winfield, Andy Herriott, Ryan Trevaskis,
Steve Denner, Iain Herriott, Dan Thorne, Jamie Futcher, Josh Bartlett,
Aaron Johnston, Jack Walsh, Matt Horne.