Blues win in the mud

READING 0 v 16 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues win in the mud

Saturday 20th February 2016, South West 1 East League, 2-00 KO

Newbury Blues travelled to a wet and muddy Reading and came away with their 2016 winning run still intact

The Blues team travelled to a wet and windy Reading and keep up their winning streak in 2016, 7 from 7, with a hard fought victory over relegation threatened Reading in a muddy Berkshire derby
Blues make one change from last weeks winning squad with Duncan Craigen coming in for the unavailable Ryan Davis

Reading kick off at ten past two after some confusion about the kick off time, both teams had been on the pitch ready for a 2pm KO but no ref, so back to the changing rooms.
Reading have the advantage of the cross wind, Blues catch the kick in their own 22 Matt Horne running back at the Reading chasers, Blues kick out of defence Reading take and return the kick which rolls over the try line and out giving Blues a scrum back in Readings half, Blues win their scrum but knock on, Reading gather and play the advantage getting back into Blues half but get shoved into touch.
Blues win the lineout and run back at Reading but a knock on halts their progress, Reading are shoved off their scrum giving Blues possession, Blues kick and chase forcing Reading to hold on in their own 22, Blues have an attacking scrum. Blues win their scrum and put Reading under pressure getting up to the line but are held up then knock on, Reading kick clear but the ball stays in field, Blues gather and run back at Reading before the ball is fed back to Andy Herriott who sends up a high cross field kick, Josh Love is quickly there and the bounce is just right for him to catch and score under the posts Dan Thorne converting making the score, 0-7, 6 min’s

Reading restart, Blues catch and run then chip the Reading defenders and manage to re-gather the ball but cough up possession at the tackle, Reading get into Blues half then they make a mistake, Blues elect to kick high and manage to keep possession and win a penalty which is kicked to touch on half way Blues win the lineout but knock on, Reading win their scrum and run the ball before kicking over the Blues defence, Blues gather and run back at Reading but knock on, Blues win a penalty at the scrum and kick to touch well in Readings half.
Lineout won blues are penalised for crossing giving Reading a scrum, Blues manage to steal the scrum and a good attack from forwards Kyle Doel, Matt Horne and Ben Hicks gets them up to the try line but again they are penalised for crossing giving Reading a 5m defensive scrum. Reading under pressure just win their scrum but are forced back over their try line giving Blues a 5m scrum, Reading win a penalty at the scrum and clear to touch, Reading just hold possession at their lineout and win a scrum on their 22 when Blues knock on. Reading win their scrum and a great clearing kick to touch takes play back into Blues half, Blues win the lineout and kick but the ball drifts straight into touch bringing play back for a Reading lineout. Blues steal the ball at an untidy lineout and spread the ball out through the backs winning a penalty on half way, which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues make good ground with Steve Denner then Ben Hicks getting into Readings 22 before being penalised for holding on, Readings kick is long but doesn’t find touch allowing Blues to run back into Readings half before a forward pass halts their progress. Reading win their scrum and kick into Blues 22, Blues gather a great run by Josh Bartlett takes play back over half way before a late tackle after he chip kicks the defender gives Blues a penalty where the ball lands right in front of the posts 12m out, Dan Thorne kicks, 0-10 24 mins
The Reading restart kick is returned by Blues, Reading knock on giving Blues a scrum on half way, Readings pack turn Blues 90 giving them the put in, they then win a penalty which they take quick and get another scrum when Blues knock on in the tackle. Reading win the scrum and run at Blues but the wet ball is hard to hold and they knock on, from the scrum the game enters a period with both sides kicking back to each other before Reading kick long and into touch well in Blues half.

Tom Sanders on George Robinson-Slater off 30 mins

The final minutes of the first half are littered with mistakes and penalties by both sides and is spent mostly in the midfield area, both sides unable to break through the mud or defences to look like adding to their score, the half comes to an end when a Reading attack comes to an end when they knock on, half time score 0-10

******

Blues kick off the second half, Reading catch and run before kicking to touch, Blues win the lineout and kick back into Reading territory, Reading gather and run the ball but are ushered into touch by the Blues defence, Reading win a free kick at the lineout which they tap and go quickly spreading the ball across the field through their backs, Blues win a penalty at the tackle which they tap and take quickly but don’t get far before they give away a penalty, Reading kick to touch.
Blues steal the lineout allowing Ben O’Shea to make great yards getting into Reading’s 22 where Readings defence under pressure concede a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts 0-13, 45 min’s

Readings restart kick is not 10 giving Blues a scrum on half way, scrum won Joe Pigott kicks to touch inside Readings 22, Reading win their lineout and kick to touch, Blues win the lineout and run back at Reading before putting up a high kick, Reading gather and run the ball getting up to the 40m line before Blues defence earns a penalty, Dan Thorne hits the crossbar with the kick but Reading knock on trying to get control of the ball giving Blues a 5m scrum. Blues win the scrum but lose the ball allowing Reading to kick out of defence, Blues gather and run getting back into Reading’s 22 before they lose the ball, Reading run out of defence and get a penalty after a handbag session which earns each team a yellow card.
Reading kick to touch on their own 40m line but give the ball away when their throw at the lineout is not straight giving Blues a scrum.

George Robinson-Slater on for Jack Walsh 55 mins

Blues win their scrum and run the ball winning a penalty on Readings 40m line which is kicked to touch, Blues win their lineout and the ball is quickly fed back for Dan Thorne to kick a drop goal, 0-16 56 min’s

Reading take the restart kick which Blues catch and return the kick, Reading gather and run back at Blues defenders winning a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch well in Blues territory, lineout won their forwards drive up to the try line but spill the ball then concede a penalty for a high tackle Blues kick out of defence and into touch, Reading get a scrum when Blues lineout is not straight.

Duncan Craigen on for Josh Winfield 63 mins

Reading just hold on to their scrum and try running the ball but a loose ball is hacked up field by Blues well into Reading territory, Reading gather the ball under pressure and run winning a penalty when Blues infringe at the ruck then get 10 yds for Blues chatting

Andy Herriott off Jamie Futcher on, Josh Winfield on Duncan Craigen off 66 mins

Reading kick safely to touch in Blues half, Newbury manage to steal the ball at the lineout running at the Reading defence before kicking into Reading’s half, Reading return the kick so do Blues, Reading gather and try running the ball but lose possession Blues winning a penalty which they kick to touch. Newbury under pressure at the lineout knock on giving Reading a defensive scrum.

Kyle Doel and Rob Drysdale off, Duncan Craigen and Jack Walsh on 70 mins

Blues manage to turn the scrum 90 giving them the put in, Reading return the favour and manage to steal the ball at the scrum and run the ball, ref brings play back for a Reading scrum, Reading win their scrum and kick Blues gather and run the ball winning a penalty at the tackle which the kick to touch.

Toby Thorne off Andy Herriott on 73 mins

Blues win their lineout and put pressure on the Reading defence but an error by Blues gives Reading the ball which they kick up field, Blues gather and run winning a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, Reading steal the lineout and run the ball but knock on giving Blues a scrum. Blues are penalised at the scrum for feeding, Reading tap and go making good ground before a knock on gives Blues a scrum. Blues knock on at the scrum, Reading win their scrum but Blues steal the ball at the tackle and their backs make ground across the pitch before kicking, Reading gather and kick and force Blues into touch just outside their 22. Reading win their lineout and run out defence, Blues concede a penalty which Reading tap and go winning another pen which they kick to touch, Blues steal the lineout and mount one final attack but a mistake brings the final whistle and an end to this very muddy Berkshire derby.
Credit to both teams for producing a good hard fought game in wet and sticky conditions, Reading playing rugby that belies their league position good luck to them for the last 6 games

Thanks to the ref who kept control of this Berks derby in difficult conditions

Credit to the forwards who had most of the ball in the wet and muddy conditions especially Kyle Doel who tackled strong and made some good charging runs

MOM goes to Josh Love changing position and playing in the centres and scoring the only try of the game

Thanks to the great travelling Blues support who again out numbered the oppositions on a cold wet day

Blues have a week off before the home game against Oxford Harlequins on Sat 5th March

Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, George Robinson-Slater, Kyle Doel, Ben O’Shea,
Josh Winfield, Jack Walsh, Matt Horne, Joe Pigott, Andy Herriott,
Steve Denner, Josh Love, Dan Thorne, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett
Tom Sanders, Duncan Craigen, Jamie Futcher.

Sadly the Newbury Stags were narrowly pipped at home by Reading Abbey II, 3-10