Blues Great Escape

NEWBURY BLUES 25 v 20 MAIDENHEAD

Blues Great Escape

Saturday 2nd April 2016, South West 1 East League, 3-00 pm KO

Newbury Blues produced a great 4th quarter to tip the game on its head and produce a great win keeping the unbeaten runs at home and in 2016 intact 10 from 10

The Blues squad remained the same as the winning squad that travelled away to Towcestrians apart from George Robinson-Slater coming in for the unavailable Rob Drysdale and Matt Horne replacing Duncan Craigen on the bench. This Berkshire derby kicks off on a sunny afternoon in front of a big crowd with both teams in form and both teams having recently beaten the league leaders Towcestrians

Maidenhead kick the game off, Blues catcher is taken in the air but the whistle has gone as Maids chaser’s have got in front of the kicker so play is back to halfway for a Blues scrum. Blues win a penalty at the scrum when Maids get offside, Blues kick doesn’t quite make touch allowing Maids to kick to touch giving Blues a lineout 20 m in Maids half, lineout won Blues run the ball through several phases before winning a penalty, Maids are taken back 10m for chat making the kick easier, Dan Thorne slots his kick through the posts to open the scoring 3-0 on 3 min’s

Maids manage to re-gather their restart kick and attack the Blues defence but get tackled into touch, Blues win the lineout but get held up in the tackle giving Maids the scrum in Blues 22, the scrum is reset then Maids knock on giving Blues the put in, Maids manage to spoil the scrum giving them the put in. This time they win their scrum and the ball is spread out quickly to their backs to winger Jaryd Robinson who cuts a good line at speed to break the Blues defence to score close to the posts, Tom Finnie converting 3-7, 8 mins

Blues take the restart kick and manage to reclaim possession spreading the ball across the pitch, a neat chip kick and chase by Toby Thorne is rewarded when Maids knock on, Blues manage to hold their scrum but a mistake gives Maids a scrum, injury time out.
Maids win their scrum then a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Maids put up a high kick which the Blues knock on, Maids have an attacking scrum on Blues 30m line, scrum won their forwards maul making good ground allowing them to score wide out on the right, the conversion just wide, 3-12, 16 mins

Matt Horne on Ryan Davis off injured

Maids gather Blues restart kick and return the kick, Josh Bartlett takes and kicks to touch, Maids win the lineout and kick up field, Blues take and return the kick into Maids 22, Maids take and kick out of defence, Blues knock on 10m in Maids half. Maids win the scrum and kick into Blues territory who gather and run the ball but spill the ball forwards in the tackle, Maids gather and play the advantage making good ground getting up to Blues 22 with some strong running, Blues defence re-gathers and Maids make the mistake and knock on.

Ben O’Shea off Blood George Robinson-Slater on

Blues eventually win the scrum after it being reset several times but knock on, Maids win their scrum and run at the Blues defence but are held up by the Blues defence and get the penalty which is kicked to touch

Ben O’Shea back on George Robinson-Slater off

Blues win the lineout and kick into Maids half, Maids gather and run the ball, Blues manage to hold them up and win a penalty, which they tap and go getting into Maids half before they cough up possession giving Maids a scrum. Maids win their scrum and kick well into Blues half, Josh Bartlett takes and a good run gets them up to half way, Blues keep the ball live and get up to Maids 22 before another knock on halts their progress and gives Maids a scrum.
Maids win the scrum and run the ball, a marginal late tackle gives Maids a penalty which is kicked to touch well in Blues half, lineout won Maids make the mistake, a knock on giving Blues a scrum. Maids forwards have the upper hand at the scrum and turn it 90 giving them the put in, scrum won Maids run at the Blues defence getting up to the line but are stopped from scoring by the Blues defence but get a penalty which they kick to touch. Blues win a penalty scrum at Maids lineout but Maids forwards make amends and shove Blues backwards managing to steal the ball to score their third try wide out, the long conversion sliding past the posts, 3-17, 39 mins

There is time for Blues to restart and they manage to re-gather the ball and run at Maids first going across the pitch but a loose pass goes forwards giving Maids a scrum, Blues win a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues launch a last attack getting up to the try line but another knock on brings the half time whistle

Probably one of Blues poorest halves of rugby at fortress monks lane, time for the coaches to work their magic

*****

Newbury kick off the second half and win a lineout when Maids put a foot in touch, Blues win the lineout and run the ball at Maids defence winning a penalty, Dan Thorne just wide with the kick, Maids gather and kick to touch. Blues win the lineout and run the ball getting into Maids 22 before they are penalised for crossing, Maids kick to touch

Steve Denner off Mike Walker on

Maids win the lineout and kick, but get offside giving Blues a penalty scrum, Maids turn the scrum 90 giving them the put in, they win the scrum but don’t get far before they knock on giving Blues a scrum on Maids 35m line. Blues win and run the ball going across the field then back but knock on just in Maids 22, Maids are penalised for feeding at the scrum, Blues take quick and get another quick pen when Maids don’t retreat 10, Blues tap and go but again they are penalised for crossing giving Maids a scrum. Maids win a penalty at their scrum, which they kick to touch relieving the Blues pressure, lineout won Maids kick well into Blues territory, Blues gather and run the ball but a knock on halts their progress just in Maids half.
Maids win their scrum and run the ball but a knock hands the ball to Blues who play the advantage, after a couple of runs the ball is chipped over the defence rolling into touch on Maids 30m line, Maids throw is not straight giving Blues an attacking scrum, Blues forwards hold their scrum and they run the ball but again a knock on halts their progress.
Maids win their scrum and run the ball but lose possession at the breakdown, Blues attack the Maids defence Chris Guyatt making a great run breaking several tackles and getting to the try line before he is halted and held up, Blues manage to keep the ball live and put Maids defence under a period of pressure, Blues win a penalty which they take quick and force Maids to concede another penalty, Blues play the advantage and spin the ball through hands to Mike Walker to score the try wide out, the conversion just wide 8-17, 61 mins

Maids restart kick is returned by Blues, Maids gather and run the ball making good progress and getting up to Blues 22 where they win a penalty which is slotted over by Tom Finnie to make the score 8-20, 63 min’s

Blues take the restart kick and manage to regain possession when Maids knock on, Blues win the scrum and run the ball getting into Maids 22, the ball is spread wide but Maids manage to usher Blues into touch, Maids win their lineout and kick out of defence, Blues catch and run the ball winning a penalty, Dan Thorne’s kick hits the posts and rebounds back, Maids gather and kick out of defence. Blues again put the Maids defence under pressure and a neat kick from Tom Sanders rolls into touch in Maids 22, Maids win the lineout and kick out of defence, Blues gather and the forwards maul 20m before Maids bring it down giving Blues a penalty and Maids a yellow card. Blues kick to touch, lineout won they attack the Maids defence, the ball reaches Ben O’Shea who breaks the tackles to score close to the posts, Dan Thorne converting 15-20 33 min’s

Ben Hicks off George Robinson-Slater on

Maids take the restart kick, Blues gather and run winning a penalty, Blues play advantage and quickly get another penalty plus 10m, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and run at Maids defence but are penalised for holding on at the tackle, Maids kick to touch just in Blues half, Maids win the lineout and run at the Blues but are penalised at the tackle.
Blues kick to touch in Maids half; Maids win a scrum at the lineout, Blues manage to turn the scrum 90 giving them the put in, Blues win the scrum Anthony Hackett picks up at the base and sets off up the blindside before popping a pass to Mike Walker who rounds two defenders to sprint down the touchline and come infield to touch down under the posts, Dan Thorne converting, 22-20, 39 min’s

Matt Horne off Ryan Davis on

Maids take the restart kick and manage to re-gather the ball getting up to Blues 22 before they are held up and Blues win a scrum, Blues win the scrum Iain Herriott putting a kick into Maids territory, Blues chase and put pressure on Maids and manage to steal the ball. Blues launch another attack on Maids defence with Josh Love, Chris Guyatt and Josh Winfield making good ground getting up to the try line but are held up but win a penalty in front of the posts which Dan Thorne converts 25-20 41 min’s

Injury time is being played which means time for Maids to restart, Blues gather and run the ball but knock on giving Maids a scrum, Maids win the scrum and launch one final attack on the Blues defence but after several phases are penalised at the Tackle Dan Thorne kicks to touch and the final whistle is blown.

Blues just earn the victory with a great second half comeback in a game of two halves, Maidenhead winning the first Blues the second, a strange game with both teams making mistakes but none the less an exciting game for the spectators, Blues keeping the unbeaten run in 2016 10 from 10 and at Monks lane intact

Thanks to the ref Alan Green who had a great game keeping this Berkshire derby under control

MOM goes to Chris Guyatt had a great game both in defence and attack

Thanks to the great Blues support see you next Saturday for another Berks hire derby at Monks lane against Windsor 3pm KO

Squad
Ben Hicks, Tom Sanders, Graham Stewart, Ben O’Shea, Josh Winfield
Chris Guyatt, Ollie Spanswick, Ryan Davis, Anthony Hackett, Dan Thorne
Steve Denner, Josh Love, Iain Herriott, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett
George Robinson-Slater, Matt Horne, Mike Walker.

Newbury Stags produced a feast of rugby in their last league game scoring 13 try’s beating Tadley II 79-17