Blues win on the road

SWINDON 12 v 18 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues win on the road

Saturday 16th April 2016, South West 1 East League, 3-00 pm KO

Newbury Blues travelled to Swindon knowing only a five point win will keep alive the chance of pinching second place and the play offs

Blues win means the unbeaten run in 2016 is still intact 12 from 12 but only 4 points gained means second place is now out of reach, Blues need 1 point from next weeks home match against Trowbridge to secure 3rd place
Blues knew this would be a very hard fought game, Swindon the only team to spoil Blues 100% home record so far this season when they earned a 13-13 draw on 19th December

The Blues are forced to make several changes from last week’s squad due to unavailability and injury, in the forwards Rob Drysdale in for the injured Tom Sanders, Matt Horne and Ryan Davis also come into the starting line up for the unavailable Ben O’Shea and Ollie Spanswick, in the backs Steve Denner starts for the injured Toby Thorne and Jamie Futcher back after his operation for Mike Walker. Andy Herriott onto the bench after his injury and young Dylan Stewart onto the bench after a run of great games for the Stags.

Blues kick off Swindon take and win a penalty, which they kick to touch, lineout won Swindon’s forwards maul before the ball is released out to their backs, Blues steal possession in the tackle and run the ball before kicking into Swindon’s half. Swindon take and after a couple of phases return the kick, Blues gather but their kick from outside their 22 drifts just into touch so back for a Swindon lineout, Blues steal the lineout and kick long out of defence, Swindon get back but the Blues chase is good and Swindon’s kick is semi charged down allowing them to pick up the loose ball getting back in Swindon’s half before they are tackled into touch. Swindon win their lineout and kick, Steve Denner takes and sets off releases Josh Bartlett then Joe Pigott getting into Swindon’s 22, Blues keep the ball live and after several phases of attacking play the ball gets to Dan Thorne who breaks the Swindon defence to score his conversion just wide 0-5 6 min’s

Swindon’s restart kick is caught by Blues Ryan Davis runs straight at the Swindon defence before releasing Joe Pigott who passes to Matt Horne who makes good yards breaking through several tackles and getting into Swindon’s 22 before he is tackled, he slips a pass to Steve Denner who makes the final yards to score Dan Thorne adding the conversion to make the score, 0-12 8 min’s

Swindon take the restart kick, Blues gather and run then kick but are penalised for off side, Swindon’s kick to touch is to long and over the dead ball line so back for a Blues scrum own 40 m line, Blues win the scrum but lose the ball allowing Swindon to attack but a knock on halts their progress just in Blues half, Blues win their scrum and a Josh Bartlett kick rolls into touch in Swindon’s 22. Swindon win the lineout and kick back into Blues half, Blues gather and kick but play is brought back as the kick is straight out, Swindon’s lineout is not straight giving Blues a scrum just in their own half, Blues pack has the upper hand and they win the scrum but soon lose the ball allowing Swindon to kick to touch well in Blues 22.
Blues win the lineout then a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues elect to kick into Blues half, Swindon return the kick which is touched down by Blues in their try area giving them a 22 drop out. Blues kick long, Swindon take and run back into Blues 22, Blues steal the ball at the tackle but knock on giving Swindon a 5 m scrum, Blues pack put on a great shove and win the ball allowing Matt Horne to run out of defence, the ball is recycled quickly allowing Iain Herriott to put a great kick into touch in Swindon’s 22.
Swindon win the lineout and kick out of defence Blues take and kick straight out back for a Swindon lineout just in Blues half, Blues steal the lineout and run the ball getting into Swindon’s half before a knock on halts their progress, Blues pack is dominant and again a big shove takes Swindon’s pack backwards and Blues win the ball, Blues run at Swindon getting well into their half and win a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts making the score 0-15, 28 mins.

Swindon’s restart kick is taken by Blues and Matt Horne makes good ground, Blues keep up the pressure and the forwards make good ground Graham Stewart, George Robinson-Slater and Rob Drysdale taking play well into Swindon’s half, Kyle Doel and Chris Guyatt keep the play moving and Blues after several phase’s of play get up to the try line but a knock on wastes a scoring chance. Swindon under real pressure just hold their scrum and feed the ball back to kick out of defence, Blues take and run but another knock on halts their progress, Swindon win their scrum then a penalty which they kick to touch just in their own half, lineout won Swindon run at Blues but don’t make much ground as the Blues defence holds them, Swindon spread the ball across the pitch and win a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22. Swindon win their lineout but infringe giving Blues a defensive penalty scrum, Blues win their scrum and kick out of defence, the next few minutes leading up to half time neither team looks like scoring and is littered with errors

******

Swindon kick off the second half, Blues take and run back at Swindon’s defence before they kick back into Swindon territory, Swindon take and return the kick to touch on half way, Blues win the lineout and run the ball but give away a penalty for crossing, Swindon’s kick doesn’t find touch Blues gather and kick to touch in Swindon’s 22. Swindon win their lineout and run the ball before kicking into Blues half, the ball floats straight into touch giving Blues a lineout just in Swindon’s half.

Ben Hicks on George Robinson-Slater off 45 mins

Blues win their lineout and run at the Swindon defence a great Chris Guyatt run gets up to the try line but he is held up, Blues 5 m scrum, Blues win the scrum and keep up the pressure on Swindon’s defence Ben Hicks again gets Blues over the line but good Swindon defence holds him up giving Blues another 5m scrum, Blues again win the scrum and put Swindon under pressure this time the ball is spread wide but the final pass drifts into touch with the try line begging.
Swindon win their lineout and run out of defence then launch a long kick into Blues 22, Blues take but give away a penalty scrum, Swindon hold on to their scrum under pressure from the Blues pack and attack the Blues line, after several phase’s in Blues 22 they make the break through to touch down wide out on the right, 5-15, 51 mins

Blues take the restart kick, Swindon gather but lose the ball in the tackle, Blues run at Swindon’s defence and force them to concede a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the uprights 5-18, 53 min’s

Swindon restart and get their hands on the ball getting it back but a knock on giving Blues a scrum just in their own half, scrum won Blues run the ball but a forward pass halts their progress, Swindon hold their scrum and run the ball across the pitch but are tackled into touch 15 m in Blues half.

Dylan Stewart on Ryan Davis off

Blues win the lineout and attack before placing a kick into Swindon’s 22, Swindon gather and kick to touch, Blues attack from the lineout across the pitch before Dan Thorne sends a kick rolling into touch in Swindon’s 22, Swindon’s throw is not straight giving Blues an attacking scrum, Blues attack from their scrum putting Swindon’s defence under pressure, Blues spoil all their hard work when a speculative pass is intercepted and quickly fed to their winger who speeds 80 m up the touchline to score wide out on the left the long conversion is successful bringing the score to 12-18 60 min’s

Andy Herriott on Jamie Futcher off

Blues take the restart kick, Swindon catch but a knock on halts their progress, for the next 10 minutes both sides spend time in the opposition’s 22 but mistakes end the attacks and the ball is turned over allowing the defending side to clear their lines

Ryan Davis on Chris Guyatt off 70 min’s

Swindon have the best of the remainder of the match spending prolonged periods in Blues half and the 22 but are unable to break the Blues defence, a great tackle on Swindon’s prop by Josh Bartlett typifies Blues effort in defence and forces a knock on, Blues win the scrum and clear to touch, Blues steal the lineout and mount one final assault on Swindon’s line winning a penalty which is kicked to touch in Swindon’s 22, Blues attack from the lineout but after several phases the mistake comes and the final whistle is blown.

MOM goes to the evergreen Graham Stewart who carried well and controlled the scrum for the Blues

This match probably typifies Blues season enough chances to have put the match beyond Swindon’s reach and taken the try bonus point but the chances spurned
Even so this has been a great season for this young Blues squad and to finish 3rd in the league would be a great achievement, one match to go at home against Trowbridge to round off this great season, a win keeping the unbeaten home and 2016 records intact and confirming 3rd place, lets sign off with a great game in front of a big Monks Lane crowd

Thanks again to the great Blues support who travelled to Swindon and easily outnumbered the Swindon following

Squad
Graham Stewart, Rob Drysdale, George Robinson-Slater, Josh Winfield, Kyle Doel,
Chris Guyatt, Ryan Davis, Matt Horne, Joe Pigott, Dan Thorne
Steve Denner, Josh Love, Iain Herriott, Jamie Futcher, Josh Bartlett
Ben Hicks, Dylan Stewart, Andy Herriott.