Blues win final game

NEWBURY BLUES 29 v 0 TROWBRIDGE

Blues win final game

Saturday 23rd April 2016, South West 1 East League, 3-00 pm KO

Newbury Blues entertained relegated Trowbridge at fortress Monks Lane and a hard fought win keeps their unbeaten runs intact

Blues victory in their final league game of the 2015-2016 season means the unbeaten run in 2016 (13 from 13) and unbeaten home run are still intact and the season ends with Blues finishing a great 3rd in the league with the same win, draw lose record as league winners Towcestrians, W 21, D 1, L 4

Trowbridge kick the match off and manage to soon regain possession allowing them to spend the first few minutes attacking the Blues line, the Blues defence holds them out and manages to steal the ball in their own 22 and kick to touch, Trowbridge win a penalty and run the ball getting well into Blues half before they again cough up possession. Blues attack getting back into Trowbridge’s half before winning a penalty scrum, Blues pack led by Graham Stewart win their scrum with a great shove allowing Blues to progress into Trowbridge’s 22 but they infringe allowing Trowbridge to kick the penalty to touch.
Trowbridge win their lineout and their forwards maul but are soon held up by Blues giving them the scrum, Blues win their scrum and attack but are penalised for crossing. Trowbridge get another strange penalty when the Blues pack shove Trowbridge backwards, the penalty is kicked to touch well in Blues half, lineout won Trowbridge make good progress getting into Blues 22 before giving away a penalty at the tackle. Blues kick to touch and win another penalty at the lineout when Trowbridge stray off side, again the penalty is kicked into touch, lineout won Blues spread the ball wide but are penalised for crossing and strangely get a yellow card.
Trowbridge kick the penalty to touch, Blues manage to steal the lineout and run the ball but a knock on gives Trowbridge a scrum, the scrum goes through 90 giving Blues the put in, Trowbridge disrupt Blues scrum and manage to get their hands on the ball and kick to touch. Blues win the lineout and run the ball but are penalised at the tackle allowing Trowbridge to kick to touch well in Blues half.

Josh Winfield off Ben O’Shea on 25 mins

Trowbridge win the lineout and run the ball before a neat chip over the Blues defence rolls nicely into touch in Blues 22, Blues win the lineout and kick out of defence and into touch, Trowbridge win the lineout and kick Blues return the kick, Trowbridge gather and under pressure kick back into Blues half. Blues catch and run at Trowbridge, Blues losing the ball in the tackle but winning a penalty, which is kicked to touch. Lineout won, Blues forwards maul up field but are held up giving Trowbridge a scrum, which they win, and kick to touch, Blues lineout is not straight giving Trowbridge a scrum. Trowbridge win their scrum and kick up field, Blues gather and run at Trowbridge making good progress and getting up to the line but are held up and Trowbridge win a penalty, which they kick to touch.
Blues steal the lineout and run at Trowbridge getting into their 22 and win a penalty, Blues Dan Thorne kicks to touch, Blues win their attacking lineout, the forwards making ground before they quickly spread the ball wide through several hands allowing Matt Horne to round the Trowbridge defence to score wide out on the right, Dan Thorne’s long conversion just off target 5-0 39 min’s

Blues attack from the restart but don’t get far before the mistake comes and the half time whistle is blown. Time for the coaches to do their work after a pretty ordinary stop start first half.

*****
Blues kick off the second half and regain possession when Trowbridge knock on, Blues play the advantage but make a mistake so play is brought back for the scrum, Blues win the scrum and run at Trowbridge making good ground, the ball is spread out through the backs then reaches Josh Bartlett who sells the dummy to score Dan Thorne slotting the conversion making the score 12-0, 42 mins

Blues gather the restart kick and run before kicking, the kick sails straight out so back for a Trowbridge lineout

George Robinson-Slater on Ben Hicks off 44 mins

Blues steal the lineout and run the ball making good ground getting up to Trowbridge’s 22 before a forward pass halts their progress, Trowbridge win their scrum and kick out of defence, Blues catch and run back at Trowbridge but lose the ball allowing Trowbridge to spread the ball out through their backs and win a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch.
Lineout won Trowbridge run the ball before a kick is sent across the pitch, Blues kick into touch under pressure from Trowbridge’s winger.

Josh Winfield on Ryan Davis off

Trowbridge win their lineout and make ground getting into Blues 22 before winning a penalty scrum, Trowbridge again attack from their scrum and get another penalty scrum, from the scrum Trowbridge wide and are unlucky not to score when they knock on with the try line beckoning. Blues win their scrum and kick, several kicks later Trowbridge kick to touch from their own 22, Blues win their lineout and run at Trowbridge winning a penalty at the tackle Dan Thorne slots the kick through the posts, 15-0 54 min’s

Trowbridge take the restart kick, Blues gather and run winning a penalty which they kick to touch, Trowbridge steal the lineout and run getting up to Blues 22 before they knock on giving Blues a penalty, Blues are penalised at the scrum and earn a yellow card, Trowbridge kick to touch. Lineout won Trowbridge attack Blues getting up to Blues 22 and win a penalty, which they kick to touch, from the lineout Trowbridge attack the Blues defence but knock on, Blues play the advantage and some great kicking and chasing from Ben O’Shea takes play into Trowbridge’s 22. Trowbridge manage to gather the ball and kick out of defence, Blues gather and Josh Bartlett sets off his neat chip is kept in play by Joe Pigott who flips the ball back to Josh Bartlett who sprints up the touchline to score ???, sadly the Chris Ashton swallow dive attempt in Newbury corner backfires and the ball is lost mid air, verdict no try and the dick of the day award !!!

Kyle Doel off Ben Hicks on

Blues forwards steal Trowbridge’s scrum and take the ball across the pitch but a knock on gives Trowbridge a 5m scrum, Trowbridge win their scrum and kick out of defence the ball stays in play allowing Blues to counter attack, Blues win a penalty which they take quickly the ball reaches Toby Thorne he releases Josh Winfield who breaks the tackle to score under the posts Dan Thorne converting 22-0, 73 mins

From Trowbridge’s restart Blues win a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues pressure the Trowbridge defence Josh Winfield to Rob Drysdale who is stopped 5 m short, Trowbridge disrupt at the tackle and manage to steal the ball allowing them to kick out of defence, Blues catch and again put pressure on the Trowbridge defence running at them at pace, Josh Love makes the break and slips a pass to Iain Herriott who rounds the defence to score close to the posts with a acrobatic somersault, (just to show Josh Bartlett how its done), Dan Thorne converts 29-0 75 mins

Joe Pigott off Anthony Hackett on

The remaining few minutes are mainly spent in midfield with both sides unable to make the break through and score, mistakes or good defence ends any promising moves, Blues get into Trowbridge’s 22 once but a mistake allows Trowbridge to clear, a knock on by Blues brings the final whistle

A typical end of season match that had nothing serious relying on the result, a stop start game punctuated with some good play, Blues managing to earn the try bonus point and good defence keeping Trowbridge from scoring

Backs MOM goes to Josh Love who had another great game at 12
Forwards MOM to the old boy Graham Stewart who made some good yards with is pick and drive game (usually he lays down and recycles the ball ha ha)
Dick of the day Josh Bartlett for the try giveaway, (sorry Josh the money just wasn’t enough for me not to put it in the report)

Well done to the Players and coaches for a great season, both teams finishing 3rd in their leagues is a great achievement

Well done to Ben Hicks and Josh Winfield who have played in all 26-league games a great achievement.

Big thanks to the great support from the Blues faithful I know the players and coaches really do appreciate your support

Lets look forward to next season and hope the improvement continues so we finish 1st or 2nd

Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, Graham Stewart, Josh Winfield, Kyle Doel,
Ryan Davis, Ollie Spanswick, Matt Horne, Joe Pigott, Dan Thorne
Steve Denner, Josh Love, Iain Herriott, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett
George Robinson-Slater, Ben O’Shea, Anthony Hackett

Thanks to all the players and coaches who have been part of this season see below

ALL PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS SEASON’S LEAGUE CAMPAIGN

Ben Hicks, George Robinson-Slater, Paul Sayers, Tom Sanders, Rob Drysdale,
Graham Stewart, Aaron Johnston, Josh Winfield, Kyle Doel, Ben O’Shea,
Jack Walsh, Duncan Craigen, Greg Price, Finn Walsh, Nicolas Packham,
Joe Lawrence, Ryan Davis, Ollie Spanswick, Chris Guyatt, Dylan Stewart,
Matt Horne, Joe Pigott, Anthony Hackett, Dan Thorne, Ryan Trevaskis,
Richard West, Steve Denner, Josh Love, Iain Herriott, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett,
Andy Herriott, Jamie Futcher, Mike Walker, Aaron McDowell, Tom Bass,

COACHES/MANAGEMENT

Lee Goodall, Bob Ward, Ed Richardson, Sam Czerpak, Paul Archer, Lorne Lee, Joe Harwood