Blues secure bonus point league win

READING ABBEY 5 v 29 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues secure bonus point league win

Saturday 3rd Sept 2016, South West 1 East League, 3 pm KO

Newbury Blues travelled to newly promoted Reading Abbey and earn a bonus point win in the opening game of the new season

Blues have 4 debutants for this season opener, James Macauley who came through the colts and is back at the club Rory Jones, and Chris Palser-Thorne who have moved into the area and Jon Bastable who has moved over from Hungerford

Reading Abbey kick the game off down the slope but against a fairly strong wind, Blues catch and kick back into Abbey’s half who run back at Blues winning a penalty on half way, Abbey kick to touch, lineout won they run at the Blues defence which holds firm and win a penalty allowing them to kick to touch in Abbey’s half and relieve the pressure.
Blues win their lineout and the forwards maul good yards before they concede a penalty scrum, Abbey just manage to hold on to their scrum and kick clear, Blues take and run the ball getting just into Abbey’s half before they concede a penalty for holding on, Abbey kick to touch. Lineout won Abbey then lose possession allowing Blues to make ground before a knock on halts their progress, Abbey just win their scrum then win another penalty scrum which again they just manage to keep hold of the ball and kick to touch. Blues give away a penalty scrum at the lineout on Blues 22, Abbey win the scrum and attack but a knock on gives Blues a scrum and a chance to relieve the pressure.
Blues win their scrum and kick to touch, Blues get a penalty at the lineout which Dan Thorne kicks to touch, again the strong wind disrupts the throw giving Abbey a scrum, Abbey win the scrum and kick, Jamie Futcher takes and runs, Blues win a penalty at the tackle which Dan Thorne kicks to touch. Blues win a penalty scrum at the lineout and run at Abbey making good ground, Rory Jones making a good run breaking several tackles, Blues make a mistake giving Abbey the ball which they kick out of defence, a couple of kicks later Abbey’s kick bounces into touch, Blues win the lineout and run the ball making good ground, Blues keep up the pressure in Abbeys 22 could have scored but the final pass is not forthcoming, Blues keep possession and spread the ball across the pitch and after several phases are rewarded with a penalty which Dan Thorne slots through the posts 0-3, 22 mins

Blues attack straight from the restart, and get a penalty at the tackle which Dan Thorne kicks to touch, Blues lose their lineout allowing Abbey to kick out of their half, Blues gather and again good running rugby from forwards Kyle Doel, Ben O’Shea and Dylan Stewart takes play back into the Abbey half before a mistake hands possession to Abbey, they run the ball getting up to half way before they concede a penalty scrum. Josh Winfield breaks off the back of the scrum making good ground before releasing the ball to the backs, the ball is spread through hands to Mike Walker who breaks through several tackles up the touch line before slipping an inside pass to Joe Pigott who rounds the defender to score, Dan Thorne converts, 0-10, 29 mins.

Abbey manage to regain possession from their restart and run the ball, Blues force the mistake but play is brought back for a Blues knock on, scrum won Abbey attack getting into Blues 22 before a great Dylan Stewart tackle forces Abbey to hold on giving Blues a penalty which is kicked to touch. From the lineout Blues kick long the ball rolling into Abbeys 22, a good chase from Blues forces Abbey to kick hurriedly to touch just in Blues half, Blues hold their lineout and the forwards maul upfields but concede a penalty allowing Abbey to kick to touch. Abbey win their lineout and run at Blues putting them under a period of pressure, Blues defence holds out and eventually turns the ball over.

Josh Winfield off Ryan Davis on 37 mins

Blues attack getting into Abbeys half with some good runs up the left hand side from Dan Thorne, Toby Thorne, Josh Love, Jamie Futcher, and win a penalty which is kicked to touch. Lineout won they keep up the pressure and win a penalty scrum, from the scrum a loose pas allows Abbey to hack the ball forwards and a good chase is rewarded when they manage to get their hands on the ball then win a penalty scrum. Abbey win the scrum and put pressure on Blues defence who manage to hold Abbey out and win a penalty, which Blues kick to touch and relieve the pressure. Blues run the ball from their lineout getting well into Abbey’s half before they lose possession, Abbey run the ball but good Blues defence holds them up, Abbey not able to make much ground just crab across the pitch, after several phases Abbey put up a high cross field kick which their rapid 15 Gavin Dampies gets to before Blues defence and out sprints them to score a good try the conversion just wide on the stroke of half time, 5-10

****

Blues kick off the second half and manage to steal the ball but a knock on undoes the good work, Abbey win a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch, Abbey’s throw is not straight giving Blues a scrum, Blues win the scrum but lose the ball just managing to hack it up field, Abbey gather and run the ball. Abbey attack through several phases but cannot break the Blues defence who manage to steal the ball and kick out of defence, Abbey gather and launch another attack putting Blues defence under pressure eventually they attempt a drop goal but play is brought back for an earlier penalty.
Abbey kick the penalty which hits the uprights and Blues touch it down, Blues take the 22 drop out Abbey gather and return the kick, Joe Pigott catches and calls the mark, he taps and runs getting the ball to Mike Walker who breaks through the tackles making good yards, Kyle Doel takes over and he crashes straight through several tacklers getting into Abbeys 22, Blues keep up the pressure until they give away a penalty scrum for accidental offside.
Abbey win the scrum under pressure and kick for touch Mike Walker manages to palm the ball back keeping it in play, Dan Thorne gathers and runs before passing to Toby Thorne who release’s Mike Walker who gets over to score wide out on the right the conversion just held up in the wind and falling short, 5-15 46 mins

Abbey take the restart kick, Blues catch and run the ball winning a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues keep up the pressure with some good running rugby from both forwards and backs, Graham Stewart, Rob Drysdale, Ben O’Shea, James Macauley, Ryan Davis, Jon Bastable making good runs, eventually the backs get the ball Dan Thorne breaks a tackle then slips the ball to Toby Thorne who gets over to score under the posts Dan Thorne converts to bring the score to 5-22, 50 mins.

Ben Hicks on for James Macauley, Josh Winfield on for Jon Bastable

Abbey’s restart kick is taken by Blues who return the kick into Abbey’s half, Abbey take and run the ball getting into Blues half before a knock on gives blues a defensive scrum, Blues attack from the scrum and get a penalty which is kicked to touch. Abbey get a scrum at the lineout, which they win and run at Blues firstly going across the field then switching back the other way before a knock on ends their progress, the ref brings play back for an infringement and Blues are down to 14 players and the rain starts.
Abbey kick to touch well in Blues half, Blues get a penalty scrum at the lineout and kick out of defence, Abbey now with a man advantage run back at Blues and get up to the try line but resolute Blues defence keeps them out and manages to steal the ball but a Blues knock on gives Abbey an attacking scrum. Abbey launch another attack from the scrum spreading the ball across the pitch but a forward pass gives Blues a scrum, Blues win the scrum and run the ball out of defence getting out of their 22 before a knock on halts their progress.
Abbey win their scrum and launch another attack but again they make a mistake and a knock on gives Blues a scrum on their 22, Abbey steal the scrum and their big forwards try to break the Blues defence but again the wet ball is spilled giving Blues a scrum, Blues manage to hold their scrum and kick deep into Abbeys half. Blues chasers are quickly up and Abbey have to kick quickly, the ball rolling nicely into touch in Blues territory.

James Macauley on Graham Stewart off 62 mins

Blues give away a scrum at the lineout when the wind takes the throw, Scrum won Abbey launch another attack with their forwards mauling into Blues 22 before they run across the pitch before they make a mistake, the ref again brings play back for a penalty.
Abbey kick to touch and from the lineout attack the Blues again winning a 5 m scrum, Abbey with a man advantage win their scrum and push Blues back to the try line, Blues defence remains strong and manage to steal the ball allowing Dan Thorne to kick to touch and relieve the Abbey pressure.
Abbey run the ball from their lineout but again good Blues defence manages to steal the ball and they run out of defence but cough up possession when they knock on just in Abbeys half.

Joe Pigott off Chris Palser-Thorne on 70 mins

Abbey win the scrum and run at Blues but the wet ball is knocked on giving Blues a scrum just in Abbeys half, Blues just hold on to their scrum and run the ball across the pitch through several phases but a forward pass gives Abbey a scrum. Abbey win the scrum and their forwards pick and drive through several phases but cannot break Blues defence, eventually after several minutes Abbey are penalised for holding on in the tackle.
Blues try to take quickly but Abbey are not back ten so Blues get the penalty a further 10m up field. Blues tap and go and now put Abbey under pressure through several phases, eventually right in front of the posts on Abbey’s 22 Toby Thorne picks up the ball and darts straight through the defence to score the bonus point try under the posts Dan Thorne adds the conversion and the final whistle is blown 5-29

A great result for Blues in a tough opening league game, a good squad performance. A hard game to pick a man of the match but young Dylan Stewart had an outstanding game at 7 so he is forwards MOM, backs MOM goes to Mike Walker

Good luck to Reading Abbey for the rest of the season

Squad
Graham Stewart, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Kyle Doel, Jon Bastable, Ben O’Shea,
Dylan Stewart, Josh Winfield, Joe Pigott, Dan Thorne, Mike Walker, Rory Jones,
Josh Love, Jamie Futcher, Toby Thorne, Ben Hicks, Ryan Davis, Chris Palser-Thorne

Next week Saturday 10th is a home match against Royal Wootton Bassett 3pm KO, another newly promoted team to this league