Blues Royally Beaten

NEWBURY BLUES 13 v 14 ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT

Blues Royally Beaten

Saturday 10th Sept 2016, South West 1 East League, 3 pm KO

Newbury Blues welcomed newly promoted Royal Wootton Bassett who win to end Blues winning run and end the long unbeaten home run

Blues have an off day losing their long unbeaten run at Monks Lane, their last home defeat was Feb 7th 2015 against Windsor, and their first league loss since Dec 5th 2015 away at Maidenhead
Blues welcome young colt Alex Sparkes for his 1st team debut and new boys James Macauley, Rory Jones, Chris Palser-Thorne for their home league debuts

Blues kick the game off and manage to reclaim possession but a knock on gives Bassett a scrum, the next few minutes are spent in midfield before Blues kick to touch, the ball rolling out in Bassett’s 22.
Chris Palser-Thorne off Anthony Hackett on
Bassett manage to clear out of defence, and reclaim possession when Blues spill the ball running out of defence,
Anthony Hackett off Chris Palser-Thorne on
Bassett spread the ball through their backs and get through some poor Blues tackling to score wide out on their left, 0-5 8 mins

Blues restart and get the ball back when Bassett lose possession then Blues get a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks to touch, Bassett steal the lineout but concede a penalty Blues tap and go and spread the ball wide and win another penalty in front of the posts which Dan Thorne slots between the posts, 3-5 12 mins

Wootton Bassett have the best of the next 10 mins their forwards winning most of the ball in the tackle and ruck’s which puts Blues on the back foot. Bassett spend most of this time camped in Blues half and eventually add to their score when they kick a penalty on 21 mins to make the score 3-8.

Bassett keep up their dominance and again keep Blues pinned in their own half, Blues only managing to briefly relieve the pressure and get over half way. The Bassett pressure is forcing Blues to play in their own half and when they infringe Bassett kick a long penalty making the score 3-11 28 mins

Bassett have the better of the remainder of the half but are unable to make the break through and add to their score, Blues defence holding firm, the ref blows for half time and brings an end to a half which Bassett played the better rugby and Blues game was littered with mistakes and no where near what we are used to.
Both sets of coaches now have their time to try and change the game

*****

Bassett kick off the second half, Blues return the kick and chase, Bassett touch down over their try line, from the 22 drop out Blues win a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks bring the score to 6-11 42 mins

Bassett’s restart kick is touched by them and in to touch, after a few kicks by each team Bassett knock on
Alex Millar on Dylan Stewart off 45 mins
Blues have the better of the next few minutes and some good runs from Alex Millar, Ryan Davis and James Macauley takes play into Bassett’s half and they get a penalty which is just wide of the posts.
Within a couple of minutes Blues have another kickable penalty but again it slides wide of the uprights.
Blues are getting back to their old selves and putting Bassett under a bit more pressure
Joe Pigott off Anthony Hackett on, Jon Bastable off Ben Hicks on 60 mins

Blues probably just edge the next 10 mins, both teams keeping the ball and attacking through several phases but mistakes or good defence halting their progress before they can add to their scores. Bassett are first to change this when after a period of attacking play spent in Blues 22 they get the ball back and are successful with a drop goal making the score 6-14 73 mins

Blues mount a series of attacks over the last few minutes and their pressure tells first with a series of penalties which earns Bassett a yellow card, blues keep up the pressure and only some good tackling keeps Blues out, some good runs from Blues forwards puts Bassett under pressure and when the ball is spread wide to Dan Thorne who puts a long pass out to Jamie Futcher who makes the final yards to score wide out on the left Dan Thorne successful with the long conversion 13-14 and the final whistle

Well done to Wootton Bassett who in the end deserved this narrow victory.

Blues need to regroup learn from their mistakes and get back to winning ways next weekend

Squad
Graham Stewart, George Anderson, James Macauley, Jon Bastable, Ben O’Shea, Rory Jones
Dylan Stewart, Ryan Davis, Joe Pigott, Dan Thorne, Jamie Futcher, Chris Palser-Thorne
Josh Love, Alex Sparkes, Toby Thorne, Ben Hicks, Alex Millar, Anthony Hackett

Next week Saturday 17th Blues are away at Swindon