Newbury Blues
Matches
Sat 07 Jan 2017  ·  South West 1 East
Newbury Rugby Football Club
Newbury Blues
Tries: J FUTCHER, A HACKETT, A MILLAR, J LOVEPenalties: N WACKWITZ (4)
32
31
Swindon
Blues great escape

Blues great escape

mick futcher10 Jan 2017 - 08:55
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Newbury Blues smoulder for 75 minutes then explode into life for the final 12 to snatch a bonus point win from the jaws of defeat

NEWBURY BLUES 32 v 31 SWINDON

Blues great escape

Saturday 7th Jan, South West 1 East League, 3-00 pm KO

Newbury Blues smoulder for 75 minutes then explode into life for the final 12 to snatch a bonus point win from the jaws of defeat

Jamie Futcher leads the team and mascots out to celebrate his 101st cap

Blues run out onto the pitch with mascots and ball boys for the day NRFC U11’s, each player being accompanied by an U11 player and then all lining up for a pre-match photo

Blues welcome Swindon to Monks Lane on a damp afternoon to kick off 2017, the pitch heavy and wet after Friday nights rain hoping for a win and the double over them
Swindon kick the match off and have the better of the first couple of minutes, their pressure tells and they get a long penalty which Adam Westall all kicks 0-3 2 mins

Blues restart and a couple of kicks by both sides later they win the lineout and run the ball at Swindon getting into their half and win a penalty, the long attempt just wide, Swindon take the 22 drop out, Alex Millar takes and Blues spread the ball wide through the backs making good ground and winning a penalty at the tackle, Nick Wackwitz kicks to touch on Swindon’s 22.
Swindon steal the lineout and kick safely to touch in Blues half, Blues win the lineout and kick into Swindon’s half, both teams put up kicks before Swindon change tact and run at Blues, Swindon concede a penalty scrum at the tackle, scrum won Blues run the ball then put up a cross field kick which is gathered by Jamie Futcher, Blues are quickly in support and Josh Love and Josh Winfield take play into Swindon’s 22 before a knock on gives Swindon a defensive scrum.
Swindon win the scrum and clear to touch, Blues set up another attack from the lineout and win a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues win the lineout but cough up possession allowing Swindon to clear to touch. The next few minutes play are littered with mistakes from both sides Swindon having the best attacking chance getting into Blues 22 but some great defence and a good tackle from Jon Bastable earns Blues a penalty which is cleared to touch. Blues manage to put several phases of play together from the lineout getting into Swindon’s 22 and putting them under a period of sustained pressure winning a penalty which is slotted into touch. Lineout won Blues keep play in Swindon’s 22 but cannot make the break through; the ref brings play back for an earlier penalty, Nick Wackwitz taps and a quick pass to Jamie Futcher allows him to dive over and score in the corner the long conversion just wide, 5-3 24 mins

Swindon restart, Ollie Spanswick runs the ball back and Blues win a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick doesn’t make touch which allows Swindon to kick clear Blues gather and run before sending a grubber kick through the defence, Swindon gather and counter attack before a grubber kick turns the Blues defence who under pressure take the ball into touch, from the lineout Swindon put up a high kick into Blues 22, Jamie Futcher takes and calls the mark and kicks to touch, Swindon win the lineout and a penalty which is kicked to touch.

Aaron Johnston on George Robinson-Slater off 30 mins

Swindon keep up the pressure from the lineout and spend several phases of play camped in the Blues 22, Swindon win a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won their forwards march towards the line and they manage to squeeze over and score in the corner, the long conversion sails between the posts, 5-10 36 mins

Blues restart kick is returned by Swindon, Blues run the ball but a forward pass halts them on halfway, Swindon win the scrum and kick, Blues gather in their own 22 and Will Carlisle kicks clear Swindon cough up the ball allowing Blues to get possession but a knock on gives Swindon the scrum, Swindon are held up giving Blues a scrum in Swindon’s half then a penalty, Nick Wackwitz kicks the long shot between the posts, 8-10 half time.
Time for the coaches to do their work and try and change the game

******

Blues restart the second half and regain the ball when Swindon knock on, Blues play the advantage putting pressure on the Swindon defence who concede a penalty, Nick Wackwitz kicks between the posts, 11-10 42 mins.

Blues return Swindon’s restart kick, they counter attack and get up to Blues 22 before Blues manage to steal the ball and kick to touch, Swindon win the lineout and maul up fields before spreading the ball wide but concede a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick to touch win the lineout then another penalty which doesn’t find touch, this is the start of a disastrous ten minute’s for the Blues, Swindon catch the ball and put up a high kick which is knocked on by Blues just in their own half.

Alex Millar off Ryan Davis on

Swindon win the scrum and attack a kick is slotted through the Blues defence and Blues infringe tackling the Swindon player without the ball and earning a yellow card, Swindon have a 5m scrum which they win and have soon scored their second try again the long kick sails through the posts to take them back into the lead 11-17 46 mins.

Within a few minutes they have extended their lead when from a scrum in their own half they run straight through the Blues defence to score another try and convert 11-24 50 mins

Blues need to regroup and get back in the game this they do and they manage to stem the Swindon tide and hold them out on their next attack, Blues manage to run the ball out of defence and get a free kick which they tap and go but lose the ball, Swindon send a grubber kick back into Blues half. Blues gather and run winning a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues again run the ball Dylan Stewart making good yards followed by Josh Winfield, play is taken up to Swindon’s 22, Blues manage to keep up the pressure n the Swindon defence but cannot make the break through, the ref brings play back for an earlier penalty which Nick Wackwitz kicks through the posts, 14-24, 58 mins

Swindon restart and manage to regain possession but concede a penalty, Blues kick to touch and from the lineout attack the Swindon defence, Joe Pigott making good yards, Blues manage to keep the ball live at the tackle and are rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts which Nick Wackwitz kicks 17-24 61 mins

George Robinson-Slater on Ben Hicks off, Alex Millar on Josh Winfield off

Swindon’s restart kick is returned by Blues and unluckily a good chase ends with a knock on, Swindon win the scrum and kick into Blues 22, Blues win a scrum then a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues win the lineout and kick well into Swindon territory, both sides try the kicking game before a knock on by Blues gives Swindon a scrum in Blues half. Swindon win the scrum and kick into Blues 22 the ball rolling into touch, Blues win the lineout but the clearance kick is charged down, Swindon are first to react and touch the ball down to score their 4th try the long conversion again sailing between the posts, 17-31, 67 mins

Blues need to do something special to get anything from this game and from the kick off they manage to force a mistake from Swindon which gives them possession, Blues attack getting into Swindon’s 22 before they are tackled into touch, Swindon kick from the lineout but Blues run the ball back from a quick lineout, Blues spill the ball but again Swindon’s kick into touch is thrown in quickly by Blues and they set off in attack mode again getting over the line but being held up. Blues win a penalty and Swindon a yellow, which they tap and go but this time they lose the ball allowing Swindon to kick clear, Blues gather and run straight at the Swindon defence Toby Thorne breaking a tackle but he is stopped short, Blues keep the ball live and get over the line but are held out then spill the ball giving Swindon a scrum

Joe Pigott off Anthony Hackett on 71 mins

Blues concede a penalty at the scrum allowing Swindon to clear to touch, lineout won Swindon run the ball but Blues manage to steal possession in the tackle and again quickly set off on a running attack, Dan Thorne splits the defence making great yards before passing to Jamie Futcher who keeps the move going he then passes in side to Dan Thorne who draws the defender and releases Anthony Hackett who dodges the defender to score the conversion is just wide, 22-31, 75 mins

Swindon restart and chase but knock on, scrum won Blues quickly spread the ball through hands making good ground, the forwards keep the ball live and after several phases Alex Millar charges through the Swindon defence to score again the conversion is just wide 27-31, 77 mins

There are 2 minutes left so Swindon restart and Blues know they have to score, Blues get well into Swindon’s half with another good run from Dan Thorne, they keep the ball live and get into Swindon’s 22 but lose possession, Swindon kick clear, the ball doesn’t find touch and Blues are quickly running back at Swindon who are now looking tired, again Alex Millar runs through several tackles, Blues keep the ball live and after several phases the ball is passed out to Josh Love who crashes through the defender to score in Blues corner, the impossible has happened Blues have in the last minutes of a game scored 3 try’s and snatched a bonus point win from the jaws of defeat, the conversion is just short and the celebrations by players and supporters are in full swing, final score 32-31

This was one of those games that proves you keep playing until the ref blows the final whistle, commiserations to Swindon who played their part in this game and with a few minutes left must have thought victory was theirs, well done to Blues who kept playing and managed to snatch this win thus doing the double over them, Good luck to Swindon for the remainder of the season

Forwards MOM goes to Alex Millar
Backs MOM goes to Josh Love

Thanks to the ref who kept the game flowing in the wet conditions giving both teams the chance to play some good rugby

Thanks to the great Blues support who were treated to a roller coaster of a match but all had smiles on their faces at the final whistle

Next Saturday Blues travel to Royal Windsor, this will as always be a hard Berkshire derby match, Windsor will be looking for points to keep them clear of the relegation zone

Newbury Stags are also at Windsor in a BBO Div 2 match, so lets hope for a Blues double

Blues Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, George Robinson-Slater, Jon Bastable, Josh Winfield, Ollie Spanswick
Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Joe Pigott, Nick Wackwitz, Jamie Futcher, Josh Love, Dan Thorne
Toby Thorne, Will Carlisle, Aaron Johnston, Ryan Davis, Anthony Hackett

Match details

Match date

Sat 07 Jan 2017

Kickoff

15:00

Location

Competition

South West 1 East

League position

3
Newbury Blues
12
Swindon
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Player Sponsor - Prianto
Player Sponsor - VOS
Team Sponsor - T  Mather Tree Services
Team Sponsor - Kress
Club Sponsor - Precision Fabrication
Club Sponsor - Dave Shields
Player Sponsor - Kept Assets Limited
Player Sponsor - Swindon Sports Therapy
Player Sponsor - WMJ Consulting
Player Sponsor - MJP THERAPY
Player Sponsor - Vets4Pets