Blues march on

CHIPPENHAM 10 v 38 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues march on

Saturday 28th Jan, South West 1 East League, 2-15 pm KO

Newbury Blues travelled to Chippenham and a gritty display on a wet pitch gives them a try bonus point away victory

Blues make one change to last weeks winning squad Graham Stewart coming on to the bench for Aaron Johnson, Blues score 5 try’s to get an invaluable bonus point away victory and as both teams above them suffered shock defeats, Old Pats losing 18-17 at Windsor and Maidenhead losing 10-5 at Grove it means the top three are now only separated by 2 points, Blues again blessed with the support of their great travelling followers easily out numbering the home support

Blues kick off into the crosswind on a overcast but dry afternoon on a sticky pitch, Chippenham take and return the kick, Blues do the same, Chippenham try running the ball this time but a forward pass gives Blues a scrum well in Chippenham’s half, from the scrum Blues win a penalty, which Nick Wackwitz slots between the posts, 0-3 4 mins

Chippenham restart Blues take and after a couple of phases kick into Chippenham territory, Chippenham gather and run the ball but don’t get far before they lose the ball, Blues run the ball Alex Hackett making good ground, Blues get a penalty at the tackle which they take quick before a neat kick is placed in behind Chippenham’s defence, Blues win a scrum and their pack shove Chippenham meaning they keep possession and get up to the line and win a penalty. Blues kick to touch, win the lineout and spread the ball wide through hands and win a penalty in front of the posts and Chippenham a yellow which Nick Wackwitz kicks, 0-6 9 mins

From the restart Blues knock on, Chippenham play the advantage, they keep up the attack through several phase’s before a chip kick drifts straight out, the ref brings play back for a penalty on Blues 22 which they kick to touch, Chippenham win their lineout and keep up the attack getting into Blues 22 before a loose pass is caught by Blues allowing them to kick out of defence and into touch. Chippenham manage to keep possession at a scrappy lineout when Blues knock on, injury time out.
Chippenham win the lineout and mount another attack with their forwards, handbags break out at the tackle resulting in a yellow for both sides and a Blues penalty which is slotted into touch by Dan Thorne, Blues lineout is not straight giving Chippenham a scrum, from the scrum their kick is straight out, back for a Blues lineout just in their own half. Blues win the lineout but cough up possession allowing Chippenham to attack but again a kick is to long so back for a Blues lineout, Chippenham steal the lineout and kick but play is brought back for a Chippenham knock on at the lineout.

Graham Stewart on Dylan Stewart off 22 mins

Blues win the scrum and good runs from Alex Millar and Josh Winfield takes play up to the try line but Chippenham manage to hold him and the ref rules a double movement, they kick the penalty to touch just short of halfway, Blues steal the lineout and the forwards make ground before they chip the ball behind Chippenham’s defence, a great chase is rewarded with a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks to touch. Blue win the lineout and run at the defence, Chippenham win a penalty when Blues miss the overlap and hold on in the tackle, Chippenham kick long to touch just outside Blues 22, Chippenham under pressure win their lineout but lose the ball at the tackle, Blues kick up field and again a good chase means Chippenham under pressure lose the ball in the tackle allowing Blues to put pressure on the Chippenham defence who concede a penalty which Nick Wackwitz kicks 0-9 28 mins

Graham Stewart off Dylan Stewart back on

Chippenham’s restart kick is gathered by Blues and a high kick put up, Blues manage to regain possession and Alex Millar is charging forwards he offloads to Jon Bastable who makes good ground, the Chippenham tackle is high earning them a yellow card and Blues a penalty which is kicked to touch. Lineout won Blues attack across the pitch into Chippenham’s 22 but cannot break through the defensive line, Blues win a scrum, the Blues pack have the better at the scrum’s which allows Alex Millar to pick up at the base and break through two tackles to score the conversion is just wide 0-14 33 min’s

Blues run the ball from Chippenham’s kick off but a knock on gives Chippenham a scrum in Blues 22, scrum won Chippenham attack but a loose pass rolls into touch, Blues win the lineout and run at Chippenham making good ground before a knock on halts their progress, after several resets Blues steal the scrum and Alex Millar is off getting over half way he sends a great pass out to winger Cameron Golby Barr who is off up the touchline to out sprint the defender to score under the posts, Nick Wackwitz chips over the conversion 0-21 39 mins

Chippenham’s kick rolls into touch, Blues win the lineout and run at Chippenham winning a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won they run again Josh Love makes good ground and chips a kick over the defender, Chippenham get to the ball first and clear to touch, half time

******

Chippenham kick off the second half with Blues now having the advantage of the wind, Blues catch and run straight back but a forward pass halts progress, Chippenham’s pack is under pressure but they just hold possession only to knock on, Blues win their scrum and take play into Chippenham’s 22, the ball is fed out to the backs from the tackle and is quickly shipped through hands allowing Toby Thorne make the final yards and score wide out on the left, the long conversion is just wide 0-26 44 min’s

Blues run the ball from the restart kick but knock on just short of halfway, Chippenham hold their scrum and attack the Blues getting up to Blues 22, they win a penalty scrum and again put pressure on the Blues defensive line spreading the ball across the pitch, Chippenham win another scrum

Graham Stewart and Ryan Davis on Ben Hicks and Dylan Stewart off 48mins

Chippenham win the scrum and their forwards keep up the pressure on the Blues defence and eventually they make the break through to score wide out on the right, 5-26 51 mins

Chippenham return Blues restart kick, Blues catch and some good attacking play takes them up to Chippenham’s 22 before a slightly forward pass halts progress, Chippenham win their scrum and try running out of defence, they keep the ball but don’t make much ground, after several phases the mistake comes in the form of a knock on, Blues win the scrum and put Chippenham under pressure, first Dan Thorne makes a probing run then Josh Love has sight of the line before Chippenham knock the pass backwards, the ref gives a knock on and a 5m Chippenham defensive scrum. Chippenham run the ball from the scrum and get a penalty for off side, which is kicked to touch.
Chippenham run from the lineout but knock on, Blues win the scrum and set off on another attack but a forward pass means instead of a try Chippenham have a scrum on their own 22

Joe Pigott on Anthony Hackett off 60 mins

Chippenham win the scrum and try running out of defence but get ushered into touch, Blues win the lineout and a free kick, Blues run the ball back into Chippenham’s 22 getting held in the tackle but win a scrum, from the scrum Blues put Chippenham’s defence under pressure which eventually breaks when Josh Winfield steps through the defender to score the bonus point try close to the posts, Nick Wackwitz converts 5-33 65 mins

Blues attack from Chippenham’s restart kick and get up to their 22 when a grubber kick from Cameron Golby Barr rolls into touch, Blues steal the lineout and run the ball but a knock on halts progress, Chippenham win their scrum but are penalised for crossing, Blues win the scrum and spread the ball quickly through the backs, Dan Thorne to Toby Thorne to Jamie Futcher who beats the defender to score wide out the conversion just wide 5-38 70 mins

Chippenham’s restart kicks rolls into touch

Ben Hicks on Rob Drysdale off

Chippenham manage to steal the lineout and kick play in Blues half, after a few phases of forward play they chip the ball over the Blues defensive line but it goes straight into touch so play is back for a Blues lineout, again Chippenham steal the lineout and put Blues under pressure who concede a penalty, Chippenham tap and go keeping Blues penned in their own 22, Chippenham win another pen. Again they tap and go getting up to the line winning another pen and Blues a yellow card, Chippenham tap and go and this time their pressure is rewarded with a try the conversion is wide of the posts, 10-38 38 mins

Blues take the restart kick, Chippenham return the kick which is gathered by Blues who run at Chippenham but lose the ball at the tackle, Chippenham run at Blues and make good ground getting into Blues 22 before Blues steal the ball and kick clear, Chippenham gather and kick and chase but the ball bounces into touch and the ref blows for full time

Blues deserved the victory in a hard fought but sometimes scrappy game, the 5 point win and other results now mean it is close at the top of the table only 2 points separate the 3 teams, what a finale to the season every game now vital for the 3 teams, the 3 games between each other will be pivotal and could define the final league positions, although as this weekend has shown teams on their day can beat any body

Forwards MOM Alex Millar
Backs MOM Cameron Golby Barr

Good luck to Chippenham for the rest of the season hope you win a few more games and keep out of the relegation places

Thanks again to the great Blues supporters who travel in great numbers to cheer on this squad, always out numbering the home support

Blues Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Jon Bastable, Kyle Doel,
Josh Winfield, Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Anthony Hackett, Nick Wackwitz,
Jamie Futcher, Josh Love, Dan Thorne, Cameron Golby Barr, Toby Thorne,
Graham Stewart, Ryan Davis, Joe Pigott

Blues now have a rest week before a home match on Sat Feb 11th against old foes Grove, a real hard game in prospect as usual