Blues make one change in the backs Josh Bartlett coming onto the bench and are then forced into a late change when Kyle Doel has to drop out with flu, Rory Jones onto the Bench

Maids kick off this crucial league match on a warm sunny afternoon, Blues catch and are immediately in trouble when a loose pass is knocked on straight into Maids hands, they put the Blues under pressure and after several phases they have made the break through to score and convert 7-0 3 mins

Blues restart kick is returned by Maids, Blues gather and run the ball getting into Maids half and win a penalty on 5 mins which is just wide, Maids take the 22 drop out kick, Blues gather and mount a good attack getting into Maids 22 before Maids intercept the Blues pass and run from their own 22 to score under the posts and kick the conversion 14-0 7 mins

Maids knock on Blues restart kick giving Blues an attacking scrum which they win and run at the Maids defence, Maids get a penalty which they kick to touch, lineout won they attack Blues but lose possession. Blues set off in attack before putting up a high kick which they manage to reclaim and set off on another attack, Maids manage to hold them and steal the ball kicking up field, Blues counter attack but get penalised allowing Maidenhead to take quickly and get well into Blues half before they lose the ball forwards.
Blues win the scrum and put up a high kick, Maids gather and kick long the ball rolling into the try area so Blues touchdown and take the 22 drop out, Maids gather and return the kick, Blues try running out of defence before kicking into Maids half. Maids run the ball back at Blues getting into the 22 before Blues are awarded a scrum, from the scrum Blues kick clear, Maids catch and launch another attack making good ground before sending a neat chip kick over Blues defensive line, Maids are first to the ball and touch down wide out on their left, the long conversion sails between the posts, 21-0 25 mins

Blues long restart kick rolls into touch in Maids 22, from the lineout Maids kick out of defence, Blues gather and are soon back into Maids 22, good runs from Rob Drysdale, Ben Hicks, Jon Bastable, Ryan Davis, Josh Winfield, Dan Thorne and Toby Thorne cannot quite break through the resolute Maids defence, after several phase’s camped in Maids 22 Blues win a penalty which they take quickly and this time Ryan Davis manages to power his way up to the line to score close to the posts, Nick Wackwitz’s conversion makes the score 21-7 29 min’s

Maids restart kick is returned by the Blues, Maids take and run at the Blues defence making good ground through several phase’s getting into Blues 22 before getting tackled into touch, Blues win the lineout but their clearing kick is charged down and Maids have the bonus point try, the conversion is successful 28-7 33 mins

Blues kick off Maids take and kick back into Blues half, Blues run the ball this time and get into Maids 22 with a good Joe Pigott run, Maids steal the ball and a long kick takes play back into Blues half, Blues manage to chase back, Jamie Futcher gathers the ball and manages to hold out until his support players arrive, Blues are awarded a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch. Blues win the lineout and again put pressure on Maids defence but cannot break through, Maids defence has the upper hand and manage to steal the ball allowing them to run out of defence and attack the Blues getting into Blues half and win a scrum. From the scrum Maids keep up the pressure and a cross-field kick just beats their winger and rolls into touch, half time whistle is blown.
Blues coaches now need to do their work to turn this game around

******

Blues make 3 changes at half time,
Graham Stewart, Ryan Davis, Josh Bartlett coming on Ben Hicks, Dylan Stewart and Mike Walker coming off

Blues kick off the second half knowing they need to produce an outstanding second half performance to turn this game around, Maids return the kick, Blues gather and run the ball getting into Maids half before a knock on halts their progress, Maids play the advantage getting into Blues half before they do the same, Blues win the scrum and run at Maids getting well into their half and win a penalty at the tackle, Nick Wackwitz kicks through the posts, 28-10 45 mins

Blues cough up possession from the restart kick allowing Maids to attack, they spill the ball allowing Blues to run out of defence, Blues win a scrum but lose the ball just in Maids half allowing them to run, they make good ground getting through several tackles and look dangerous, a good Jamie Futcher try saving tackle halts progress, Maids keep possession and keep up the pressure and win a penalty which they kick making the score 31-10 50 mins

From the Blues kick Maids send a long kick well back into Blues half, Blues run the ball through several phases getting into Maids half then their 22, Blues cannot break the Maids defence and when they get over the line they are held up. Blues win the 5m scrum, and again after several phases they get over the line but are held up, this time a messy scrum is turned over by Maids and they kick clear to touch in Blues half, Maids steal possession at the lineout but don’t get far before they cough up possession. Blues put pressure on the Maids defence and after several phases have got back into Maids half, Blues spread the ball wide and are soon into Maids 22, the backs make good progress and Jamie Futcher is over the line but two Maids defenders save the try.
Blues have another 5m scrum and this time Alex Millar picks up at the bases and releases Josh Bartlett who hits the defender and manages to touch down Nick Wackwitz slots over the conversion, 31-17 68 mins

Maids kick off, Blues gather and run at Maids making good ground before they lose the ball, Maids make the break and are soon in Blues half and up to Blues 22 winning a penalty which they slot over 34-17 70 mins

Blues kick is returned by Maids, Blues gather and run getting into Maids 22 before losing the ball, Maids under pressure knock on, Blues win the scrum and attack through several phases again Blues get over the line when Joe Pigott makes the break but he is held up so Blues have a 5m scrum. Blues win the scrum and put Maids defence under severe pressure but it doesn’t crack and eventually a barging run by Josh Winfield is halted 1m short when he is tackled into touch.
Maids win the lineout and kick clear, Blues run the ball straight back Toby Thorne taking play back into Maids 22, Blues lose the ball allowing Maids to kick clear, Blues win the lineout and spend the last few minute in Maids 22 but cannot break through the Maids defensive wall which has saved several Blues try’s in the second half, a mistake brings the final whistle.

Maids deserved their victory, a first half display which punished Blues mistakes and resulted in four try’s and a second half when their defence was out standing saving several try’s, probably 5 times Blues were over the line but couldn’t touch down, Well done Maids good luck for the remainder of the season

Blues were left to rue their first half mistakes and the fact that they crossed the line so many times in the second half but couldn’t get the ball down

A great game and a great advert for level 6 rugby

Thanks to the great Blues support who travelled to Maidenhead

Thanks to the ref who kept control of the game no cards needed and allowed it to flow

Forwards MOM Ryan Davis
Backs MOM Jamie Futcher

Blues Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Josh Winfield, Jon Bastable,
Ryan Davis, Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Joe Pigott, Nick Wackwitz,
Jamie Futcher, Josh Love, Dan Thorne, Mike Walker, Toby Thorne,
Graham Stewart, Rory Jones, Josh Bartlett

Blues now have a week off before two home match’s against Witney on 4th March and Old Centralians on 11th March COYB’s

Promotion is still possible win all the remaining matches and hope Maids beat Old Pats as well

Match details

Match date

Sat 18 Feb 2017

Kickoff

14:30

Location

Maidenhead RFC

Competition

South West 1 East

League position

Maidenhead

Newbury Blues

Team overview

Mistakes cost Blues