Blues below par at the seaside

EXMOUTH 45 v 25 NEWBURY BLUES
Blues below par at the seaside
Saturday 09TH Dec 2017, 2 pm KO South West Premier

Newbury Blues don’t reproduce the form from last Saturday meaning they come away from Exmouth pointless

A minute’s silence is held before the match for Exmouth’s long-standing member and Vice President Tony Harris who sadly died a few days ago

Blues are forced into a late change on Thursday when Rob Drysdale doesn’t recover from a neck injury sustained last week, Aaron Johnston coming in, Blues give debuts from the bench to two of their young players Max Hayman and James Lewis

Blues kick off and a good chase keeps Exmouth in their own 22, Exmouth kick clear upfield, Blues counter attack but get penalised at the tackle, Exmouth kick to touch in Blues half win the lineout and attack but spill the ball allowing Blues to kick clear. Exmouth run the ball getting into Blues 22 before conceding a penalty, Blues clear to touch still in their own half, lineout won Blues cough up possession allowing Exmouth to kick, the ball bouncing into touch in Blues 22, lineout won Blues clear to touch, Exmouth attack across the pitch from the lineout getting into Blues 22 and winning a soft penalty which they kick to touch, from the 5m lineout Exmouth’s forwards maul winning a pen when the maul collapses, again the penalty is kicked to touch and this time the forwards maul over the line to score, the conversion is successful 7-0 8 mins

Again, a good Blues chase from the kick off keeps Exmouth in their own 22 Exmouth manage to creep up field but knock on at the tackle giving Blues scrum when Exmouth knock on, at the scrum Blues win a penalty which Richard West slots between the posts 7-3 10 mins

Exmouth kick long, Blues return into touch, Exmouth attack from the lineout but lose the ball allowing Blues to run out of their half but Blues are penalised at the tackle, Exmouth kick to touch and mount another attack, they get a fortunate scrum for a knock on in Blues 22. Exmouth’s forwards have the upper hand at the scrum and this allows them to put pressure on the Blues line, play is brought back for an Exmouth penalty which they slot into touch, their throw is not straight so Blues have a scrum and a chance to clear their lines. Exmouth shove Blues back winning a penalty scrum, another big shove results in a harsh penalty try 14-3 20 mins

A good Blues restart kick is rewarded when Exmouth under pressure try running out of defence, Dan Thorne intercepts the pass and is gone through the defenders to score under the posts, Richard West converts 14-10 22 mins

George Robinson-Slater on Aaron Johnston off

Exmouth restart long Blues return into touch, Exmouth win their lineout and run the ball but a good steal at the tackle by James Macauley means Blues get back up to half way before putting up a high kick, Exmouth gather and kick to touch, Blues lineout is not straight giving Exmouth an attacking scrum, from the scrum Exmouth put a grubber kick through the Blues defensive line, both teams send a couple of kicks into each other’s halves before Exmouth roll a good kick into touch, Exmouth steal Blues lineout and put pressure on Blues defence who knock on in the tackle.
Exmouth have a scrum just in their own half, scrum won Exmouth run at Blues before sending a good kick in behind Blues defence, Blues gather and clear to touch, Exmouth’s forwards maul from the lineout making good ground and win a penalty, they play the advantage getting up to Blues 22 before a neat kick is placed over the Blues defence and their centre is first to get there he gathers the ball and touches down under the posts, the conversion is kicked 21-10 30 mins

Blues restart and a good chase keeps Exmouth on their own 22, play is halted for a spate of handbags and an injury to Duncan Craigen

Duncan Craigen off Max Hayman on

Play is restarted with an Exmouth scrum which they win and run out of defence, Blues defence keeps them penned on their own 22 so they opt to kick clear, Ollie Spanswick charges the kick down and gets his hands on the bouncing ball getting up to the 5m mark before he is stopped, Blues keep the ball live and a good pass from Richard West allows Alex Millar to thunder through the defenders to score the try Richard West converts, 21-17 36 mins

Exmouth’s restart kick is returned into touch in their own half, Exmouth win the lineout and run at Blues but don’t get far before they spill the ball, Blues kick is straight out so back for an Exmouth lineout on halfway, Exmouth win the lineout but knock on, Blues win the scrum under pressure but lose the ball allowing Exmouth to launch an attack, they win a penalty which is slotted between the posts 24-17 half time

******

Aaron Johnston on George Robinson-Slater off

Exmouth kick off the second half Alex Millar catches and sets off on a good run, Blues cough up possession at the tackle allowing Exmouth to put pressure on the Blues defence before they put through a neat grubber kick, Blues put up a high kick and a great chase and big tackle from Josh Bartlett forces the knock on, Blues scrum is shoved backwards but they manage to hold on to the ball but lose it in the tackle. Exmouth put in a kick over the Blues defence but it rolls to far and Blues touch down and take the 22 drop out, a good chase by Josh Love forces a knock on and a penalty, but also results in him getting an ankle injury

Josh Love off James Lewis on 46 mins

Blues kick the penalty to touch but lose the lineout, Exmouth spread the ball across the pitch getting into Blues half but a foot in touch halts their progress, Blues win the lineout and run the ball, they win a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch. Blues win the lineout and set off on another attack but a strange penalty to Exmouth at the tackle halts their progress, Exmouth kick to touch, Blues steal the lineout and clear to touch, Exmouth win the lineout and their dominant forwards maul towards the line, winning a penalty, their forwards play the advantage and keep going and when the maul collapses the ref awards another penalty try 31-17 52 mins

Blues take the restart kick, Exmouth gather and kick back into Blues 22, Jamie Futcher makes a good run taking play up to halfway, Blues keep up the pressure taking play into Exmouth territory and win a penalty, the long attempt is slotted between the posts by Richard West 31-20 56 mins

Exmouth take the kick and Blues return it into touch, Exmouth win the lineout but the whistle is blown given Blues a scrum, Exmouth’s pack steal the scrum and after a couple of phases kick, Blues gather and get a penalty which is taken quickly by Joe Pigott, he makes ground before Blues and get another when Exmouth didn’t retreat 10 yds., this time Dan Thorne takes quickly and makes good ground getting into Exmouth’s half and wins another penalty which is slotted into touch.

Aaron Johnston off George Robinson-Slater on 62 mins

Lineout won Blues attack through several phases getting up to the line but lose the ball, Exmouth clear upfield, Blues catch and set off on another attack getting well into Exmouth’s half before another strange decision from the ref gives Exmouth a penalty for supposedly crossing.
Exmouth kick to touch win the lineout and their forwards maul play forwards and win penalty which is slotted into touch, lineout won Exmouth’s forwards maul up the field before the ball is released to the backs to score, the conversion is kicked 38-20 70 mins

Blues restart kick is returned by Exmouth into touch, Exmouth steal the lineout and another kick rolls into touch, again Exmouth steal the lineout and soon have another penalty which is slotted into touch in Blues 22, Exmouth’s forwards maul from the lineout but this time it’s a penalty scrum to the Blues, Blues win the scrum and run out of their 22 winning a penalty on the way which is kicked to touch. From the lineout Blues forwards maul taking play close to the try line and winning a penalty which is taken quickly getting them up to the line, the ref rules Blues have infringed allowing Exmouth to clear the penalty kick to touch close to halfway, lineout won Exmouth run the ball getting into Blues 22 where they are again awarded a strange penalty which they kick to touch, their forwards maul from the lineout getting over the line to score, the conversion is successful 45-20 76 mins

Exmouth return Blues restart kick into touch, Blues win the lineout and run at Exmouth making good ground before Josh Bartlett makes the break, draws the defender and release’s Toby Pearce who scores wide out on the right the conversion is just wide, 45-25 79 mins

Blues have the better of the final few minutes getting into Exmouth’s 22 but are unable to make the breakthrough to score the bonus point 4th try, eventually the ref blows for full time

A big thank you to all the travelling Blues supporters a large amount of you making the long journey

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, James Macauley, Aaron Johnston, Kyle Doel, Duncan Craigen, Josh Winfield,
Ollie Spanswick, Alex Millar, Joe Pigott, Richard West, Jamie Futcher, Josh Love, Dan Thorne,
Toby Pearce Josh Bartlett, George Robinson-Slater, Max Hayman, James Lewis

Sat 16th Dec Blues have another tough away game against Lydney. COYB need to win this one