Blues sink the Severnsiders

A changed and depleted Blues side travel to Lydney, some players carrying niggling injuries and some players not available plus those out due to injury long and short term, well done to those stepping in and helping get the win, special mention to young 17-year-old Max Hayman who came off the bench and produced a great performance in only his second first team appearance

On a cold but dry Saturday afternoon Lydney kick off up the slope on a heavy pitch, back for a Blues scrum as the kick is not 10, from the reset scrum Blues win a penalty which is slotted into touch, Lydney get a penalty scrum at the lineout and try running the ball, Blues steal possession and run at Lydney but concede a penalty at the tackle, Lydney kick to touch just in Blues half.
Blues get a scrum at the lineout and a big shove gains them a penalty which is kicked to touch on Lydney’s 22, from the lineout Blues attack but spill the ball allowing Lydney to clear to touch, the ref calls the captains and has a chat to them both and sends the Lydney coach to the side-lines.
Blues win the lineout and maul back up to the Lydney 22 before they are held giving Lydney the scrum, Lydney win their scrum under severe pressure and run the ball getting up to their 40m line and win a penalty, a quick tap and go gains them good yards as they get into Blues half before they lose the ball, Blues cough up possession allowing Lydney to get up to Blues 22 where they keep hold of the ball through several phases before getting tackled into touch.
Blues win the lineout but get put under all sorts of pressure giving Lydney a 5m scrum, Lydney win the scrum and their forwards pick and drive getting over for the first score, the conversion is kicked 7-0 15 mins

From Blues restart Lydney run but spill the ball forwards, Blues play the advantage and attack getting into Lydney’s 22 and win a penalty for a high tackle, Blues take the scrum and put pressure on Lydney’s forwards but in their haste, concede a penalty which Lydney clear to touch.
Lydney win the lineout and spread the ball wide across the pitch but are ushered into touch, Blues win the lineout and run getting a scrum when Lydney knock on in the attempted interception, Blues win the scrum and get into Lydney’s 22 but a knock-on halts their progress, Lydney again win their scrum going backwards but concede a penalty, Blues kick to touch. Blues win the lineout and put the Lydney defence under pressure when the forwards set up a maul but concede a penalty, Lydney clear to touch win their lineout and run the ball, a loose pass is intercepted by Blues and they get up to the 5m line, Blues keep up the pressure on Lydney’s defence with the forwards picking and driving, from the tackle the ball is spun out to Jamie Futcher who dives over to score in the corner, Lydney earn a yellow card, Richard West kicks the long conversion 7-7 34 mins

Lydney take the restart kick, Blues gather and a good Josh Bartlett run takes play back into Lydney’s half, Blues keep up the pressure through several phases, Rhys Davies picks the ball up at the tackle and spots the gap he runs straight over the tackled player and is gone making the 30m to score close to the posts a great try, Richard West converts 7-14 37 mins

Blues are now looking the better team and a good high kick from Lydney’s restart kick results in a knock on and a Blues scrum in Lydney’s half, Blues pack is dominant and another big shove marches them forwards and wins them a penalty, Blues play the advantage but play is brought back for the penalty, Richard West steps up and kicks the long attempt, 7-17 39 mins

Lydney restart Blues return the kick, Lydney gather and run the ball but good Blues defence pushes them backwards but again Lydney get the penalty, they tap and go as time is up and keep hold of the ball through several phases before the mistake brings the half time whistle.

Blues restart the second half up the sloping pitch, Lydney gather and run at Blues who manage to steal possession and attack getting into Lydney’s 22 before a loose pass is intercepted by Lydney and a good kick takes play into Blues 22, Blues get a penalty for a high tackle on Blues fullback which is kicked to touch.

Adam Neal off injured Max Hayman on 42 mins

Lydney steal the ball at the lineout and they run through to score the try, the conversion is successful making the score 14-17 43 mins

Blues restart, Lydney gather and return the kick, Blues catch and some good rugby takes play back into Lydney’s 22 and up to the 5m line before a knock on stops their progress, Lydney win their scrum and clear to touch on their own 40m line, Blues win their lineout and again run the ball taking play back into Lydney’s 22 before another mistake, a knock on halts their progress, Lydney win their scrum and run the ball but they knock on, Blues play the advantage but play is brought back for Blues scrum.
Blues win the scrum but fumble the ball forwards at the tackle, Lydney win the scrum and run but a bad pass is knocked on giving Blues a scrum on Lydney’s 30 m line, Blues win the scrum and play is taken wide through the backs, play is held for an injury time out, Rhys Davies having to leave the field with a rib injury.

Rhys Davies off Joe Pigott on and a reshuffle to Blues back line 55 mins

Blues restart play with an attacking scrum on Lydney’s 22 and a big shove wins them a penalty, Blues play advantage and a good Josh Winfield run is stopped so play is back for the penalty, Richard West slots over the kick 14-20 57 mins

Blues knock on from the restart kick, Lydney hold on to their scrum and take play up to Blues 22 but knock on Blues play the advantage but don’t get far before they knock on so back for the original knock on, Blues win the scrum and clear the ball upfield, Lydney gather and get back to half way before Blues manage to steal the ball and kick the ball up field.
Lydney gather and run back at Blues but a knock on keeps play in their own half, Blues win a penalty at the scrum and Lydney’s player gets a second yellow which means a red so they are down to 14 for the remainder of the match, Richard West kicks the long penalty 14-23 66 mins

Lydney take the restart kick, Blues gather and kick long, Lydney gather and run winning a penalty which they tap and go taking play across the pitch then back getting up to Blues 22 before they concede a penalty, injury time out, Blues clear to touch on half way. Blues don’t get hold of the ball at the lineout and the loose ball is hacked into touch by Lydney off a Blues player, Lydney win the lineout and run the ball but a knock on gives a scrum to the Blues, Blues win the scrum and kick up field and chase, Lydney get a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch.
Lineout won they put pressure on the Blues defence getting another penalty which they kick to touch on the 5m line, Lydney win the lineout and their forwards take play up to the line but they cannot make the break through, good Blues defence earns them a penalty scrum, from the scrum Blues run out of defence and get up to halfway before they lose the ball.
Lydney are now throwing it all at Blues as this is a game they need to win, they run at Blues and get a penalty which they tap and go getting into Blues 22, they take play across the pitch in a attempt to break the Blues defence but spill the ball allowing Blues to clear the bouncing ball to touch, Lydney win the lineout and mount another attack this time after several phases of play their 14 men make the break through to score under the posts and convert 21-23 79 mins

Blues restart and manage to keep Lydney in their own half, after a couple of phases of play Blues manage to get their hands on the ball and are clean through but the ref blows the whistle for full time.

This was a great squad performance!! very hard to single out MOM so goes to the whole squad

A great end to 2017 for Blues a win in front of the very partisan Lydney supporters, not an easy place to come and get a result

Thanks to the great Blues support who travelled down to Severnside to cheer on the Blues

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Kyle Doel, Adam Neal, Josh Winfield,
Ollie Spanswick, Alex Millar, Anthony Hackett, Richard West, Jamie Futcher, Rhys Davies,
Dan Thorne, Toby Pearce, Josh Bartlett, Aaron Johnston, Max Hayman, Joe Pigott

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all from the players and coaching staff at Newbury RFC

Look forward to seeing you on 6th Jan at Newbury RFC a really important Berkshire derby against Bracknell who sit just below Blues in the table, a game Blues need to win

Let’s hope that the Xmas break lets some of the injured players get back to match fitness, January could prove a important month for Blues