Bracknell kick off this Berkshire derby with the slight disadvantage of the cross wind on a cold but dry Sat afternoon, Blues have the better of the first 15 minutes but are unable to turn their pressure into points until the 15th minute when Richard West slots over a penalty 3-0.

On 22 minutes Blues miss the tackle in Bracknell’s 22 allowing them to run virtually unopposed the 80m to score a soft try and conversion 3-7

Aaron Johnston off Graham Stewart on

Blues have a chance to close the gap a few minutes later but the long penalty is just wide

Bracknell have the better of the next 10 minutes and score their second try when from a 5m scrum they break through poor Blues tackling to score and convert 3-14 34 mins

Blues seem off the pace and 4 minutes later Bracknell have scored their third try when they put together several phases of attacking play to score wide out on the right, 3-19 38 mins

Blues have the better of the final couple of minutes but concede a penalty in Bracknell’s 22 allowing them to clear to touch and the half time whistle is blown

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Aaron Johnston on Graham Stewart off

Blues kick off the second half and within a couple of minutes have pressured the Bracknell defence into conceding a penalty which Richard West kicks 6-19 42 mins

Blues have come out from the halftime talk a different team and on 45 mins have won another penalty which Richard West kicks 9-19 45 mins

Blues have the better of the next 10 minutes but mistakes and good Bracknell defence prevents them from adding to their score.

Duncan Craigen and Jamie Futcher off, Jack Walsh and Joe Pigott on 55 mins

Blues keep up the pressure on Bracknell and are next to score when Richard West releases Josh Love who makes the break draws the defender before passing to Josh Winfield who is off down the touchline to score wide out on the right, the long conversion is just wide 14-19 63 mins

Bracknell respond and several phases of play takes them into Blues 22, Blues defence holds out and they clear and manage to get into Bracknell’s 22 before a big hit forces a knock on

Blues win a free kick at the scrum but cannot turn pressure into points instead they concede a penalty allowing Bracknell to clear into touch

Graham Stewart on Aaron Johnston off 68 mins

Bracknell put Blues under pressure when their dominant forwards maul up to Blues 22 but a knock on from Blues gives them an attacking scrum

Duncan Craigen on Kyle Doel off 71 mins

Bracknell attack from their scrum and get over the line but a foot in touch means the try doesn’t count

Jamie Futcher on Toby Pearce off 74 mins

Blues take a quick lineout catching Bracknell off guard and manage to get out of their 22

The last few minutes are edged by Bracknell and Blues are lucky to hold on to the losing bonus point when Bracknell miss a penalty

Blues didn’t get into their stride for most of this game and a poor 20-minute spell towards the end of the first half allowed Bracknell to score 19 unanswered points
Blues did play better and gained the best of the second half but couldn’t get the vital points to overturn Bracknell’s 19 first half points, Blues keeping Bracknell scoreless in the second half and scoring 11 points

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, Aaron Johnston, Kyle Doel, Duncan Craigen, Josh Winfield,
Ollie Spanswick, Alex Millar, Anthony Hackett, Richard West, Toby Pearce, Josh Love,
Dan Thorne, Jamie Futcher, Josh Bartlett, Graham Stewart, Jack Walsh, Joe Pigott