Blues out thought by Dings

NEWBURY BLUES 00 v 24 DINGS CRUSADERS

Blues out thought by Dings

Saturday 24th Mar 2018, 3pm KO South West Premier

Newbury Blues suffered a defeat to top of the table and now league champions Dings Crusaders, but put up a stern fight and are unlucky not to score

Blues slip to 12th place in the league after putting up a good fight against Dings but cannot stop them from taking victory and winning the league, Blues are don’t deserve not to get on the scoresheet for the first time this season

Congratulations to Rob Drysdale who earnt his 150th Blues cap on Saturday, a great achievement

Blues gather Dings kick off and run the ball before putting a kick over Dings defensive line, Dings gather and attack taking play back well into Blues half, Dings win a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Dings put pressure on the Blues defence and after several phases of play spent camped in Blues 22 they make the break through to score close to the posts, the conversion sails between the up rights making the score 0-7 after 4 mins

Blues restart kick is gathered by Dings, a good Blues chase is rewarded when their clearance kick is charged down, Dings manage to get hold of the loose ball and set off on another attack, Dings get a penalty at the tackle and kick to touch, Dings win the lineout and run the ball before putting a kick over the Blues defence, Blues gather and run the ball making good ground but cough up possession in Dings half, Dings attack getting well into Blues half and win a penalty which is slotted between the posts 0-10 10 mins

Blues restart and a good chase is rewarded with a penalty which just sails past the posts, Dings gather and run out of defence before kicking clear, Blues gather and return the kick a good chase is rewarded when a Dings pass is forward, Blues win the scrum and get a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues forwards attack from the lineout but Dings get a penalty scrum, Dings win the scrum then a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch on half way.
Dings attack from the lineout then kick into Blues 22, Blues gather and clear to touch on their 30m line, Dings win the lineout and are soon in Blues 22, a good Dylan Stewart tackle and Alex Millar is over the ball resulting in a Blues penalty, injury time out

Richard West has to leave the field, Jamie Futcher on 22 mins

Dan Thorne now at 10 kicks to touch, Blues win the lineout and run the ball but concede a scrum at the tackle, Dings attack from the scrum but a forward pass halts their progress, Blues get a penalty which is slotted to touch, Blues win the lineout and run before a good cross kick is nearly gathered but it drifts into touch, Dings win the lineout and attack before a good kick rolls into touch in Blues 22, Blues win a scrum at the lineout then a penalty, indecision on whether the ball crosses the touch line results in a Dings scrum on half way, Dings attack from the scrum before putting another kick into Blues 22, Blues run out of defence and get a penalty at the tackle.
Dan Thorne kicks to touch, Blues win the lineout and run before putting a kick into Dings half, Dings gather and a good kick rolls into touch in Blues 22, Dings steal the lineout and attack taking play across the pitch through several phases before conceding a penalty at the tackle, Dan Thorne clears to touch just outside own 22, Blues just keep hold of the ball at the lineout but an infringement brings half time

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Blues kick off the second half, Dings gather and run the ball getting a penalty which they kick to touch, Dings infringe at the lineout giving Blues a penalty which is kicked to touch, from the lineout Blues attack then put in a kick, Dings gather and run taking play across the pitch, Blues manage to hack the loose ball into touch, Dings win the lineout and run getting into Blues half taking play from one side of the pitch to the other and back getting into Blues 22 before their progress is halted and Blues have a penalty, injury time out

Rob Drysdale off Graham Stewart on 46 mins

Blues kick to touch still in their own half, Dings steal the ball at the lineout and mount another attack taking play across the pitch and back getting up to the try line but good Blues defence holds them up, Dings have a 5m scrum which is reset, Dings get a penalty but play advantage before play is brought back for a Dings scrum, Dings just hold their own scrum but lose the ball allowing Blues to clear to touch, Dings win the lineout and their forwards maul making good ground before they spread the ball quickly wide to score a well worked try under the posts, 0-17 56 mins

Ben Hicks off Rob Drysdale on

Blues take the restart kick and a good chase by Jamie Futcher results in their winger being tackled into touch. Blues win a scrum at the lineout and spread the ball wide Josh Bartlett, Toby Pearce and Josh Love taking play up to Dings 22. Blues keep the ball live getting into Dings 22 before a forward pass gives Dings a scrum and a chance to clear. Dings win the scrum but play is stopped and the ref talks to both captains, Dings win their scrum and kick clear, Blues gather and attack but a knock on gives Dings a scrum, again they win the scrum and kick upfield, Blues gather and a good Josh Bartlett kick is carried into touch by Dings, from the lineout Blues put pressure on the Dings defence getting a penalty which Dan Thorne clears to touch.
Blues win the lineout and some good running rugby takes them over the try line but the ref gives a knock on and a Dings 5m scrum, Dings kick up field from the scrum and a good chase is rewarded when they get a scrum just out side Blues 22. Dings win the scrum and attack before a grubber kick is slotted through the Blues defence, Blues gather and run before clearing to touch.
Dings win the lineout and mount another attack before another grubber kick is put through again Blues gather and recycle before clearing to touch, Dings take a quick lineout and get back into Blues 22, Dings concede a scrum, Blues win their scrum and run out of defence and win a penalty, Blues tap and go getting up to the 40m line winning a penalty scrum, Blues win the scrum and attack but lose the ball, Dings gather and put up a chip kick which they gather and look certain to score but a great Josh Bartlett tackle means they spill the ball when over the try line. Blues win the 5m scrum and run out of defence before kicking up field, Dings gather and run back into Blues half before losing the ball, Blues counter attack getting up to half way before a knock on gives Dings a scrum. From the scrum Dings attack spreading the ball quickly out to their backs who cut through the Blues defence to score under the posts, the conversion is kicked, 0-24 77 mins

Blues restart long Dings break through several Blues tackles making good ground. Blues get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues attack but lose the ball allowing Dings to run out of defence but again they concede a penalty at the tackle which Dan Thorne kicks to touch, lineout won Blues launch a final attack, Dings manage to steal the ball and clear to touch bringing the final whistle.

Blues gave a good account of themselves but came up against a strong Dings side who proved why they have won the league, Blues endeavour didn’t deserve a zero-point score line

Forwards MOM Dylan Stewart who tackled way above his weight
Backs MOM Josh Love who gave another of his industrious displays

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Kyle Doel, Josh Winfield, Dylan Stewart
Ollie Spanswick, Alex Millar, Joe Pigott, Richard West, Toby Pearce, Kris Ford, Dan Thorne
Josh Love, Josh Bartlett, Graham Stewart, Stephen Ansell, Jamie Futcher

Well done Dings on winning the league good luck next season

Blues next game is away at Newton Abbot on April 7th, now a must win game as again this week other results went against the Blues

Thanks to the great Blues support that surrounded pitch 4, players and coaching staff value your support