Blues are forced to make two changes due to injury, then a late change when Kris Ford is ruled out with a groin injury in the warm up, Duncan Craigen coming on to the bench and a backs reshuffle, not a good start for this important league match

Big thanks to Head Coach Lee Goodall and Manager Bob Ward this being their last home match at the reins as they are stepping down from their positions after the rearranged Newton Abbot game next week, thanks for all you have done at Newbury RFC over the past seasons, great work and sorry to see you leave

Blues kick off this vital league match and are immediately rewarded when Bournemouth knock on and concede a penalty which Ollie Milner slots between the uprights 3-0 1min

Bournemouth restart Blues gather, the Bournemouth chase is rewarded when they semi charge down Blues clearance kick, Bournemouth attack but play is brought back to the 40m line for a Bournemouth penalty the long attempt is just wide. Blues take the 22 drop out, Bournemouth run at Blues getting into the 22, again play is brought back for a penalty which Bournemouth kick to touch, lineout won Bournemouth again attack and some good rugby takes them up to the try line, Blues defence stays strong and Bournemouth change tactics putting in a neat grubber kick which Blues manage to touch down.
Blues take the 22 drop out which Bournemouth gather, Blues put them under pressure and push them backwards, Bournemouth take play across the pitch then back but knock on, the Blues scrum is reset, from the scrum Blues run before putting a kick deep into Bournemouth’s 22, Bournemouth run from their own 22 taking play across the pitch before they are stopped, play is brought back for a Bournemouth penalty which they kick to touch on half way, lineout won Bournemouth spread the ball wide and manage to break the Blues defence for their winger Dan Stewart to score, Grant Hancox converts 3-7 8 mins

Blues restart kick drifts over the touch line so back for a Bournemouth scrum, Blues pack shove Bournemouth back winning their scrum and Blues run the ball getting into Bournemouth’s 22 before a knock on halts their progress, Bournemouth win their scrum and run out of defence getting up to half way where they win a penalty which is kicked to touch, from the lineout Bournemouth attack the Blues defence winning another penalty which is kicked to touch, again Bournemouth put pressure on the Blues defence which holds them out and eventually Blues intercept a pass and get out of their 22, Bournemouth get a scrum when Blues knock on, Bournemouth win their scrum and run but infringe at the tackle this results in a spate of handbags resulting in their 6 getting a yellow and Blues have a penalty.
Blues kick the penalty into touch win the lineout and take play in Bournemouth’s half, a good Kyle Doel run takes play into Bournemouth’s 22 before Bournemouth manage to steal the ball then win a penalty which they kick to touch just in Blues half, Bournemouth win their lineout but soon have lost the ball, Blues run at Bournemouth before a chip kick is put over their defensive line, play is brought back for a Blues penalty which is kicked to touch. Bournemouth manage to steal the lineout and run the ball before putting in a kick which is gathered by Josh Bartlett who gets back to halfway, Blues knock on giving Bournemouth a scrum, from the scrum they attack Blues getting a penalty which earns Blues a yellow card.
Bournemouth kick to touch win the lineout and attack the Blues defence but lose possession, Blues gather the loose ball and attack but concede a penalty scrum.

Dylan Stewart off Graham Stewart on 30 mins

Bournemouth win the scrum but lose the ball, Blues attack through several phases of play, their backs making good ground, eventually after several phases Josh Love rounds off a good spell of rugby to score under the posts, Ollie Milner converts 10-7 32 mins

Bournemouth’s restart kick is gathered by Blues who spread it wide but get penalised for holding on in the tackle, Bournemouth tap and go, spread the ball out through their backs to break the Blues defence allowing Tom Napier to score their second try, Grant Hancox converts 10-14 34 mins

Bournemouth return Blues restart kick the ball rolling into touch well in Blues half, Blues take quickly and run at Bournemouth but get tackled into touch on half way, Bournemouth attack from the lineout getting up to Blues 22 before they concede a penalty at the tackle

Dylan Stewart on Graham Stewart off 38 mins

Blues kick to touch win their lineout and run the ball getting into Bournemouth’s half keeping the ball for several phases of play before a knock-on halts their progress and brings half time

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Bournemouth kick off the second half Blues gather but get held in the tackle giving Bournemouth a scrum just outside Blues 22, Bournemouth attack from the scrum , Blues manage to push them backwards and get their hands on the ball, Josh Winfield puts a grubber kick bouncing through the Bournemouth defence, a good chase is rewarded when Bournemouth knock on, injury time out, sadly the Bournemouth player has to leave the field. Scrum won Blues attack but a knock on brings play back for a Blues penalty scrum, again Blues win their scrum and get up to the Bournemouth line but cannot get over, they keep the ball live and take play across the pitch but again get held at the line this time Bournemouth knock on in the tackle giving Blues an attacking 5m scrum.

Ollie Spanswick on Dylan Stewart off 50 mins

Blues pack shove Bournemouth backwards and a dart up the blindside is stopped by an illegal tackle winning Blues a penalty, Blues take the scrum and another big shove is rewarded when Alex Millar breaks off the back
and crashes through the defenders to score a good try Ollie Milner converts 17-14 53 mins

Blues gather Bournemouth’s restart kick and put up a high kick, Josh Love manages to get his hands on the bouncing ball and Blues win a scrum at the tackle, Blues attack from the scrum getting into Bournemouth’s 22, a neat chip kick is just gathered in front of the Blues attack by Bournemouth and touched down. Bournemouth take the 22 drop out and manage to regather the ball and win a penalty, injury time out, Bournemouth kick the penalty to touch in Blues 22, lineout won their forwards drive up the pitch winning a penalty, Bournemouth take a quick penalty and after several phases of play spent in Blues half win another penalty which they kick to touch, their forwards keep the ball from the lineout and a good maul takes them up to the try line, a knock on gives the Blues a 5m scrum which they win and clear to touch on half way, Bournemouth attack from the lineout and are rewarded with a penalty for offside which is slotted between the posts 17-17 69 mins

Blues chase their restart kick and are rewarded with a scrum, injury time out.

Conor Segre off Dylan Stewart on 70mins Blues reshuffle their backs

Blues run the ball from the scrum getting into Bournemouth’s 22, Blues forwards pick and drive getting close to the line, blues swap their attack and a long pass out to Jamie Futcher gives him the space to run over and score, the ref harshly deems the pass was forward so back for a Bournemouth scrum

Ben hicks off Graham Stewart on 71 mins

Blues pack shove the Bournemouth pack backwards and they manage to steal the ball, Blues attack get a penalty but play the advantage, play is brought back for the penalty in front of the posts which Ollie Milner slots between the posts 20-17 73 mins

Bournemouth manage to regather their restart kick and run at Blues getting well into Blues half before spilling the ball, injury time out

Duncan Craigen and Conor Segre on Adam Neal and Dylan Stewart off 75 mins

Blues win the scrum and kick into Bournemouth’s half, sadly the kick drifts straight out so back for a Bournemouth lineout, Bournemouth run at the Blues defence, a great steal at the tackle by Josh Bartlett allows Blues to clear to touch, Bournemouth win the lineout then a penalty which is just wide of the posts, Blues take the 22 drop out long, a good Blues chase keeping Bournemouth in their own half, Blues pressure is rewarded when Bournemouth spill the ball allowing Blues to kick to touch and bring full time to a very close and evenly fought game.
Blues win by a narrow margin again, deserving the win and 4 very valuable points

Forwards MOM shared between James Macauley and Kyle Doel. Alex Millar having his usual dominant game
Backs MOM Conor Segre for a great league debut at scrum half

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macauley, Adam Neal, Kyle Doel, Josh Winfield
Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Conor Segre, Ollie Milner, Jamie Futcher, Dan Thorne, Josh Love,
Cameron Golby Barr, Josh Bartlett, Graham Stewart, Ollie Spanswick, Duncan Craigen

This season the league has been extremely open and whoever unluckily fills the 3rd relegation place will go down with the most points ever, Blues sitting in 12th place are only 1 win behind 3rd placed Maidenhead, its all down to the bonus points, an extraordinary season

Sat 28th Blues are away at Newton Abbot needing another big win to try and avoid the drop, it would also greatly help if Camborne get a result at Exmouth, COYB

Big thanks to Newbury RFC u7’s who were mascots for the day well done lads

Big thanks as always to the great Blues support who turn out in numbers and cheer on the Blues