Blues are forced to make several changes during the week due to injury and unavailability including a very late change during the journey to Trowbridge, Jamie McIntyre making his Blues debut

Trowbridge kick off and soon have the ball back when Blues kick clear, Trowbridge attack getting into Blues 22 before Blues manage to get their hands on the ball and clear to touch, Trowbridge win their lineout but soon lose the ball the ref brings play back for a Trowbridge penalty which they slot into touch in Blues 22. Lineout won Trowbridge’s forwards drive up to and over the line to score on 3 mins the conversion is kicked
7-0 and Blues are behind for the first time this season

Blues take the restart kick, Trowbridge’s forwards pick and drive before putting a long kick into Blues half, Alex Bancroft gathers and runs before putting up a high kick and a good chase is rewarded when he gets his hands on the ball and dodges the defenders, he then puts in a grubber kick, Trowbridge gather and get a penalty at the tackle in their own 22 which they clear to touch. Trowbridge win their lineout and the forwards drive up field, Blues manage to steal the ball and set off in attack, play is held up for an injury. Blues restart with a scrum on Trowbridge’s 22, Blues win the scrum and run at Trowbridge, play is brought back for a Blues pen which Richard West slots between the posts 7-3 10 mins

Trowbridge take the restart kick and soon have possession when a loose Blues pass is gathered by them and they set off in attack forcing Blues back, Blues get a penalty at the tackle which is cleared to touch, Blues win their lineout and run out of defence but spill the ball in the tackle, Trowbridge put up a high kick and manage to get hold of the bouncing ball and spread it through hands to score their second try, the conversion is kicked 14-3 14 mins

Blues kick off, Trowbridge gather and run back into Blues half winning a penalty, the long kick sails between the posts 17-3 16 mins

Blues restart and need to get back on the score sheet quickly to avoid going more than two scores down, Trowbridge clear to touch, lineout won Blues attack up the middle making ground and winning a penalty which is kicked to touch, this time from the lineout Blues spread the ball wide and win a penalty when a Trowbridge player deliberately knocks the Blues pass forward, Richard West slots the penalty 17-6 20 mins

Blues gather Trowbridge’s restart kick and clear to touch, sounds like a Trowbridge player gets its hands on the ball but the ref rules play on Trowbridge win the lineout and attack but quickly concede a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick to touch. Trowbridge steal Blues lineout and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch on Blues 22, lineout won Trowbridge’s forwards maul making good ground before a knock on halts their progress, Blues win the scrum in their own 22 and clear to touch. Trowbridge win the lineout and run at Blues before they kick over the Blues defence and chase, the ball bounces kindly for Blues and beats the chasers rolling over the dead ball line, Blues have a scrum just in their own half and win under pressure from the Trowbridge pack, the ball is spread wide through the backs allowing winger James Lewis to sprint up the touchline to score wide out on the left Richard West converts the long kick 17-13 26 min’s

Trowbridge get offside from the restart kick Blues run the ball and win another penalty which they tap and go running at Trowbridge’s defence before kicking deep into Trowbridge’s 22, they clear to touch, Blues win the lineout but another mistake means Trowbridge get a scrum and their hands on the ball, scrum won Trowbridge kick into Blues half and a good chase is rewarded with a penalty, the long kick is successfully and sails between the posts, 20-13 30 mins

Trowbridge return Blues kick, Blues gather and run but a knock on halts their progress

Josh Winfield on Kyle Doel off 32 mins

Trowbridge win the reset scrum and run at Blues, good Blues defence pushes them backwards and is rewarded with a penalty which is slotted into touch, lineout won Blues run at Trowbridge and get a penalty for a high tackle and Trowbridge get a yellow card, Trowbridge steal the lineout and kick to touch in Blues 22, Blues take quick but the ref brings play back for an infringement and Trowbridge get the lineout ???
They attack from the lineout and Blues infringe getting a yellow card and Trowbridge kick to touch, lineout won their forwards maul and make it to the line to score and convert 27-13 half time

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Blues kick off the second half and have it all to do to rescue this match and get the win, Trowbridge run the ball getting up to half way, ref takes play back for a Trowbridge penalty which they kick to touch, Trowbridge win the lineout and their forwards drive before the ball is released to the backs, Blues pick up the ball when Trowbridge knock on and play the advantage quickly spreading it through hands and Alex Bancroft is off down the touchline evading the Trowbridge tackles to return and touchdown under the posts Richard West converts, 27-20 44 mins

Blues run the ball from the restart before putting in a long kick into touch, Trowbridge get a penalty at the lineout and clear to touch, Blues knock on at the lineout giving Trowbridge a scrum, Blues pack turn the scrum so it is reset, Trowbridge just hold their scrum in Blues 22 and the forwards pick and drive and after several phases they cross the line to score the bonus point try and convert 34-20 50 mins

Kyle Doel on Dylan Stewart off

Blues kick off and chase, Trowbridge take and run at Blues but progress is slow so a crossfield kick is tried but it evades their winger and bounces into touch still in their own half, Blues win the lineout and a good run by Kyle Doel then Alex Millar makes good yards, Blues spread the ball back across the pitch allowing Josh Winfield to power over Richard West converts 34-27 53 mins, injury time out

Blues are back in the game and are looking more like their old selves, straight from the restart Alex Millar makes a charging run before the ball is spread out through the backs taking play up to Trowbridge’s 22, a foot in touch halts their progress, Trowbridge win the lineout and try running the ball but they make the mistake under Blues pressure, Blues attack and a great weaving run from Alex Bancroft releases Max Hayman to score the bonus point try wide out the conversion is just wide, 34-32 57 mins

Stephen Ansell on Ben Hicks off

Trowbridge take the restart kick Blues gather and return the kick, Trowbridge gather and get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won their forwards maul making ground before trying the pick and drive option, Blues defence forces them to concede the penalty which is kicked to touch. Lineout won Blues attack but a knock on in the tackle gives Trowbridge a scrum, injury time out.
Trowbridge hold their scrum under pressure from the Blues pack and send a chip kick over the Blues defence, Blues give away a penalty when they deliberately knock the ball into touch, Trowbridge’s kick doesn’t find touch so Blues return the kick from just outside their 22, Trowbridge gather and a good kick rolls into touch on Blues 22, Trowbridge manage to steal the lineout and drive into Blues 22 and win a scrum, Trowbridge get a penalty at the scrum going backwards which they slot between the posts 37-32 68 mins

Blues chase their restart kick and manage to get hold of the ball, they set off on another attack but the ref deems a forward pass so back for a Trowbridge scrum, Blues win a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues attack getting up to the line but are held, Blues 5m scrum, injury time out

Rob Drysdale on Max Hayman off 70 mins

Blues shove Trowbridge back to the line before they collapse the scrum so back for another 5m Blues scrum, again Blues shove the Trowbridge pack backwards this time the ball is spread out to the backs for Jamie McIntyre to round the defender and touch down, Richard West converts 37-39 75 mins Blues are in front with 5 mins to go for the first time in the match.

Trowbridge take the restart kick and look totally demoralised after leading for so long, Blues gather and some good running rugby splits the tired Trowbridge defence to score a good team try, James Macaulay there to take the final pass and crash through the defenders to score Richard West converts 37-46 78 mins

Dylan Stewart on Cameron Golby Barr off

Blues take the Trowbridge restart kick and run breaking tackles and making good ground, Blues win a scrum and set off on another attack, Josh Winfield making a good run, Blues keep the ball live and it is spread wide Jam McIntyre making a good run, Alex Bancroft dodges the Trowbridge defenders then releases Alex Sparkes who is away to make the final 25m to score under the posts Richard West adds the conversion 37-53 39 mins

Still time for the restart kick, Blues don’t get hold of the ball and Trowbridge mount one final attack getting up to Blues 22 before Richard West intercepts the pass and takes play up the pitch, Blues kick the ball and Trowbridge gather and run, a great tackle from Rob Drysdale and he gets hold of the ball, Dylan Stewart picks up the ball at the tackle and takes play up to Trowbridge’s 22 Blues keep the ball live and some good forwards driving rugby from Tom Erskine keeps the ball moving, Trowbridge steal the ball and run up to half way but Blues get their hands on the ball and run into touch to bring the final whistle

Blues after being behind in the match for so long produce the sting in the tail to score 3 try’s in the final 10 mins and steal the result

A great 80-minute performance showing the strength in depth of this squad after a difficult week with injury and unavailability

MOM goes to Richard West
DOD Jamie McIntyre

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Max Hayman, James Macaulay, Kyle Doel, Tom Erskine, Dylan Stewart,
Ryan Davis, Alex Millar, Alex Sparkes, Richard West, Toby Pearce, Jamie McIntyre
Cameron Golby Barr, James Lewis, Alex Bancroft, Stephen Ansell, Josh Winfield, Rob Drysdale

Thanks to the big Newbury crowd who travelled to Trowbridge to cheer on the Blues

Blues Next Match is at Monks Lane v Wimborne, Saturday 22-09-2018 3pm KO