Newbury Blues take the honours beating 2nd placed Marlborough the only other unbeaten team in the league to keep up their 100% winning streak with a well-earned victory

Blues are led onto the pitch by the two players who reached landmark caps last week, Ben Hicks reaching his 150th cap a fantastic achievement, Ryan Davis achieving his 50th cap.
Blues make 3 changes to the squad that won last week at Chippenham

Marlborough kick off on a cold grey damp afternoon and get their hands on the ball but knock on, Blues win their scrum and run the ball getting into Marlborough’s half before getting a penalty for a high tackle which is kicked into touch, Blues win the lineout and again attack but knock on in the tackle, Marlborough play advantage getting into Blues half and get a penalty. Marlborough kick to touch win the lineout and their forwards maul over the line to score and strike an early blow, the conversion is wide 0-5 5 mins

Blues take the restart kick, Marlborough gather and kick long, Blues run but another knock on gives Marlborough a scrum just in their own half, the scrum is reset then Blues get a free kick they tap and go but lose the ball in the tackle, Marlborough run the ball getting back into Blues half before conceding a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and run at Marlborough getting into their 22 before a loose pass bounces into touch.
Marlborough win the 5m lineout and kick clear, Blues gather and run straight back at Marlborough and after several phases of attacking rugby are up to Marlborough’s 22, Blues keep up the pressure before the ball is spread out left quickly through hands to Josh Winfield who runs up the touchline to score wide out left the long conversion just drifts wide 5-5 14 mins

Marlborough kick off and manage to get their hands on the loose ball, play is brought back for a Blues knock on, Marlborough win the scrum and run at Blues getting a penalty at the tackle which they slot between the posts 5-8 15 mins

Blues kick off and get hold of the ball getting into Marlborough’s 22 before conceding a penalty at the tackle 2m short of the line, Marlborough kick to touch win their lineout and again attack but lose the ball and concede a penalty, Blues kick at the post’s drifts wide. Marlborough take the 22 drop out, Blues gather and run but are tackled into touch just in Marlborough’s half, Blues win a scrum at the lineout and attack but get penalised at the tackle, Marlborough’s penalty doesn’t find touch allowing Blues to run back at Marlborough, Blues get a scrum when Marlborough knock on trying to intercept Blues pass. Blues win the scrum and a great run from Alex Sparkes takes play into Marlborough’s 22 before he releases Tom Martin who weaves his way over the line and under the posts to score Dan Thorne converts 12-8 25 mins

Marlborough restart, Blues attack but spill the ball in the tackle allowing Marlborough to attack and win a penalty which is just wide of the posts, Blues take the 22 drop out, Marlborough gather and run through the Blues defence, their 6 making the 40m to touch down wide out on their left the long conversion is successful taking them back into the lead 12-15 30 mins

Blues restart kick is straight out so back for a Marlborough scrum on half way, Marlborough attack from the scrum, Blues steal the ball at the tackle and take play back into Marlborough’s half, some good play takes them into Marlborough’s 22, play is held up for an injury to a Marlborough player.
Blues win their scrum and the forwards maul towards the line, Marlborough infringe giving Blues a penalty and they opt to take the scrum, from the scrum Alex Millar crashes forwards, the Blues forwards pick and drive, Josh Winfield makes the breakthrough to score the conversion is just wide, 17-15 37 mins

Marlborough restart Blues gather and some good rugby takes play back into Marlborough’s 22, Blues keep up the pressure through several phase’s winning a scrum, from the reset scrum Alex Millar breaks off the rear and crashes through the tacklers to score the bonus point try, Dan Thorne converts 24-15 half time

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Dylan Stewart and Rob Drysdale off, Max Hayman and Ryan Davis on half time

Blues kick off the second half, Marlborough gather and kick, Blues take a quick lineout and take play back into Marlborough’s half but are tackled into touch,

Rory Jones off Kris Ford on 41 mins

Marlborough win their lineout and kick up field, Blues run but good Marlborough defence pushes the Blues backwards, Blues get a scrum when Marlborough knock on in the tackle, from the scrum Blues spread the ball wide but get tackled into touch, Marlborough win the lineout but a knock on halts their progress, Blues win the scrum and attack, a loose pass is kicked forwards but it drifts straight out so back for a Marlborough lineout on half way. From the lineout Marlborough attack but lose the ball and concede a penalty, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and set off on another attack but spill the ball in the tackle, injury time out, Marlborough win their scrum and run the ball but are tackled into touch just in Blues half. Blues win the lineout and kick into touch in Marlborough’s half, from the lineout Marlborough spread play across the pitch and win a penalty, they tap and go getting up to half way before conceding a penalty, back chat takes them back 10 yds, Dan Thorne slots the penalty between the posts 27-15 53 mins

Marlborough kick off and a good chase is rewarded when Blues knock on, Marlborough play the advantage and attack Blues, a knock-on halts their progress and gives Blues a scrum 10m in their own half, the reset scrum is won and Blues kick deep into Marlborough’s half, Marlborough clear to touch. Blues win the lineout and soon have a penalty which Alex Bancroft kicks to touch in Blues corner, lineout won Blues spread play across the pitch, a knock-on halting progress, injury time out for a Blues player, Marlborough win their scrum and kick clear to touch

Dylan Stewart on Tom Erskine off 62mins

Blues win the lineout and attack but again a knock-on halts progress, Marlborough win the scrum and run at Blues winning a penalty which they kick to touch deep in Blues 22, injury time out

Kris Ford off Rory Jones on 66 mins

Marlborough win the 5m lineout and their forwards maul up to the line allowing them to break off the back and dive over in the corner, the long conversion is good 27-22 67 mins

Both teams know whoever scores next will have the edge for the final 10+ minutes, Blues restart and chase, Marlborough kick to touch, Blues take a quick lineout and attack winning a penalty which is kicked to touch in Marlborough’s 22 in front of the Blues corner crowd. Blues knock on at the lineout giving Marlborough a defensive scrum, Marlborough win the scrum and run out of defence but good Blues pressure forces the knock on, Blues win the reset scrum and take play wide left a great pass from Dan Thorne to Harvey North opens the gap and he powers over to score in the left hand corner to take Blues 10 points in front and leave Marlborough pointless, the conversion is just wide 32-22 74 mins

Marlborough restart and soon have a scrum when Blues spill the ball on halfway, from the scrum Marlborough put pressure on the Blues defence for the final minutes but cannot make the breakthrough to score and salvage a losing bonus point, a mistake brings the final whistle and a try bonus point win for the Blues in this keenly fought match, a great advert for rugby at this level.

Good luck to Marlborough for the remainder of the season, looking forward to the return game at Marlborough next year

Thanks to the ref Carl Pearce who had travelled from the Midlands and helped make this such a good hard-fought game of rugby entertaining the large crowd

Blues travel to Witney next Saturday who picked up their first win of the season with a narrow victory over Swindon, never an easy place to visit and get a win, Blues then have 4 tough games against teams sitting in the top half of the league, a good test to get to the halfway point of the season

West Berkshire Brewery - MOM goes to Josh Winfield
DOD goes to Kris Ford

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macaulay, Kyle Doel, Tom Erskine, Josh Winfield,
Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar, Alex Sparkes, Alex Bancroft, Toby Pearce, Rory Jones,
Dan Thorne, Harvey North, Tom Martin, Max Hayman, Ryan Davis, Kris Ford.

Thanks to the fantastic home support who turned up in numbers to cheer on the Blues

Thanks to the mixed mini’s jamboree who were mascots for the day

A big Thank you to the generosity of the Supporters at the game yesterday with their donations to the Club’s collection in aid of the Prior’s Court School ‘Family Fund’. A total well in excess of £500 was raised during the afternoon.

Blues next match is away at Witney Sat 03-11-18, 14-30pm KO