Blues make 1 change to the squad who travelled to Royal Wootton Bassett for their last home game of 2018, the game is played in front of a large crowd, many had enjoyed the sell-out Christmas pre-match lunch.
Newbury RFC U 8’s are the mascots for the day and lead the Blues out

Salisbury kick off with the strong wind behind them, Blues gather and try running the ball before taking play across the pitch and back, Blues get a penalty at the tackle and kick to touch win the lineout and again take play across the pitch getting into Salisbury’s half before losing possession, Salisbury kick Blues gather and some good play between Tom Martin Toby Thorne results in Harvey North being unleashed to crash through several tackles to score under the posts, Dan Thorne adds the conversion, 7-0 4 mins

Blues gather Salisbury’s restart kick and again spread the ball wide but a foot in touch after gathering a neat chip kick halts their progress, Blues steal the lineout but lose the ball in the tackle, Salisbury kick deep and a good chase forces Blues to take into touch, Salisbury win their attacking lineout and maul, Blues manage to shove them into touch. Blues win an untidy lineout and get a scrum when Salisbury knock on in the tackle, scrum won Blues try running but lose the ball forwards Salisbury play the advantage but they knock on so back for their scrum just outside Blues 22, Blues shove them back, reset scrum and Salisbury get a free kick, they tap and run getting up to Blues 22 before spreading the ball wide to score wide out on their left the conversion drifts wide, 7-5 12 mins

Blues restart and get hold of the ball but concede a penalty at the tackle, Salisbury kick to touch in Blues half, lineout won they put pressure on Blues defence winning another penalty which is kicked to touch, from their lineout their forwards maul into Blues 22 before they are held giving Blues a scrum. Blues win the scrum and their forwards pick and drive getting a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, from the lineout Blues put some good running rugby together taking play up to Salisbury’s 22, Salisbury get hold of the loose ball and clear to touch.
Blues attack from the lineout through their forwards before spreading out through the backs, a knock on gives Salisbury a defensive scrum, Salisbury hold their scrum under pressure and run out of their 22 winning a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch on halfway, Salisbury attack from the lineout but are pushed back by Blues so they change tact and put a chip kick over Blues defence. Blues get hold of the ball and run back at Salisbury, a spilt ball is fly hacked by Salisbury, Blues gather and again run at Salisbury winning a penalty, Blues kick is not in touch and is returned by Salisbury the ball bouncing into touch, Blues take a short lineout and their forwards make good ground Josh Winfield, Kyle Doel and the rest of the forwards take play well into Salisbury territory, Blues forwards pick and drive taking play up to the line eventually Josh Winfield is driven over to score a good team try, 12-5 30 mins

Salisbury’s restart kick is gathered by Blues who attack before a knock on gives Salisbury a scrum, Blues steal the scrum and run at Salisbury, Blues swop the line of attack and a neat chip kick by Dan Thorne is gathered by Toby Thorne who is away to score close to the posts Dan Thorne converts 17-5 35 mins

Salisbury’s restart kick is too long so back for a Blues scrum on halfway, from the scrum Blues run the ball Tom Martin making good ground taking play into Salisbury’s 22 where Blues put the Salisbury defence under pressure, Blues knock on in the tackle but make amends when they again shove the Salisbury pack off the ball allowing Josh Winfield to pick up at the base and score under the posts giving Blues the try bonus point, Dan Thorne converts 24-5 37 mins

Blues take Salisbury’s restart kick but don’t get far before they cough up possession allowing Salisbury to attack and take play into Blues 22 before they lose the ball, Blues gather but some loose play means they have to touch down in the try area giving Salisbury an attacking 5m scrum, Blues put pressure on Salisbury’s scrum but they hold possession and their forwards pick and drive to get over and score and add the conversion and the halftime whistle is blown, 24-12

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Kris Ford on Harvey North off

Blues kick off with the strong crosswind now behind them, the ball evades the Salisbury players and rolls into touch in Blues corner, Salisbury win their lineout and try running out of defence but get pushed backwards by Blues, Salisbury change tact a neat grubber kick is threaded through the Blues defensive line, Blues gather and take play across the pitch before a neat chip kick is gathered by Blues but a foot in touch gives Salisbury a lineout in their own 22.
Salisbury win their lineout and again try running out of defence through several phases but are unable to make much ground so again put in a grubber kick which is knocked on by Blues, Salisbury have a scrum on their own 22, they hold their scrum and kick clear, Blues gather and a good Alex Bancroft run starts the Blues attack, Kris Ford storms through several tackles getting close to Salisbury’s 22 before he is stopped, Blues are there in numbers and keep the ball live, Tom Martin takes the pass and weaves through the Salisbury defence to score Dan Thorne converts, 31-12 47mins

Stephen Ansell on Ben Hicks off

Blues knock on the restart kick but get possession back when they win Salisbury’s scrum, again Blues put pressure on Salisbury with some good attacking rugby, Alex Bancroft juggling the ball with his feet but unfortunately the pass to Josh Bartlett is forwards so no try, Salisbury just hold their scrum and their forwards pick and drive, Salisbury win a penalty at the tackle which they tap and go taking play across the pitch, Blues manage to steal the ball at the tackle and a neat chip kick from Tom Hunt is chased by Tom Martin forcing a knock on from Salisbury in their own 22. Blues scrum is on top now and they shove Salisbury backwards and are rewarded with a penalty try when Salisbury collapse the scrum 38-12 55mins

A few minutes later Blues are further in front when from the restart kick Blues attack before a neat kick is touched down by Salisbury, from the 22 drop out kick Blues attack and another neat chip kick from Tom Hunt is again touched down by Salisbury, Blues gather the 22 drop out and take play back into Salisbury’s 22 winning a 5m scrum, Blues pack again shove the Salisbury pack backwards allowing Josh Winfield to pick up and break through to score his hatrick try Dan Thorne converts, 45-12 60 mins

Toby Pearce on Toby Thorne off

Blues are now on top and putting Salisbury under immense pressure every time they have the ball, straight from the restart kick Blues run at Salisbury but a knock-on halt their progress, Blues again steal Salisbury’s scrum and take play back into Salisbury’s half but concede a penalty at the tackle, Salisbury tap and go but don’t get far before they lose the ball, Blues attack Max Hayman charging up to the line before being stopped, Blues keep hold of the ball and Josh Winfield is over to score his fourth try wide out, the conversion is blown wide, 50-12 63 mins

Salisbury kick off Blues gather and run, Kyle Doel making a good run taking play into Salisbury’s half before they lose the ball, Salisbury run then kick to touch in own half, Blues win the lineout and launch another attack before they knock on,

Tom Martin off Harvey North on 65 mins

Blues again steal the scrum and run the ball, Blues are penalised at the tackle allowing Salisbury to clear to touch, their lineout is not straight so Blues have a scrum, Blues attack from the scrum taking play into Blues 22 and up to the line before they are turned over and Salisbury run out of their 22, Rob Drysdale intercepts their pass and takes play back up to the try line before being held up so Blues have a 5m scrum, from the scrum Blues spread the ball wide and a neat pass to Josh Bartlett who runs a good line to breakthrough the defence and score Dan Thorne converts, 57-12 70 mins

Blues run straight back from Salisbury’s restart kick taking play into Salisbury’s 22 before a knock-on halts their progress, Salisbury play the advantage but play is brought back for their scrum

Ben Hicks on James Macaulay off 73 mins

Salisbury don’t give up and have the better of the final minutes and on full time a good period of play is rewarded with the consolation try 57-17 full time

Blues MOM went to Tom Martin

DOD to Tom Martin

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macaulay, Kyle Doel, Tom Erskine,
Max Hayman, Ryan Davis, Josh Winfield,
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Toby Thorne, Dan Thorne, Harvey North, Josh Bartlett, Tom Martin,
Stephen Ansell, Kris Ford, Toby Pearce

A big thanks to the great Blues support who turned out in numbers to cheer on the Blues, much appreciated by the Players

Thanks again to Ian Jack for the great photo’s much appreciated

Blues next match is away at Swindon Sat 15th Dec 2-15pm KO never an easy game, Swindon have won their last 2 games after a very poor start to the season