Blues edge the Bulls

NEWBURY BLUES 18 v 05 BANBURY

Blues edge the Bulls
Saturday 19th Jan 2019, 3pm KO South West 1 East

Newbury Blues get through a tough test from the Banbury Bulls to keep the unbeaten run intact with a narrow victory

Blues make 4 changes from last week’s squad, Duncan Craigen starting at 5, Stephen Ansell, Rob Drysdale,
Chris Atkinson coming on to the bench, 14 of todays squad having come through the Newbury youth section a fantastic achievement, Blues are led out by the Newbury RFC U6’s and U7’s (the future Blues)

Blues kick of on a damp cold grey afternoon in front of a big crowd, Blues manage to get hold of the ball but don’t get far before they concede a penalty at the tackle, Banbury kick to touch win the lineout then lose the ball, Blues take play into Banbury’s half before coughing up possession, the ref blows for a injury so play restarts with a Banbury scrum, Banbury hold their scrum and put up a high kick, Blues run the ball before a good kick rolls into touch in Banbury’s 22. Banbury maul from their lineout getting a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Banbury attack, Blues get a penalty at the tackle and kick to touch. Lineout won Blues attack taking play across the pitch, Banbury get a scrum when Blues knock on, scrum won Banbury spread play wide before putting a cross field kick to their winger, a good Blues tackle forces the ball to be spilt, Blues hack the loose ball up field and into touch, Banbury win the lineout then cough up possession, Blues attack getting a penalty which Dan Thorne slots between the posts 3-0 10 mins

Blues knock on Banbury’s restart kick, Banbury win their scrum and attack getting into Blues 22, they keep up the pressure through several phases getting up to the line, a great tackle by Kyle Doel saves the try and gives Blues a penalty which is kicked to touch on the 22, Banbury steal the lineout and launch another attack, Blues get a penalty scrum which they win and kick clear into Banbury’s half, Banbury run back at Blues getting over half way before Harvey North steals the ball at the tackle, Duncan Craigen breaks through the tackles and a good run takes him up to Banbury’s 22, Blues hack the ball forwards and a good chase looks like a certain try but a knock on 2m short gives Banbury a defensive scrum.
Blues pack make amends and a big shove pushes Banbury off the ball and Blues have an attacking scrum, Blues hold their scrum and the forwards pick and drive through several phases but cannot make the break through, Blues change tact and the ball is spread out to the backs, Dan Thorne puts a pinpoint pass out to Harvey North who is in open space and he is over to score, the conversion is just wide, 8-0 20 mins

Banbury kick off, Blues take and try running out of their half but lose the ball forwards in the tackle, Banbury play the advantage but they in turn knock on so back for a Banbury scrum just in Blues half, Banbury hold their scrum and a good kick rolls into touch deep in Blues 22, lineout won Blues clear to touch just outside their 22, Banbury attack from their lineout before putting in a neat grubber kick Blues knock on so Banbury have an attacking scrum in Blues 22.
Banbury win their scrum and launch a prolonged attack on Blues try line but cannot break through the Blues defensive line, Banbury switch the attack from their forwards spreading the ball out quickly through their backs allowing their 13 to dive over and score in the corner the conversion is just short, 26 mins 8-5

Blues chase their restart kick and Dylan Stewart manages to steal the ball at the tackle and Blues soon have a penalty which is slotted into touch in Banbury’s 22, Blues win the lineout and set off in attack and soon have another penalty, Blues quickly tap and go but a sloppy pass is intercepted by Banbury, their kick is straight out so Blues have a lineout, from the lineout Blues attack Duncan Craigen making the yards, Blues take play across the pitch before they kick deep into Banbury’s 22, the ball rolls into touch.
Banbury win the 5m lineout and their forwards maul before they kick deep into Blues half, Blues gather and run but lose the ball in the tackle deep in Banbury’s half, Banbury get a penalty which they clear to touch, lineout won they take play up to half way winning another penalty which they kick to touch. Lineout won Banbury take play across the pitch then back again, Blue manage to steal the ball but the ref halts play for an injury time out. Blues have a scrum deep in their own half, from the scrum Blues run Duncan Craigen and Kyle Doel taking play up to half way, the ball is loose and Blues hack it upfield and win the chase but again the ball is knocked on 2 m short of the line. Banbury have a 5m defensive scrum, Blues pack shove them off and attack taking play across the pitch but lose the ball in the tackle on the line, Banburys forwards pick and drive before they kick out to bring the half time whistle.

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Banbury kick off the second half Blues run the back but concede a penalty at the tackle, Banbury kick to touch win the lineout and take play up to Blues 22, Blues win a scrum then a penalty which is cleared to touch, lineout won Blues put up a high kick, both sides try the kicking game before Blues run the ball getting into Banbury’s 22, Blues keep up the pressure and the forwards pick and drive James Macaulay and Ben Hicks driving forwards, Blues get over the line but are held up so have a 5m scrum, Blues pack push Banbury backwards and Alex Millar picks up and drives his way over to score wide out on the right hand side in Blues corner to the delight of the home crowd, the conversion slides past the uprights 13-5 46 mins

Max Hayman off Rob Drysdale on

Banbury kick off Blues knock on giving Banbury a scrum, Banbury hold their scrum and attack the Blues defensive line, Banbury get a penalty which they kick at goal, the kick slides past the posts 50 mins.
Blues take the 22 drop out kicking long, Banbury gather and run taking play back into Blues territory, Banbury keep up the pressure and are making ground, the ball is spread wide and a good Blues tackle takes the player into touch. Blues win their lineout and kick up field and chase, back for a Banbury scrum as Blues were off side, Banbury win their scrum and try a different attack by putting in a cross-field kick, the ball evades both teams players and rolls into touch.
Blues win the lineout and the forwards maul before putting up a high kick, Blues get hold of the ball through Duncan Craigen, Blues again kick taking play into Banbury’s 22 a good chase puts pressure on Banbury’s defence, Banbury clear to touch Blues take quick and again put pressure on Banbury’s defence, Blues take play across the pitch and into Banburys 22 getting up to the line, Banbury intercept the pass and take play out of their 22, their kick drifts straight out so back for Blues lineout.
Blues knock on at the lineout, Banbury win their scrum and after a couple of phases kick to touch well in Blues half, Blues win the lineout and put up a high kick and chase, Banbury gather and set off on another attack spreading the ball wide but a knock on gives Blues a scrum. Blues win the scrum and get the ball out to their backs, Kris Ford charges up field then Toby Thorne makes ground taking play into Banburys 22 and up to the line, Banbury infringe and are given a harsh yellow. Blues win their scrum then a penalty which is slotted to touch.

Stephen Ansell on Ben Hicks off 64 mins

Banbury steal the lineout and maul before the ball is released to the backs but Blues pressure stops them from making to much progress, Blues manage to steal the ball at the tackle and a neat grubber kick is threaded through, Banbury knock on Blues get the ball and play advantage but play is brought back for the knock on, Blues scrum is reset then won, Blues release the ball to the backs again and make ground before a knock on halts their progress, Banbury clear the ball up field from the scrum, Blues gather and some good inter play between Harvey North and Toby Thorne releases Toby Thorne who makes good ground getting dragged down just short of the try line, Blues get a penalty which Tom Hunt takes quickly and squirms over to score 18-5 72 mins

Banbury are offside and the kick doesn’t go 10m so back for a Blues scrum, Blues pack put in a big shove and Blues set off in attack but concede a penalty at the tackle, Banbury clear to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Banburys forwards maul getting up to the try line but can’t get over but they get a penalty which is kicked to touch. Blues knock on at the lineout so Banbury have a scrum, Banbury spread play wide from the scrum and back but a knock on gives Blues a scrum on Blues 22.
The reset scrum is won and Blues run out of defence before a kick takes play into Banbury’s half, Blues chase is quickly there meaning Banbury have to play out of their own half, they take play up to half way before Blues steal at the tackle and take play back into Banbury’s half before they lose the ball and that brings full time.
Well done to both sides for producing a hard well fought game of rugby in pretty miserable conditions
Good luck to Banbury for the remainder of the season

Thanks to the ref who kept this hard but fairly fought game flowing

MOM Duncan Craigen
DOD Toby Thorne

Big thanks to Newbury’s U6’s and U7’s who were mascots for the day

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Max Hayman, James Macaulay, Kyle Doel, Duncan Craigen, Josh Winfield,
Dylan Stewart, Alex Millar
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Harvey North, Kris Ford, Dan Thorne, Toby Thorne, Josh Bartlett
Stephen Ansell, Rob Drysdale, Christian Atkinson

Also, big thanks as always to the big crowd who turn out to support the Blues

Thanks to Sarah Thorne who produces the match day programmes, much appreciated

Blues next match is away at Beaconsfield, Jan 26th 2-15pm KO.