Blues not singing in the rain

NEWBURY BLUES 11 v 22 OKEHAMPTON

Blues not singing in the rain
Saturday Nov 09th 2019, 3pm KO South West Premier

Blues washed away in the rain, Okehampton played better in the conditions and get their first away win of the season

Blues lose the game in the first half giving away too many needless penalties and making far too many mistakes, Okehampton play simple rugby adapted to the conditions and have the game won by half time

The teams observe a minute’s silence for Remembrance Day before Blues kick off this match on a wet afternoon, Okehampton run before returning the kick which Blues fumble then knock on giving Okehampton a scrum on Blues 22, Okehampton get a penalty at the scrum which they kick between the posts, 0-3 3 mins

Blues restart is knocked on by Okehampton, Blues just hold their scrum and attack getting into Okehampton’s 22 before a knock on gives Okehampton a defensive scrum, scrum won Okehampton try running out of defence but lose the ball. Blues attack getting close to the line but are held, Blues get a scrum which they win but they soon cough up possession giving Okehampton a scrum. Okehampton win the scrum and kick clear to touch, Blues win the lineout and the forwards maul and soon have a penalty which is kicked by Dan Thorne 3-3 12 mins

Okehampton restart Blues gather and clear to touch, from the lineout Okehampton get a penalty which is kicked to touch deep in Blues 22, Okehampton knock on at the lineout giving Blues a 5m scrum which they win and kick clear to touch. Okehampton win their lineout and their forward maul making good yards before the ball is spread wide across the pitch then back, Blues defence has been drawn in and Okehampton are over to score wideout on their left, the long conversion is kicked, 3-10 17 mins

Blues restart kick is returned by Okehampton, Blues gather and run but knock on in the tackle, scrum won Okehampton attack getting stopped by a big Jack Walsh tackle and the ball is lost forwards, Blues play the advantage but after several phases concede a penalty at the tackle. Okehampton kick to touch win the lineout and soon have another penalty at the tackle, the ball is kicked to touch in Blues 22 and from the lineout their forwards maul making good ground before the ball is released to their backs who take play across the pitch to score, the conversion is short, 3-15 20 mins

Blues kick off and a good chase is soon rewarded when Blues pressure results in them getting a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks 6-15 22 mins

Okehampton kick off and manage to get hold of the ball taking play up to Blues 22, they spread the ball wide before a knock on gives Blues a scrum, Blues hold their scrum and the forwards run the ball before it is cleared to touch in Okehampton’s half. Okehampton run at Blues from the lineout and soon have a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, lineout won they attack Blues defence and soon have another penalty at the tackle, the kick hits the uprights and Blues manage to gather and clear to touch just in their own half.
Okehampton’s forwards maul from their lineout getting a penalty which is kicked to touch giving them a 5m lineout, from the lineout they put pressure on Blues defence spreading the ball across the pitch, again Blues infringe giving Okehampton a penalty which they take quickly and are over to score close to the posts, the conversion is kicked and the ref blows the half time whistle, 6-22

All head for the warmth & dry of the dressing room and time for the coaches to do their work, Blues need a great second half to turn this game around

****************

Okehampton kick off the second half, Blues gather and run but good Okehampton defence pushes Blues backwards so they kick high and chase, Blues get a penalty scrum at the tackle just in their own half, from the scrum Blues run the ball but a knock on halts their progress, Okehampton attack from their scrum before putting in a kick, Blues gather and return the kick, Okehampton run the ball before kicking deep into Blues half, Blues gather and kick clear the ball bouncing into touch. Blues manage to steal the lineout and run at Okehampton getting a penalty which is kicked to touch deep in Okehampton’s half, from the lineout Blues forwards maul before the ball is spread wide taking play just short of the line before they are held up giving Okehampton a defensive scrum, from the scrum Okehampton clear to touch

Ollie Spanswick on Kyle Doel off 49 mins

Lineout won Blues put pressure on Okehampton’s defence through several minutes and phases of play before they get a penalty which is just wide of the posts, Okehampton take the 22 drop out Blues gather and again attack soon winning a penalty which is kicked to touch

Jamie Futcher on Tommy Martin off 58 mins

From the lineout Blues keep Okehampton under pressure but cannot break through the Okehampton defence, eventually Blues pressure is rewarded with a penalty which is kicked to touch, from the lineout Blues forwards again maul before Blues take play across the pitch, Blues try a different approach and a neat chip kick just beats their chasers and rolls into touch

George Anderson on Louis Morgan off 64 mins

Okehampton knock on at the lineout giving Blues an attacking scrum, from the scrum Blues forwards pick and drive slowly making ground and eventually forcing the Okehampton defence to concede a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues maul getting over the line but the ref deems held up. Blues win the 5m scrum and keep Okehampton pinned on their try line eventually Blues get another penalty scrum, this time Blues make the break through when Josh Winfield picks up at the base of the scrum and breaks through to score, the conversion drifts wide 11-22 71 mins

Okehampton kick off and a good chase puts Blues under pressure on their own 22, Blues try running out of defence, a speculative pass is intercepted by Okehampton who look like they will score but luckily for Blues the final pass is knocked on.

Kyle Doel on Adam Neal off 74 mins

Blues lose their scrum but are again saved when Okehampton knock on

Adam Neal on Dylan Stewart off 76 mins

Scrum won Blues again try running out of their 22, another wayward pass hands possession to Okehampton who put immense pressure on the Blues defence before a knock on gives Blues a defensive scrum, Okehampton steal the scrum and attack getting over the line but the ref rules a knock on giving Blues a scrum, again Blues pack is shoved backwards winning them an attacking scrum, from the scrum they get a penalty scrum and the ref blows for full time

Blues came back in the second half but were unable to turn their pressure into enough points to get themselves back into the game, the only positive being they managed to keep Okehampton scoreless

MOM – Jack Walsh
DOD – Harvey North

Special mention to new boy Louis Morgan who made his Blues debut at prop

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, Louis Morgan, Adam Neal, Kyle Doel, Jack Walsh
Dylan Stewart, Josh Winfield,
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Harvey North, Dan Thorne, Toby Holland, Toby Thorne, Tommy Martin
George Anderson, Ollie Spanswick, Jamie Futcher

Blues next fixture is Sat 16th Nov away v Weston Super Mare 2-30pm KO, a tough game as Weston Super Mare are unbeaten at home so far this season and sit second in the league

Thanks to our two regular ball boys your help is much appreciated

Thanks to the great Blues support who braved the rain to cheer on the Blues

Blues are running a coach to Weston Super Mare, any spectators who wish to join us cost £20 please contact Brian Trott 07786963658 or Mick Futcher 07768641719