Blues produce their best performance so far this season and get a real boost beating top of the table Barnstaple, a special day for captain Dan Thorne on his 200th Blues cap and the rest of his squad

Blues last played Barnstaple at Monks Lane on Oct 1st 2011 losing 21-25, Dan Thorne, Tom Erskine and Tommy Martin, played as well as Head Coach Paul Archer

200 cap Dan Thorne leads the squad out with today’s mascots NRFC U8’s

All observe a minute’s silence for Ann Noonan the under 13’s girls’ manager who has sadly passed away from cancer

Barnstaple kick off on a cloudy damp afternoon in a classic bottom v top league match, Blues knock on, Barnstaple play the advantage and attack before kicking over the Blues defence, Blues gather and clear to touch, from the lineout Barnstaple again put early pressure on the Blues defence and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Barnstaple maul, Blues manage to steal the ball and clear to touch. Barnstaple take a quick lineout and take play back into Blues half getting a penalty which they tap and go, Blues manage to steal the ball and clear to touch, Barnstaple win the lineout and attack the Blues, good Blues defence forces a knock on, Blues scrum is pushed back allowing Barnstaple to steal the ball, they run the ball before a grubber kick rolls into touch in Blues 22, Blues win the lineout and get a penalty which is kicked to touch.
Blues win the lineout and a put up a high kick and chase, Barnstaple gather and kick to touch in Blues 22, Barnstaple manage to steal the lineout and take play across the pitch getting a penalty which is kicked to touch deep in Blues 22. Lineout won Barnstaple maul getting over the line but are held up, Barnstaple win their 5m scrum and drive over to score wide out left the conversion is wide, 0-5 13mins

Blues kick off and nearly get hold of the ball but knock on, scrum won Barnstaple kick deep into Blues half, Blues run the ball but concede a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, lineout won Barnstaple attack taking play into Blues 22 then taking play across the pitch and getting a penalty at the tackle, they kick to touch win the lineout and get another penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won their forwards maul and after several phases of play camped in Blues 22 they score and convert, 0-12 27 mins

Blues kick off is gathered by Barnstaple and they take play back into Blues half, they get another penalty which they kick to touch, lineout won they run at Blues get another penalty which is kicked to touch.

Duncan Craigen off Ollie Spanswick on 33 mins

Lineout won Barnstaple take play up to the try line but are held up giving them a 5m scrum, they win the reset scrum and attack, eventually a crossfield kick rolls into touch, Blues win the lineout and soon have a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues take play across the pitch making good ground before a neat grubber kick is gathered by Tommy Martin and he is over to score wide out right, Dan Thorne kicks the long conversion 7-12 35 mins

Barnstaple restart Blues gather and kick back into Barnstaple’s half they run get a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, injury time out

Jack Walsh off Duncan Craigen on 38 mins

Lineout won Barnstaple take play across the pitch but concede a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, Barnstaple knock Blues throw into touch, this time Blues win a clean lineout and a good run from Chris Bird takes play into Barnstaple’s have and gets a penalty, the long kick slides just past the posts, bringing the half time whistle, Blues are back in this game and after Barnstaple had the best of the first 20 mins Blues have had the better of the next 20 minutes, all to play for

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Blues kick off the second half Barnstaple gather and after a couple phases return the kick into Blues half, Blues run the ball taking play up field before a knock on gives Barnstaple the ball they play the advantage taking play across the pitch then back before a forward pass gives Blues a scrum on their 22, scrum won Blues kick clear to touch, lineout won Barnstaple run at Blues conceding a penalty at the tackle which Blues kick to touch, lineout won Blues attack until a knock on gives Barnstaple a scrum just in their own half. Scrum won Barnstaple kick Blues gather and attack, Chris Bird dodging the defenders to take play back into Barnstaple’s half, Blues keep the ball live and a neat grubber kick just evades Tommy Martin but they tackle the Barnstaple defender into touch in Barnstaple’s 22, lineout won Blues forwards maul they a series of pick and drives results in Ollie Spanswick driving over the conversion is just wide 12 - 12 46 mins

Blues are now playing the better rugby, Barnstaple restart Blues gather the loose ball and soon have a penalty for a high tackle which is kicked to touch still in their own half, lineout won Blues spread the ball wide then back Tommy Martin and Alex Bancroft take play up to Barnstaple’s 22, Blues forwards take over and some good runs from first Duncan Craigen they Josh Winfield who unloads to Kyle Doel who disposes of several defenders to score a great try Dan Thorne converts 19-12 54 mins

Barnstaple restart and get a scrum when Blues knock on, Barnstaple win the scrum and run up the blindside to score in the right-hand corner the con is wide, 19-17 58 mins

Jack Walsh on Adam Neal off

Blues kick off Barnstaple gather and soon clear to touch, Barnstaple steal Blues lineout and attack before kicking deep into Blues 22, Blues gather and clear to touch on their 22, Barnstaple win their lineout and attack but a dropped ball gives Blues possession, Chris Bird running out of defence, Blues get a scrum at the tackle when Barnstaple knock on, scrum won under pressure josh Winfield makes good ground, Barnstaple steal the ball and kick. Blues gather and another good Chris Bird run takes play close to halfway, sadly a knock on gives Barnstaple a scrum, from the scrum they run the ball before putting a grubber kick deep into Blues 22, Blues gather and manage to kick clear, Barnstaple gather and take play across the pitch eventually getting a penalty which is kicked to touch giving them a 5m lineout.
Lineout won Barnstaple put pressure on the Blues defence getting a scrum when Blues are deemed to have knocked on, Barnstaple have a 5m scrum which is reset twice then they get a penalty, injury time out

Rob Drysdale off George Anderson on 68 mins

Barnstaple take the scrum, which they win and their forwards pick and drive through several phases but they cannot break the resolute Blues defence, Barnstaple then take play wide before the ref brings play back for a Barnstaple penalty, they again elect to take the scrum which is reset, from the scrum they get over the line but are held up by the heroic Blues defence, from the scrum Barnstaple’s forwards again pick and drive but cannot break through eventually they get another penalty and the ref talks to Blues,

Alex Bancroft off Toby Thorne on 73 mins

Barnstaple take the scrum and again Blues pack just holds them, Barnstaple’s forwards again pick and drive through several phases but cannot make the final meter to get over the line, great Blues defence, injury time out for a Barnstaple player, ref has give Barnstaple a penalty which this time they elect to kick, the relatively easy kick drifts wide and the Blues crowd erupts, great Blues defence over the last 10 mins has kept Barnstaple out

Duncan Craigen off Adam Neal on 75 mins

Blues take the 22 drop out, Barnstaple gather and run at Blues taking play across the pitch and back getting into Blues half before a knock on gives Blues a scrum just in their own half, Josh Winfield picks up the ball at the base and makes a good run, Blues keep up the pressure taking play up to Barnstaple’s 22 before they concede a penalty at the tackle, Barnstaple kick to touch, Blues steal the lineout and Ollie Spanswick makes a good run, Blues keep hold of the ball before Dan Thorne sends a bouncing kick deep into Barnstaple’s 22 in Blues corner, Blues chase is good and they tackle the defender and get a penalty at the tackle, the crowd again erupt.
Blues kick to touch win the lineout and the forwards drive, the unstoppable Kyle Doel gets his hands on the ball and crashes through the defenders to score his second and the bonus point try, Dan Thorne now has a tricky conversion to deny Barnstaple the losing bonus point, the captain nails it and the final whistle is blown to huge applause from the big Blues crowd, everybody celebrates a great win 26-17

This will go down as one of Blues best victories, a great celebration for Dan Thorne’s 200th cap, let’s hope it now kick starts Blues season

Nearly impossible to select a MOM as the whole squad played a part but it is decided Chris Bird is MOM
DOD goes to non-playing James Macauley as he couldn’t give it to a player

Thanks to the ref who kept control of the game

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, Paul Sayers, Adam Neal, Kyle Doel, Duncan Craigen,
Jack Walsh, Josh Winfield,
Tom Hunt, Dan Thorne, Harvey North, Chris Bird, Toby Holland, Tommy Martin, Alex Bancroft
George Anderson, Ollie Spanswick, Toby Thorne

Blues next fixture is Sat 7th Dec away v Bracknell 2-30pm KO, a big Berks Derby

Thanks to the ever-reliable ball boys, your help is much appreciated

Thanks to the great and vocal Blues support who give the Blues a great lift especially in Blues corner

All 3 squads now have a week off before Blues and A’s have matches on 7th Dec

The coaches now have a job to do as several players have had good games for the Stags and are putting their hands up for selection, the benefits of having a strong squad