Drybrook kick off on a cloudy gloomy afternoon, Drybrook having worked wonders to get the game on after all the recent rain, the pitch is soft but playable, Blues gather and after several phases kick deep, Drybrook gather and run before they kick, Blues gather and run out of defence getting a penalty at the tackle, the kick doesn’t find touch allowing Drybrook to kick deep. Blues gather and clear to touch, lineout won Drybrook attack before putting in a crossfield kick which is gathered by Blues and they run at Drybrook taking play across the pitch, Drybrook manage to steal the ball and get into Blues 22 but find touch, Drybrook steal the lineout and soon have a penalty which they kick to touch.
Drybrook win the lineout and attack but concede a penalty at the tackle Blues clear to touch, Blues lineout isn’t straight so Drybrook have a scrum, Drybrook attack from the scrum taking play across the pitch before a knock-on gives Blues possession, Blues play the advantage taking play back to halfway before putting up a high kick, Drybrook get a penalty when they are hit in the air

Tommy Martin Off Alex Bancroft on 8 mins

Drybrook kick the penalty to touch win a scrum when Blues knock on at the lineout, scrum won Drybrook take play into Blues 22 through several phases of play, Drybrook keep the pressure on Blues defence for the next few minutes but cannot make the breakthrough eventually they get a 5m penalty scrum, their pack get the upper hand a shove Blues back allowing them to score and convert, 7-0 15 mins

Blues kick off Drybrook gather and are tackled, Drybrook take play across the pitch getting tackled into touch, lineout won Blues run at Drybrook taking play back across the pitch getting a penalty which is kicked to touch in Drybrook’s 22, lineout won Blues put pressure on Drybrook’s defence which eventually concedes a penalty in front of the posts Dan Thorne kicks it, 7-3 20 mins

Drybrook’s restart kick drifts straight out back for a Blues scrum, Drybrook steal Blues scrum and run play is brought back for their penalty which they kick to touch, lineout won Drybrook take play across the pitch and back getting a penalty which they kick to touch, again Drybrook take play wide from the lineout this time they get a scrum in Blues 22, Drybrook attack from the scrum and after several phases knock on giving Blues a defensive 5m scrum. Blues win their scrum and kick deep into Drybrook’s half, Drybrook gather run then kick crossfield Blues get a penalty Dan Thorne is also hit off the ball, injury time out
Tom Fieldsend kicks to touch, lineout won Blues put pressure on Drybrook’s defence through several phases before getting tackled into touch, Drybrook win their lineout and their forwards drive put concede a penalty which Blues kick to touch, lineout won Blues drive towards the line getting another penalty which is kicked to touch, again Blues attack from the lineout but concede a penalty at the tackle. Drybrook kick to touch, Blues manage to steal the lineout and kick high, several kicks later Blues clear to touch. Drybrook knock on at the lineout giving Blues a scrum, Blues win a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues take play across the pitch and into Drybrook’s half, strangely the ball comes out of the ruck into Blues half, Drybrook manage to gather and run up the touchline to score a breakaway try, the conversion is kicked and the half time whistle is blown 14-3

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Blues kick off the second half Drybrook gather and run before kicking, Blues return the kick into Drybrook’s 22, their kick doesn’t find touch allowing Blues to run then put in a neat kick which rolls into touch in Drybrook’s 22, Drybrook win their lineout and clear to touch, Blues attack from their lineout but concede a penalty at the tackle allowing Drybrook to clear to touch. Drybrook win their lineout and spread the ball wide winning a penalty, they play advantage but play is brought back, they kick the penalty to touch in Blues 22, Blues steal the lineout and their forwards drive getting a penalty, Blues penalty doesn’t find touch allowing Drybrook to run back at Blues, they get a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won they put more pressure on Blues defence and get a scrum when an attempted interception is knocked on.
Drybrook win their scrum but soon lose possession allowing Blues to run out of defence and get a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues take play up to halfway before a knock on halts their progress and Drybrook have a scrum, Blues get a penalty scrum which they win and run the ball getting a penalty at the tackle

Tom Hunt on Tom Fieldsend off 55mins

Blues win their lineout and spread play across the pitch before a neat grubber kick just evades their chasers and rolls into touch still in their own half, Blues win the lineout and put up a high kick Blues knock on giving Drybrook a scrum, Drybrook try running the ball but a forward pass gives Blues a scrum on their 40m line, Blues win the scrum and soon kick into Drybrook’s 22 they clear to touch, Blues win the lineout and take play back into Drybrook’s half getting a penalty, they tap and go taking play into Drybrook’s 22 and soon have a penalty scrum which they win and their forwards drive getting another penalty scrum, Blues pack again shove Drybrook backwards who collapse the scrum giving Blues a penalty try 67 mins 14-10

Tom Fieldsend on Josh Winfield off and a reshuffle

Drybrook restart Blues gather and run before they put up and a kick and chase, Drybrook get a scrum and kick clear, the kick is straight out so back for a Blues scrum which they win and run making ground before a knock on gives Drybrook a scrum in their own 22

Paul Sayers on Ben Hicks off 70 mins

Drybrook win their scrum and kick to touch still in their own half, lineout won Blues make some good ground through dan Thorne and Chris Bird taking play into Drybrook’s 22, Blues attack through several phases before a crossfield kick just beats the chasers and drifts over the dead ball line, Drybrook take the 22 drop out, Blues gather and run but good Drybrook defence push Blues back and Drybrook soon have a penalty, Drybrook kick to touch and spend time in Blues 22 but are unable to make the breakthrough to score, Blues get a yellow for an attempted interception knock on giving Drybrook a 5m scrum, Drybrook attack from their scrum but are held up by Blues giving them a 5m defensive scrum, Blues run the ball from their scrum but after a few phase concede a penalty which brings the final whistle
Blues had the possession in Drybrook’s 22 but just couldn’t make the final yards to score, a good hard low scoring game

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macaulay, Duncan Craigen, Tom Erskine, Jack Walsh,
Ollie Spanswick, Josh Winfield,
Tom Fieldsend, Dan Thorne, Jamie Futcher, Chris Bird, Toby Holland, Tom Martin, Toby Thorne
Paul Sayers, Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft

Blues next fixture is Sat 4th Jan @ home v Exeter University 3pm KO, a tough game in prospect