Blues manage to pip Maidenhead after letting a 22-12 lead slip in the final minutes to 22-22 only for captain and MOM Dan Thorne to kick a long penalty with 1 minute to go

Blues make 3 changes from the Launceston squad for this Berkshire derby, Blues needing a win over 2nd in the table Maidenhead

Maidenhead kick off with the wind behind them on a bright chilly afternoon Blues gather and put up a high kick Maidenhead knock on giving Blues a scrum just outside their 22, scrum won Blues try running out of defence before Tom Hunt puts up another high kick, Maidenhead run at Blues but lose the ball in the tackle Blues pick and drive before putting up another kick, Maidenhead gather and kick deep into Blues half, Blues run the ball taking play up to halfway before losing it forwards in the tackle.
Maidenhead win their scrum and attack but lose the ball forwards in the tackle, scrum won Blues run at Maidenhead but concede a penalty at the tackle Maidenhead kick to touch win the lineout and their forwards maul getting a penalty before running the ball then kicking, the kick runs dead so back for a Maidenhead scrum still deep in Blues half.
Blues pack shoves Maidenhead back scrum is reset, another big shove by the Blues pack earns a penalty which is kicked to touch on halfway, Maidenhead steal the lineout and kick Blues knock on giving Maidenhead a scrum just outside Blues 22, scrum won Maidenhead attack but lose the ball, Blues attack taking play into Maidenhead’s half before conceding a penalty at the tackle, Maidenhead kick to touch in Blues half win the lineout but knock on. Blues get a penalty at the reset scrum which is kicked to touch, lineout won Blues take play into Maidenheads half getting a penalty at the tackle, Dan Thorne slots the long kick through the posts 3-0 15 mins

Maidenhead kick off, Blues make a mess of the restart knocking on, Maidenhead win the scrum and their 13 Ben Mitchell cuts a good line to run through unopposed under the posts, Ed Keohane kicks the conversion 3-7 17 mins

Blues kick off Maidenhead return the kick deep into Blues half, Blues run the ball back getting to half way before a knock on gives Maidenhead a scrum, Maidenhead under pressure win the scrum and kick, Blues gather and kick, Maidenhead run back into Blues half before they lose the ball, Blues take play back up to half way before Maidenhead get a scrum, from the scrum they take play across the pitch getting a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, Maidenheads forwards maul from the lineout but concede a scrum when Blues hold them up. Scrum won Blues try running out of defence before kicking into touch still in their own half, Maidenhead had touched the ball so it’s a Blues lineout.
Blues win the lineout and run the ball getting a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch just in Maidenheads half, Blues win the lineout and some good rugby takes play up to Maidenheads 22 and they get a scrum, Blues attack from the scrum but spill the ball allowing Maidenhead to kick clear, Blues gather and Toby Holland runs at Maidenhead he releases Tom Martin who makes more ground before off loading to Dan Thorne who jinks through the Maidenhead defence to score a good try, Dan Thorne adds the conversion to put Blues back in front 10-7 34 mins

Maidenhead kick off, Blues gather and put up a high kick, Blues are penalised for pushing giving Maidenhead a penalty, the kick at the posts drifts wide, Blues take the 22 drop out, Maidenhead gather and put a chip kick over the Blues defence, Blues gather and put up another high kick, Maidenhead run at Blues who are unlucky when an attempted interception is knocked on, Maidenhead have a scrum just in their own half, Maidenheads breaks through the tackles from the scrum they keep the ball live getting into Blues 22 before they concede a penalty at the tackle, Blues kick to touch win the lineout and maul, Maidenhead manage to shove Blues into touch bringing the half time whistle

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Blues kick off the second half with the benefit of the wind, Maidenhead return the kick, Blues gather and run back into Maidenheads half before conceding a penalty which is kicked to touch just in Blues half, Blues steal the lineout and put pressure on Maidenheads defence, Blues get a penalty at the tackle which Dan Thorne slots between the posts, 13-7 42 mins

Maidenhead restart Blues gather and their kick is semi charged down giving Blues the lineout still deep in their own half, lineout won Blues put up a high kick, Maidenhead gather and kick deep into Blues 22, Blues clear to touch on their own 22. Maidenhead win their lineout and attack getting stopped when they knock on, Blues win a penalty at their scrum which is kicked to touch in Maidenheads half, Blues win the lineout and attack taking play across the pitch, Blues get a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks 16-7 49 mins

Maidenhead kick off Blues make a mess of gathering the restart kick allowing Maidenhead to get hold of the ball and win a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, Maidenhead win their lineout and put pressure on blues defence taking play across the pitch, Maidenhead get a penalty which they quickly tap and go getting another penalty, again they tap and go and soon have another penalty which this time Ed Keohane kicks through the posts, 16-10 55 mins

Jamie Futcher on Toby Thorne off

Blues restart Maidenhead gather and run the ball, good Blues pressure forces the knock on giving Blues a scrum on Maidenheads 22, Blues attack from the scrum but lose the ball allowing Maidenhead to clear to touch on half way, lineout won Blues attack before a neat grubber kick from Alex Bancroft rolls into touch in Maidenheads 22, Maidenhead win the lineout but then concede a penalty scrum, Blues win the scrum and attack but a knock on gives Maidenhead a defensive scrum

Duncan Craigen off Chris Bird on 60 mins

Blues pack shove Maidenhead backwards getting a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks 19-10 61 mins

Maidenhead kick off long Blues gather and kick, some confusion whether Maidenhead had touched the ball so play restarts with a Maidenhead scrum which they win under pressure but soon lose the ball allowing Blues to kick deep into Maidenheads half a good chase means Maidenhead are caught in their own 22, they manage to recycle and clear to touch, Blues take a quick lineout and run at Maidenhead but knock on, Maidenheads scrum is reset and they win under pressure, Maidenhead try running out of defence but concede a penalty, Blues quickly tap and go getting another penalty when Maidenhead tackle inside 10m they get a yellow card and Dan Thorne kicks another three points 22-10 70 mins

Duncan Craigen on Adam Neal off, George Anderson on Rob Drysdale off

Maidenhead restart Blues gather and kick, Maidenhead run the ball but lose possession in the tackle, Blues take play back into Maidenheads half before conceding a penalty which Maidenhead kick to touch, lineout won Maidenhead take play across the pitch and up to Blues 22 getting a penalty, Maidenhead play the advantage taking play across the pitch and manage score through their 8 Dave Cole the conversion is wide 22-15 74 mins

Blues restart, Maidenhead run at Blues before a neat chip kick is put over the Blues defence, Maidenhead gather the ball getting up to Blues 22 before spreading play wide to their right to score in the corner through George Blewitt, the long conversion is kicked by Ed Keohane 22-22, 76 mins, Blues have taken their foot off the gas and let Maidenhead score two quick try’s, time to regroup

Blues kick off, Maidenhead knock on, scrum won Blues take play up to Maidenheads 22 before they concede a penalty, Maidenhead kick to touch just in Blues half, Lineout won they attack but a forward pass halts their progress and gives Blues a scrum just in their own half, Blues win their scrum and attack making ground and take play into Maidenheads half where they win a penalty, up steps captain Dan Thorne who kicks the long penalty through the posts Blues are back in front just to the relief of the Blues crowd 25-22 79 mins

Still time for the restart which Maidenhead take and mange to regather the ball, they then get a penalty which strangely they kick to touch instead of the posts, lineout won they attack through several phases in Blues 22, Blues defence manage to hold them out and win a penalty which is kicked out to bring the final whistle

Blues have nicked it and got a well-deserved win after looking good until the final few minutes when they let in two try’s, but heads unbowed they force their way back and get the winning penalty and then lady luck helps when the kick for the posts is spurned by Maidenhead

A good hard competitive local derby with a frantic last 10 minutes to keep everybody on their toes

MOM Dan Thorne
DOD Jack Walsh

Thanks to Maidenhead for playing their part in this game and good luck for the remainder of the season and your promotion hopes

Thanks to the ref who played some good advantages and kept control of this derby

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Rob Drysdale, James Macaulay, Adam Neal, Duncan Craigen, Finn Walsh, Jack Walsh,
Josh Winfield,
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Toby Thorne, Toby Holland, Dan Thorne Harvey North, Tom Martin,
George Anderson, Chris Bird, Jamie Futcher

Thanks to the great Blues support

Special thanks to Matisse our solo ball boy great effort

Blues next fixture is Sat 29th Feb away v Okehampton 2-30pm KO, Coach leaves NRFC at 8-45, cost £20