Blues undone in first 3 mins

OKEHAMPTON 19 v 12 NEWBURY BLUES

Blues undone in first 3 mins

Saturday 29th Feb 2-30pm KO South West Premier

Blues travel to Okehampton on a cold windy wintry Saturday and concede an early try which ends up costing them at least a share of the game

Blues get a losing bonus point for their efforts in a hard-fought game, other results mean the bottom 6 clubs are now only separated by 11 points with 5 games left, all to play for

Okehampton kick off up the slope and against the strong wind, Blues make a mess of gathering the kick which ends up with a knock on and an Okehampton scrum, Blues shove Okehampton back at the scrum which is reset, Okehampton win the scrum under pressure and take play across the pitch and up to Blues 22, after several phases Okehampton put a neat chip kick and a good chase means they are first to the ball and touch down wide out right to open the scoring, the long conversion is kicked 7-0 3 mins, a bad start for Blues

Blues restart kick carries in the wind and rolls over the dead ball line giving Okehampton a scrum on halfway, Okehampton win their scrum and attack getting up to Blues 22 before the rolls into touch off a Blues player, Okehampton win their lineout and take play across the pitch getting a penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, lineout won Okehampton again put pressure on Blues defence and get a scrum when Blues knock on in the tackle.
Okehampton win their reset scrum and again spread play across the pitch getting another penalty which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, Okehampton’s throw isn’t straight so Blues have a defensive scrum, Blues pack has the upper hand getting Blues a penalty which is kicked to touch in Okehampton’s 22.
Blues attack from the lineout but lose the ball, Okehampton run out of defence but don’t get far before they cough up possession allowing Blues to mount another attack, Blues get a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks through the posts 7-3 15 mins

Okehampton restart Blues gather in their own 22 and clear to touch in Okehampton’s half, Okehampton win their lineout and run the ball getting a penalty which is kicked to touch on half way, lineout won Okehampton attack getting into Blues half and soon have a penalty which they kick, 10-3 20 mins

Blues restart Okehampton run getting up to half way but a foot in touch gives Blues a lineout, Blues win their lineout and take play across the pitch before a neat kick rolls into touch in Okehampton’s 22, lineout won Okehampton get a penalty they tap and go quickly taking play across the pitch, Okehampton put up a high box kick which drifts into touch, Blues attack from the lineout getting into Okehampton’s 22 before a knock on gives Okehampton a scrum, Okehampton win the scrum and clear to touch still in their own 22, Blues win the lineout and maul making ground and getting a penalty, Okehampton also get a yellow card, Blues kick to touch.
Lineout won Blues forwards pick and drive getting a penalty, Blues tap and go taking play up to the try line but then concede a penalty, Okehampton kick to touch just outside their 22, lineout won their forwards maul making ground before kicking into Blues half, Blues attack making good ground until they lose the ball forwards in the tackle, Okehampton play the advantage and move upfield blues manage to hold them up getting a scrum, Blues get a penalty at the scrum and Dan Thorne’s kick is just short of the cross bar, Okehampton gather and run taking play through several phases before kicking, Blues gather and run back at Okehampton getting a penalty when the ref causes an Obstruction.
Scrum won Blues attack but again a knock on gives Okehampton a scrum in their own 22, Blues pack shove Okehampton backwards winning a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues attack from the lineout and soon have a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks 10-6 half time

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Blues make a half time substitution Chris Bird on Duncan Craigen off

Blues kick off Okehampton clear to touch on half way and steal the lineout and attack getting a penalty which is kicked to touch, lineout won their forwards maul, a knock on giving Blues a defensive scrum in their own 22, Blues win the scrum but knock on, Okehampton win their scrum and run at Blues getting a penalty which is kicked through the posts, 44 mins 13-6

Blues restart, Okehampton run but a back pass is knocked on, Blues win their scrum and take play across the pitch getting a penalty which Dan Thorne kicks 13-9 47 mins

Okehampton restart and get the ball back when Blues return the kick, they take play deep into Blues half and soon have a penalty which they kick, 16-9 49 mins

Blues kick off and manage to get hold of the ball Blues attack getting a penalty which they quickly tap and go, getting another penalty for not retreating 10, Dan Thorne kicks 16-12 51 mins

Dylan Stewart on Ollie Spanswick off

Okehampton’s kick is long rolling over the dead ball line giving Blues a scrum on halfway, Blues get a penalty at the scrum which is kicked to touch, Blues take a short lineout and attack through several phases getting a scrum which is reset, Blues win the scrum but a loose ball is hacked through by Okehampton and a good chase results in them getting a penalty at the tackle which they kick to touch, Blues steal the lineout and run out of defence getting a penalty which is kicked to touch on their own 40m line.
Blues attack from their lineout but good Okehampton defence keeps them penned in their own half, Okehampton get a strange knock on decision win their scrum and take play into Blues 22 before spreading play wide and getting a penalty which they kick when Blues are ruled offside 19-12 67 mins

Okehampton probably have the better chances with the wind advantage to add to their score in the remaining 10 minutes but in the end good defence and mistakes mean neither side are able to score

A good hard game of rugby with both defences working overtime, the one early try from Okehampton proving the match winner

Newbury Squad
Ben Hicks, Jack Walsh, James Macaulay, Adam Neal, Duncan Craigen, Finn Walsh,
Ollie Spanswick, Josh Winfield,
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Toby Thorne, Toby Holland, Dan Thorne, Jamie Futcher, Tom Martin,
George Robinson Slater, Dylan Stewart, Chris Bird,

Thanks to the great Blues support

Thanks to Okehampton for managing to get the game on in challenging conditions and hosting us for the first time I think, good luck for the remaining games and hope you can do us a favour when you visit Bracknell on 4th April

Blues next fixture is Sat 7th March Home v Weston Super Mare 2-30pm KO.
A special day in prospect as its Newbury Blues charity Pink day