2014 Brings a much needed league win

Swindon kick off on a damp but playable pitch, Newbury return the kick through Dan THORNE which Swindon gather and attack through their backs, poor tackling lets Swindon gain far more ground than they should have, only a great tackle from the returning Jack WALSH stops them. Newbury infringe allowing Swindon to kick the penalty into touch well in the Newbury half, line out won Swindon mount a concerted assault on the Newbury line luckily for the Blues the ball is knocked on. From the scrum Newbury manage to get out of defence with strong runs from Alex MILLAR and Matt MAHER to Jamie FUTCHER who kicks up the line for the ball to bounce off the Swindon defence into touch. Newbury win the lineout but knock on and the game enters a phase of mistakes by both teams which costs them possession, this is ended when a kick by Swindon into Newburys 22 is taken by Tom MARTIN who sets off on one of his runs passes to Steve DENNER who makes good ground before kicking over the Swindon defence, Newbury are quickly up in pursuit and manage to regain possession. This starts a period of attacking play by Newbury who are close to scoring but are unable to break through the Swindon defence who eventually win a scrum and clear their lines. Newbury win the lineout and put Swindon back under pressure with good yards being made by the forwards, Jamie BULL, Matt CHILDS, Finn WALSH and Alex MILLAR, the forwards march on inch by inch marshalled by captain Graham STEWART, George ROBINSON SLATER and Rob DRYSDALE pick and drive and are eventually rewarded when scrum half Toby SEWARD picks up the ball from the back of the ruck, sells the dummy to open Swindon’s defence and dives over to score wide out on the right, the conversion narrowly misses 5-0 on 22 mins
The next 10 mins is spent with both teams trying to make the break through but either mistakes or good defensive play hand possession over to the opposition. Josh LOVE comes on for Rob DRYSDALE who has taken a knock to his shoulder. Swindon are the first to make the break through and after several minutes spent camped in Newburys 22 they score the try they had been threatening to when their number 8 Paul Daniels crashes through the Newbury defence to score, converted by Adam Westall 5-7 35 mins
The last 5 minutes of the half belong to Newbury who keep Swindon penned in their half forcing them to defend illegally giving a long range penalty chance to Richard WEST which sails narrowly past the uprights. A knock on by the Blues deep in Swindon territory brings the half time whistle.

Newbury kick off the second half and a good chase forces Swindon to knock on, Newbury win the scrum but a couple of phases later they too knock on. Newbury keep up the pressure and manage to regain the ball allowing Tom MARTIN to set off on one of his runs before Swindon’s defence re-groups and forces the error which gives them the scrum, the Newbury forwards give their all and manage to steal the ball only to hand it back when they are penalised for crossing, Swindon kick to touch. Ben HICKS comes on for George ROBINSON SLATER.
Newbury again force the error and regain possession allowing Richard WEST to feed the ball to Matt MAHER who charges forward, passes to Matt CHILDS who bounces off a couple of tackles before giving to Steve DENNER then Dan THORNE to make good yards before releasing the ball to Tom MARTIN to just get the last 15 yards and over the line only to be held up by a great last gasp tackle by the Swindon defence and get a penalty for holding on. Swindon run out of defence and win another penalty this time they choose to kick but fail to make touch so the Newbury backs gather the ball and run back at the Swindon defence forcing the penalty which Richard WEST slots into touch deep in Swindon’s half. Newbury’s Finn WALSH take’s the lineout and Newbury maul forward but lose out to the Swindon defence who turn them over and kick safely to touch. Newbury win the lineout and again put the pressure on Swindon’s defence which eventually cracks and concedes a penalty 15 yards out right in front of the posts which Richard WEST slots over 8-7 to Newbury 55 mins
The Newbury squad seem to be dealing with the heavy pitch better than Swindon who seem to be tiring and have a bit more energy left, Newbury gather the kick off and immediately are back in the Swindon 22 and are unlucky not to add to their points total instead coughing up possession allowing Swindon to clear their lines and kick up field, another knock on by Newbury in midfield gives Swindon a scrum. Rob Drysdale comes on for Matt CHILDS.
Swindon attack from the scrum but after a couple of phases lose the ball allowing Newbury to make good ground through a Jamie FUTCHER, Tom MARTIN interchange of passes only to get held up 5 yards short of the try line. Mark SPALTON on for Jamie FUTCHER
Jack WALSH takes a knock but after a visit from the physio gets up to soldier on, Swindon’s scrum 5 yards out from their try line, Newbury keep up the pressure and force the turn over in Swindon’s 22 allowing Matt MAHER and Alex MILLAR to charge forward but neither can make the final yards to score but they keep possession which allows the ball to be slowly edged up to the try line by the Newbury forwards before scrum half Toby SEWARD picks up and dives over for his second try, Richard WEST adding the conversion 15-7 70 mins
Swindon kick off and are brought back for being in front of the kicker and then give away a penalty, Newbury’s kick doesn’t quite find touch which allows Swindon to clear their lines and kick safely to touch in midfield, Newbury win the lineout and again put Swindon under pressure but this time their defence holds out and forces the turn over which is kicked safely to touch. An untidy lineout is won by Newbury but knocked on giving Swindon the scrum. Swindon attack from the scrum and win a penalty which is kicked to touch deep in Newbury’s half, from the line out the Swindon forwards take control and rumble over to score wide out on the left the conversion just missing 15-12 78 mins.
Neither side managed to force an error in the last few minutes before the final whistle is blown ending a hard fought and fair game well controlled by Ref Alan Green.

Newbury get a well earned 15-12 victory and the much needed 4 league points

Man of the Match Toby SEWARD

Thanks again go to the great support given to this young team by the Newbury followers

Squad;
Graham STEWART (c), Rob DRYSDALE, George ROBINSON SLATER,
Jamie BULL, Matt CHILDS, Finn WALSH, Jack WALSH, Alex MILLAR,
Toby SEWARD, Richard WEST, Steve DENNER,Matt MAHER, Dan THORNE,
Jamie FUTCHER, Tom MARTIN,
Ben HICKS, Josh LOVE, Mark SPALTON
Head Coach; Lee GOODALL