Newbury take a losing bonus point from a game they were always chasing after allowing 2nd placed Towcestrians to establish an early 2 try lead, Towcestrians getting the try bonus point win with minutes to spare.
The visitors kick off and both teams test each other with a period of high kicks, the mould is eventually broken when the Blues forwards try to maul out of their half but get held up giving Tows a scrum just in Blues half. Tows just manage to hold on to the ball whilst being shoved back by the Newbury pack, they get the ball free and attack getting a penalty for a very marginal decision on a high tackle.
Tows kick to touch and win their lineout, again they run at the Blues defence making good progress before Blues defence manages to usher them into touch just in Blues 22. Newbury win the lineout but the clearing kick is charged down and touched down wide out on the left, Tows are on the scoreboard 0-5, 5 min’s
Blues restart Tows immediately run the ball at the Blues defence and win a penalty which they kick to touch well in Bleus half, lineout won they maul up field getting into Blues 22 before a knock on gives Blues a scrum and a chance to clear their lines. The Blues pack just has the upper hand at scrums, Tows pack are shoved backwards giving plenty of time and space to get a good clearing kick into touch.
Tows lineout isn’t straight giving the Blues another scrum, again the ball is released and another good kick to touch gets Blues into Tows half. Tows win their lineout and attack getting back into Blues half before conceding a penalty scrum, Blues win the scrum and run the ball before a kick over Tows defence runs into touch just in Tows territory, Tows win their lineout and after a couple of phases put a good kick into touch in Blues 22. Tows put pressure on the Blues defence through several phases of play winning a succession of penalties before they break through to score wide out on the left 0-10, 19 min’s
Newbury restart and a good chase is rewarded when the kick to touch gives the Blues a lineout 15m in Tows half, Tows steal the lineout but the Blues soon have possession back when they manage to steal the ball in a ruck, Blues attack through the backs and make good ground getting into Tows 22 and win a penalty. Newbury play the advantage and try to break through the Tows defence, which holds strong before conceding a 5m-penalty scrum. The Newbury pack have the advantage and march the scrum back getting up to the try line before the Tows pack collapse and strangely the ref gives them a penalty scrum. From this scrum they are awarded a penalty?? which they kick to touch.
Tows win the lineout but the Blues pressure forces the error and Newbury have a scrum on half way, Tows are awarded a free kick at the scrum which is kicked high, Toby Thorne takes and the Blues run back at Tows defence which concedes a penalty, Blues kick to touch and have an attacking lineout. Blues win the lineout and attack through their forwards winning a penalty scrum, somewhat harshly Tows 4 is sin binned. The Blues pack holds firm at the scrum and they put pressure on the Tows defence which is eventually breached when Richard West side steps The Tows defenders to score close to the posts, conversion is successful, 7-10, 32min’s
Tows restart is taken by Blues and kicked to touch just in Tows half, from the lineout Newbury win a scrum Tows throw not straight. Blues are now just having the better of the play some good breaks by Eddie Farebrother, Jack Walsh, Toby Thorne, and Tom Catchpole keeps the pressure on the Tows defence before a mistake comes and Tows steal the ball and kick to touch.
Newbury win the lineout and again put pressure on the Tows defence through several phases of play and get their reward when they are awarded a penalty which Richard West slots over from 30m out just wide of the posts, 10-10, 38 min’s
Tows take a long restart, which is taken and kicked to touch by Jamie Futcher just short of half way; Tows win the lineout and attack winning a penalty, which they kick to touch, lineout won they pick and drive up to the try line but are held up, from the scrum they spend several minutes camped in the Blues 22 before they manage to make the break through to score wide out on the left,10-15, 44 min’s, Half time.

Newbury kick off the second half long, Tows take and kick to touch on their 40m line, Blues win the lineout and run at the Tows defence getting to the 22m line before they spill the ball allowing Tows to kick to touch, Newbury close to a charge down touching the ball meaning it is Tows lineout. Tows win the lineout and run at the Blues, a solid Dan Thorne tackle forces a knock on, Blues play the advantage and some good attacking rugby from Eddie Farebrother, Ben Hicks, Josh Winfield, Iain Herriott, and Josh Bartlett takes play well into Tows half and eventually a penalty when Tows stray offside, 13-15, 43 min’s
Tows restart is taken by Newbury and kicked back into Tows half, Tows run the ball and make some ground before the Blues defence push them back in the tackles, another strange yellow card puts Josh Love in the bin and gives Tows a penalty. From the lineout Tows maul up field and win a penalty scrum, Tows infringe at the scrum giving Newbury a free kick, Richard West puts up a high kick which Tows catch and kick back into Blues half. Toby Thorne takes and runs, his clearance kick is charged down by the quickly up Tows defence, they are first to the ball and soon have a penalty as the Blues defence infringe as they try to re-organise, the ref marches Blues back another 10 yds for something said. Tows kick for the points but the attempt just slides past the posts on 48 mins
Newbury take the 22 drop out and a good chase by Josh Bartlett keeps Tows just in their half, they keep possession and attack through several phase’s forcing the Blues to concede a penalty, Tows kick safely to touch in Newbury’s half and win the lineout then another strange penalty which is kicked through the posts, 13-18, 52 min’s
Chris Gladwin comes on for Jack Walsh
Newbury take the restart and chase forcing Tows to kick to touch on half way, Newbury win the lineout and run at the Tows defence, Eddie Farebrother again breaking tackles and making ground, forwards Graham Stewart, Rob Drysdale and George Robinson-Slater keep the move going before Richard West puts up a pin point cross field kick which is caught and touched down by Josh Bartlett wide out on the left, 18-18 60min’s
Tows restart with a long kick which runs dead giving Blues a 22 drop out, Blues kick high and long and put in a good chase which halts Tows counter attack on halfway but they have the put in to the scrum, scrum won they put in a good kick which rolls into touch in Blues 22.
Tows win the line out but lose the ball allowing Newbury to run out of defence again a mistake halts progress and gives Tows possession, lucky for the Blues Tows do the same and Dan Thorne makes good yards before releasing Josh Bartlett who grubber kicks through the Tows defence Jamie Futcher chase’s the kick and is on his own but the ball runs into touch before he can gather it.
From the lineout the Blues win a penalty scrum but straight away a penalty is given to Tows, from the penalty Tows put the Blues under pressure for several minutes before they knock on giving Blues a defensive scrum and a chance to get out of the danger zone. From the scrum the Blues win penalty, which is kicked to touch, from the lineout they make more ground and get up to the 40m line before conceding a penalty. Jack Steffen on for Eddie Farebrother, Tows kick to touch in Newbury’s 22, within a couple of minutes of coming on Jack Steffen gets a yellow card, Tows have a penalty kick which is just wide of the posts.
Newbury take the 22 drop out and Tows again put the Blues defence under pressure, after several phases of play Tows are up to Newbury’s line and win a penalty which they kick to touch, from the lineout they form a maul and manage to shove the Blues defence back to score wide out on their right the long conversion is successfully kicked 18-25,
Aaron McDowell on for Jamie Futcher
Blues restart and chase but cannot force Tows into a mistake who comfortably hold on for the last few minutes of normal and injury time to take the win.

Man Of The Match was awarded to Josh Winfield

Once again Blues were on the wrong side of the official, with 2 Yellow Cards and the penalty count 7 for and 15 against. Blues giving Tows a 10-point head start before they got into gear, Tows were the more consistent side and gave away fewer penalties than the Blues, what you expect from a side in second place in the league.

Blues can take heart that they didn’t play at their best but were in with a chance up to the last few minutes. Again this league is fairly equal and on their day teams can topple the teams above them in the league as shown yesterday with Witney beating the previously unbeaten Chippenham and Reading beating Swindon.

Next week Blues have a week off before travelling to newcomers Trowbridge on Sat 31st Jan a difficult place to get a result at.

Squad
Graham Stewart, Rob Drysdale, George Robinson-Slater, Ben Hicks, Josh Winfield,
Jack Walsh, Josh Love, Eddie Farebrother, Dan Thorne, Richard West,
Tom Catchpole, Iain Herriott, Josh Bartlett, Jamie Futcher, Toby Thorne
Chris Gladwin, Jack Steffen, Aaron McDowell