Newbury Blues
Matches
Sat 07 Feb 2015  ·  South West 1 East
Newbury Rugby Football Club
Newbury Blues
Penalties: R WEST (4)
12
16
Windsor
Blues just shoved out

Blues just shoved out

mick futcher9 Feb 2015 - 18:44
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Newbury welcomed third placed Windsor and are unable to turn pressure into points, just losing out in this Berkshire derby to Windsor.

Newbury kick off this Berkshire derby on a heavy damp pitch on a dry but cold afternoon, Windsor take and immediately spread the ball through the backs allowing their left wing to make good ground into Newbury’s 22 before he is halted, he manages to off load the ball in the tackle and their centre Jack Graves scores wide out on the left the conversion just wide, a whirlwind start by Windsor catching Newbury cold making the score 0-5, 1 min

Newbury need to respond to this quick start and they do, from the restart the chase is good and a great Jack Walsh tackle puts Windsor on the back foot, they try to run out of defence but Newbury keep up the pressure and are rewarded when they are awarded a penalty 30m out which Richard West slots through the posts, 3-5 3 min’s

Windsor restart and a good run from Eddie Farebrother is halted when he is ushered into touch by the Windsor defender just in Windsor’s half, lineout won Windsor run at the Blues defence taking play back into Newbury territory, Newbury stray offside giving Windsor a penalty and a fairly easy kick for the posts which is successfully kicked 3-8 7 min’s

From the restart Rob Drysdale takes a huge blow to the stomach area when colliding with a Windsor player, both trying to re-gather a loose ball, play is held up while he is treated then stretchered off the pitch. Nathan Thomas comes on, and the pack is re-jigged. The ref had already blown for a Newbury penalty so play is restarted with another successful penalty from Richard West 6-8 8 min’s

Windsor manage to re-gather their restart but infringe giving Newbury a penalty which is kicked safely to touch, Blues win their lineout and run the ball, a loose ball goes backwards which Newbury manage to re-gather and set off in attack again, this time Windsor infringe giving Newbury a long penalty attempt on 11 mins, Richard West is just wide.

Windsor are in front at their 22 drop out giving Newbury a scrum, the Windsor pack manage to force a penalty at the scrum allowing them to kick out of defence, lineout won Windsor attack but a mixture of good Blues pressure and loose Windsor passes force them backwards, Windsor re-gather and manage to make ground before George Robinson-Slater steals the ball and Richard West puts in a great kick which rolls into touch well in Windsor’s half.
Newbury manage to steal the ball at the lineout and make good yards before the Windsor defence are penalised giving Newbury another kickable penalty, Richard West slots the ball through the posts, 9-8 17 min’s

Windsor take the restart which Dan Thorne catches, puts up a high kick and chases tackling the Windsor player, Windsor under pressure kick back into Newbury’s half, Josh Bartlett takes and returns the kick which rolls nicely into touch in Windsor’s half. Windsor win the lineout then a penalty allowing them to kick to touch, from the lineout they run the ball but don’t get far before the mistake comes and Newbury are handed possession, the Blues spread the ball through the backs but don’t make much ground, Windsor knock on in the tackle giving Newbury a scrum on half way.
The next few minutes are spent around the midfield area with neither side able to produce the break through to add to their scores, eventually Windsor get the break and are awarded a penalty 30 m out which they kick through the posts to re-take the lead and make the score 9-11 34 min’s

Newbury take the re-start and are unlucky not to break through the Windsor defence when a jinking Toby Thorne run gets the ball moving through the backs before a forward pass ends their progress on the Windsor 22, Windsor win the scrum and kick to touch bringing the half time whistle.
Both coaches have to work at half time to try and give their team the edge in the second half

Windsor kick off the second half having brought on a front row sub at half time, Newbury take and return the kick into touch and manage to steal the Windsor lineout, again kicking to touch in Windsor’s half. The throw is not straight giving Newbury a scrum, the Windsor pack puts the Newbury pack under pressure and win a penalty, which they kick to touch 15m in Newbury’s half. Again the throw is crooked giving Newbury a scrum, Windsor’s pack shove Newbury backwards winning a penalty that is kicked to touch, Windsor knock on at the lineout but again their pack redeem the situation pushing Newbury back and winning a penalty scrum 5m from the try line. The Windsor pack is now dominant and shove the Newbury pack backwards and over the try line to score a forwards try, the long conversion just wide 9-16, 45 min’s

Newbury take the restart and a good chase is rewarded when they force the mistake giving them possession, Windsor win the resulting scrum put make another mistake knocking on, this brings a bit of a melee between the players, the ref calls both captains together and gives them the warnings. Newbury manage to hold on to their own scrum 10m in Windsor’s half, they win another scrum but knock on, this is the tale of the next few minutes both sides making mistakes and halting their progress up field so play is stuck around the midfield area and a bit disjointed. Newbury are the first to break out of midfield when they are awarded a couple of penalties which they kick to touch getting them into Windsor’s 22.
Jamie Futcher on for Tom Catchpole 62 min’s

Blues win the lineout and the forwards pick and drive but are unable to break through the good Windsor defence, Newbury try spreading the ball out to the backs but are adjudged to impede the Windsor defence by crossing, Windsor kick to touch and win the lineout but hand possession back when they are penalised for crossing and taking the Blues player out of the game.
Newbury keep up the pressure on Windsor and keep them pinned well in their own half for several minutes but are unable to penetrate the Windsor defence, Eddie Farebrother breaks a couple of tackles after a good Newbury scrum but just gets shoved into touch.
Windsor briefly get out of defence and just into Newbury’s half but infringe giving Newbury a penalty scrum, Newbury’s pack are now able to hold on to their own scrums allowing clean ball out to the backs who go across field trying to open the Windsor defence, Newbury get a penalty which is kicked safely to touch just in Windsor’s 22.
Again the Windsor defence stands strong winning the lineout and the clearing kick gets nearly up to half way, Newbury gather and spread the ball quickly through the backs allowing Jamie Futcher to break up the left wing before he is tackled, the ball comes loose and rolls into touch, Newbury steal the ball and again set up several phase’s trying to break the resolute Windsor defence who hold them out but concede a penalty which Richard West kicks through the posts 12-16, 75 min’s

Windsor restart and soon have possession back when Newbury knock on when making good ground running the ball out of defence, Steve Denner on for Toby Thorne. Windsor are penalised for holding on in the tackle allowing Newbury to clear to touch, Tom Catchpole back on for Iain Herriott. Newbury have the better of the last few minute’s but are unable to break through the Windsor defence, eventually in their haste to break the defence Newbury give away a penalty allowing Windsor to clear to touch bringing the full time whistle and a narrow win which they celebrate enthusiastically
Windsor take a four-point league win Newbury a losing bonus point, Newbury were unable to turn the pressure they had in the second half into points, credit to Windsor’s defence who held firm. Other results mean Newbury slip one place to 6th in the league

All the best to Rob Drysdale who spent the night in Hospital after his heavy blow to the stomach area, hope you are soon fit and well

Good luck to Windsor for the remainder of the season and their push for promotion

Man Of the Match awarded to George Robinson-Slater who just pipped Jack Walsh both having great games

Thanks to the great Newbury support

Next league game is Sat 21st Feb away at Bletchley who sit firmly at the bottom of the league

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

Other league results this weekend were:-
Devizes 9-28 Witney; Witney on a good winning run and climbing up the league, Devizes in relegation trouble
Grove 24-7 Chippenham; Only Chippenham’s second defeat
Leighton Buzzard 38-12 Buckingham, Buckingham in relegation trouble
Maidenhead 44-12 Bletchley; Bletchley in relegation trouble
Reading 11-10 Trowbridge
Swindon 5-22 Towcestrians, Towcestrians closing the gap on Chippenham and in a fight for 2nd place with Windsor

Match details

Match date

Sat 07 Feb 2015

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

South West 1 East
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Player Sponsor - Prianto
Player Sponsor - VOS
Team Sponsor - T  Mather Tree Services
Team Sponsor - Kress
Club Sponsor - Precision Fabrication
Club Sponsor - Dave Shields
Player Sponsor - Kept Assets Limited
Player Sponsor - Swindon Sports Therapy
Player Sponsor - WMJ Consulting
Player Sponsor - MJP THERAPY
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