Off colour Blues win

Newbury Blues were made to work hard by Oxford Harlequins to keep their 100% record intact, but Blues got the 4th try and the bonus point victory

NEWBURY BLUES 30 v 10 OXFORD HARLEQUINS

Off colour Blues win
Saturday 24th Nov 2018, 3 pm KO South West 1 East

Newbury Blues were made to work hard by Oxford Harlequins to keep their 100% record intact, but Blues got the 4th try and the bonus point victory

Blues are forced to make 3 changes from last weeks squad and manage to get the bonus point win on a grey damp Saturday afternoon at Monks Lane, Mascots Newbury RFC U 9’s run out with the Blues

Quins kick off into the crosswind, Blues gather and clear to touch still in their own half, Quins win their lineout and spread the ball across the pitch winning a penalty at the tackle which is kicked to touch in Blues 22, Blues manage to steal the ball and get to halfway before a knock on gives Quins a scrum, from the scrum Quins run at Blues getting another penalty which is slotted into touch on Blues 22, Quins throw short at the lineout and they run down the touch line to score the long conversion is wide, 0-5 5 mins

Quins return Blues restart kick, Tom Martin gathers and sets off he releases Harvey North and suddenly these two have taken play deep into Quins half, Rory JONES takes over and a neat pass to Tom Erskine splits the Quins defence and he is over to score close to the posts Dan THORNE converts 7-5 7 mins

Blues run the ball from Quins restart kick Tom Martin and Josh BARTLETT combining this time to take play back to Quins 22 where Blues get a penalty at the tackle, Blues take the quick tap and Alex Bancroft is over to score the try, Dan THORNE converts, 14-5 10 mins

Quins restart Blues run but a knock on gives Quins a scrum, Quins attack from the scrum and take play into Blues 22, after several phases Quins win a penalty which they kick to touch, lineout won Quins put the Blues defence under pressure through several phases, Blues manage to steal the ball and get a scrum which they win and clear to touch. Quins lose their lineout which allows Blues to kick deep into Quins half, Blues are up quick and manage to wrestle the ball back in the tackle, Blues attack put concede a penalty at the tackle, Quins kick to touch just outside Blues 22.
Quins retake the lineout and again put pressure on Blues spreading play across the pitch put are in touch, Blues win the lineout then a penalty which is kicked to touch, Blues get a scrum and try running the ball getting nearly to half way before a knock on gives Quins a scrum, from the scrum Quins attack getting a penalty at the tackle, Quins kick is too deep and runs over the dead ball line, Blues take the 22 drop out which is taken into touch by Quins, Blues throw is to deep allowing Quins to get hold of the ball Blues force the penalty which they kick to touch.
Blues win the lineout and take play across the pitch and back get a penalty which is kicked to touch, Quins get a penalty scrum at the lineout, they win a penalty at the scrum and clear to touch, lineout won Quins are held in the tackle and Blues steal the ball getting over the try line but are held up and concede a penalty scrum, Quins win their scrum and try running out of their 22, Blues knock on in the tackle, again Quins hold their scrum and under pressure try running out of their 22 but this time Blues get the scrum.
Quins get a free kick at the scrum and clear to touch, Blues win the lineout and attack winning a penalty which Dan THORNE slots between the posts 17-5 33 mins

Quins restart, Blues gather and some good running rugby by both forwards and backs takes play back into Quins half, Blues try a crossfield kick which nearly pays off but is just touched forwards by Blues, Quins win their scrum and get another when Blues knock on in the tackle, Quins attack from their scrum but concede a penalty at the tackle, Blues tap and go but spill the ball in the tackle, Quins win their scrum and kick, their kick is straight out and brings half time.

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Blues kick off the second half Quins gather and return the kick which Blues knock on, Quins run the ball from their scrum and get a penalty for a high tackle Blues get a yellow, Quins kick to touch, Blues steal possession at the lineout and kick clear, Quins return the kick, Blues gather and run the ball getting up to the 40m line and get a penalty, Blues kick doesn’t find touch allowing Quins to gather and kick back into Blues half, Blues run the ball then a neat grubber kick by Dan THORNE is gathered by Tommy Martin, Blues spread the ball across the pitch getting a penalty at the tackle, Dan THORNE slots between the posts, 20-5 45 mins

Blues get a hand to the restart kick but the ball is in touch giving Quins an attacking lineout, Blues steal the ball and take play across the pitch, the ref calls the captains after a touch of handbags, play restarts with a Blues scrum but a knock-on halts progress, Quins play advantage but play is brought back for the knock on, injury time out for a Quins player.
Quins win their scrum and put Blues under pressure through several phases of play swopping from one side of the pitch to the other, Blues win a penalty at the tackle, again a scuffle breaks out, Blues kick to touch.

Kris Ford on Toby Pearce off, Blues yellow back on 53 mins

Blues win the lineout and run the ball getting nearly to half way and win a penalty, Injury time out for a Blues player

Aaron JOHNSTON on Rory JONES off 55 mins

Alex Bancroft kicks to touch, Quins get a scrum at the lineout and run the ball before putting in a big kick which rolls over the dead ball line, back for a Blues scrum, Quins steal possession at the scrum and put up a high kick, Blues gather and some good running rugby takes play back into Quins half, Kris Ford charging through several tackles, Quins injury time out.
Blues have an attacking scrum which they win under pressure and take play back into Quins 22 before a knock on ends the attack, Blues pack makes amends and win Quins scrum but again the ball is lost forwards, this time Quins hold their scrum and try running out of defence, Blues manage to get hold of the ball at the tackle and Ryan DAVIS makes good ground before Dan THORNE puts up a good kick to Blues corner, Josh BARTLETT gathers and scores, the conversion hits the upright, 25-5 66 mins

Blues attack straight from Quins restart kick, the ball is spread wide to Harvey North who takes play into Quins half, Blues spread the ball wide but knock on, another injury time out for a Quins player. Quins win their scrum and kick clear, Blues gather and some good running rugby from their backs is spoilt with a knock on, again Quins kick up field from their scrum and again Blues run the ball back at Quins winning a penalty Blues tap and go and put pressure on Quins defence who concede another penalty, Blues take another quick tap and they are rewarded when Max Hayman gets over to score the bonus point try, the conversion just falls short 30-5 74 mins

James Lewis on Alex Bancroft off

Blues run from the restart kick but concede a penalty at the tackle, Quins kick to touch win the lineout and a good attack results in Quins getting over wide out to score, the conversion is wide 30-10 76 mins

Ryan DAVIS off Rory JONES on

Neither side can make the breakthrough to add to their score in the final 4 mins, Full Time whistle is blown

Fullers special MOM for Blues goes to Harvey North. For Quins old Blues player Martin Nutt gets MOM

MOM Aaron JOHNSTON - Berks Brewery

DOD Ryan DAVIS

Newbury Squad
Ben HICKS, Max Hayman, James MACAULAY, Tom Erskine, Stephen Ansell,
Dylan Stewart, Ryan DAVIS, Rory JONES,
Tom Hunt, Alex Bancroft, Toby Pearce, Dan THORNE, Josh BARTLETT, Harvey North, Tom Martin, Aaron JOHNSTON, Kris Ford, James Lewis

A big thanks to the great Blues support who were again there in big numbers

Thanks to Ian Jack for the match photo’s much appreciated by all

Blues next match is away at 2nd in the table Wootton Bassett on Sat 01-12-18, 2-30pm KO
Another big game for the Blues after in form Wootton Bassett’s victory at Marlborough, COYB