Chiefs
Match Report
Newbury Blues
v
Exeter Chiefs
Saturday 16th February 2008 When the Chiefs turned up at Monks Lane, Newbury they couldn’t be sure which rugby team they would face. Newbury are the ultimate Jekyll & Hyde team having run Northampton within one point at Franklyn Gardens and given the Chiefs a hard time when they visited Sandy Park earlier in the season, yet ‘Les Blues’ lie close to the bottom of the league . And so it was to prove on this day. Maybe we should have been worried when the Chiefs spent the 1st 6 minutes penned in their own half, yet Tony Yapp put the 1st points on the board with a straightforward penalty in front of the post after 10 minutes. Newbury missed an easy penalty and things seemed to be going to plan for the Chiefs when Josh Drauniniu scored an easy intercept try and Yapp converting after 24 minutes to make it 10 - 0 to the Chiefs. Still we had little suspicion of what was to come. From the kick off ,The Blues had a poor start and the Chiefs won another penalty and kicked for the line. But then things seemed to go strangely wrong for the Chiefs. A small stoppage for an injury to no.12 Andy Reay for the Blues on 30 minutes seemed to be the turning point. From the resulting line out the Blues set up a rolling maul and no. 15 Jonny Hylton crossed over for the 1st points to the Blues with the resulting conversion, the score moved on to 10 - 7 on 34 minutes. From the kick off the Chiefs won a scrum which Blues managed to turnover , but the danger seemed to be over when the Chiefs managed to turnover the resulting possession and kicked the ball up field. Blues easily collected the ball and appeared to have an easy chance to score their second try , but a missed pass stopped the action. The Chiefs gained a line out but were penalised for closing the line. The Blues kicked for goal and the score was even at 10 all. Exeter won another penalty, but Yapp unusually missed, what for him, looked like a straightforward kick, so we reached half time at 10-10. The second half was to prove to be nearly all Newbury’s. (If anyone can explain to me why Mr Rowden gave the Chiefs a Penalty when they wheeled a scrum round 90 degrees ,I’d be most grateful) but anyway back to the game. Lewis Stevenson was sent to the bin for coming in from the side. From the next scrum, the referee Rowden, blocked Blues no. 8 , Tom Brown. The retaken scrum saw the ball released to the backs with full-back , Hylton coming into the line and providing right winger Martin Nutt with the space to put Newbury in the lead for the first time in the game. Walsh kicked the conversion from the touchline.
Bookmark or share this story with:
| 17 Feb, 2008 13:39 | Report |
|
Unofficial Chiefs (IP Logged) Unregistered User |
| 17 Feb, 2008 14:38 | Report |
|
Big Tom Tom (IP Logged) Unregistered User |
| 17 Feb, 2008 17:11 | Report |
|
sportbilly42 (IP Logged) Unregistered User |
| 17 Feb, 2008 17:31 | Report |
|
Registered User |
Date Joined: Dec, 2006 Location: Posts: 1522 |