Drybrook Rugby Club

Newbury Blues 20pts
Drybrook RFC 24pts

Drybrook if they are going to be hyper critical, will realise that had they been more clinical in taking their chances, the game would not have come down to the wire as it did.
Newbury kicked off in front of a large and vociferous home crowd and both sides showed their intent to play open expansive rugby.
Newbury were first to score when they moved the ball to the blindside and created the overlap. The conversion was successful and with fifteen minutes on the clock Drybrook trailed seven points to nil.
Newbury were guilty on numerous occasions of failing to move away from the ruck, preventing Drybrook from being able to play the ball quickly enough to take advantage of the space they had created.
Finally, on twenty minutes the ref blew and sent the offending Newbury player to the bin. Joe Winfield kicked the ball to the corner and a well-executed catch and drive was halted just a couple of metres from the Newbury line. Marsh quickly moved the ball to the powerful Mitch Hale who was on hand to bulldoze in for Drybrook’s first points. Winfield nailed the conversion and the men in green were back on level terms.
From the Newbury restart Drybrook used their forwards to take the ball on. Good carries from Tingle, Greenway and Frowen, took play into the Newbury twenty-two. The recycled possession was used well by Large and Price as they created the space for Mitch Baldwin to use his strength to go over in the corner.

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With Drybrook leading twelve points to seven and thirty minutes played Newbury looked to attack using their big centres to break through the Drybrook rear-guard.
With forty-two minutes played they were rewarded when Drybrook gave away a silly penalty for offside in front of the posts. The penalty was kicked and the teams left the field for the half time break with Drybrook leading by twelve points to ten.
Drybrook started the second-half by kicking the ball long and chasing up the field. They put the Newbury players under pressure and won the ball at the breakdown. When the ball came back it found the impressive Joe Tingle who strode over to increase the lead for Drybrook. Joe Winfield added the extras and the score moved onto nineteen points to ten.
Drybrook should really then have gone on to put themselves out of sight.
First Tingle broke through the defence but lacked the support needed to finish the move. Moments later Tingle again created the scoring opportunity but his final pass to Baldwin was forward and the chance went begging.
With Drybrook failing to capitalise on their chances back came the Blues, and with twenty minutes remaining they scored a good try through their impressive number twelve. The score was converted and Newbury moved to within two points of the Drybrook lead.
Drybrook were now being forced to do the majority of the defending and on the sixty-

eight-minute mark, gave away a penalty for coming in at the side of the maul. Newbury converted to move one point in front.
Newbury failed to take advantage of another penalty moments later and this left the door open for Drybrook to come back at them.
A line break by Olly Moore allowed the forwards to set up good ball for Clancy who was able to put his captain Ben Large in for the vital score that not only sealed the Drybrook victory but also earned them the critical bonus point.
Drybrook comfortably saw out the remainder of the game and can look back on a good victory, albeit a little closer than they would have liked.
Tom had managed to patch up the coach after she had sprung a leak on the way down, and despite the protests from Soapy, he filled the radiator with the cans on board and we made our way somewhat un-environmentally back to the Forest.
Next week I am sure the Manning’s will be filled to the rafters as Okehampton come to the cauldron. They themselves have had an impressive start to the campaign and will be looking to continue their good start to the season.
Drybrook at home however are never easy to beat, and so we should be in for another ding-dong battle of a match.
Drive on Dry and well-done boys!

Drybrook Squad: MOORE, ROBERTS, PRICE, LARGE, BALDWIN, WINFIELD, MARSH, TINGLE, FROWEN, WATTS, NOTT, GREENWAY, HALE, HOWELLS, AUKER-HOWLETT, JELF, PEAPER, CLANCY.