Blackheath 20 Newbury Blues 30
BLUES went to rugby’s oldest club to end a blank away record that seems to stretch back almost to the year 1858 when Blackheath claim to have been founded.
In fact, it was only as far back as November 2007 when Blues won on the road, but it might have been 151 years ago for the relief it brought at the Rectory Field.
Two Mitch Burton drop goals secured the win, but four tries secured a bonus point that kick-started Newbury’s league season.
It was deserved in the final analysis, although for the first quarter Blues struggled to get into the game. They trailed after seven minutes to a Gareth Jones try after the number eight capitalised on an outrageous ‘selling’ of the ball to the Newbury back line.
Despite what was to come from the hands, Burton had his problems, missing a penalty before Blues showed signs of sorting things out and levelled the scores after 23 minutes when Matts Williams and Humphries made the room for Craig McGrath to go over wide out, and Burton slotted over his most testing kick of the day.
Paul Humphries pumped Blackheath back in front, but Blues snatched the lead in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time when Burton hammered opposite number Matt Leek and Humphries pounced to hack the ball through and touch down.
The lead was welcome, and Blues showed much more after the break and showed up the Blackheath back line’s hesitancy. From the own scrum, the hosts ran into nowhere and a quick switch by Burton ended with Martin Freeman pouncing as the Blackheath defenders stood and stared.
Humphries was again a key figure when he broke through a gap to find Finlay Coxon-Smith at his shoulder to complete the move for a converted try, and at 24-10 up, that elusive away win was almost in the bag.
Almost, but not quite, and when Burton was caught under pressure, James Tirrell set up Tyson Lewis for a try that Paul Humphries converted, and when the full back slotted over a penalty, a late onslaught was on the cards.
It came, but from Newbury and Burton was set up for a drop goal from 35 yards out, and although he missed a penalty and Waylon Gasson did likewise when taking over kicking duties, the fly half could breathe easily by making the art of kicking look easy when heavy pressure in the 22 came to nothing but Burton took his chance to put the outcome beyond doubt and lay a lot of ghosts in the process.
Blackheath: P. Humphries; Tirrell, Moan, Staten, Lewis; Leek, Ibrahim; Legg, Knight, Brett; Dewale, Vanner; Pike, Sullivan, Jones. Subs: Winwood, Natera, Wallis, Baldwin, Vaughan.
Newbury: Williams; Ridgers, Scott, M. Humphries, Freeman; Burton, Gasson; Green, McGrath, Rowland; Hodge, Pape; Coxon-Smith, McGregor, Witcomb. Subs: Perkins, Oliver, Cannock, Sullivan, Fincken.