Blues take derby points in a battle

Reading 0 Newbury Blues 16

BLUES completed a Berkshire derby double but had to settle for a simpl four-pointer against a Reading side fighting for its life in South West One East.

The game’s only try came from Josh Love after he claimed a wayward drop goal attempt from Dan Thorne, who added the conversion and the other points via two penaltries and a successful drop goal.

Play-off rivals Salisbury gained a point from their five collected from a 48-10 win over High Wycombe that leaves them three clear going into another international weekend off.

Thatcham scored an 18-17 home win over Stow on the Wold that lifts them out of the bottom two in Southern Counties North, while Tadley Tigers’ Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier Division game with Milton Keynes at Red Lane was abandoned at half-time when the referee was forced out of the action through injury.