Abbots sent sprawling by fired-up Blues

Title-chasers downed as Blues find their form

Newbury Blues 27 Newton Abbot 12

BLUES shook off their recent blues to beat second-placed Newton Abbott and close their 2017 Monks Lane programme on a high note.

Having been sent spinning towards the South West Premier League’s bottom three in recent weeks, Blues reversed the trend emphatically with a stunning home showing that should take them into the new year in good stead, trips to Exmouth and Lydney not withstanding.

They were 17-0 up in 18 minutes after Duncan Craigen muscled over for a try, John Bartlett carved his way through for a second and skipper Dan Thorne dotted down a third, Richard West adding a conversion.

It was only on the stroke of half-time that the visitors summoned up a reply through Max Snowdon, and although they piled on pressure after the re-start with Ian Milton’s try and an Ollie Avery-Wright conversion leaving the visitors within striking distance, they could not break through again.

And it was Blues who wrapped it up when Thorne escaped to touch down his second try, and one that earned five points after West had a converted and added a late penalty to add glitter to the early Christmas party.

Newbury Blues: Bartlett; Pearce, D. Thorne, Love, Futcher; West, Pigott; Hicks, Drysdale, Macauley; Dole, Craigen; Winfield, Spanswick, Millar. Subs: Robinson-Slater, D. Stewart, Hackett.

Newton Abbot: R. Avery-Wright; Browne, Jess, Dennis, Snowdon; O Avery-Wright, Kenny; Radford, Avery, White; Milton, C. Stewart; Courtier, Bushfield, Harris. Subs: Dowrick, Wright, Fogden.