Blues lose relegation showdown

Home defeat makes it 16 out of 16 as Newbury face up to yet another demotion

Newbury Blues 5 Amersham and Chiltern 27

BLUES' survival hopes look to be as good as buried after they went down to an Amersham side that is threatened with following them down the ranks.

Newly promoted Amersham were third to bottom of the table, but their bonus point win lifted them out of the bottom three while leaving Blues stuck fast to bottom spot after defeat number 16 of another torrid campaign.

They were trailing to winger Brad Reeve's try after five minutes and full back Chris Jacks soon added a second, converted by Ross Bugden.

Blues gave themselves hope when hooker Alistair Widdop touched down from a lineout midway through the half, but they could not capitalise when the visitors had prop Rhys Cadogan sin-binned soon afterwards and a Rob Smalley drop goal 15 minutes after the break kept Amersham in front.

Blues lost Widdop to concussion and Rob Drysdale to a yellow card and two tries in the final 10 minutes wrapped it up, Sam Portland and Dwayne Polataivo touching down to keep their side's survival hopes alive, while leaving Blues looking increasingly certain to be heading out of the national leagues altogether.

BOTTOM of the table Hungerford put up a battling display before losing 36-11 at promotion-chasing neighbours Thatcham in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier Division, but Tadley lost 36-7 away to Southern Counties North promotion hopefuls Windsor.