Busy weekend for Blues

Newbury Blues will follow last week's long-awaited win by having to field three sides in two days

NEWBURY BLUES face the task of fielding three sides in two days of league and cup action as they bid to build on last week's breakthrough first win of the season.

Blues entertain Southend in National League Two South tomorrow (Saturday), and on Sunday face Reading in the Berkshire Cup at Monks Lane and send their Colts side to Cirencester to take part in the National Colts Cup.

First team regulars Ben West and Ollie Spanswick are among the squad members who also play for the colts, while against Reading, Blues can field only five players who have played in 50 per cent or more of their league games.

It means hoping that injuries do not strike against Southend on Saturday, when Blues will be aiming to wipe out memories of their first 100-point beating of the season in Essex back in October.

“It is not going to be easy turning around 100 points,” said director of rugby Andy Widdop.

“But our team will be different to the one that played there,” he added. “We have two different props, a different back row and changes in the backs as well.”

That different line-up got off the mark when beating Canterbury 24-19 last weekend, and, said Widdop: “We've had to bring them back down to terra firma and get back to work.”

Blues will be without centre Steve Dachtler and still minus Oscar Matthews on Saturday, leaving Dan Thorne to continue in the number 10 shirt. Prop Nathan Thomas also went off with a neck injury last week, but Luke Sawyer returns.