No change in fortunes for Blues

Newbury Blues suffered their 20th successive defeat on Saturday, going down at home against Lydney

Newbury Blues 25 Lydney 49

NEWBURY'S new year produced no improvement in fortunes as they slumped to defeat number 14 of the season and their 20th in succession.

Mid-table Lydney were one of the teams Blues had to target if they are to log the eight wins they will need to stand any chance of survival this term, and briefly it looked as if they might get off the mark.

That hardly looked likely as they were welcomed into the year by conceding a try without touching the ball in only 60 seconds when Lydney's Matt Taylor crossed.

New signing Joe Kava helped to win a penalty from which Will Clarke reduced the arrears, and the army player put Blues ahead when he was shoved over from a lineout drive before Iain Herriott streaked clear to put Newbury 15-7 ahead.

But after that, it became the same old story as Lydney touched down three more times before the interval through Chris Holder, Josh Hannam and Craig Jones and with a bonus point already in the bag, Lydney closed out the game in the second period with further tries from Charlie Vine, James Bashford and Nick Stoneman as Newbury fell off the pace.

They managed a consolation try when prop Tom Fidler touched down, and their 25-point return was a season's highest, but not enough to merit even a bonus point as Blues were cast further adrift at the bottom of National League Two South.