A workmanlike win at home for the Blues!
At the last home game of the season, the Blues produced a workmanlike performance, in grim weather, to win against Witney 18:13.
Off to a flying start, Blues Prop, George Robinson-Slater, scored a try in the first two minutes, with Captain and Fly Half, Dan Thorne, ably converting it. Seven points for the Blues! Wing, Jamie Futcher, added another try after just 15 minutes.
Witney held possession for much of the game but couldn’t break through to take the advantage. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that Flanker Alex Du Sautoy was the Blues’ star player. A Witney man in the sin bin probably didn’t help.
The second half continued in similar vein, with the Blues holding up two tries for the unlucky Witney team, who finally got onto the scoreboard nearly half way through the second half with a penalty, kicked by Centre, Angus Brown. A long blast of hail after that was horrible for all, though the teams bashed on, with Witney finally crossing the tryline with ten minutes to go and then again in the final seconds of the match to stand at 13 points. The Blues added a couple of penalties to finish the game on 18 points.
Blue No.8 Josh Winfield and Scrum Half Toby Thorne both celebrated 200 caps with the Blues. And much-loved team manager Mick Futcher announced his retirement after nearly 27 years of coaching, managing and match report writing (and, as he would point out, dirty kit washing!). He will be missed by the team he has created.
As this season draws to a close, the Blues travel away to Reading on Saturday, 30th March for the last match of the current season. You can also see them in action in the annual fixture at Hungerford Rugby Football Club on Good Friday – kick-off at 3pm. Come on you Blues!
Photos by kind permission of Peter Branch
