Changes again as valiant Trowbridge side lose at Newbury

Trowbridge difficult season was brought to an end at Newbury’s impressive Monks Park facility on Saturday with a 29-0 defeat that meant they ended the season in a relegation position. The circumstances were very similar to those when they were relegated in their second season in South West 1 East in 2010. They then also finished one above the bottom after being mid table at the half way stage and only won two matches in the second half of the season. One of the reasons then was the injuries to almost all their first choice backs, but this time it can partly be put down to their inability to field a settled side due to availabilities and late withdrawals in some away matches late in the season. As a result 50 players have played for the team during the season.

Despite four late withdrawals from the team, this was a valiant performance against a Newbury side in third place and the frustration of the Newbury players and spectators was there for all to see in the first half. This came as a result of pressure from the Trowbridge forwards in which Keiron Blake, making his debut at prop and Tom Davies, in his second game in the second row acquitted themselves well. The first scoring opportunity came to Trowbridge when Tom Weaver missed a penalty attempt and Newbury centre Iain Herriott was yellow carded for persistent obstruction midway through the half. Ollie Weaver, who came in at scrum half also linked well with the backs and it was not until two minutes before the break that Newbury N0 8 Matt Horne finished off a period of Newbury pressure, scoring in the right hand corner. The team turned round with Newbury leading 5-0.

Soon after the start of the second half full back Josh Bartlett extended Newbury’s lead with a try, converted by skipper Dan Thorne. Play was even from then and Trowbridge had a period when they threatened the Newbury line, but the Newbury defence held firm. After 20 minutes Thorne increased the lead to 15-0 with a penalty, and Newbury, becoming more confident, starting to throw the ball around more. Their replacement prop George Robinson-Slater was yellow carded for punching midway through the half, but Newbury scored two more tries in the last ten minutes from second row Josh Winfield and Herriott to complete a 29-0 victory. Thorne converted both tries.