Sport down the years

SPORT has always been covered in the NWN down the years. We look at the unforgettable moments from 10 years ago

April 1 2011

Blues out to be spoilsports

NEWBURY Blues coach Ben

Sturnham is planning to look to next season by blooding some of the club’s promising youngsters over the last five games of the National League One campaign.

But before then, he hopes to be able to throw the final spanner into the works for London Scottish by ending their hopes of beating Esher to top spot and promotion to the Championship on Saturday.

The Exiles’ faltering challenge could finally be flattened if Blues can upset the hosts at the Richmond Athletic Ground on Saturday, and Sturnham is hopeful of being able to pull it off if he can put out close to his best side. “Scottish lost on Saturday and when we played them at home, we really pushed them big-time in the scrum,” said the coach.

“I think we can do that again and upset them. We were disappointed to lose to them at home in a game we should have won, and they are under pressure now to win if they want to stay in the promotion race.

“It is a game that we can win.”

Blues will be without suspended prop Chris Rowland, and may also miss hooker Paul Fincken who pulled a hamstring on Saturday, but Sturnham will again be turning to Bath in the hope of arranging some cover.

It is a scenario that Sturnham hopes will be less vital in the future if Blues’ own resources can plug the gaps.

“We are very thin on the ground still,” he said, “But we have been able to blood some good youngsters as a result and once we are completely safe, we shall have a look at a few more.”

Andrew Gale and Karl Buttle have both featured in recent games, and Sturnham has been impressed with what he has seen.

“Both have done well,” he said, “and Karl Buttle took his try well and showed that he has got some real gas as well.

“And it was good to give Andrew Cannock some game time as well. A club like Newbury needs home-grown talent like this and they should be the lifeblood of the team in the future.

“If they can stay together, it means that we don’t have to have so many players trotting down the motorway to play for us.”