More awayday Blues for Archer
NEWBURY Blues’ travel sickness struck again as they crashed to a 24-17 defeat at Frome in South West 1 East.
Blues, lying fourth in the table, travelled to second-from-bottom Frome looking to expand on the previous week’s fine win over Chippenham.
But instead they struggled to cope with a lively home side and slumped to their fifth away defeat of the season.
Head coach Paul Archer admitted: “It was very disappointing indeed – we never really got out of the blocks.
“Credit to Frome, they played to their strengths, we struggled to control the game and we just didn’t make the most of what came our way.
“It was a very flat performance.”
Archer added: “We have struggled a bit away from home since the turn of the year, but there are no excuses.
“We should be good enough to go to places like that and win, but it was just not our day.
“After the game I was disappointed and the players were disappointed because we knew we had not done what we set out to do.
“But we will learn from
this. Sometimes when you win games when you haven’t played well then it is just papering over the cracks.
“There is no defeatism in the squad – it is about improving again and reaching the same level as previous weeks.
“Hopefully, this result will gives us a rocket boost for the final game.”
Archer also took positives from the defeats this season.
His side has been hit by injuries, concussion protocols and unavailabilities.
But he said: “We have a fairly deep squad and there is a benefit from having a settled side, but we have not been able to do that.
“It has been frustrating, but in the long run it will pay dividends because the changes we are having to make through necessity are giving our younger players the chance to experience first-team rugby.”
Archer will be looking for his side to bounce back in their last league game of the season at home to Grove on April 23.
A series of events will be held to entertain what is expected to be a large crowd, and Archer said: “Our home form has been good and our home support has been fantastic.
“There is something special about playing home games in front of a big crowd.”