Back the boys plea from Blues

Relegated Blues plead to supporters to give battered youngsters a lift in bottom of the table clash

RELEGATED Newbury Blues are hoping that supporters will give their downcast players a lift when they tackle

the HInckley side immediately above them in the National League Two South table at Monks Lane on Saturday.

Last week's record 132-0 defeat at old Albanians was a severe blow to the morale of Newbury's young side. It was a result that comdemned Blues to a third successive relegation and back to the regional division from where Newbury set out as a league side 25 years ago.

"We had to deal not only with the physical scars, but emotional ones as well," said director of rugby Andy Widdop, who admitted that some of his players had felt like chucking in the towel.

"It's the worst I've seen them," he said. "They were not only physically scarred , but emotionally as well and we have had alot of emotional issues to deal with.

"I have never seen them so down," he said. "Some felt that it had just got too much, but we have put that aside now and they will, be there again this week.

"What we need is for supporters to turn up and give the boys a lift. Sometimes it seems that they are out there on their own, and we need our old supporters to turn up and not think about what's happened in the last three or four years and just try to give them a lift."

Blues have some extra help with skipper Martin Freeman and lock Andy Cannock returning, and Oscar Matthews, Matt Holyland and Myles Roberts-Bailey are all back to add to last week's makeshift line-up.

But Jack Taggart has undergone a hip operation this week, and army number eight Joe Kava is now sidelined by divisional games, while hooker Alistair Widdop broke his nose in a university game this week and is a doubt.