BOXING DAY _ PRESIDENTS FIXTURE MATCH REPORT

REPORT WRITTEN BY DARREN GOURLEY

First team won 52-34

Boxing Day at Kelham Road saw the traditional fixture where Newark 1st XV take on the President’s XV.

After a nervous few moments as the players for President’s Team slowly began to arrive followed by some delicate negotiations with Matt Clark about who could be loaned to the President’s Team Andrew Russell-Webster got the game going for the expectant large crowd.

Both teams had fully bought into the spirit of the game and it was the President’s team that retained the ball well and went all out on attack resulting in two early scores for Jack Badley and George Seabrook.

Newark responded through a well worked try for Ben Usher and then soon after for Alex Scott.
The tempo of the game was such that Nick Gresswell for the President’s who had not played for a couple of years decided he needed some time off the pitch as the excesses of the day before began to weigh heavy!

The tempo of the game remained with the rolling subs policy being applied allowing Matt Cove to come on giving Stuart Birch the chance of a well-earned breather.
A strong performance from Sarib Quazi, who was playing his last game in England before returning to India, allowed the President’s to score again through Jake Wrather.

Mark Coulson responded for the home team and Curtis Marshall finished the first-half scoring with the President’s turning round 17-24 ahead.

Half-time allowed both teams to have the traditional Boxing Day refreshments on the pitch and it was the Newark team who began to take control of the game in the second half with tries from Jaymie Duncan and a second for Alex Scott to put them ahead.

Back came the President’s with a score from George Seabrook before a cross field kick allowed Ben Usher to gather the ball for his second for Newark.

The President’s team now feeling the pressure decided that captain for the day Dave Shiels should be back on the pitch and he soon had the desired impact with him crossing for a score.

The more observant in the crowd will have spotted that the President’s now had sixteen players on the pitch to try and stay with the Newark team!

Newark’s fitness and spirit showed strong to the end with four further tries from Alex Scott, Ben Usher, Mark Coulson and Will Britten seeing them run out worthy winners 52 – 34.

After the game in the packed clubhouse many commented that it was the most entertaining Boxing Day game for some time and credit must go to both teams but particularly the Newark team for the spirit and energy they showed in putting on such a spectacle.

Best of luck to Newark for the rest of the season and many thanks to all those who travelled back to Newark to represent the Presidents XV.

President’s: B Huddlestone, S Birch, D Shields, S Hutchinson, D Fotheringham, J Whitton, C Hill, G Seabrook, Sarib Quazi, S Caudwell, N Greswell, J Strawson, C Tate, J Badley, J Wrather, E Farrell, D Fagan, C Marshall.