Pre-season games

Pre-season Friendly’s
Saturday, Aug 21
Walsall 17 Newark 7

A late try from debutant wing Ivor Hughes brought Newark some deserved reward from a trip to Walsall.

This pre-season training game was split into 20-minute quarters. Walsall slowly grew in dominance after Newark held out for the first 25 minutes.

Walsall led 17-0 going into the final minutes when Hughes, who had started the afternoon playing for the 3rds and 4th in an earlier game on an adjoining pitch, was among a trio of players who finished by stepping up into the senior squad.

The wing demonstrated his pace by breaking away from near halfway after the opportunity was set up by some good counter-attacking, led by fly half Matt Cox and another substitute in Bertie Weston-Davies. Jamie Eveleigh added the conversion.

Newark’s travelling group had more to celebrate on the adjoining pitch where a combined 3rd/4th XV easily overcame Walsall opposition, 40-12.

Hughes opened the scoring by showing his pace on the left wing to supply the first of seven tries.

Other scorers were Toby Edlin, Ed Nelson (2), Craig Robinson, Weston Davies, Tom Bridges and Tom Webb.

Pre-season games continue next Saturday (Aug 28). The 1sts/2nds host a team from Loughborough University at Kelham Road. This game is scheduled to kick off at noon. Yes! Noon! Loughborough officials are needed to attend a game later in the afternoon at the university.
The 3rds/4ths travel to East Leake and will be leaving Kelham Road at 1pm.

Teams at Walsall
1sts/2nds: Byrom; Eveleigh, Jay, Miller, Cormack; Cox, Woolridge; J Barnsdale, Tomlinson, Pick, Price, Primmet, Fotheringham, Naylor, Webster. Subs: Jackson, C Barnsdale. Plus: T Bunn, Evans, Weston-Davies.
Try: Hughes. Con: Eveleigh.

3rds/4ths: Edlin; Weston-Davies, Nelson, Webb, Hughes; T Bunn, Bridges; Dawson, R Bunn, Bolger, Johnson, Ashwell, Holmes, Robinson. Sub: Pykett.
Tries: Hughes, Nelson (2), Edlin, Robinson, Weston-Davies, Webb, Bridges.

Rob Wildman