Opportunism keeps first team in front at Mellish

A try in each half earned Newark a fifth win of the campaign in a tough encounter at Nottinghamshire rivals Mellish.

Full-back Jack Drabble scored after only eight minutes but after that Newark struggled to build a lead until wing Ovi Gilder raced clear in the second half. Scrum-half James Tarbatt kicked a penalty and conversion.

This game at Mellish on Armistice Day was played in bright and sunny conditions on a soft and grassy pitch.

Newark set off well, putting Mellish under pressure in defence. The ball was recycled on the right and fullback, Jack Drabble, finished off a smart try after only 8 minutes. A difficult conversion from the touchline was missed.

Newark went back on the offensive which Mellish managed to relieve with a penalty awarded for failing to release.

The big Mellish pack started to make their presence felt and it was only a mighty tackle by Olly Dodders that repelled a promising attack.

A good cross kick from the Mellish stand off should have led to a try but, once again, the attack was repulsed. However, Mellish won a penalty on the Newark 22 which was converted.

It was apparent that the Newark scrum was under severe pressure and it gave away penalties regularly throughout the game, particularly in the first half.

Despite this, Newark continued to press in the right corner and were unlucky not to press their advantage home. The sides then exchanged penalties before the half-time break with the score 6-8 in Newark's favour.

The first half had not been an advertisement for sparkling rugby and those spectators hoping for an improvement were to be disappointed.

The Newark side will justifiably point to a convincing defensive display against a bigger pack but they found it difficult to break down an equally obdurate Mellish defence.

Soon after the restart there was a long pause for an injury to the Mellish 15 and both sides recycled their benches.

Neither was able to establish an advantage but the Mellish superiority upfront meant that they should have taken better advantage of this element of their game. Both sides will also point to missed opportunities with failed kicks to touch and unsuccessful attempts to convert penalties.

Mellish almost broke the stalemate with a storming run down the left wing but Newark just managed to hang on in defence.

Newark won a penalty and a break led to an optimistic kick ahead by Billy Charles which fell kindly to enable Ovi Gilder to hack on and touch down for a try.

It was a rare moment of celebration for a well-taken opportunistic score, added to by the conversion to give a score in Newark's favour of 6-15.
To be fair, it slightly flattered Newark but this was soon corrected when, in the dying moments, Mellish went over for a try at close range which was then converted with the last play of the game.

This narrow win, 13-15, will bolster Newark's mid-table position and give confidence for the matches coming up, starting next Saturday at home to Walsall, kick off 2.15pm.

Team v Mellish: Drabble; Charles, Ashe, Walton, Gilder; Britten (capt), Tarbatt; Godfrey, Vinters, White, Ellison, Brogden, O’Leary, Dodders, Dobson.
Subs: Ashton, Wright, Jackson.
Tries: Drabble, Gilder. Conversion: Tarbatt. Penalty goal: Tarbatt.