A classic basement scrap but one all Newark supporters will grimace over in remembering. Old Laurentians, bottom-placed, edged a nervy, topsy-turvy match through an injury-time penalty goal.

For starters, Newark helped hand an eager home team a 19-0 lead within six minutes of the start on a cold, windy afternoon. Old Laurentians scored from the kick off and followed up twice more to be comfortably ahead.

Newark hauled themselves back into the match and should have scored more than the one try, from wing Callum Slack, in the lead up to half-time. That score, which Dan Mackie converted, showed what was possible and Old Laurentians knew the second half would be tight.

So it proved. Newark enjoyed more territory and possession and a Mackie drop goal rewarded the pressure. Nerves and the sticky pitch made for difficult handling and both teams made plenty of mistakes.

Amid two sin-bins for the home team, following one for the hosts in the first half, Newark had numerical strength which they began to take advantage of thanks to a penalty try, awarded for obstruction on Connor Slack out wide.

Mackie converted from in front of the posts to leave Newark 17-19 down. The visitors maintained the pressure and Connor Slack needed no help from the referee for the third which was improved for a 24-19 lead.

However, the momentum of the match swung in the last 10 minutes. Callum Slack joined Luke Tupholme, who had suffered a bump in the first half, on the sidelines due to injury and Newark began to slip backwards.

To compound the changes, Newark lost substitute Matt Cove to the sin bin and it was Old Laurentians’ turn to pile on the pressure which produced their fourth try which levelled the scores at 24-24.

A draw would have been a fair result but Newark could not regain the momentum and had a further player sin binned in the closing stages to allow Old Laurentians a final kick at goal which was accepted, the home team finishing 27-24 up.

For Newark, a losing bonus point keeps them in 13th place, five in front of Old Laurentians, one behind Matlock who lost 28-0 at Paviors, and two behind Market Rasen, who are one place above the relegation zone.

Newark, who have seven games remaining, return to Kelham Road next Saturday for a Nottinghamshire derby against Paviors, kick off 2.15pm.

Team v Old Laurentians: Scott; Callum Slack, Waqalevu, Tupholme, Connor Slack; Mackie, Clark (capt); Dunning, Tomlinson, Chapple, Duncan, Webster, Hubbard, Coen, Garland.

Subs: Jackson, Cove, Green.

Tries: Callum Slack, pen try, Connor Slack.

Conversions: Mackie (3).

Drop goal: Mackie.

Scoring sequence (Newark first): 0-7, 0-12, 0-19, 7-19, 10-19, 17-19, 24-19, 24-24, 24-27.