Late penalty earns Newark draw against Bosworth

Midlands One East
Newark 26 Market Bosworth 26

Newark salvaged a draw but could easily have posted another win in their latest league match, at home to Market Bosworth.

A 17-9 half-time advantage looked to be paving the way for Newark’s third win of the season but they had not bargained for a Bosworth comeback which saw them lead 23-26 going into the final stages when Danny Coen landed a penalty to draw the game.

First-half tries from Matt Clark (2) and Alex Moore established Newark’s lead alongside a conversion of the third try by Coen.

Bosworth proved resilient opponents in the second half when twice forcing their way over to lead 17-19 on 70 minutes.

Two penalties by Coen re-established Newark’s lead at 23-19 but a third try from Bosworth, following a break-out from their own 22, looked to have given them the game at 23-26.

But Newark camped once more inside the Bosworth 22 as injury-time ticked on and eventually forced a penalty under the posts which Coen kicked.

Newark had played some good rugby in the first half after Bosworth had taken an early advantage thanks to two penalty goals.

Moore struck by chasing up his own kick ahead while Clark used his sniping instincts as a scrum-half to grab his tries. His first came after wing Will Britten burst 70 metres from his own half.

Newark, like last week in the defeat at Peterborough, had to make late changes by bringing in prop Alex Jackson and Jack Badley on the wing. In the back row, Chris Coen made his first appearance of the season alongside Lewis Cove and Jon Webster.

Newark travel next Saturday to Loughborough, for a league match, kick off 3pm.

Team: Tate; Badley, Mark Byrom, Moore, Britten; Danny Coen, Matt Clark; Jackson, Tomlinson, Barnsdale, Evans, Primett, Webster, Lewis Cove, Chris Coen.
Subs: Staines, Priestly, Cox.
Tries: Moore, Matt Clark (2). Conversions: D Coen. Penalty goals: D Coen (3).
Ends