The visitors opted for a controlled forward game

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Newark 18 Syston 29

Newark produced their best performance in a month but still could not gain any points from the visit of Syston to Kelham Road.

Matt Clark’s team were only two points down at half-time, 13-15, but slipped behind in the second half as Syston grabbed two converted tries before a late score from back-rower James Price cut the deficit.

Syston’s win lifts the Leicestershire team into second place after another unpredictable afternoon in Midlands One East, including Old Northamptonians, who amassed a century of points in toppling Mansfield last week, lost at Market Rasen.

Newark, who are now third bottom having only registered one win in six games, travel to the Northampton club next Saturday needing to continue their improvement over the last two weeks against Rasen and now Syston.

One of Newark’s big problems is the constant change to the line up.

This Saturday, former captain Chris Tate became the team’s third fly half in three weeks while a new-look backline included the return at full-back of Andy Hill.
Hill had an industrious game behind centre Patrick Ford, who joined the club from Southwell in the summer, the most effective attacker.

Ford was helped off near the end after suffering an ankle injury but by then Syston were in control thanks to their two converted tries after the interval.

Newark conceded too many easy points which ruined the good work of a hard-working pack led by lock Rory Williams, back-rower John Webster and substitute Shaun May.

Williams scored Newark’s first try when he won possession at a close-in line-out to force his way over helped by his pack colleagues.
That try, which was not converted, left Newark 8-10 down, following Syston’s opening try and conversion plus an early penalty.

Some poor Newark defence allowed Syston to grab a second try in the first half before Clark scored to give his team some reward for a good period of possession.

Newark turned round only 13-15 down but could never master Syston’s change of tactics in the second half. The visitors opted for a controlled forward game which brought them dominance.

Those two converted tries put Syston in control before Price went over in the far left corner to give the home team a third try and a bit of consolation.
Newark travel to Old Northamptonians next Saturday, kick off 3pm.

Scoring sequence: 0-3 Syston pen, 3-3 Clark pen, 3-10 Syston try & con, 8-10 Williams try, 8-15 Syston try, 13-15 Clark try half-time; 13-22 Syston try & con, 13-29 Syston try & con, 18-29 Price try.

Team: Hill; Galinski, Dixon, Ford, Usher; Tate, Clark (capt); Dunning, Chapple, Barnsdale, Tatham, Williams, Bartsch, Price.

Subs: May, Priestley, Downing.

Tries: Williams, Clark, Price.

Penalty goal: Clark.

Rob Wildman