Newark looked set to turn round leading at the interval

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Saturday, Dec 6

Midlands One East

Newark 16 Bugbrooke 22

Newark gained a valuable bonus point from another close game against Northamptonshire rivals Bugbrooke who won by three tries to two at Kelham Road.

This game last season had brought a last-gasp Newark win of 29-25 and this encounter was only decided in the final moments.

Newark responded to last week’s poor defeat at Belgrave by producing a much more resolute display led by the forwards who won plenty of possession from a good line-out.

A rejigged backline gave Chris Tate a chance at fly half for the injured Matt Cox while Ben Usher came in at full-back with a new centre pairing of Tom O’Leary and Ben Dixon. Up front, the versatile James Price moved to the back row from prop where Jason Barnsdale started.

An entertaining match ended in Bugbrooke pulling clear through a late try and penalty after Newark had closed the margin thanks to an excellent try from Usher at the start of the second half.

Usher’s try put Newark only a point behind at 13-14 following a first half when the home team had led 8-7 midway through the period.

Bugbrooke had taken an early lead following a try and conversion only for Newark to put together some good driving play which ended in a score for flanker Lewis Cove off a line-out

Matt Clark missed the conversion but found his kicking boots when landing a penalty seven minutes later to put Newark 8-7 ahead.

Newark looked set to turn round leading at the interval but Bugbrooke finished the half strongly gaining a second try and conversion for a 14-8 advantage.

The best moment of the match for Newark came straight after the break when Usher demonstrated his pace by racing through the Bugbrooke defence off a well-executed midfield move.
Usher’s try made for a competitive second half in which Bugbrooke proved just too strong and eventually grabbed a third try from a move outwide.
A penalty from Clark reduced the margin to 16-19 and raised hopes of another last-gasp win. But Bugbrooke enjoyed most of the pressure in the final minutes and gained a penalty just before the final whistle.

Scoring sequence (Newark first): 0-7 Bugbrooke try, 5-7 Cove try, 8-7 Clark pen, 8-14 Bugbrooke try, 13-14 Usher try, 13-19 Bugbrooke try, 16-19 Clark pen, 16-22 Bugbrooke pen.

Team: Usher; Stark, O’Leary, Dixon, Britten; Tate, Clark (capt); Dunning, Tomlinson, Barnsdale, Tatham, Downing, Webster, Lewis Cove, Price.

Subs: Priestley, Fotheringham, Spurr.

Tries: Cove, Usher.

Penalty goals: Clark (2).

Rob Wildman