NEWARK LED 29-5 AT THE INTERVAL

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Midlands One East

Newark 81 Spalding 12

Newark won for the first time since the second week of 2015 by overpowering bottom-placed Spalding at Kelham Road.

A match-day squad featuring eight players 19 or under ran in 13 tries led by wing Ben Usher who galloped in for six of them.

Usher celebrated his selection for the England Counties under-18 squad by showing his talent in an explosive performance.

He was backed up by a team who enjoyed the victory after a difficult two months since the last win, against Mansfield on Jan 10.

Though Newark remain in third bottom place, two points behind Mansfield, such a victory shows the ability the squad possesses.

Usher was joined in the teenage gang by debutant in wing Callum Slack, who scored a try as well, plus two brothers in Jed and Max Chapple, No 8 Josh Hubbard, lock Rory Williams.

The last two youths came off the bench in replacement forwards Devan Priestley and James Newman.

Newman and Hubbard both recorded their first tries for the senior XV while the other scorers were fit-again Lewis Cove, Williams, Mark Byrom and substitute back James Stark.
Fly half Harry Hinchley, who needed treatment part way through the match, kicked five conversions and Slack three.

It was Cove, back playing his first game since the win over Mansfield, who scored the first and his return was a big factor in settling a young team.

Usher grabbed the second try to show he was going to be a menace for Spalding and by half-time he had scored four of his six tries.

Newark led 29-5 at the interval and though they conceded a second try to Spalding straight after the interval, Usher quickly scored a fifth to pave the way for a free flowing second half.

Williams, who had to serve 10 minutes in the bin for a high tackle, broke clear from a line-out for his try late on after Slack, Hubbard, Stark, Usher (again), Newman and, finally, Byrom had made the score sheet.

Overall, the man-of-the-match award went (obviously) to Usher while head coach Nathan Smith had plenty of praise for the work of Jason Barnsdale and Jed Chapple up front in a good team performance.

Newark are away next Saturday at Bedford Athletic.

Team: Mark Byrom; Usher, Waqalevu, Tate, Slack; Hinchley, Max Chapple; Dunning, Jed Chapple, Barnsdale, Primett, Tatham, Williams, Lewis Cove, Hubbard.

Subs: Priestley, Newman, Stark.

Tries: Usher (6), Cove, Williams, Slack, Hubbard, Stark, Newman, Byrom.

Conversions: Hinchley (5), Slack (3).

Sin bin: Williams.
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Rob Wildman