Most sides being 40 - 7 down would have given up

REPORT WRITTEN BY RICHARD BYROM

Lost 14-54

2’s lose but produce a really gritty performance

It was always going to be a tough encounter against a young student’s side that had ‘bags of talent’. Although it was Loughborough’s 4th string it was clear from the start that this side were going to provide a very stern test for Newark 2’s.
The task was made even more difficult when on the morning of the game we lost Ian Tomlinson and Richard Bevan.
There were first starts this season for Tommy Holmes, Max Chapple , and James Allen. Also it was for Dan Ireland the first 80 minutes of rugby he has played in over 2 years.

The game started disastrously for the home team - an immediate break from the Loughborough second row from the kick off led to a score within the first minute.
However back came Newark and after some excellent work from the forwards, converted back rower Dan Ireland playing at centre bounced 2 tackles and scored a great individual try, Dan Harrison added the extra 2 points and it was 7-5.

For the next 15 minutes it was very even but just as the home team started to gain confidence and looked like they might score - from a ruck in the middle of the pitch the Loughborough No 9 broke through unchallenged and it was now 12-7.

Newark responded well and really took the game to the students and produced some good phased rugby and from a break from Man of the match Dan Ireland it looked like they would score, but a wayward pass allowed the students to counter attack and from their own 22 they went the full length of the pitch to score, heartbreak for the home team 19-7 to the students and then on the stroke of half time it became 26-7.

From the start of the second half- hard work from the Newark forwards, Dave Garland, Ben MaCarthy and Richard Primett all made good strong runs and excellent tackling from youngster Max Chapple and Dan Harrison kept the students in check.

However injuries to Hugh Falconer and Ben Ennals severely limited Newark’s effectiveness in the backs and it was only a matter of time before Loughborough used their very quick backs and two great pieces of handling produced two slick tries in quick succession.

Most sides being 40 - 7 down would have given up but not Newark. Spurred on by some strong runs from the forwards they were awarded a penalty 5 metres out from the students’ line. Quick thinking by Dave Garland and Newark had doubled their score - Dan Harrison added the extra 2 points.

But yet another injury, this time to Jamie Duncan, reduced Newark to 14 players. Very sportingly the opposition filled the gap
With 15 minutes left the game became more and more open and just when Newark looked like they might score again - they got turned over and the students went the full length of the pitch to make it 47-14.

With minutes left they scored a further try to make the final score 54-14.

To be perfectly honest the final score line does not reflect how intense the game had been and the territory that the home side gained but that’s the nature of the game - you need to score when you have the chances.

Loughborough certainly took their chances. However Newark can be very pleased with their overall team performance, they had shown real grit and determination.

Tackling and rucking were much better than they had been in previous weeks.

The result was disappointing but it probably had been the best performance of the season so far.

Without a shadow of a doubt the students are the best team we have played in the last two years.

Special thanks to Nick Scott for refereeing – good job well done.

Next week will produce a stern test – Old Northamtonians away