The final whistle went and Newark had won

WRITTEN BY RICHARD BYROM

2nd XV V Paviors

Won 41-38

Definitely a game of two halves!

Following a comprehensive victory the previous week against the Notts Medics which saw the Newark men climb to the top of the Pennant table for the first time this season, they arrived at Burnt Stump in confident mood.

The game started brightly for the visitors, within 5 minutes Alex Scott the young fly half scored his second try in consecutive games and by 15 minutes the blue men were rampant having scored 2 more tries through Richard Thompson and Jonny Statham.

A lapse in defence let the home team in for a score but when Jonny Statham added his second and Max Chappell scored another, Newark were in total control and led at the interval 31-7.

How the game changed in the second half. Paviors really came out ‘guns blazing’ and within 15 minutes had reduced the arrears by a staggering 21 points (3 converted tries) and the scoreboard now read 31-28.
Newark were ‘on the rails’ and shell shocked.

But they rallied and when some great forward work led to James Newman scoring, it gave the visitors a bit of breathing space.

However Paviors continued to throw everything at Newark and within the space of 5 minutes they responded brilliantly. Poor Newark tackling and they had scored two further tries and amazingly were now leading for the first time 38-36.

Had the boys in blue got anything left? With 3 minutes left they were awarded a kickable penalty, but Alex Scott’s attempt failed.

However from the drop out the ball somehow ended up in Jonny Statham’s hands and he then made a 40 metre charge to the Paviors line shrugging off lots of home defenders. It was his third try and surely the winning score Newark 41 Paviors 38.

But no, the drama continued.
From the kick off Newark were penalised and from the tap penalty Paviors looked like they were going to score only for a last ditch tackle which pushed the home side player into touch.

The final whistle went and Newark had won but only just, a great first half performance had almost been undone by a really poor defensive second half performance.

If we are to win the Pennant league again this year then we will have to defend much better in our remaining 5 games than we did against Paviors this afternoon

Man of the match, there were 3 contenders- Jonny Statham (hat trick of tries), youngster Jack Clayton who carried ball really well all afternoon, but it eventually went to Adam Downing for a great all round performance.

Many thanks to Nick Scott and Trevor Waude for their efforts on the sideline.

Next week its Spalding in a ‘friendly’-