A GREAT TEAM EFFORT AND A CREDIT TO NEWARK RUFC.

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

On an unusually mild December Saturday Newark seconds arrived at Market Rasen in good spirits and with an equally unusually dry Market Rasen pitch looked forward to the game ahead.

Newark’s attitude and focus was excellent from the start and after a dominating the early part of the game they were rewarded with the first score by Nick Moore on ten minutes, who finished off a move in the left hand corner after Newark had retained the ball well for several phases.

Newark soon began to recognise that Market Rasen were looking to play the game through their forwards using driving mauls and carrying tight.
Directed by the accomplished Jordan Slack at fly half they began to move the ball wider with the strong running of Jonny Statham and the sharp footwork of Connor Slack creating three or four good scoring opportunities only for the last pass or final decision not being executed to take the score.

Market Rasen managed to force their way into Newark’s half and following a penalty they kicked to the corner and continued with their driving maul option from the resulting line out which was successful this time allowing them to brake off and score with the last play of the half.

The half time team talk focussed on the number of chances Newark had created in dominating the first half and the players agreeing to carry on doing more of the same.
It was clear however that they were disappointed and frustrated to have turned round level.

Matt Pinder came on for the injured Nick Moore and Newark began as they did the first half and it wasn’t long before they got some reward with Jonny Staham ending another strong run by crashing over.
Reece Overland kicked the tricky conversion to further extend the lead.

Ten minutes into the second half family intuition struck as Jordan put in a cross field kick to Connor who gathered the ball drew the last defender and put Reece Overland in for try number three.

Try number four followed on 60 minutes when Neil Clark who was playing for the first time since returning from injury crashed over after good build up play and the scoring was completed for Newark when Connor Slack intercepted deep in his own half to go the length and score under the posts.
Rhys Overland converted.

Ben McCarthy was replaced by Nick Moore due to a knee injury with Jonny Staham spending the final part of the game in the second row.

Credit to Market Rasen they never gave up and dominated the close of the game and were rewarded with a converted try after 72 minutes and pushed hard for another right up the final whistle but Newark’s attitude and desire in defence they had showed all game kept them out.

Mention to the Newark front row of Barton, Brown and Hutchinson who put in a great shift against a strong Market Rasen pack with the back five of the scrum also ensuring the exciting backline had plenty of ball to play with and lots of support both in attack and defence.

Final score 12 – 29.

A great team effort and a credit to Newark RUFC.

Newark team: Allan; Moore, Connor Slack, Statham, Overland; Jordan Slack, Chapple; Barton, Brown, Hutchinson, McCarthy, Whitton, Craig Barnsdale, Fotheringham, Neil Clark.

Subs: Pinder.