Newark 2nds V Paviors 2nds. Saturday 29 October 2011

This was the second match between these fierce rivals in 4 weeks and Newark were looking for their first win against Paviors in 2 seasons after being knocked out of the Ron Rossin Cup at their last meeting.

Newark’s confidence was high in the week preceding as the selected team was the strongest the 2nds have had available this season and having recorded 5 wins out of 6 games. However,late calls from the 1st team and injuries that had not cleared denied the team the services of 3 key players. Nevertheless, the team fielded remained strong on paper and the confidence was apparent when Newark got off to their best start of the season when early pressure was rewarded with a penalty that David Fagan converted to bring up Newark’s first points of the afternoon.

Paviors looked a shadow of the team that had visited Kelham Road 4 weeks ago but they were to prove anything but a push over when they retaliated with a try to take them into the lead after 10 minutes. Fagan kicked a second penalty to restore Newark’s narrow lead to 6 – 5 but their performance was not convincing, littered with silly errors and disjointed forward play with too many forwards standing out in the backs when more competition was needed at the breakdown. It was not until the 33rd minute that Newark’s forwards got themselves together to drive over Pavior’s line for Price to ground taking the score to 11 – 5. Although the conversion was missed it now looked as if Newark had got their tempo going and could assert some authority on the game in the second half.

After the break Newark started strongly with good control and strong running attacks from both backs and forwards and although an early try created by great inter-passing between forwards, was mysteriously denied by the referee; minutes later Byrom created an opening for James Stark to go under the posts to score his first try for the team. Fagan duly converted. Pavior’s were not beaten as Newark seemed to sit back they mustered their assets and were awarded a penalty as Newark's discipline and motivation started to slip. This narrowed the gap to 10 points and Newark rallied to put more pressure on Paviors line. Bartch went over and grounded to have the ball hacked out of his hands by a Pavior players boot and the Referee awarded a penalty try, Fagan converted to take the score to 25 – 8. Newark maintained their momentum and a flash of inspiration and quick thinking from the base of a ruck saw scrum half Rhys Overland side step and jink his way under the posts to put a further nail in Paviors coffin and he then converted his own try to take Newark into what looked an unassailable lead at 32 points to 8 with 12 minutes remaining.

In the spirit of Halloween, Pavior’s were to show that like Dracula, you do not destroy the beast until you stake it through the heart before the coffin is secure and Paviors, with nothing to loose now stormed back, sunning Newark ragged to score an unconverted try to take the score to 32 – 13. Newark looked anything but a dominant force at this time, lack lustre and inattentive, many of the players seemed to have shuffled off to the bar to celebrate their win. This allowed Paviors, now playing with confidence and more intent than they had shown through the game, to score a further 2 tries, both unconverted but taking their try tally to 4 and winning them a well earned bonus point. Whilst Newark had a good creditable win to maintain their 100% record in the Pennant Competition with a bonus point for their 4 tries, they were ruing taking their foot of the pedal and not possessing the ruthless streak that converts a good win into a great victory that would drill fear into the heart of their competitors.

Team: Jackson (Captain), Cove M, Pick, Staines, Price, Nailor, Hodnett, Barch, Overland, Fagan, Stark, Bridges, Burton Waring, Edlin, Byrom, Glilchrist, Fothringham, Barnsdale C.