Newark II beat Lincoln II 38 - 8 - Report by Mike Fagan

Prior to the game the Referee called both captains together to say he was concerned that the pitch in places was hard and could be unsafe. Fortunately, the ground would just take a stud and was not icy so both captains agreed the game should start with the caveat that if the temperature dropped and the ground stiffened then the game may have to be abandoned.
Fortunately, Newark could field a full team this week complete with 4 replacements and with a reputation to maintain, decided to play away from Kelham Road, hoping to take advantage of the setting sun in the first half. Lincoln started the game with a kick which was securely caught, but unfortunately Newark appeared to be still in the “dressing room” and a series of poor decisions soon led to Lincoln gaining an advantage. If Newark was to be successful then it would undoubtedly require them to be more precise and make faster more determined decisions.
After 4 minutes Lincoln made the first score with a well worked 3 on 2 move and try on the left wing. Hopefully, this would shock Newark into action which would pleasingly prove to be the case. Newark needed to settle and play their own game but it was clear that it would not be a 65 – 9 victory which was the result only 2 games ago. The hesitant start Newark had made needed to be quickly sorted out and the scrum was not going well with Newark back peddling on the first 2 exchanges with Lincoln managing to push them off Newark’s own ball early in the game.
A higher tempo was needed which happened when Rees Overland took a quick tap managing to pop the ball in the tackle to Reece Hodnett to score under the posts. This was to be a telling score coming only 5 minutes after Lincoln took the initiative. Robin Burton-Waring had no problems converting.
This settled Newark who suddenly found a new rhythm to their play as they started to link phases together. Although pressured in the scrum at least the line was going very well and Rees Overland was able to give the backs some good ball. On one occasion Dusty Miller, once again playing fly half, kicked Newark well into Lincoln’s 22. Newark began to appreciate that if we were to beat this capable looking Lincoln side it would need to be done on our terms and we needed to play in the right areas of the pitch.
It was from a moment of pressure and a knock on over Lincoln’s line by Newark that the next try came. Lincoln’s 5 metre scrum was not cleared quickly enough when Reece Hodnett charged down the ball which went vertically up in the air in their in-goal area to be caught and placed down by Gareth Bartsch. Robin converted another kick and Newark were suddenly looking much better.
Lincoln now chose to respond to Newark’s pressure and put in a period of good play themselves resulting in Newark giving away two kickable penalties just outside their own 22. Lincoln managed to convert one of these kicks and fortunately, from Newark’s point of view, missed the other. It was clear the game was far from over and if Newark were to resist we would need to be more determined particularly around the contact space. At times Newark’s interplay was excellent and to their credit they tried to play out of their own 22. This was after 2 opportunities to score were painfully cancelled for a forward pass by the referee. Mark Staines, on a more fortunate day could easily have had a brace of tries when he twice ran excellent lines to be called back for a forward pass. In fairness the first attempt was most probably forward, but the second, a “gut pass” from Matt Cove looked fine and Mark’s look to the heavens said it all.
Other than a penalty to Lincoln neither side managed to score for 15 minutes when a penalty kick from Newark around the half way line put us midway into Lincoln’s 22. Then came a first class catch and drive, which given Lincoln’s superior size, gave a determined message to the opposition that we were not going to be pushed around. Newark’s patience in getting the stack sorted and the following drive involving all the forwards was a testimony to the variety being developed in Newark’s play. Matt Cove only needed to peel less than a metre to make the score 19-8 to Newark. Unfortunately the kick which was out on the fringes, was missed but straight away from the kick off with less than 4 minutes of the half left Newark once gain played out of their 22 down the right hand side with Reece Overland putting the ball down under the posts. This was converted and the half time whistle sounded. Half time score was 26-8.
The half time chat was cool, determined and constructive. The score probably flattered Newark but it was appreciated that if Newark scored first in the second half it would undoubtedly put the game to bed. This was the case. Reece Hodnett had a storming game being at the centre or involved in almost everything. The first score of the half went to Newark with Mark Staines “holding” his man from a breakout to put Rogey over the line. The Rogey “sidestep” is something to behold. Although Robin missed his second kick of the match the score was now 31-8 and Lincoln were facing an uphill task. Newark now made some changes and the added fresh legs led to the final score close to the posts by Reeece Hodnett which rounded off an excellent passage of play by the forwards. The final score was 38-8. Robin should be congratulated having scored 7 out of 8 kicks last week and 4 out of 6 this. He is rapidly becoming our own Jonny Wilkinson having now kicked 80% in the last 2 games.
Newark second team is now looking like the team to beat in the Pennant and as the business end of the season approaches we must expect sides to appreciate what they are up against. We will undoubtedly need to be stronger for our remaining games. Despite an indifferent start to this game it should be noted that after Lincoln scored first they did not really look like threatening our line again. Although close to the bottom of the league, Lincoln gave an excellent game at Kelham Road on Saturday and if they can field the same side again they will undoubtedly give teams above them a run for their money before the season is complete.
Team
AJ (Captain), Dunning, Cove, Coote, Staines, McCarthy, McCartney, Hodnett, Gilchrist, Bartsch, Overland, Miller, Stark, Noble, Burton-Waring, Rogey, Byrom R. Naylor, Cormack