Newark played their best rugby in the first half

Newark Rugby Club

Notts, Lincs & Derbys Shield – semi-final

Newark 14 Spalding 11

Newark booked a place in the NLD Shield final by holding out in a tight contest which entertained a good crowd on a cold night at Kelham Road.

First-half tries from halfbacks Matt Cox and Jacob Andrews helped Newark to a 14-6 lead at half-time.
And the advantage proved just sufficient to withstand a Spalding comeback which brought a late try when the visiting pack took control.

Newark played their best rugby in the first half which they dominated.

An excellent attack, led by centre Jack Badley and full-back Mark Byrom, ended in Cox finishing a good passage of interplay.
Cox also added the conversion and improved a second try when scrum-half Andrews, who had made a good impression on his first start for the first team last Saturday, touched down after he had charged down a clearing kick in the Spalding 22.

Spalding had taken the lead in the opening minutes through a penalty, but Newark pulled themselves together to dominate the half which brought those two important tries.

Newark now play Peterborough Lions in the league on Saturday, kick off 3pm at Kelham Road.

In the Shield final, Glossop will be the opponents. Though a date of Saturday, May 12, at Ilkeston, has been set aside it has yet to be confirmed.

Newark have agreed to play their Notts Cup semi-final against Paviors as a ‘double header’ when the teams meet in a league game on Saturday week (April 13) at Burntstump.

Team: Byrom; Tate, Badley, Collishaw, Britten; Cox, Andrews; Tinsley, Naylor, Shiels, Primett, Evans, May, Neil Clark, Price.

Subs: Tomlinson, Barnsdale, Priestley, Galinski.

Tries: Cox, Andrews. Conversion: Cox (2).

Rob Wildman