NLD Shield 1st rd – Saturday, Aug 31, 2013

Newark Rugby Club

NLD Shield 1st rd – Saturday, Aug 31, 2013

Newark 37 Southwell 8

Newark started the season by beating Southwell thanks to a good display in the first half which settled this local derby.

Three tries in the opening 40 minutes put Newark 24-3 ahead at the interval of this NLD Shield first-round match at Kelham Road.

Newark, captained by Lewis Cove in the absence of unavailable Matt Clark, included three newcomers in the match squad in fly half James Offer, lock Jaymie Duncan and substitute back Ben Dixon.

Offer kicked 12 points – three conversions and two penalties – in a confident show while Dixon, a 17-year-old from the club’s senior youth squad, grabbed the final try in the closing stages after a break from full-back Mark Byrom.

Newark made full use of their pace from the start as wing Nick Galinski scored the first two tries, the second starting from under the posts of the home team off a tap penalty taken by fly half Offer.

Both tries were converted by Offer who also landed two penalties to put Newark 17-0 up before Southwell struck back through a penalty.

Newark finished the half on top and a third try was engineered when Jacob Andrews, who started at scrum-half, broke clear off a tap penalty move. Offer converted.

The second half proved to a very scrappy affair. Newark, having already had one player sin binned in the first half, had two more yellow-carded but produced their best rugby when down to 13 men.

Cove scored one try from a series of pick and goes and the match ended in Dixon scoring a try on his senior debut.

Newark start their league campaign next Saturday at Ilkeston.
Kick off 3pm.

The first home league game is the following weekend (Sept 14) at home to Kettering.

Newark Team v Southwell

Mark Byrom; Galinski, Moore, Cox, Britten; Offer, Andrews; Barnsdale, Tomlinson, Gray, Tatham, Duncan, Seabrook, Lewis Cove, Neil Clark.

Subs: Dunning, Shiels, Webster, Tate, Dixon.

Tries: Galinski (2), Andrews, Cove, Dixon.
Conversions: Offer (3). Penalty goals: Offer (2).

Sin bins: Moore, Seabrook, Galinski.

Rob Wildman