Pre-season friendly – Saturday, August 27

Newark Rugby Club
Pre-season friendly – Saturday, August 27

Newark 32 Market Rasen 0

Newark ran in six tries to start the season at Kelham Road in refreshing style over newly-promoted Market Rasen.

Flanker Lewis Cove and wing Johnny Statham both contributed two tries each in this pre-season friendly played over four quarters of 20 minutes.

Newark played their best rugby in the first quarter when building a 17-0 lead, newcomer Ryan Fisher, at No 8, scoring the first try following a line-out drive.

Cove and Statham quickly followed up, the latter racing over 60 metres to score the third try. Matt Clark converted one of the tries.

Newark continued to dominate the second quarter but could only turn one more move into a try through wing Toby Edlin after good inter-play by Fisher and Shaun May.

The fifth and sixth tries came in the final quarter when Cove pounced from a concerted period of pressure and Statham raced in at the corner.

Overall, it was a very positive afternoon for the first team squad. Good to see May back upfront and Mark Byrom at centre following a long absence due to a knee injury. Other familiar faces back on duty were lock Jon Evans and prop David Shiels.

Next Saturday Newark travel to Lutterworth in Leicestershire for a further friendly, kick off 3pm, before league action starts the following weekend, at home to Casuals.

Squad
Tate; Buddha, Moore, Mark Byrom, J Statham; Miller, Clark; May, Tomlinson, Shiels, Price, Evans, Webster, L Cove, Fisher.
Subs: Edlin, R Byrom, Ennals, M Cove, J Barnsdale, Primmet, Tatham,

Rob Wildman