Seven second-half tries

Midlands Two East North
Leicester Forest East 19 Newark 53

Newark scored seven second-half tries at Leicester Forest East to record a 10th successive win of the season.

Forest had proved difficult opponents in a first half which ended in Newark leading only by a point at 14-13.

But Newark’s greater pace and fitness proved match winners in a second half which brought another victory to maintain the lead at the top of Midlands Two East to nine points ahead of second-placed Market Bosworth who have leap above Bakewell Mannerians.

The match turned a minute before half-time when captain Chris Tate finished off after both the Coen brothers, Danny and Chris, had gone close. That score put Newark 14-13 ahead.

Cox failed to land the conversion, but his three penalty goals in the opening 40 minutes had kept Newark in touch after Leicester Forest had scored the first try of the match after only five minutes.

A breakthrough the midfield by Chris Coen, who enjoyed his best game since his return this season, paved the way for Newark’s excellent second half. His surge led to Mark Byrom, who had previously featured at scrum-half this season, to score the first of his two tries.

Lewis Cove, another dominant forward, grabbed Newark’s fourth try from a line-out drill while Newark’s other tries in the half came from flanker James Price, centre Sam Sibilski, wing Will Britten and substitute Tom Bridges. Cox kicked two more conversions.

Team: Tate; Edlin, Sibilski, M Byrom, Britten; Cox, D Coen; J Barnsdale, Tomlinson, Gray, Primett, Tatham, Price, L Cove, C Coen. Subs: Jackson, Fisher, Bridges.
Tries: Tate, M Byrom (2), L Cove, Price, Sibilski, Britten, Bridges. Cons: Cox (2). Pens: Cox (3).

Rob Wildman