Midlands One East/Notts Cup semi-final

Midlands One East/Notts Cup semi-final

Paviors 8 Newark 5 (after extra time)

80 minutes score (league result): 5-5

Newark grabbed two crucial league points from an agonising afternoon at the Burntstump ground as Paviors gained the Cup honours thanks to an extra-time drop goal from fly half Dan Yeow.

The teams finished the 80 minutes locked at 5-5 which gave both teams two league points for a draw.
They then played 10 minutes each way of extra time which ended in Yeow dropping a goal from the last kick of the contest.

Newark’s players sank to the ground in disappointment as they had looked to be heading into the final on the away team rule only for Yeow to have the final word.

The consolation for defeat is the fact that the two league points give Newark further hope of avoiding relegation from Midlands One East.
Three teams are set to be relegated and Newark need to beat Kettering next Saturday, at Kelham Road, to be certain of avoiding the drop.
Otherwise they will need to rely on results involving Peterborough, Market Bosworth and Spalding going their way.

A draw had looked highly unlikely after the first 20 minutes when Paviors dominated the scrum. Yet the pressure only brought a try due to some very resilient defence from the visiting team.

Newark finished the half on the attack but missed two kicks.

The momentum increased after the break and a charge from a line-out by lock Jon Evans set up Mark Byrom to score in the left corner following an attack which sliced open the Paviors defence.

Evans’ run inspired the Newark team and for the next 20 minutes they dominated yet failed to gain another score.
Three more penalties were missed and a certain-looking try, following breaks by halfbacks Matt Clark and Matt Cox, was wasted through a dropped pass.

Paviors eventually forced their way back into the match, but they also missed a late penalty opportunity which would have won the contest for league and cup honours.
Instead, the two teams played another 20 minutes of very competitive rugby before Yeow dropped his goal in the final seconds

Scoring sequence: 5-0, Paviors try 26, 5-5 Newark try Byrom 55.

Team: Mark Byrom; Tate, Collishaw, Cox, Hill; Andrews, Matt Clark; Tinsley, Tomlinson, Shiels, Primett, Evans, May, Neil Clark, Price.

Subs: Gray, Chapple, Galinski.

Try: Byrom.

Rob Wildman