A slow start !

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Midlands One East

Saturday Jan 4

Newark 6 Mansfield 15

Newark produced one of their poorest displays of the season to slither to defeat on a muddy pitch at Kelham Road.

Mansfield shot into an early lead and were never headed to become the first team to win in Midlands One East at Newark this season.
Newark had plenty of possession but failed to breakthrough apart from two penalty goals from fly half James Offer, one in each half.

Newark, who won 38-10 at Eakring Road in September, returned to league action following the Christmas break aiming to make up for another poor performance in losing at Kettering.

But after a slow start, which allowed Mansfield to score an early try which was not converted, Newark missed a number of chances including two shots at goal.
Newark fell further behind when prop Joe Tinsley was sin binned and Mansfield added a penalty to lead 8-0.

Despite the loss of Tinsley, Newark pressed again and gained a further penalty which Offer missed. Mansfield immediately took up the attack and fashioned a try by putting together a counter-attack from inside their half.

Mansfield added the conversion and led 15-0 until Offer, just before the break, landed a 35-metre effort to give Newark some hope at half-time, 15-3 down.
Newark needed an early score at the second half, but plenty of effort came to nothing and flanker Jon Webster also ended up in ‘the cooler’ for 10 minutes.

The match became more mistake-ridden as the wet conditions took over with both teams struggling to make headway.

Newark’s best chance of a try came midway into the half when captain Matt Clark almost scored at the corner but was adjudged to have been tackled into touch.

Another period of Newark pressure eventually brought a second penalty for Offer but overall the home team never looked likely to breakthrough some good defence mounted by Mansfield.

Newark, who are now fifth in Midlands One East, travel to Market Rasen next Saturday, kick off 2.15pm.

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Mansfield try, 0-8 Mansfield pen, 0-13 Mansfield try, 0-15 Mansfield con, 3-15 Offer pen, 6-15 Offer pen.
Team: Mark Byrom; Galinski, Waqalevu, Tate, Dixon; Offer, Clark (capt); Barnsdale, Tomlinson, Tinsley, Price, Primett, Tatham. Lewis Cove, Webster.
Subs: Dunning, Fotheringham, Statham
.
Penalty goals: Offer (2).

Sin bins: Tinsley, Webster.

Rob Wildman