NEWARK HAD LED 11-6 EARLY ON

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Saturday, March 8

Midlands One East

Newark 29 Bugbrooke 25

Newark recorded one of their best wins of the season by hunting down Bugbrooke in a magnificent second-half effort.

Each team scored three tries each only for the home team to prove the stronger in overturning a 25-11 deficit to record a 14th league win of the season.

Newark’s staying power which has served them so well in recent weeks – bringing wins over Paviors and Peterborough – once again was a decisive factor.

Second-half tries from hooker Ian Tomlinson and full-back Martin Brummitt were backed up by some accurate goal kicking from fly half James Offer who contributed 14 points via four penalty goals and a conversion. Newark’s other try came from back-rower Jon Webster in the first half.

Bugbrooke looked to have built a winning lead some 10 minutes into the second half when they collected a third try to leave the scoreboard showing a 25-11 margin.

However, a penalty goal from Offer put Newark back on the offensive for a crucial period which brought those tries from Tomlinson, via a forward drive, and an excellent score by Brummitt from a counter-attack the full-back started in his own half.

Newark showed they can handle at pace in a sweeping move which ended in Brummitt scoring in the left corner after passing and support play which just about involved every back.

The try put Newark 26-25 up, Offer having converted Tomlinson’s try, and the home team almost grabbed a fourth score only for Webster to be held up on the line.

Newark remained on the attack and a further penalty from Offer put Newark 29-25 ahead. Bugbrooke responded by going back onto the attack for the last 10 minutes and were also held up on the line.

That close call went Newark’s way and some good home defence also kept out Bugbrooke in a tense finish.

Overall, Newark played some of their best rugby showing a good variety of attack through their strong-running forwards and quick three-quarters which brought a man-of-the-match award for centre Ben Dixon.

Newark had led 11-6 early on thanks to two penalty goals from Offer and a try by Webster, off a line-out drive, after Bugbrooke had kicked two penalty goals.

Bugbrooke took over in the last 20 minutes of the first half when they scored two tries to lead 18-11 at the interval.

A third try early in the second period looked to have put them clear but Newark had other ideas and responded to record an excellent win over the league’s third-placed team.

The win keeps Newark in fifth place only four points behind Bugbrooke who have a game in hand.

Newark play at Paviors in a Notts Cup semi-final, kick off 3pm, next Saturday (March 15).

Team versus Bugbrooke: Brummitt; Waqalevu, Spurr, Dixon, Galinski; Offer, Clark (capt); Tinsley, Tomlinson, Gray, Tatham, Dan Price, Webster, Curry, James Price.

Subs: Barnsdale, May, Bridges.

Tries: Webster, Tomlinson, Brummitt.

Conversions: Offer.

Penalty goals: Offer (4)
.
Sin bin: James Price.

Scoring sequence: 0-3 Bugbrooke pen, 0-6 Bugbrooke pen, 3-6 Offer pen, 6-6 Offer pen, 11-6 Webster try, 11-11 Bugbrooke try, 11-13 Bugbrooke con, Half-time. 11-18 Bugbrooke try, 11-23 Bugbrooke try, 11-25 Bugbrooke con, 14-25 Offer pen, 19-25 Tomlinson try, 21-25 Offer con, 26-25 Brummitt try, 29-25 Offer con.

Rob Wildman