Clark converted the final score

REPORT WRITTEN BY ROB WILDMAN

Midlands One East - Saturday, March 29

Newark 26 Derby 33

Newark claimed two valuable bonus points from an eventful league match which produced nine tries at Kelham Road.

Derby won by five tries to four to keep them in sight of a play off place while Newark remain in fifth spot with two games to go.

Late tries by captain Matt Clark and Chris Tate earned Newark a bonus point for scoring four tries, centres Aloesi Waqalevu and Alex Moore having scored earlier.

Newark also gained a point for losing by seven points or fewer but the afternoon’s work was spoiled by another serious injury this time to fly half Mark Byrom who injured a knee in the first half.
The injury to Byrom forced a reshuffle in the Newark ranks which saw Matt Brewer move from flanker to full-back.

Newark were hindered throughout by conceding too many penalties and having two players sin binned.

Derby led 19-7 at half-time having scored three tries in an opening half where Newark kept in touch via Waqalevu’s try, following a break by Brewer, and a conversion from Byrom.

Byrom was injured after that try when he was hurt in a tackle which saw Tate take over duties at fly half.

Newark cut the gap further when Moore raced in for a try off a break by Waqalevu. Matt Clark added the conversion.
That put Newark only five points behind at 14-19 but Derby scored two crucial tries to put themselves clear.

Newark eventually managed to put their phase game into gear and worked two late tries for Clark and one for Tate sparked by Moore’s dummy and break.

Clark converted the final score.

Next up for Newark is a league trip to Huntingdon and District on Saturday (April 5), kick off 3pm.

Newark have one more home league game, against Ilkeston, on April 12, and finish their season in the final of the NLD Shield, on April 26, at Matlock against either Kesteven or Melbourne.

Team: Tate; Galinski, Waqalevu, Moore, Stark; Byrom, Clark (capt); Gray, Tomlinson, Barnsdale, Webster, Williams, Bartsch, Brewer, Curry.

Subs: Dunning, Dan Price, May.

Tries: Waqalevu, Moore, Clark, Tate.

Conversions: Byrom, Clark (2)
.
Sin bins: Webster, Gray.

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Derby try, 0-7 Derby con, 5-7 Waqalevu try, 7-7 Byrom con, 7-12 Derby try, 7-17 Derby try, 7-19 Derby con, 12-19 Moore try, 14-19 Clark con, 14-24 Derby try, 14-26 Derby con, 14-31 Derby try, 14-33 Derby con, 19-33 Clark try, 24-33 Tate try, 26-33 Clark con.

Rob Wildman