NEWARK 2nd XV
Matches
Sat 12 Oct 2019
Newark RUFC
NEWARK 2nd XV
26
13
PAVIORS
Confident Newark Seconds Blunt Gritty Paviors Attack

Confident Newark Seconds Blunt Gritty Paviors Attack

DAVID GODFREY14 Oct 2019 - 06:22
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Newark Seconds 26, Paviors Seconds 13

A physical performance from both sides on pitch 1 at Kelham road yesterday saw Newark 2s notch up four tries against a strong Paviors side.

After an initial thrust by Newark on kick off, most of the first ten minutes saw the home side defending hard as Paviors used a hefty set of forwards to try and punch holes in the line, without quite managing to find a way through. They did however ask some uncomfortable questions of the Newark pack, after sending them trundling backwards in the first scrum of the match and forcing a kickable penalty on their own put-in – 0-3 and first blood to Paviors.

Newark had weathered the first squall of the day reasonably unscathed, and needed to show some moves of their own, and the game’s momentum certainly shifted their way. But a series of well-conceived moves over the next twenty minutes were frustrated by a high penalty count both at the set piece and in loose play, and the net result was that they conceded another kickable penalty after a high tackle and Paviors duly slotted it over to take the score to an unanswered 0-6.

Nonetheless, the home side were clearly moving onto the front foot, winning plenty of turnover ball in the loose and launching a blistering series of attacks on a stretching Paviors defence which only just managed to hold the ball up after Newark crossed the try-line. Encouragingly the scrum had finally found its mojo, forcing the visitors to give ground at the resulting 5-yard set-piece and Ben Ennals - razor-sharp at scrum-half throughout - raised his head, saw the gap and darted through for an excellent touch-down between the posts – 7-6 (conv. Ilai Naqasima).

And Ilai went over himself on the stroke of halftime after Paviors coughed up a penalty on the restart, leading to a Newark line-out and a maul up the pitch – 14-6 (conv. Ilai).

Paviors were hoping to reassert themselves after the break, but found themselves essentially playing catch-up rugby with Newark moving the ball quickly and crossing the gain line with every move, courtesy of some effective carrying by Bill Saqaya, Mick Barker and AJ amongst others. Jamie Vintners and Leveni Enn at flank were an absolute nuisance from the visitors’ perspective, snapping up ball at the breakdown and generally causing mayhem, and fresh legs in the shape of Tommo, Rory Williams and later Joe Moodie and Lee Gillatt only added to the mix.

Despite an excellent defensive performance, Paviors were pinned back for almost 30 minutes of the half and almost bound to cough up points in these circumstances. The first try came after a great steal by Ennals from the aftermath of a Pavs lineout sent Noa Baleiono and Saqaya up the right before switching left to Eliman who eventually crashed over by the posts with a feisty Williams in support (21-6, conv. Ilai); and Newark’s final try of the day came from a fine solo run by Noa, wrong-footing a tiring Pavs defence on the blindside and pelting down the left to score – 26-6.

With the clock ticking down, Paviors seemed to regain their composure and spent the final ten minutes of the game camped on the Newark line, using their formidable rolling maul to score a well-earned try in the process. But it was too little too late, and Newark were the worthy victors when the final whistle went – 26-13, full time.

Thanks go to the referee who kept firm control of a fixture that has occasionally been less than good-natured in the past, and to both Newark and Paviors for a thrilling game of rugby.

Next up – Notts Moderns away.

Tries: Ben Ennals, Ilai Naqasima, Eliman, Noa Baleiono
Conversions: Ilai Naqasima

Match details

Match date

Sat 12 Oct 2019

Kickoff

15:00
Team overview
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