Speedy start puts 2nds on way to first league win

Newark 2nds posted a first win of the new league season in an exciting encounter at Kelham Road which produced 10 tries.

An excellent start of speedy rugby put the Newark team in command at 24-0 up by half-time. The whirlwind start brought five tries including two each for backs Scott Edmed and newcomer Will Hickton.

However, Derby came back strongly in the second half to force a tense finish.

That flying start saw Hickton, on the wing, score after four minutes as the Newarkers exerted all the pressure. Scrum-half Edmed scored the second which Rhys Overland converted.

Edmed continued to threaten and went over again under the posts. Again Overland converted to give the home side a 19-0 lead after 24 minutes.

Newark continued to exert pressure, particularly through the combative back row of Matt Christian, Will Ellison and Olly Cooke.

The pressure paid off when Toby Taylor, back at full-back, went over in the corner to give Newark a seemingly unassailable half-time lead of 24-0.

However, Derby had other ideas and in the persistent drizzle opened their account soon after the re-start.

They added another halfway through the half to make it 24-12. The game was now very loose and Derby scored again with 15 minutes to go to make it 24-17. Surely not!

The impressive Overland settled the ship with a penalty 10 minutes to go and then Hickton added his second with five minutes to go to settle the sizeable home crowd’s nerves.

Surely at 32-17 Newark were about to register their first win of this campaign. To their credit Derby stuck at it and added a converted try in the dying minutes to make it 32-24 and then another wide out with the last play of the game to give them two bonus points.

But crucially Newark had held on for a deserved first win of the season and a bonus point.

Newark Tries - Edmed (2), Hickton (2), Taylor.
Conversions - Overland 2
Penalties - Overland 1

Newark 2nds v Derby 2nds: Case; Hickton, Hunter-Shaw, Armstrong, Taylor; Overland, Edmed; Cobb, Leeson, Wells (c), Bagga, Bennett, Cooke, Christian, Ellison.
Subs: White, Cook, Partridge.

The 2nds next play on Saturday week (October 14th) at Notts Casuals kick off 3pm.