Another Gutsy Performance

For the third game in succession, Newark stood up to a physical 1st XV team which tried - and failed - to bully their way to victory.

Gainsborough is a flourishing club which has bounced back from challenging times. At one stage there were doubts over its future but it now puts out two senior men's sides, a successful women's team and has a growing mini and junior section.

But for various reasons they were forced to play a couple of forwards in their back line and it showed. Newark had to tackle hard throughout the game, with a particularly impressive set of big hits in the last five minutes which nevertheless ended with a consolation try for the visitors

Newark began strongly enough, spinning the ball with pace and winger Scott Edmed's fast feet had the visitors twice scrambling in defence. But the team's old weaknesses re-surfaced and four successive penalties ended with the Gainsborough fly half kicking the visitors into a 3-0 lead.

The visitors then conceded a penalty of their own and number eight Sean Denning quickly tapped and ran deep. Centre Ed Armstrong was in support and fly half Rhys Overland eventually found winger Will Hickton who was able to force his way over in the corner.

Denning, who had another fine game, then went down the blind side at pace, before re-gathering his own well-judged kick ahead. The ball was then worked left to Edmed who seemed certain to score before a high tackle stopped him in his tracks. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try (and yellow card) to make the score 12-3 at half time.

Although Gainsborough's big runners asked questions of Newark's defence they were never able to match us in the scrum where we had them in all kinds of trouble for most of the game. That solid platform proved crucial to the victory.

The visitors started the second half well and retained possession through multiple phases. A rolling maul then led to a series of short range pick and goes which ended with a try. The conversion reduced the lead to two points.

The game then became something of an arm wrestle and we were fortunate that their fly half missed two kicks at goal.

Will Staniforth - on for the reliable Eliot Bratton at scrum half - then broke through in midfield. Overland volleyed the attempted pass and the ball was carried over by the Gainsborough fullback. Although the resulting scrum came to nothing, Newark soon stretched their lead when Denning broke from another scrum, sprinted right and fired out a missed pass to Hickton. The winger's pace and power did the rest.

Denning himself completed the scoring following a deliberate knock on by Gainsborough's replacement winger. The powerful number eight took another quick tapped penalty and sprinted under the posts for a try converted by Overland. Gainsborough complained that the penalty was taken some distance from the site of the offence but the try was just reward for Denning's all round performance.

Although now trailing by 14 points, the visitors refused to give in and were helped in the closing stages by a harsh yellow card awarded to Will Alexander. Newark were forced to defend on their own line for much of the last five minutes but Gainsborough eventually found space out wide to score with the last move of the match.

The freezing conditions didn't make for much exciting handling but this was another gutsy performance from a side cheered on by boisterous support from the sidelines. The win moves us five points clear of the relegation zone.

Tries: Will Hickton (2). Sean Denning. Penalty try

Conversions: Rhys Overland.

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