A valiant second half fight-back

First the good news.

With just one game remaining our fate still remains in our own hands.

The simple equation is that a victory over Grimsby at Kelham Road on April 6 will keep us in this league.

Now the bad news. As the legendary baseball player Yogi Berra once said, this game was Deja Vu all over again. It was a game we could have won.

In a match between two teams playing with very different styles it was Gainsborough who came out on top. Their fourth try with the very last play of the game not only gave them a bonus point, it also added insult to injury by denying us a losing bonus point.

It was a cruel blow for Newark who, following some forthright views expressed at the break by coach Richard Byrom, shrugged off a strangely lethargic first half performance to give the hosts a real test in the second.

There was no real debate over who played the more entertaining rugby. With fly half Noah Catley spinning the ball out and making several breaks himself, Newark tried to speed up the match and outflank a physical Gainsborough side. But playing a fast game on this pudding of a pitch was easier said than done.

By contrast, Gainsborough generally relied on their big ball carriers to get over the gain line - and the try line. It wasn't that Newark's tackling was poor, but the home side's carriers were often able to stay on their feet and offload - putting us repeatedly on the back foot.

The referee was alert to every infringement and although we were awarded our fair share of penalties, a couple of tries went begging after being brought back for forward passes.

Gainsborough took the lead following a series of short range, one out-passes close to the line. Number 8 Josh Stamp once again made a couple of breaks but time and again Newark attacks ended in penalties or errors. A scrum taken against the head then allowed Gainsborough's fly half to run deep into Newark territory before they added their second try.

Their ten turned from hero to villain when his sliced kick was well caught by Ed Armstrong who raced down the touchline to outpace the chasing defenders and score in the corner.

Another Catley break ended with the fly half being hauled down just metres from the line but Newark were then awarded a penalty right on half time. Sadly, our attempt to tap and go was stymied by the hard working Gainsborough defence.

After coach Byrom read the riot act at half time, Newark came out a different team.

Teenaged winger Henry Allen - whose pace and balance caused panic in the covering defence on several occasions - came close to touching down before Ed Armstrong sliced through midfield, handed off a couple of would-be tacklers and sprinted to the line for his second try to make it 14-10.

Newark then had a sustained period of possession and threatened to take the lead on several occasions before the Gainsborough fly half intercepted a potential try scoring-pass.
Jonno Armstrong then demonstrated his pace and was able to chase the fly half down within about 50 metres.

It seemed that Robbie Hunter-Shaw had scored to put us in front, but the referee saw the final pass as forward. Then the same player broke through the defence and his kick through almost created a try for Allen, but a Gainsborough player kicked it dead just in time.

A rare Gainsborough foray into our 22 ended in another series of big carries before a converted try took them to 21-10 lead.

Allen made ground again when his dancing feet took him past three or four players before Stamp found a gap to cross for Newark's third try - just reward for another whole-hearted performance. Harley Matts' conversion made it a four-point game with minutes to go.

But a penalty, line out and another series of boshes led to another penalty under our posts and Gainsborough's bonus point try.

It was a deflating end to what had been a valiant second half fight-back, but we had enough opportunities to have won this game.

Everything now hinges on that last game of the season.

Tries: Ed Armstrong (2) Josh Stamp
Conversion: Harley Matts