Blue and Whites crash at top dogs Hinckley
Newark Rugby Club face two home games over the next five days that could revitalise the Kelham Road team after three successive league defeats in the last month.
Despite captain Danny Coen giving Newark the lead at Hinckley on Saturday, the Leicestershire side turned out 28-3 winners to stay top of Midlands Two East.
Newark now look to get back to winning ways at home to Ampthill tomorrow (2.15pm) in a league game at Kelham Road followed by the visit of Mansfield on Wednesday in the semi-final of the Three Counties Cup (7.30pm).
Bob Fowkes, the club coach, has put the disappointments of the last month down to a much-changed team including the loss of captain Coen for the past month because of a knee injury.
In the absence of the scrum-half, the chopping and changing has been highlighted by three players having captained the team — centre Paul Cook, flanker Lewis Cove and prop Mick Barker.
Another change came at Hinckley where James Wheeler, who has joined from Nottingham, was moved up to outside-half in the absence of the unavailable Michael Dobson.
Wheeler was then switched to full-back in the second half when J.J. Connolly replaced Richard Byrom and took over at number ten.
“We just need to get a little bit of stability and new energy. But everyone should be up for the next two games as we need to get back on the winning trail,” said Fowkes.
Lincoln 2nds 0 - Newark 2nds 81
Forwards Ian Tomlinson and Matthew Gibson were the pick of a dominant Newark pack at Lincoln.
Newark scored 13 tries to put them in the right form for the visit of leaders Paviors.
Wing Sam Sibilski and full-back Chris Roberts contributed two tries each while there was one each for Matt Cove, John Webster, Alex Jackson, Gareth Bartsch, Nick Gresswell, Alex Statham, Will Naylor, Chris Blood and Jason Phillips, with Roberts kicking three conversions and Gresswell five.
Newark 3rds 10 - Southwell 2nds 10
Two second half tries by lock Craig Johnson and centre Steve Hodges rescued a draw for Newark 3rds in a Pennant match against a Southwell 2nd XV team who started well to build a 10-0 lead when Mathew Mitchell’s try was converted by Alex Benson who then added a penalty.
Newark 4ths 18 - Bingham 42
Richard Gelsthorpe, playing his first game for two years, discovered his kicking boots and promptly slotted eight points against a strong Bingham XV in a Pennant fixture.
Gelsthorpe kicked a penalty and then converted tries by lock Sam Booth and number eight Paddy Robinson.
Paviors Colts 22 - Newark Colts 26
Newark Colts relaxed at Paviors after building a 26-8 lead in which lock Aaran Gibson scored two tries and flanker Aaran Riley one. The other points came from David Fagan, the outside-half, who landed two penalties, a conversion and a drop goal.
Newark Minis
Newark Under-12s v Oakham W56-0 (tries — Toby Trotman, Declan Hursthouse, Rupert Innes, Jac Beeby, Lewis Batterham, Will Lyon, Will Cleasby, Jake Turner. Conv – Ben Dixon 8). v Oakham L0-10.
Newark Under-11s v Oakham L15-25 (tries — Jake Saywell, Max Chapple, Tom Crosby). v Kesteven W20-0 (tries — Saywell 2, James Evans, Nick Barton).
Newark Under-10s A team v Oakham L0-20. v Oakham W25-0 (tries — Sam Noble, James Newman, Sam Bell, Connor Slack, William Cousins. v Kesteven W5-0 (try — Cousins). v Oakham W15-10 (tries — Spencer Caldwell, Newman, Cousins). B team v Kesteven W30-0 (tries — Alex Scott 2, Jack Warren 2, George Woodman, Jordan Slack). v Oakham L0-30.
Newark Under-9s v Oakham W20-0 (tries — Edward Poulson 2, Alex Firth, Thomas Brogden). v Oakham L0-10. v Kesteven W20-0 (tries — Poulson 2, Jack Baxter, Brogden).
Newark Under-8s v Kesteven L25-45 (tries — Billy Rush 2, Josh Beavis 2, Jordan Berry). v Kesteven L30-35 (tries — Daniel King 3, Beavis 3).
Southwell 1sts 17 - Boston 17
The visitors had until recently been challenging for league honours and they went ahead with a penalty before Paul Rich replied in kind to level the scores, but Boston got another to lead at the break.
Another penalty in the second period extended Boston’s lead to 9-3 before Alex Moore’s try was converted by Rich to see the lead change hands.
Boston kicked another penalty and scored a try of their own, but Moore got a second try and Rich held his nerve to kick the conversion and earn a share of the spoils.
Southwell 3rds 5 - Boston 2nds 17
The Redmen’s 3rd XV lined up for a friendly against visitors Boston and, though it’s not often that the 3rd XV come across a side with more young players than themselves, it was certainly the case with the Boston line-up.
Their well-drilled youthful team battered the home side’s defence and, although the Southwell side was once more dominated by more forwards than backs, the Redmen put on a brave performance throughout.
Young star Toby Shearwood showed that he had inherited his mother’s instincts for rugby with a well-taken try — something which his father, 2nd XV hooker Mike Shearwood, has managed only once throughout his Southwell career, and that was in a Boxing Day fun match.
Ollerton 2nds 82 - Keyworth 5
Ollerton first team’s away game was cancelled at the last minute by Horncastle, so it was the second team that flew the flag at home against Keyworth 2nds in a Notts Pennant fixture that they won convincingly with an 82-5 scoreline.
It was a good, clean game, with Ollerton dominating throughout as they scored 14 tries to Keyworth’s one.
Carl Milnes had a great day, scoring five tries and kicking six conversions for a personal tally of 37 points, while Pete Davies scored a hat trick and the other tries came from Andy Hinds (2) Mark Glaves, Martin Hempsall, Fred Ford and Luke Barker.
Keyworth never lost heart and scored a good forward try for their efforts, while the man of the match award went to Luke Hewgill.
