Newark Town manager Luke Parsons on 1-0 United Counties League win over Belper after Lewis Chambers scores second-half winner
Luke Parsons was pleased to see Newark Town show another side to their game in beating play-offs rivals Belper.
The Blues edged the visitors 1-0 in a battle of sides sitting fourth and fifth in United Counties League Premier Division North.
Lewis Chambers scored the only goal in the 78th minute as Newark bucked the trend for high-scoring affairs.
“It was pleasing to get a 1-0 because we’ve been winning games 4-3 and 5-3 and we’ve not had many one-nils,” said boss Parsons.
“I think Harrowby at home was our only other 1-0 so it’s always good to get a clean sheet.
“To sneak it by one goal shows we can do the ugly side as well and that we’re not always going hell for leather.
“We were well-structured, well-balanced, we had a good shape and when we broke at the right time, we scored.”
Both teams had their moments at the YMCA although Chambers’ strike came against the run of play.
Parsons said: “I thought it was a close battle between two good sides going head-to-head trying to cancel each other out.
“It could have gone either way but we were the fortunate ones to get the result.
“When it’s fourth v fifth, it was probably always going to be one goal that decided it and that’s how it was.
“We’d played them in the Vase, and won 2-1, and there weren’t many chances in that game.
“It was almost like two good sides nullifying each other’s strengths and it was the same on Saturday.
“They started brighter and we grew into it and took control midway through the first half.
“We went up a couple of gears at the start of the second half and had them camped in their half but then they grew back into it and our goal was probably against the run of play.
“We caught them on the break and that was that.
“We didn’t look like we were going to score but we didn’t look like we were going to concede either. It looked a nailed-on 0-0 but, as always, we kept going.”
The result reinforces Newark’s status as play-off contenders in their first year at Step 5. It’s one game at a time but they’re earning other teams’ respect.
“We said at the start of the season we expect to go under the radar for the first 10 games, let’s see what we can do, and ultimately we over-achieved on where we thought we’d be,” said Parsons.
“Now, teams look at us and see we’re still up there and they will show us more respect, the same as we know Belper are up there for a reason.”
Parsons had a big call to make in goal, with Jake West replacing FA Vase hero Eddie Cooper.
West was cup-tied for the Blues’ win over Lichfield last weekend, with Cooper starring in the penalty shoot-out.
After much consideration, West got the nod.
“It was a difficult choice,” said Parsons.
“Eddie was phenomenal in the Vase game but I had to take everything into consideration.
“Westy was up for player-of-the-month, he’s shown that consistency and been outstanding.
“Knowing there’s potential that Eddie’s going back down to Brighton at Christmas, if we upset the applecart too much, we could find ourselves without a keeper at Christmas.
“Ultimately, we based it on performances as a whole and Westy’s been outstanding over three months.”
Newark host second-bottom Deeping Rangers at the YMCA this Saturday (3pm).
On paper, it’s a game many will expect them to win.
“We never expected to come into Step 5 and be favourites in games,” said Parsons.
“Deeping are down there but I know quite a few of their players and I think they’ve got a better squad than their league position suggests.
“Maybe something isn’t clicking but we’ve got to stay level-headed, we can’t get complacent.
“We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing week in, week out, and not give them a chance to get their confidence up.
“We have a right maybe to be considered favourites based on league position but they’re a well-respected Step 5 team and I fully expect them to climb up the league.”
