Newark & Sherwood’s United Counties League Premier Division North game goes ahead against Shirebrook after visitors wear bibs following colour clash

Newark & Sherwood’s weekend opponents were made to play in bibs after a self-inflicted colour clash.

Visitors Shirebrook were due to wear red in Saturday’s United Counties League Premier Division North game.

But they arrived with their away kit, which was barely distinguishable from the Highwaymen’s green strip.

The referee allowed the game to start before finally asking Shirebrook to don yellow bibs just before the 10-minute mark.

Newark boss Romaine Graham, whose side won 2-0, said: “They play in red, they were supposed to wear red and they’ve turned up with their away kit.

“It was a strange decision to allow the game to kick off without doing something.

“The ref was all right, though, to be fair. It was an easy game to manage.”

Captain-for-the-day Luke White broke the deadlock with a neat finish midway through the first half and Kieran Cummings, fit after recovering from a dislocated finger, added the second with 11 minutes remaining.

“It was a dominant performance,” said Graham.

“Shirebrook are struggling but they’re not an easy side to play against. Conditions weren’t the best but we moved the ball very well.

“They had two banks and it was up to us to break them down.

“In the second half, we were getting through at will. There was some pretty poor finishing but we got the job done.”

Vice-captain White took the armband, with regular skipper Jamie Goddard left out of the side.

Goddard was unavailable for Tuesday night’s Notts Senior Cup semi-final at Radford, a game the Highwaymen won 3-1 with Cummings scoring twice.

So Graham needed to look at other options in midfield, leaving White to lead the team.

The stand-in captain thrived on the added responsibility.

“Luke was brilliant at the weekend,” said Graham.

“He had the armband and it was a proper captain’s performance.

“The ball for his goal wasn’t intended for him but he got hold of it and took charge of the situation and put it in the back of the net. That’s the attitude he had. He’s had the armband before but there was something different about him.”

Graham was also pleased to see top scorer Cummings on target after his finger injury.

“I think we all knew he’d be fine but he was a bit worried about it,” added the manager.

“He had a few chances. He’s still not back to his 100% clinical self but if he gets in the right areas and you give him that many chances, he will score.”

The 10th-placed Highywaymen host play-off contenders Boston Town at Harrowby this Saturday (3pm).