Newark Town manager Luke Parsons puts focus on United Counties League clash with Shirebrook ahead of FA Vase third-round tie against Daventry

Newark Town players know they must keep standards high with a week to go until one of the biggest games in the club’s history.

The Blues have important league business to take care of before facing Daventry in the FA Vase third round on December 7.

Luke Parsons’ high-flying Blues visit Shirebrook in United Counties Premier Division North on Saturday (3pm) and that’s the priority for the manager.

“We take it game by game,” said Parsons.

“We played Shirebrook three weeks ago and beat them comfortably but since then they’ve won two and drawn one and not conceded a goal.

“This will be a difficult game. The conditions will be tricky and we’re playing a team who are now full of confidence, so we have to be at our best and pick the right team to go out and win the game.”

Places are up for grabs for the Vase tie but that’s no different to any other week.

“You’re always playing for your shirt,” said Parsons.

“It’s the same week on week, whether it’s the FA Vase coming up or Deeping away.

“The most important game for me is this Saturday.

“We don’t look too far into the future.

“We focus on who we’re playing, we prepare for that, and then once that game is done and dusted, we see who we’ve got next and focus on that one.”

Parsons, meanwhile, has welcomed the appointment of Sarah Robinson as Newark’s new chair.

She steps up after seven years as vice-chair and succeeds Chris Wade.

“To be fair, I’ve been dealing with Sarah for quite a lot of my tenure anyway,” said Parsons.

“She’s brilliant, she’s the best person for the role.

“She lives and breathes Newark Town and has only ever been supportive.

“It’s a really positive move for the club, as is Lee Henderson coming in as vice-chairman.

“That’s an absolute coup for the club.

“He’s another well-respected man around the town.

“The whole new board structure is very positive.”

Newark’s home league game against Deeping last weekend was postponed due to a frozen pitch at the YMCA.

The decision was made following a pitch inspection just before 11am.

It’s rare for matches on 3G to fall foul of the weather.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a game off in three years on that pitch,” said Parsons.

“We had the snow and it froze over and without the conditions warming up by two or three degrees, you just couldn’t shift it.

“The referee did the pitch inspection just before 11am, because you’ve got to give the opposition time to travel.

“There was rain due and by 3pm, it could have been playable, I don’t know.

“With snow, you can’t get rid of it. You can’t shovel it off because it damages the pitch and removes the black bits as well. You just have to let it melt.”