Newark & Sherwood manager Romaine Graham praises form of captain Jamie Goddard after returning from ACL injury

Newark & Sherwood boss Romaine Graham has praised the impact of skipper Jamie Goddard since returning from a long-term knee injury.

Goddard was sidelined for almost 18 months before making his comeback from an ACL injury at the end of February.

The midfielder is enjoying his full season back in action for the Highwaymen and is proving as vital as ever.

He scored in a man-of-the-match match performance as Newark won 2-1 at AFC Mansfield in United Counties Premier Division North on Saturday.

“Skip has really stepped up,” said Graham.

“He was out for about 18 months with his knee, which is quite a long time, so this is his first proper season in a while.

“We’re conscious we’ve got to manage his game time but when he’s on the pitch and he’s in the form he’s in, that’s why he’s the skipper.

“The club stood by him when he was out and he’s repaying us with his performances.

“Occasionally he’ll have a flare-up after training and when we have two games in quick succession, I’ll have that in the back of my mind.”

The Highwaymen ended with 10 men after a ding-dong battle at AFC Mansfield.

Defender Jamie Williamson was sent off for a second booking a minute from time, while the visitors also had Toby White and keeper Ross Woolley booked.

AFC Mansfield, meanwhile, ended with five cautions.

It was always likely to be feisty with ex-Newark & Sherwood boss Jonathan D’Laryea in the hosts’ ranks along with four of their former players.

Kole Lambert opened the scoring and Goddard pounced on an error for number two before Jordan Sowerby replied.

“It was a battle, that one,” said Graham. “The referee didn’t have control of the game, to be honest.

“They had four of our old players so he should have done his homework.

“As players, you’ll go as far as the referee allows you to, so both teams were at it and it escalated.

“It was always going to be a tasty affair but we came out with the win at a difficult place to go.”

Williamson and Kameron Campbell struck as the Highwaymen twice fought back from a goal down at home to Bourne on Tuesday night before losing 4-2.

Newark & Sherwood visit Step 6 side Radford in the FA Vase second qualifying round this Saturday.

The squad are near enough at full strength and Graham faces a selection dilemma.

“It’s getting hard now because everyone’s playing well,” he said. “I’m going to have to make some tough decisions.

“I’ve probably got an 18-man squad when everyone’s fit and then there’s three or four younger players on the periphery who’ve impressed.

“I’m a project manager by day, so I like to plan everything.

“What I’ve found is you plan as much as you can but you just go a game at a time at this level because someone’s child might be sick or there might be an injury.

“But we are getting a full squad now and when you leave players out you just have to be honest with them.

“I’ve got to try and keep the squad happy.

“We’re playing lower opposition in the Vase so I might look at that and try and keep the squad fresh but it’s a competition we want to go far in so I don’t want to change too much.”