Newark Town defender Luke Andersen scores a last-minute winner against Melton to take his tally for the season to seven goals
Defender Luke Andersen had never scored for Newark Town before this season - now he’s the main man.
Andersen moved on to seven goals - an impressive return for a centre-half - with his double against Melton on Saturday.
That included a 90th-minute winner as the Blues consolidated fourth place in United Counties League Premier Division North with a 3-2 victory at the YMCA.
“It was a bit of a running joke before the season started,” said Newark boss Luke Parsons.
“We’ve had Ando for two seasons now and he’s been nowhere near scoring.
“He’s never scored a goal before this season and now he’s the top goalscorer. He’s got seven now.
“He’s had chances to score in the past.
“He’s shinned it wide or it’s come off the back of his head when it’s easier to score but this season he’s been in the right place at the right time.
“He’s always been Mr Reliable on the pitch for us but not in the goalscoring charts. It’s pleasing to see him getting his rewards. He’s saved them all for this season.”
Andersen, it seems, will be as surprised as anyone at his new-found goalscoring exploits.
Asked what the player himself puts it down to, Parsons said: “He won’t have a clue!
“We do have a role for him on corners where he attacks the front post and his first goal on Saturday was front post, so I’m taking a bit of credit.
“I might even give him that challenge to see if he can get double figures.
“Not many centre-halves are going to score seven in a season never mind challenge to get double figures but he’s put himself in a good position, he’s ever-present, he doesn’t really get injuries and he’s always at every session.
“What he’s doing at the minute couldn’t happen to a better lad.”
Alex Hales cancelled out Melton’s opener and Andersen made it 2-1 at half-time in front of a home crowd of 256.
The visitors levelled before the hour mark but Newark won it at the death when Andersen poked home.
“It was a good game to watch – two teams with a clear style to get the ball down and play,” said Parsons.
“We’ve started the new year as we ended the last, where we’ve scored late again.
“We seem to have a habit of scoring late goals and that’s down to the character in the squad, and the fitness, but I thought we deserved it.
“We were the better team in the first half and deserved to go in 2-1 up.
“Both Melton goals were a little bit against the run of play but they did have spells in the game where they looked better than us.
“Ultimately, on chances created, we deserved the three points but it could have gone either way.”
Weather permitting, Newark visit 12th-placed Ashby Ivanhoe this Saturday (3pm).
The teams drew 1-1 on the opening day of the season.
Parsons said: “I was away for that one but we hit the bar three times and probably came away wondering how we didn’t win.
“Fast-forward four months, a lot can change in that time.
“Ashby have got their new ground, they look like they’re a force at home and enjoy playing there.
“With the weather forecast, if the game is on, it’s not going to be the best conditions.
“We’ll have to be prepared to scrap for points and I think that’s going to be the case from now until the end of the season.
“Teams in the bottom half are scrapping for every point and teams at the top are scrapping for every point to get in the play-offs and challenge for the league.
“This is where the bread and butter really starts, as soon as you get past Christmas, where you’ll see every point could be crucial because teams will take points off teams they’re not expected to, and I expect Ashby to be exactly the same.
“It’s who’s going to hold their nerve, who’s going to put more graft in and who’s going to take their chances when they come.”
Newark have signed winger Matteo Perkins from Step 4 Shepshed.
He caught the eye on his debut against Melton.
Parsons said: “He’s a tricky winger, very direct, and a player we’ve had our eye on for a while.
“We tried to get him in pre-season but he went to Yaxley and then Shepshed.
“The opportunity came where we were low on numbers, we got in contact when the seven days cleared and he decided to come across.
“We’re not really a team who bring a lot of new faces in. I can’t remember the last new face we brought in. It might be Joe Smith and that was back at the start of October.
“We’ve had a few injuries, a couple of long-terms, and we needed to spice the squad up a bit.
“He got the fans on their feet and impressed a few of the lads as well.”
