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Newark 38 Ilkeston 24: Regional Two Midlands North match report




Newark continued their winning ways by outlasting Ilkeston 38-24 in an entertaining Regional Two North Midlands match at Kelham Road on Saturday.

It follows the good win at Tamworth two weeks ago and completes the double for the season over Ilkeston, following a 42-29 win in November.

Newark full-back Alex Scott kicks ahead against Ilkeston in Regional Two North Midlands. Picture: Richie Laurent/Newark RUFC
Newark full-back Alex Scott kicks ahead against Ilkeston in Regional Two North Midlands. Picture: Richie Laurent/Newark RUFC

Full-back Alex Scott led the way against Ilkeston, kicking 11 points and helping to give wing Ovi Gilder the opportunity to dart over for two of the five tries. The other try scorers were lock Will Ellison, flanker Ed Clayton and scrum-half James Tarbatt.

A riveting contest was played out before a large crowd on a dull but dry afternoon. Scott set the tone by making the first try for Clayton after No.8 Sean Denning had taken a quick tapped penalty to get Newark on the attack.

Scott then chipped over the oncoming defence and the alert Clayton ran through to collect the bouncing ball and dot it down under the posts. Scott converted for a 7-0 lead.

Ilkeston proved determined opponents throughout and exerted considerable pressure to force a penalty five metres out. Their scrum half stood over the ball and then decided to tap and go and wriggled over for a try which levelled the scores.

Newark quickly responded and exerted pressure of their own ending in a try for Ellison who powered over from short distance to put Newark ahead at 12-7.

That advantage was short lived as Ilkeston came back within a couple of minutes and drew level at 12-12 as their winger squeezed in at the left-hand corner.

Captain Olly Dodders goes on the attack for Newark against Ilkeston on Saturday. Picture: Richie Laurent/Newark RUFC
Captain Olly Dodders goes on the attack for Newark against Ilkeston on Saturday. Picture: Richie Laurent/Newark RUFC

Newark weren’t finished, though, and had the last word of the half. They moved the ball from deep and the attacked ended in Scott finding Gilder who had too much pace and went over in the corner. Scott converted from the touchline to give Newark a deserved 19-12 lead at half-time.

Newark started the second half well and Scott added two penalties in the first 10 minutes to keep the scoreboard ticking over for a lead of 25-12.

Any thoughts that the game was over were quickly dispelled when Ilkeston nearly went over in the left-hand corner.

Newark conceded a penalty from the line-out and the Ilkeston scrum half gave a neat inside ball to a runner who went in under the posts. The conversion brought the score back to 25-19. Scott added another penalty to make it 28-19 before arguably the try of the match.

Newark won a penalty in a central position just outside the 22 and the ever-alert Scott tapped and moved left to find Gilder. The wing was still on his own 10-metre line, but he had too much pace for the covering defence and went over for a try which delighted the home supporters.

The score was 33-19 with a quarter of an hour to go but Ilkeston were still determined. They were awarded a penalty and despite two home players down the referee allowed the penalty to be taken and the visitors went in under the posts to make it 33-24.

It made for a tense finish but Ilkeston conceded a penalty on their 10-metre line which Scott opted to go for a speculative shot at goal. That attempt missed but it forced Ilkeston to run the ball back and the counter-attack ended when prop Harry Wright produced a good tackler to stop the opposing wing under his own posts.

In desperation, Ilkeston tried a long miss pass and the alert Tarbatt picked off the interception and flopped over the line to seal a deserved win which keeps Newark in sixth spot.

Next up is a tough away trip against third-placed Melbourne this Saturday in a re-arranged fixture after bad weather forced a postponement in January.

After four wins on the bounce, Newark 2nds were brought down to earth last Saturday, losing 80-0 at Ashby 1sts. They face more strong opposition on the road this Saturday at Ashbourne.



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