Newark Town manager Luke Parsons reacts to 2-2 derby draw at Newark & Sherwood in United Counties League Premier Division North
The first Newark derby has got the town talking after a pulsating draw between the local rivals.
Hosts Newark & Sherwood broke the deadlock on Boxing Day with a terrific Luke White free-kick and doubled their lead early in the second half when Liam Moran met a Kieran Cummings corner.
But Newark Town, this season’s United Counties League Premier Division North comeback kings, were at it again.
Joe Braithwaite’s header got them back into the game and Lucus Cotterill levelled shortly after the hour mark.
The first league meeting between the sides captured the imagination, attracting a crowd of 330 despite taking place out of town at Harrowby, in Grantham, where the Highwaymen groundshare.
“If it was in Newark I think you’d have tripled the gate,” said Town boss Luke Parsons.
“But, ultimately, I’ve been in town since the game and I’ve had Newark & Sherwood supporters and Newark Town supporters come up to me and every single person who saw me mentioned the game.
“There’s a rivalry between us, it’s the first time we’ve played each other competitively and the town’s been talking about it.
“That’s why you want healthy competition like this. It gets people talking, doesn’t it?”
Parsons was delighted with the Blues’ latest comeback in leaving their rivals with a point.
“We’ve gone on about fightbacks all season,” he said. “It was a great spectacle - a game of two halves.
“First half, they were the better team and were probably aggrieved with themselves they only went in 1-0. We never got going.
“Second half, we started really well, it was a completely different game, but they scored against the run of play.
“At 2-0 down most teams would be dead and buried but we’ve just got that fight in us, that never-say-die attitude.
“We’ve come back into the game and we’re probably disappointed in the end we didn’t go on to win it because we certainly had them on the ropes.
“But I think on the balance of play, when they’ve completely won the first half and we’ve completely won the second half, a draw’s probably a fair result.”
Newark finished with 10 men after goalscorer Cotterill went off feeling his foot.
He suffered a broken metatarsal in the opening weeks of the season and, while a scan gave him the all-clear, there seems to be an issue.
Parsons is desperate for a change of luck for the striker as Newark start 2025 with a home game against 10th-placed Melton Town this Saturday (3pm).
“I think it was the third game when he came off with the fractured metatarsal,” said Parsons, whose side are fourth.
“He came back the other week against Shirebrook and then felt it hurt in training, so he went for a scan and got given the all-clear, but then he came off on Boxing Day with a pain in his foot. So we’re a bit unsure what it is.
“We didn’t want to take any risks. He can walk but not great.
“There’s something underlying in there that’s still causing an issue. We need to try and get to the bottom of it.
“Could it be a ligament thing? Could it be scar tissue? Could it be just getting used to that pain? We just don’t know.
“He’s got a private physio appointment over the next couple of days so hopefully we can get some information on what’s causing the issue.
“Everyone’s praying he can have an injury-free end to the season because he’s not had much luck over the last two seasons.
“He missed the play-offs because he dislocated his shoulder.”
Town enjoyed one of the best years in their history in 2024, with promotion and a record-breaking run to the FA Vase third round.
They’re aiming to build on that and finish in the play-offs in their first season at Step 5.
“We’re hoping 2025 will be even better,” said Parsons.
“We’ve got the foundations there to improve on where we are.
“It’s going to be difficult in the second half of the season because pitches will be worse, the weather will be worse and games will mean more to teams.
“You’re playing teams down the bottom towards the end of the season and they’re going to be scrapping for their lives, so there won’t be any games where you can just walk over an opposition.
“It promises to be a crazy end to the season which we’re looking forward to.
“Whatever 2025 brings, let’s hope it’s a positive one.
“We just want to enjoy it and take it each game as it comes and see where it takes us.
“Hopefully we can get to the end of the season in the play-offs.”
