Newark & Sherwood manager Romaine Graham ready for revenge mission against Deeping Rangers in United Counties League Premier Division North

There’s an immediate chance for Newark & Sherwood to avenge last weekend’s loss at Deeping Rangers - as they play the same opposition again on Saturday!

Newark & Sherwood were beaten in the United Counties League Premier Division North as a second-half penalty from forward Josh Moreman consigned them to a narrow defeat.

But relegation-threatened Rangers will head to The JRL Brickwork Stadium for the rematch just seven days later.

“Their pitch is quite small and it’s not the best whereas we like to play football,” said Newark & Sherwood manager Romaine Graham, whose side lost 2-0 at play-off chasing Heanor last night (Wednesday).

“With them breaking up play on Saturday, it was always going to be difficult.

“We’ll have to adapt our tactics but our pitch is a big pitch so that’ll suit us more. They didn’t cause us too much of a threat.

“For the penalty, we had control of the ball and the young lad at right-back has made an error, and has just tried to make up for it.

“But they didn’t cause too many problems other than that whereas we did create chances in the first half.

“We’ll learn from that and try to get some revenge. I could see, when they scored, the confidence drained out of the players a bit.

“It’s my job to pick them up again.”

Graham was left frustrated at Deeping Rangers as they broke up play regularly to consign the Highwaymen to a third straight loss.

He reflected: “It was a disappointing one. We’ve not had the best run of form.

“Saturday was a game where the performance wasn’t there. Before, we’d had half-decent performances, but just not got over the line.

“In the first half, we dominated. Then, we took a blow with their penalty.

“They know what they’re doing. They kept breaking it up and the referee couldn’t see what they were doing.

“Across the game, there were 30 or 40 fouls and only three yellow cards so we couldn’t get into a rhythm. It was just one of them.”

Graham, whose team will play Hucknall Town in next month’s Nottinghamshire Saturday Senior Cup final, admits the fact there was more riding on the game for struggling Deeping Rangers rather than his mid-table side probably contributed to the result.

He said: “There’s an element of that.

“I don’t want us to limp into the final, but we’re pretty safe.

“I think we’re on course to do better than we did last season, as well, so it’s a weird one. But it probably is a bit of a factor.”

Newark & Sherwood are due at Ashby Ivanhoe on Tuesday and Graham admits he is keen to bolster his ranks if possible amid a busy period.

“We’re a bit thin on the ground,” he conceded. “We’re looking to add to the squad before the deadline because you cannot sign anyone after the end of this month.

“I’m going to need everyone, really. But we have got a good group of lads and they’re not downing tools. It’s just about trying to find that balance.

“We’re doing the right things so it’s only a matter of time before it changes and we pick up a bit of form. If not, I might need to put my boots on!”