Catch a Match

Newark Rugby Club will be looking for an early Christmas present in their final match before the new year. The team are still looking for their first victory of the current campaign and will be hopeful it comes against a Belgrave side that are nine points and three places above our locals.

Despite a heavy defeat at the league leaders last week Newark saw the two Waqalevu brothers – centre Joshie and forward Byron – in a first team squad together for the first time and a return in the backs for colt Toby Waller and Alex Scott. With the opposite match being decided by only three points it could all hinge on who has the strongest squad on the day.

Southwell RFU make the short journey to Keyworth, the home side sit tenth in the table with only one home win to their credit, Southwell have only won away once all campaign, something must give.

Kick off is at 2:15pm at Kelham Road and is expected to be 2.15pm at Willoughby Road .

To football, and Newark Town host Eastwood CFC in their final home game of 2025 chasing three points as they look to cement their place in the end of season play-offs.

Last weekends victory at Gresley coupled with a morale boosting clean sheet should set “the blues” up nicely to end the visitors eight match unbeaten run in the league which has propelled them up the table after a poor start and a change of management.

Town will have one eye on proceedings at The Meres where Grantham Town six points adrift of of them, but with four matches in hand host league leaders Boston Town in the UCL North Divisions game of the day, three points for the away team would certainly help our locals.

At the other end of the table, it is a classic relegation six-pointer for Newark & Sherwood United when bottom club Ashby Ivanhoe visit the Fruehauf Stadium. Five points separate the sides but crucially the Leicestershire team have two matches in hand.

Constant and long-term injuries have decimated what promised to be good season and just when it was settling down influential midfielder Finlay Armond decided the grass was greener in Sherwood. It seems the answer is the re-signing of much travelled forward Gregg Smith (NSU being his fourth club of this season). Gregg did play for the club nine times in their Midland League days scoring seven goals, just one on Saturday may help those relegation fears.

Southwell City entertain Coalville in a game of polar opposites. The visitors were playing step three football a short while ago but after voluntary relegation they still have arguably one of the top stadiums and highest budgets in step six football while it is all about growth at a sustainable level for the “minstermen.”

Collingham is another club that will be slightly disappointed with their season so far, following the arrival of the management and many of the players in the close season from the successful Lincs League side Ruston Sports a title challenge was hoped for but a run of only two league victories since early September has seen the team drop to mid-table in the Notts Senior League.

A match against Arnold Town at their Eagle Valley ground should see the villagers returning with of three points.

Kick off for Newark Town, NSU and Southwell is at 3.00pm, and it's a 2pm start for Collingham.