Things had looked bleak after a disappointing last weekend, BUT
NEWARK FLOWSERVE, wearing their smart blue away kit for the second successive occasion, tightened their grip on the title chase in the East Midlands Counties League with a battling 4-0 win at Borrowash Victoria.
Things had looked bleak after their disappointing 1-0 home setback the previous weekend against mid-table Ashby was coupled with wins for rivals Selston and Sherwood Colliery.
But things are looking for rosier for the Newarkers after their hard-fought three points at Burrowash was secured on a day that a nine-man Selston were held at home and Sherwood lost on their travels.
Joint-manager Steve Kirkham brought himself into a back four that was deemed to need tightening up after conceding a number of goals of late. That total is actually 11 in 12 games since the beginning of December, but the demands at this club are high.
Sam Agar headed home his 32nd of season from close range after just seven minutes to break the deadlock, but the home players protested that one of their number had been fouled by Sean Woolley in the build-up, and a linesman was consulted before the goal was verified.
More scuffles immediately followed at the other end as a young referee yet again found life in the tempestuous seas of football’s step six tough to navigate while more experienced officials looked on from the touchlines with flags rather than whistles.
Flowserve’s vocal travelling support again made the journey collectively by bus, but they had little to cheer against a stubborn Borrowash outfit who were keen to avoid a repeat of the 13-0 mauling handed out in the reverse fixture at the back end of October.
Agar, the East Midlands Counties League’s leading marksman, netted his 29th league goal of the campaign three minutes before the interval when he climbed to head home a fine cross from the right by Woolley.
The Highwaymen looked keen to atone for their first half profligacy when they carved a string of openings early in the second period.
First Rhys Lewis, moved into midfield to accommodate defender Kirkham, clipped a smart pass to Agar, now operating on the left. His cross just evaded the forehead of Tyrell Shannon-Lewis, but a repeat contribution saw the newly introduced Blair Anderson head against the far upright.
Then Daryl Price’s free-kick from a central position found the head of Kirkham, only for the ball to kiss the top of the crossbar.
Agar should have completed his hat-trick when he fired a direct free-kick into the bottom corner, but a stunning right-handed save from Lewis Soal saw him turn the ball around the foot of the post.
On 70 minutes Kirkham finally showed his troops how to do it when he headed in his third of the season from a Price corner from the left, and Price himself was as cold as ice as he finished clinically seven minutes later after the ball bounced around the box.
A wonderful shot by Anderson was touched onto the bar by Soal before Price hit a post as Flowserve could have further embellished the gulf in class.
No matter. Nine games to go. One point in it. The excitement continues.
Newark Flowserve: 1 Nathan Burrows; 2 Sol Miller; 3 Will Rawdon (Ryan Broxholme 79mins); 4 Tom Potts (captain); 5 Steve Kirkham; 6 Rhys Lewis; 7 Sam Woolley (Ryley Thompson 50mins); 8 Jahred Russell (Blair Anderson 51mins); 9 Sam Agar; 10 Tyrell Shannon-Lewis; 11 Daryl Price.