Jim Todd reports
NEWARK TOWN reached the nadir of its ongoing woes as they lost 11-0 to an in-form Renishaw Rangers side in the Central Midlands League North Division, reports Jim Todd.
The double-digits defeat exceeded Town's previous worst ever loss in their 15 years in the CMFL when, because the then management did not give any credence to the Floodlit Cup, a team cobbled together by Paul Ellison and Jim Todd went down to a 10-0 defeat at a windswept and rainy Holbrook Sports.
The defeat saw Town part ways with manager, Dewey Chappell, who had taken over as First Team Manager during the 2017-18 season. The club praised the efforts of Dewey who had blooded many young players into the team in the last fourteen months but, in the end, results were not improving sufficiently well enough and it was felt a new direction and impetus was required for the remainder of the season and the search for a new manager has been put in hand.
Another heavily rotated squad was put together and because of injuries, work and absentees, six changes were made from the team which had played at Dinnington the week before.
Coming off the back off that 4-1 defeat where, despite the sending off, the team had given a good display, the players went into the Renishaw fixture confident they could get a result.
However, Town suffered the worst possible start and their much-changed side found themselves three down after 21 minutes as they struggled to cope with the home sides right winger, whose crosses led to all three goals.
A positional change saw Rhys Stanley switch to right midfield and Town had a good spell as his crosses saw several half chances created with the home keeper making a couple of good saves.
That was before the home side went further ahead as a direct free kick beat the wall and went into the bottom corner.
Towns situation worsened further on the stroke of half-time when James Handley was deemed to be the last man when his tackle brought down a Renishaw player and he received a red card.
Town’s ten men started the second-half gamely, but the floodgates opened in the last thirty minutes and as the defence could not get to grips with the right side of Renishaw’s attack.
Two good late saves from keeper Josh Desforges kept the score from getting even worse.
Despite the score line there were a few good individual performances with Rhys Stanley especially showing up well on the right-hand side.
Having had a settled side a few weeks ago, Town are once again having to make changes every week which is not helping the side to come together.
Their home game against Clay Cross this Saturday has been rearranged meaning no fixture will be played.
The rescheduled fixture now sees Town face a run of three away games in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The first of those (December 8) will see the Blues take on Thorne Colliery and a win would move them one point behind the South Yorkshire side, who have played one more game.
In the remaining two fixtures, Town take on fellow league strugglers Staveley Miners’ Welfare Reserves (December 15) and Askern (December 22), who are currently level on points with Thorne Colliery, ahead only by goal difference.
Should the new man win his opening three fixtures, Town could rise as high as eighth.