#Newark Flowserve #Midland Football League
NEWARK FLOWSERVE produced an outstanding display to hit five goals without reply and sweep away Racing Club Warwick in a storm of almost biblical proportions at Lowfields on Tuesday evening.
Zak Goodson followed up his double in a losing cause at Worcester City with another brace, and there were goals for Jammy Lloyd, Ben Hutchinson and Danny Meadows on a night when the Highwaymen performed with a swagger in their stride.
But the performance of the night belonged to centre-back Lawrence Gorman, returning to the side in his first game since suffering a horrific facial injury in the FA Vase Second Round match at home to Heather St John’s two months previously. A broken cheek bone and a fractured eye socket had required an operation, but the former England Youth international played as though he had never been away.
And the display in front of him from skipper Tom Potts, shielding his back four, was not far behind as the side recorded their first clean sheet in seven outings.
The visitors are fourth off the bottom in the Midland Football League Premier Division, and were only able to name one substitute, but Flowserve had garnered just one point from their previous three league games, and showed from the start that they were keen to make amends.
There were just three minutes on the clock when Meadows produced a fine ball to release Goodson down the inside-left channel, but when he pulled the trigger with his left the ball found only the side-netting.
Goodson then turned provider on nine minutes when he sprinted clear and released Kyle Dixon, but his shot was palmed around the left post by the visiting keeper.
Then, on 22 minutes, came the breakthrough. Gorman made a fine interception and Lloyd released Goodson down the right flank where he was hauled unceremoniously to the ground.
Dixon’s resultant cleared free-kick was returned powerfully by Potts and, when the ball struck Hutchinson, the ball fell to Dixon who fired in a shot into a crowded six-yard box, and the ball flicked up for Goodson to head home.
And the heavens opened in celebration with the rain sweeping down and highlighted spectacularly in the bright floodlights. But Flowserve needed a second to justify their domination.
Dixon was denied when another speculative effort fell the wrong side of the left hand post, and Hutchinson then swivelled and shot only for the ball to cannon out off the crossbar.
But Lloyd was there on 37 minutes to head home the vital second, and the men in orange were able to relax as they sipped their half-time tea.
Hutchinson made it 3-0 on the hour mark when his goal-bound effort was helped home by visiting sub Muziwandile Nduna, and Goodson struck again with the fourth after sub Paulo Piliero sent over a corner from the right that was turned into Goodson’s path by Meadows.
That latter made it five with 11 minutes remaining when he cut inside on the right of the box and hit a sweet left foot shot into the far corner.
The win took the men in orange up to fifth spot in the table, two points behind leaders Coventry United with two games in hand. Singing in the rain, indeed.
Newark Flowserve: 1 Joe Searson; 2 Lavell White; 3 Jurelle Phillip; 4 Tom Potts (captain); 5 Mitch Robinson; 6 Lawrence Gorman; 7 Danny Meadows; 8 Jammy Lloyd (Sean Woolley 60mins); 9 Ben Hutchinson (Elliot King 75mins); 10 Kyle Dixon (Paolo Piliero 66mins); 11 Zak Goodson.
Attendance: 125.