Newark Rugby Club
Saturday 1 February
Midlands Two East North
Newark 35 Lincoln 22
Newark Rugby Club made it six league wins on the bounce in a match of eight tries at windy Kelham Road against a spirited Lincoln side.
Another good all-round team display continued the run which stretches back into December.
Newark’s attacking play has been thoroughly enjoyed by the club’s supporters in recent weeks and Saturday’s win was led by centre Aloesi Waqalevu.
‘Buds’ was at his best, especially in the first half when he scored the opening try, had one disallowed and then pulled off a try-saving tackle under the Newark posts.
Though Newark scored first through Waqalevu after flanker Sean Denning had shot clear, the re-start was fumbled allowing the Lincoln wing to stroll over for an equalising score which was converted.
A Lincoln penalty increased the lead to 10-5 before a period of forward pressure brought a try for lock George Woodman which levelled the scores.
Newark were still unable to control the match because they had flanker Denning sin-binned and conceded a second try out wide to Lincoln.
That try put Lincoln 15-10 up but Newark finished the half strongly, Cox landing a penalty before smoothly finishing off another break by Waqalevu to score in the left corner.
Newark turned round 18-15 up and made the match certain after the interval when they were helped by an increasingly strong wind.
Captain Will Britten finished off some more excellent inter-play before a further bout of forward pressure earned a penalty try.
Lincoln enjoyed the best of the final quarter and scored a third try as Newark lost two more forwards to the sin bin in prop Mason Coulam and flanker Jaymie Duncan.
It was all part of a mixed finish for Newark which clouded the excellence of their earlier play in posting a sixth successive league win which has lifted them into seventh place.
The two teams meet again next Saturday (Feb 8) in the re-arranged league match at Lincoln which was first postponed in October. Kick off 2.15pm.
Newark’s next home league game is on February 22, against Loughborough, after another away trip on February 15 this time to Long Eaton.
Newark team v Lincoln: Hunter-Shaw; Overland, Waqalevu, Britten (capt), Charles; Cox, O’Dell; Coulam, Tomlinson, Hempstead, Ellison, Woodman, Denning, Duncan, Webster.
Subs: Appleton, Chapple, Taylor.
Tries: Waqalevu, Woodman, Cox, Britten, pen try.
Conversions: Cox,
pen try.
Penalty goal: Cox (2).