Having put together a side from scratch in a little over 3 weeks and a heavy midweek defeat at Coalville Town, the prospect of travelling to the side who finished 3rd in the table last season was a daunting one.

To make matters worse, influential midfielder Adam Confue was missing due to work commitments. Tommy Waldock was also missing and Karabo Motshweni moved to the bench. James Hancocks, Barry Deacon and Robert Prinzel appeared in the starting line up for the first time this season.

Town kicked off in glorious sunshine at Lyme wearing their white shirts and purple shorts and they had the better of the earlier exchanges.

They had the ball in the net after just 10 minutes. A Joe Curtis corner causes problems for the Newcastle Town defence and with the ball dropping just under the crossbar, Danny Read went up with James Tricks and with the ball over the line, the referee blew for a free kick.
Ricky Hill was booked in the 12th minute for wrestling his man to the ground.

It was a promising start for the visiting team and it wasn’t until the 16th minute that the home side posed any sort of threat to the Town defence. A ball in from the left eluded Ben Heath but Ricky Hill was at the far post to clear the danger.

Town won a series of free kicks out on the left but none of them caused any real concern to the home defence.

Newcastle had their best spell just before the half hour mark. Their first corner on 25 minutes led to Ricky Hill blocking a goal bound shot for another corner. The home side looked certain to go in front as the corner was met at the far post. However Dan Childs was perfectly placed and rose to head the ball of the line and clear the danger.

With the game opening up, Town had their best chance of the game on 32 minutes. The impressive Joe Curtis found space on the penalty spot but his rasping shot was superbly tipped over the bar by Danny Read.

Two minutes later and Curtis and the Newcastle captain James Askey went in the book. Curtis for the initial foul and Askey for retaliation as two wrestled on the ground.

The home side appealed for a penalty on 42 minutes as Dan Childs clashed with a Newcastle Town striker. The referee was not interested and waved play on.

Perhaps with my purple tinted glasses on, I felt Town shaded the first half.

Halftime: Newcastle Town 0 Daventry Town 0

All the good work in the first half almost went to waste at the start of the second. A headed back pass fell between the defence and Ben Heath. Ben stayed on his line as the ball was played back into the centre but the home striker stuck the ball straight at Heath.

At the other end Town forced their first corner of the second half. Robert Prinzel got up well but headed wide of the goal.

Shortly after, Town went in front, Newcastle played the ball out of defence but the ball was closed down and won by Joe Curtis. He found Tricks who received the ball on the edge of the area and as SHARIFF overlapped him, played a perfect ball into the former Banbury United striker’s stride and he slotted the ball under the advancing Danny Read.

Ben Heath had to be alert at the other end as he forced a close range effort over the bar.

Town went further ahead in the 64 minute. Another Curtis corner found RICKY HILL at the far post and he smashed the loose ball home.

Town made their first change in the 69th minute as Kieran Fitzgerald came off the bench to replaced James Tricks.

Bizarre weather conditions then hit the area. With the blazing hot sun still beating down, heavy rain started to fall in the area.

Tom France put the hosts back in the match when he bared down on goal. Heath saved his first effort but the Newcastle Town smashed home his second effort on 77.

Worse was to come 5 minutes later when a goal bound header went into the net despite Ricky Hill’s valiant attempts to clear the ball.

Barry Deacon went down injured shortly afterwards and had to be replaced by Frenchman Yann Edimo on 84.

Holding on to a point now seemed the best we could hope for. We were wrong as Kieran Fitzgerald closed down the defence as they tried to play the ball out. He found SHARIFF in the box who pulled the ball back to avoid the defender's lunging tackle and fired the ball into the corner of the net. His second and Town's third of the afternoon.

There was still time for Edimo to make a great block at the back and for Ben Heath to dive bravely at a Newcastle Town strikers feet just as it seemed he would draw the sides level again.

4 minutes of injury time were seen out and Town’s first 3 points of the season were in the bag.

Fulltime: Newcastle Town 2 Daventry Town 3

This victory takes Daventry off the foot of the table up to 18th and they now look forward to entertaining eleventh placed Chasetown on Tuesday evening. Chasetown lost 3 1 at home to Sheffield FC in their last match on Saturday.

Next Saturday the FA Cup returns to Northamptonshire with Daventry Town travelling the short distance to Long Buckby AFC for what promises to be a highly competitive match with both clubs striving for bragging rights and further progress in the competition which can bring lucrative financial rewards.

Match facts:
Newcastle Town 2 Daventry Town 3
Date: Saturday 22nd August 2015
Location: The Aspire Stadium, Buckmaster Avenue, Clayton, Newcastle-under-Lyme

Attendance: 104

Daventry Town: Ben Heath, Dan Childs, James Hancocks, Ricky Hill, Jason Lee (Captain), Joe Curtis, Barry Deacon (Yann Edimo 83mins), Robert Prinzel, James Tricks (Kieran Fitzgerald 69mins), Nabil Shariff, Jonathan Bukasa

Goal scorers: Daventry: Nabil Shariff 49/85mins Ricky Hill 65mins Newcastle Town: Thomas France 76mins, Ricky Hill OG 82mins

Cards: Ricky Hill 12, Joe Curtis 32 and Kieran Fitzgerald 74

Manager's Player of the Match: TBC