Exciting Game but Higher League Team Newark won by 2 points

A warm welcome greeted Newark at the Memorial Ground, with the rivalry between the two Clubs going back many decades in this NLD Cup clash. Newark have had a similar start to Spalding in their league campaign but are one league higher, so it was going to be an interesting test for Spalding’s progress over the last couple of months, if they harbour league ambitions.

Making a welcome return to Spalding was Sam Forrest on the right wing and despite missing five or six regular players through injury, the team none the less looked strong on paper, especially the forwards pack.

In the opening period Newark soon settled into a familiar style of play using their forwards to control matters, retaining possession with play being in Spalding’s half and they soon drew a penalty at the breakdown, but the long range kick was short.

Spalding were easing themselves into the game lead by Harry Sharman, John Barrett and Luke Turner taking their forward play to the visitors with forceful carries and a ruck was established approximately ten metres from the posts. Having drawn Newark’s defence in, scrum Half Ben Shields, passed wide to his backs and an overlap was created for debutant winger Forrest to open the scoring.

Newark responded shortly afterwards with a converted try, but Spalding now had the measure of the visitors' play with the scrums going with the put in and edging the breakdown area. It was Spalding’s backs who shone with Adam McHugh on his return crashing through a couple of attempted tackles at pace and was for his try converted by Ingleby.

Disappointingly Spalding did not deal with the restart giving away territory immediately to Newark. From a lineout their forwards made inroads into Spalding’s defence for their second converted try and a two point lead after half an hour.

When they had decent possession Spalding’s backs were causing problems for Newark and it was left winger Gav Sharman who rounded the wide defence and with the conversion Spalding had re-established their early lead.

Just before half time the rain started to fall heavily but this did not stop Luke Turner crashing over for Spalding’s fourth try and a ten point lead
From the restart, Newark stepped up their intensity with their forwards edging the battle and prop Josh Caley was trapped and spotted not rolling away at a ruck and received a yellow card. With a one man advantage in the scrum Newark immediately capitalised, driving Spalding backwards for a converted try. But remained 5 points adrift.

Around the sixty minute mark the visitors took control of the match orchestrated by their flyhalf Matt Cox. From a scrum, the ball was passed out quickly, he cut back inside and with his strong running he broke the first tackle and was in under the posts. Next his strong running set up the platform for his forwards to carry over and with a two minute spell Spalding had gone from a five point lead to a nine point deficit.

With twenty minutes remaining, there was time for Spalding to come back into the game and using the forwards and Ash Piccaver and Ash Anker in particular with their strong carries, they established themselves deep into Newark’s twenty two and as pressure mounted Newark conceded a penalty try and their lead was down to two points with twelve minutes of play remain. Now just one further score by Spalding would do.

However as hard as Spalding tried, Newark road out the remaining minutes .With both teams scoring five tries apiece the game was decided by the number of successful kicks and with three successful conversions to Spalding’s two, the visitors were into the NLD Cup semi finals .

Team- Jacob Greaves, John Barrett, Josh Caley, Ash Piccaver, Luke Turner, Edward Williams, Ash Anker, Harry Sharman, Ben Shields, Willis Ingleby, Sam Forrest,Tom Wilson, Adam McHugh, Gav Sharman, George Douglas Subs Will Shields, Julian Davis, Macauley Crane