Town's pre-season preparation took a blow as a severely weakened squad was thrashed 7-0 by Harrowby United. With the new season just a week away, the Blues will hopefully have fewer absentees for the league opener with Sherwood Colliery.
The signs didn’t look promising from the opening minute, as stand-in goalkeeper for the day Ed Munton was forced into a low save early on. Newark briefly threatened as Reece Self’s free kick was tipped wide of the post, before Calum Fraser headed wide from the resulting corner. However for the most part, chances were hard to come by.
Harrowby took the lead in the 15th minute, as a cross from the right picked out Reidy, who easily found the corner of the net with a thumping header. Jack Whyley added a second ten minutes later as he rose highest from a corner.
The Blues’ best chance of forcing their way back into the match before half time fell to Self, who tried to delicately lob the goalkeeper after being played in by Sam Wilford. He didn't get the required elevation and his strike was easily saved.
Newark’s fortunes didn't improve after the break, as Wilson muscled through the defence before easily finishing past the valiant Munton. A backheel flick by Reidy gave him a second, before Wilson blasted home for his brace and Harrowby’s fifth. With half an hour still to play, this was becoming embarrassingly one-sided.
Dom Swingler went close with a curling effort that went just over and James Morris saw his free kick tipped onto the bar, but overall the patched up squad were being outclassed by higher league opposition.
Gray added a sixth when he scored from a tight angle, before Newark’s misery was completed after a weak header back to the keeper was intercepted by Choplek, who rounded the keeper before tapping in. The match is unlikely to have told Tony Joynes much about his squad, and he will be hoping for a stronger and hungrier team to face Sherwood Colliery when the league season gets underway next Saturday.