Easington here we come !!

As was the case at Kinsley last season, the unavailability of many first team regulars resulted in an unfamiliar line-up, but the outcome this time was far more positive. With several players choosing alternative ways of spending their Saturday just five remained from the win over Brodsworth with Joe Brumpton, Luke Boddy and Max King all starting for the first time in the senior side. There were also rare appearances for Darren Townsley and Damien Lloyd with Matt Wagner and Robert Winter among the subs..
There was an early scare for the Blues as a right wing corner eluded Craig Rhodes, Luke Boddy making the first of numerous vital headers to clear the danger. Lloyd and King combined well to set up a Daryl Price header which was well held by keeper Andrew Joburns, who was also down well at the feet of Brumpton as he burst down the middle. Boddy then came close to opening the scoring, his header from a Price corner clearing the bar by inches. With 31 minutes on the clock, Newark took the lead following a slip by a defender which allowed Daryl Price to calmly round Joburns and find the empty net. A free kick on the right spelt danger for Town, Liam Owen’s driven effort being deflected over the bar by Arron Martin enabling the visitors to take a narrow lead into the break.
Stefan Bilyk replaced King shortly after the interval, and he made an immediate impression, combining with Matt Wagner to whip in a low cross which resulted in both Lloyd and Ricki O’Connell seeing shots blocked. Kinsley’s Josh Stacey had threatened on several occasions and he came close to levelling matters cutting in after a teasing run down the right before being crowded out. Newark’s defence was being put under pressure by some concerted Kinsley attacks, George Pearce, O’Connell, Martin and Boddy all producing important interceptions to preserve the lead. With ten minutes remaining, Newark finally put daylight between the sides. A pinpoint corner from Price was met by sub Robert Winter, whose diagonal header across the area found a gap just inside the far post. Price came close to making it three on 87 minutes, his beautifully judged lob over Joburns striking the foot of a post and bouncing clear. There was a tense last few minutes to the game as Kinsley conjured a goal out of nothing with two minutes remaining. There seemed little danger as Owen sent in a speculative shot from wide on the right, but Rhodes found himself overreaching for the ball, which cleared him and floated into the net. Newark saw out the last couple of minutes to earn a second round tie at Easington United, a 200 mile round trip which they will now have to undertake twice in a fortnight.
This really was an excellent team performance, all fourteen players putting in maximum effort to pull off a well deserved victory.