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Sat 05 Sep 2020
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Ashland Rovers 4 – 5 Newark Town
Dave Roberts6 Sep 2020 - 09:50
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Newark narrow winners
Ashland Rovers 4 – 5 Newark Town
A remarkable end to Newark’s pre-season matches saw them travel to Kirkby in Ashfield where they maintained their unbeaten run in a roller coaster of a game against fellow CML outfit Ashland Rovers which, after recent displays, will have acted as something of a reality check.
On a spongy, undulating pitch Town pressed in the early stages, Mark Faflik having a shot touched over the bar following a neat backheel from Lewis Chambers, who was then denied a penalty after being brought down in the middle of the area. Play switched to the other end where a cross whipped in from the right passed over the foot of an incoming forward when it looked simpler to score. Ashland took a 13th minute lead as Luke Parsons was dispossessed as he brought the ball away from danger, Ben Jones scoring at the second attempt after his first shot had been well blocked by Nathan Burrows. Town retaliated with Marlon Grundy showing great skills wide on the left. Parsons went close with a towering header and Jack Durkin curled a shot inches wide before, in the 41st minute, the Blues levelled from the penalty spot. After some intricate footwork from Grundy, Chambers was again taken out and this time the young referee pointed to the spot, Chambers duly levelling the scores. A hectic few minutes followed with Jonny Wiles hitting the outside of the post before Town took a rather undeserved lead in the 45th minute as Grundy again ran at the defence before squaring to Wiles who did well to keep the rising ball down as he fired home. Now in added time, Grundy turned scorer as he squeezed a shot between the keeper and the left hand post. Undeterred, Ashfield hit back immediately, the impressive Jones losing his covering defender before putting his shot across Burrows before the half time whistle finally sounded.
The scoring spree continued in the first minute of the second half, Tom Moore creating space on the left before finding Chambers, who executed a quick turn before hammering the ball diagonally past the keeper. The Blues missed a golden opportunity to make it five shortly afterwards as a misplaced pass by a defender was played straight to Chambers, but both his shot and the follow-up by Faflik were blocked on the line. The fifth goal was not long in coming however, as on 57 minutes, Chambers was again the architect, Grundy supplying the finish. With a three goal lead, Town could have been forgiven for thinking the match was settled, but Ashland had other ideas, refusing to lie down and turning things round once more as they rattled in two goals in the space of a minute. On 66 minutes Jones completed a well-deserved hat trick and in the next attack a trialist reduced the arrears to a single goal, despite heated appeals for offside which failed to impress Tony Joynes on the line. Both sides created further chances to add to the goal tally, but none were taken, leaving Newark narrow winners against worthy opposition
Richard Lane
A remarkable end to Newark’s pre-season matches saw them travel to Kirkby in Ashfield where they maintained their unbeaten run in a roller coaster of a game against fellow CML outfit Ashland Rovers which, after recent displays, will have acted as something of a reality check.
On a spongy, undulating pitch Town pressed in the early stages, Mark Faflik having a shot touched over the bar following a neat backheel from Lewis Chambers, who was then denied a penalty after being brought down in the middle of the area. Play switched to the other end where a cross whipped in from the right passed over the foot of an incoming forward when it looked simpler to score. Ashland took a 13th minute lead as Luke Parsons was dispossessed as he brought the ball away from danger, Ben Jones scoring at the second attempt after his first shot had been well blocked by Nathan Burrows. Town retaliated with Marlon Grundy showing great skills wide on the left. Parsons went close with a towering header and Jack Durkin curled a shot inches wide before, in the 41st minute, the Blues levelled from the penalty spot. After some intricate footwork from Grundy, Chambers was again taken out and this time the young referee pointed to the spot, Chambers duly levelling the scores. A hectic few minutes followed with Jonny Wiles hitting the outside of the post before Town took a rather undeserved lead in the 45th minute as Grundy again ran at the defence before squaring to Wiles who did well to keep the rising ball down as he fired home. Now in added time, Grundy turned scorer as he squeezed a shot between the keeper and the left hand post. Undeterred, Ashfield hit back immediately, the impressive Jones losing his covering defender before putting his shot across Burrows before the half time whistle finally sounded.
The scoring spree continued in the first minute of the second half, Tom Moore creating space on the left before finding Chambers, who executed a quick turn before hammering the ball diagonally past the keeper. The Blues missed a golden opportunity to make it five shortly afterwards as a misplaced pass by a defender was played straight to Chambers, but both his shot and the follow-up by Faflik were blocked on the line. The fifth goal was not long in coming however, as on 57 minutes, Chambers was again the architect, Grundy supplying the finish. With a three goal lead, Town could have been forgiven for thinking the match was settled, but Ashland had other ideas, refusing to lie down and turning things round once more as they rattled in two goals in the space of a minute. On 66 minutes Jones completed a well-deserved hat trick and in the next attack a trialist reduced the arrears to a single goal, despite heated appeals for offside which failed to impress Tony Joynes on the line. Both sides created further chances to add to the goal tally, but none were taken, leaving Newark narrow winners against worthy opposition
Richard Lane
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