Town back on track

It’s said that a week is a long time in football and the Blues proved this by putting last Saturday’s problems firmly behind them as they inflicted the first defeat of the season on Bilsthorpe with a performance full of grit and determination.
On a murky afternoon the opening exchanges were even, Darren Townsley forcing an early corner and Luke Hutchinson heading over from a free kick. Town fell behind on 14 minutes as Bilsthorpe broke, a slick one-two allowing Mark Carter to slot the ball home past Craig Rhodes. Three minutes later Newark levelled things as Dom Swingler beat Glen Tolley before slipping the ball to Jordan Thomas, whose lofted cross shot totally deceived Dale Sheppard and went in off the far post. Again play evened out, Carter going close to restoring the home side’s lead curling a shot a foot wide of the post, while at the other end Sheppard plucked the ball from Swingler’s head in the nick of time. but an already difficult task appeared to have become even harder when Newark were reduced to ten men after 35 minutes. After having been harshly booked four minutes earlier following a mild reaction to a foul, Ian Hillier launched an ill-advised challenge on Aaron Norman, leaving the referee little option than to produce a second yellow. George Pearce defused a potential threat by skilfully shepherding the ball back to Rhodes as Carter again posed a threat.
Ngoni Dongo replaced Chris Dobbie after the break, the Blues creating the first clear chance of the second half, Ricki O’Connell’s strong run and cross from the right evading Sheppard, but also clearing the visiting forwards. Pearce again showed his worth by producing a good clearing header from a free kick on the edge of the area, but pressure began to mount on the Town defence, Gavin King narrowly clearing the bar with a chip and Tolley powering a 20 yard effort just wide of a post. Thomas relieved the pressure, battling his way past two defenders before shooting narrowly wide. Rhodes was relieved to collect the ball after a King free kick missed the incoming Jobe Shaw’s head by inches. Newark had a confident penalty appeal waved away after 75 minutes as Thomas was clearly pushed over by the keeperas he rose to meet a corner from the left. Town’s back four were outstanding as they kept the home forwards at bay, and as play switched ends, Newark shook the home supporters by taking an 81st minute lead. A free kick five yards from the right hand edge of the Bilsthorpe area was played to the far post by Alex Hales and Dongo rose superbly to head across Sheppard and into the far corner. As the home side sought to preserve their unbeaten run, Newark stood firm and pulled off a result which was much more significant than the gaining of three points.