Early goals are Town's downfall

After the midweek win over Brodsworth, Town’s problems were all to clear to see as just six of the sixteen players from Wednesday’s game travelled to Scunthorpe. The match was a personal milestone for Sam Wilford who started his 264th game for the club replacing Mark Ellison as the club’s record appearance maker.
The home side attacked from the start, and after Richard Dadu had made a good block on Watson in the opening move, Town fell behind in the 5th minute Shrimpton converting a ball that was cut back from the righ edge of the penalty area. Worse was to follow two minutes later as Andrew Smith lost possession to Couch, who took the loose ball and gave the unprotected Liam Needham no chance. As Newark recovered from this double blow, Dom Swingler saw his shot find the side netting and Vlad Dadu brought a low diving save from keeper Shaw. With the Blues too often guilty of wasting possession, the majority of chances were going the way of the hosts, Doyle clipping the ball over the bar, and Watson going close when he fired across the face of the goal. Newark had a let off when Tait, on a run down the right, took the ball round Needham, but could only run the ball out of play. Swingler and Wilford tried long range shots which were too high, as Town exerted a spell of pressure, while at the other end Smith did well to dispossess Shrimpton in a dangerous position. After such an unpromising start, reaching the interval just two down represented a considerable achievement.
Town started the second half with more purpose, Ian Maplethorpe supplying Frazer Hallam, who saw his shot collected by the keeper. The turning point of the game came around the hour mark. On 58 minutes a tremendous 35 yard effort from Vlad Dadu crashed off the Appleby bar with Shaw a spectator, and almost inevitably play switched to the other end where Watson’s shot took a huge deflection off Smith and was diverted into the roof of the net. With a reshuffle in the formation, Newark pressed forward, Maplethorpe going close as he got on the end of a Smith free kick, the same player then producing a crisp shot which Shaw did well to turn round the post. Needham came to Town’s rescue with a tremendous block at the feet of Couch, and as the game petered out in the last ten minutes, Maplethorpe again went close after being set up by young sub Guy Ellerton.
This was by no means a poor display against the league leaders and with a better start and a little luck the margin could have been closer.