Town go down at Harworth

Newark’s up and down season continued at Harworth where the home side completed a straightforward double against a team which yet again showed wholesale changes from the midweek game. Sam Russell found himself on the subs bench after his heroics on Wednesday night, while Liam Needham, Michael Minty, Dom Swingler, Keiran Job and Cody Donnelly were all included. In murky conditions which deteriorated rapidly through the course of the game, Harworth started the liveliest, Robinson, Dickinson and Tomlinson combining to create the first chance, Tomlinson’s shot clearing the bar. Joe Parker was crowded out as Town retaliated, Sam Wilford then putting the ball over the bar from 25 yards. As the home side increased the pressure, Robinson had Needham diving with a well struck effort from 30 yards, before the Blues were hit by two goals in the space of three minutes. First a ball in from the right was met by a bullet header from Freeman, then Pick added a second from close range. Rhys Stanley had Town’s first real chance on 21 minutes, but Wibberley was equal to it, pushing a well struck shot to safety. Danny Purves was working overtime in his role as sweeper, but despite this, and resolute work by Andy Smith and FP McGregor, the hosts went further in front on 32 minutes as a free kick was knocked down by Pick for Freeman to roll the ball into the net. It really was an uphill battle by now, but the Blues did create one or two more chances, Wilford’s determined run through the middle just evading Job, while McGregor’s well-flighted free kick had the keeper at full stretch. Russell replaced Needham at the start of the second half, as Town began to show more enthusiasm for the task, though the lack of a finish was still a major problem, several promising moves breaking down at the business end of the pitch. Harworth threatened a fourth as Woodward fired inches over, while tenacious work from the impressive Donnelly almost paid dividends for Newark. Town’s improving second half performance was dented in the 73rd minute, as Durrant’s ball in from the left caused confusion in the visiting defence, allowing Freeman to complete his hat trick. Good approach play by Stanley set up Parker, but a last ditch challenge robbed him of one of Town’s more promising scoring opportunities. The last ten minutes were played in almost semi-darkness but without incident apart from FP’s late, and almost inevitable, yellow card !
Many thanks to Dan Footitt fpr the photo