Town fail to rise at Phoenix.

All seasons have high and low points, and it can only be hoped that this match represents THE low point of this season. A dire defensive display on a very heavy pitch saw Newark overrun at the back, and there could have been no complaints if the score had reached double figures. As usual, only half the team who put on such an encouraging display against Retford were available to travel to Rotherham, the subsequent re-shuffling again having a negative effect.
The match was virtually over as a contest within the first 9 minutes by which time the home side were three goals to the good. With six minutes on the clock a free kick on the left was headed down for Jones to slot the ball home. A minute later Danny Purves brought down McDonnell to give away a penalty which the player himself converted. With nine minutes gone Payne’s low shot from 25 yards beat Sam Russell at the far post. It could have been worse as debutant Ryan Blankley did well to get in a challenge on Cregan in a dangerous position, but the fourth goal wasn’t long in coming. On 20 minutes McDonnell ran through three attempted challenges before squaring the ball. Although Ian Maplethorpe got there just before the incoming Gorman, the ball hit the base of a post, leaving the Phoenix player with a simple tap-in. On the occasions Town did manage to play cohesive football they did look accomplished, but in the first half these passages of play were limited. Rhys Stanley and Andy Palmer put in shots which caused few problems for the home keeper but there was a ray of light on 27 minutes as Michael Minty lashed the ball home from 25 yards for what was arguably the best goal of the afternoon. Andrew Smith almost added a second when he powered in a header from a Joe Powell free kick which struck keeper Herschell-Smith and ran inches wide. Town fell further behind before the break when leading goalscorer McDonnell was left totally unmarked on the edge of the area and scored with ease.
The run of play continued after half time, McDonnell completing his hat trick on 53 minutes, once more from the penalty spot after he had been brought down for the second time. Poor Sam Russell must have felt as if he was in a shooting gallery as time after time he was left without cover, a mixture of good blocks and poor finishing meaning the score remained the same. Stanley brought a diving save from the keeper from 30 yards, while Adie Hillier produced a good defensive header to put an inswinging corner from Payne over the Blues goal. Efforts from Payne and McDonnell hit the post before Hussain, again totally unmarked, made it seven in the 75th minute rolling the ball past the exposed Russell. To add insult to injury, Town were awarded a penalty for handball a couple of minutes later, but Herschell-Smith guessed correctly to push Stanley’s kick away. The final act of a dismal afternoon came on 81 minutes, Robsco scoring from 30 yards to set the seal on a dispiriting display. In the words of the song “things can only get better”. Here's hoping.