Saturday cheer at last for the Blues

Town fielded three more debutants, Reece Carlisle, signed from Southwell City, and Lincoln University students Matthew Hibberd and Jake Sutton, all of whom were instrumental in achieving the win.
It didn’t start well for the Blues as Dinnington took a 3rd minute lead, Eccleston outsmarting Dave Mason and squaring the ball to an unmarked Smyth who slotted the ball into the far corner. Town were level six minutes later as George Rees-Jones and Chris Self combined well for skipper Andy Palmer to beat keeper Taylor. As play switched from end to end, Michael Minty got in an important challenge to dispossess Smyth, before Town took a 14th minute lead, Will Fry putting across a fine cross from the left which was met by a superb glancing header from Sutton, which looped over Taylor. Fry then had a well-directed shot saved by the keeper’s feet, and at the other end Minty deflected an Eccleston shot over the bar. The sides were level again in the 22nd minute, Sam Russell failing to gather a left side corner, the ball falling to Smyth who lashed home his second. Still the goals kept coming, as three minutes later Newark regained the lead following Palmer’s corner, Hibberd seeing his shot blocked, the loose ball reaching Self, who shot through a crowded penalty area. With the impetus now with the home side, Self was thwarted by a well timed challenge from Bradshaw and a good block from Taylor. The lead was increased after 37 minutes when a lofted ball into the Dinnington area was dropped by the keeper, Rees-Jones getting his first goal for the club as he found the empty net. Self was inches away from making it five as an inch-perfect through ball from Palmer saw the striker roll it inches past the post.
After the excitement of the first half, the second proved less so. Town had appeals for a penalty turned down as Carlisle’s shot struck a defender, while a determined run by Hibberd, whose performance reminded several watchers of Simon Ellison, won a corner which was headed wide by sub Adie Hillier. Dinnington also had a good case for a penalty when Russell brought down Kirk, but again the appeals were rejected. The game had been played with no real conflict to this point, but that changed on 64 minutes when Hillier was shown a straight red for a high, clumsy challenge from behind, McGregor and Dinnington’s Smyth also being booked in the aftermath. Dinnington reduced the arrears six minutes later, a lofted ball from Kirk being headed home to complete Smyth’s hat trick. This spurred the visitors on and Town endured some anxious moments before making the game safe in the final minute, Self putting Guy Ellerton through, the youngster showing good composure as he beat Taylor to the relief of the Newark faithful.