Town hit seven again

After a break of just a week, Town returned to the top of the league with a comfortable win over plucky but outplayed opposition who never gave up the fight.
Town gave a debut to recent signing from Collingham, Tom Moore, who slotted in at right back, the Blues’ midfield strengthened by the pairing of Steve Carty and Craig Bridge for only the third time this season.
The visitors didn’t have the best of preparations with players still arriving half an hour before kick-off and soon found themselves under pressure, Rhys Lewis firing over the bar in the first thirty seconds. A neat backheel by Liam Warner almost put Luke Parsons through before a Lewis Chambers shot went inches over the bar. Newark didn’t take long to make their domination pay, Bridge crashing a 25 yarder off the underside of the bar to give the hosts a 19th minute lead. With Appleby posing little threat as an attacking force, it came as little surprise when Town broke through again on 31 minutes George Asplin sending in a fierce shot from the left side of the area, bringing an excellent diving save from keeper Holtby who was unable to regain his feet before Chambers crashed in the loose ball from an acute angle on the right. The next attack brought goal number three, Chambers again the scorer as Bridge’s shot bounced off the keeper’s chest to give the striker the opportunity to drill home the rebound. Town’s aerial power at the back prevented the visitors from causing Nathan Burrows too many problems with Parsons, Lewis and James Evans all proving more than a match for Appleby’s infrequent attacks. Excellent interplay on the right between Chambers and Moore was instrumental in Newark’s fourth goal in the 39th minute, the final cross finding Bridge who finished from 20 yards out.
It took just four minutes of the second half for the Blues to add to their total, man of the match Bridge completing a superb hat trick, this one another perfectly struck 25 yard shot which flashed past the helpless keeper. To their credit, the visitors stuck at what was now becoming a hopeless task, though several of their forward moves were interrupted by the offside flag. After threatening on several occasions Asplin found the net in the 62nd minute with a lovely piece of skill as he picked up the ball from Moore’s cross, flicking it up and volleying home. Kieran Job replaced Carty to provide Appleby’s defence with more problems as they struggled to deal with his pace, one of his runs down the left ending with a shot across the area which flashed narrowly wide of the post. The visitors’ best chance of a consolation came on 74 minutes, Jordan’s free kick passing inches wide of the target. Holtby pulled off an inspired triple save in the final five minutes, denying Job, Asplin and Jawanza Grant in quick succession, but was beaten in the final minute, Asplin’s free kick perfectly placed to round off the win