Newark Town 4 – 3 Staveley MW Reserves

Newark Town 4 – 3 Staveley MW Reserves
The Blues can consider themselves somewhat fortunate to have extended their winning run to five matches after being pushed all the way by a hard-working Staveley side. There was just one change from the previous week’s lineup with Jake Hardy replacing the unavailable Lewis Chambers in the number 9 shirt.
Town went close in their opening attack, Jackson Buckthorpe firing across the face of the goal. Jonny Wiles then lofted the ball over the Staveley defence but Hardy’s volley was straight at Monty Parkes in the visitors’ goal. The opening goal came on 12 minutes, Nathan Arnold producing another moment of pure class as, receiving a long ball from Zak Kersey, in one move he outwitted two defenders and the keeper before rolling the ball into an empty net. As Staveley fought back, Town were forced to concede a number of unnecessary free kicks in dangerous situations which were cleared with some difficulty. Harry Haywood was forced into a timely dive at the feet Zander Duhameau after a square ball caught the defence out before the visitors came within a fraction of equalising as Reece Clegg’s shot beat Haywood but hit the base of the post. The Blues created a number of chances of their own, but the finishing touch was lacking. Newark managed to reach the interval with the lead still intact, but had been made to fight all the way.
Six minutes into the second half the lead was doubled, as, from an Arnold corner Wiles headed the ball across the area for Matty Clarke to apply the finishing touch. Any hope that this would be a turning point was quickly dashed as just four minutes later Regan Edridge exploited the wide open space on Town’s left to send in a cross which was headed home by George Wilkinson. Wiles then broke down the left, his low cross finding Sid Costa whose shot cleared the boundary fence. With 69 minutes on the clock Wiles was again the provider, playing a well-judged through ball for sub Mark Faflik whose shot went in off the post. Staveley still refused to lie down and again reduced the arrears nine minutes from time as with Newark 25 yards which flew past Parkes. Surely now the game was safe, but Staveley were to have the last word in added time, Clegg getting Staveley’s third before the Referee blew the final whistle to the relief of the home support.
TEAM, Haywood, Costa, Kersey, Lewis, Clarke, Gardner, Arnold, Buckthorpe, Hardy, Wallace, Wiles. SUBS USED Faflik, Wilson-Rhiney, Burrell
ATTENDANCE 88