Newark Town v Collingham FC

A cold and wet morning greeted teams as they made their pre-match warm-ups at Devon Park on Sunday.

Who would wish to be a Referee or a manager or for that matter any other volunteer in the Sunday morning league especially with the prospect of an even colder and wetter winter approaching?

Steve Collington was the man in black took firm control of this game and was justly therefore awarded top marks by both teams for his excellent adjudication.

The final score line reflects the possession Town actually had but Collingham played well for several periods during the game making a number of successful consecutive passes that allowed them to take control at times into areas too dangerously close to the Town's goal. However, probably for the first time this season chances created were often successful and clinically finished with two of the Town's strikers each bagging hat-tricks. Both Bobby Lee and Louis Cree were on fire, a day after the bonfire celebrations both playing their part in what was a itself a pyrotechnic deconstruction of the Collingham defence. Not surprisingly given his tenacious performance Bobby the Rocket Lee was for the second consecutive week awarded man-of-the-match.

There were some fine performances by the Town notably the wonderful control and superb passing by Ricky North and Liam Warner who are a joy to watch. Later in the game Ricky dropped into a more defensive role playing central midfield from where he took control of that area and of the game.

On 24 minutes from the right side of midfield a perfectly weighted pass was made by Liam Warner, that split the defence, to the feet of the always forward running full back Adam Britten who pushed the ball forward to the goal before making a cross from 30 metres out that met the head of the seemingly floating Lois Cree who without hesitation placed the ball wide of the keeper 1-0.

Just two minutes later Louis Cree was involved again this time from the left wing he danced and made a well judged 40 metre cross that was met and controlled with his back to the defence by Bobby Lee in the penalty area. Bobby , turned leaving a defender for dead and thumped home from 5 metres 2-0.

With only seconds remaining of the first half Colllingham with some nice passing found themselves inside the Towns penalty area through a crowded defence it was Dominic Agnew who forced his shot home from 10 metres 2-1. HT.

On 50 minutes a cross from the right was chased down and nicely touched into the net by Bobby Lee to make it 3-1.

On 60 minutes from a central attacking position Bobby Lee directed a header over the defence to Louis Cree who calmly controlled and chipped the keeper 4-1.

On 65 minutes the forever running Liam Warner made a delightful precision like cross from the left flank that travelled to the far post to Bobby Lee who dispatched the ball right of the keeper 5-1.

On 70 minutes the right back Adam Britten who was having a super game had advanced 90 metres beyond his normal territory and with a lovely dribble of the ball found himself in front of the goal and from 5 metres out he cleverly found the back of the net 6-1.

Louis Cree dropped into a left-hand of midfield position as the game progressed and with 15 minutes remaining he found acres of space advancing into the Collingham half and from 20 metres he let go of a projectile that was only destined to find its true home 7-1.

On 84 minutes Collingham who refused to give up home had a spell of inter-passing that had Town defending in numbers . Collingham's man-of-the-match found himself picking up a lose ball in the Town's penalty area and from 8 metres he forced a low hot home 7-2.

With only two minutes remaining Lam Warner on the right made a pass to the middle of the park to Bobby Lee who in-turn immediate delivered a pin point pass to Stefan Bilyk on the left wing Stefan advanced with the ball at his feet towards the goal before looping a perfect ball over the advancing keeper from 20 metres 8-2.

Town have played 39 competitive games without defeat against Newark and district opposition, some achievement. Much of this is must be down to the management of the team by Colin Rusby. Like the man in black in the middle of the park some decisions can be difficult, putting out a team each week that performs well but at the same time involves as many of the team members as is possible is a fine balancing act. But like Sunday's Referee , top marks Colin, for what the squad has achieved.

Billy Hurst, deserves a mention this week not because of the tenner he offered me to do so but because of his ability on and off the pitch . Billy ,fondly enjoys and even relishes the infrequent opportunity to be sub so that he might run the line for his team mates but then when given the opportunity more often than not to play he stamps his unique authority on the game as one of the best attacking left backs in the district a player who not only reads the game well but often makes telling forward passes that has put many a defence into panic mode.

This coming Sunday the opposition will be Holy Trinity at the Balderton playing fields for the second round of the Willie Hall Cup. A s cup holders II am pretty sure there will be a desire to win on Sunday .