NEWARK 1ST XV vs STAFFORD 1ST XV. 30TH NOVEMBER 2019. LEAGUE MATCH.

Stafford took the meandering journey to the Trent Valley for a clash against Newark in the quarter finals of the intermediate cup. The two clubs hadn’t met in a competitive match for a period of over thirty years. The weather conditions were testing with visibility around the pitch being patchy through a drifting hazy mist. The floodlights snapped on to illuminate the gloom and open the cup encounter.

Newark came tearing into the first half and initial plays crashed the ball to within sight of the Stafford line. Over a five-minute period, the visiting defence managed to repel some ferocious assaults, but eventually the home sides persistence got its reward and took the opening try. A yellow card temporarily reduced Newark to fourteen, but they continued to create all of the momentum. The first quarter had just elapsed when the hosts took their second try of the afternoon. Stafford battled hard but couldn’t maintain possession of the ball making it difficult to construct any attacking platforms. The visitors subsequently endured a series of penalties which conceded territory to an ever-threatening home side. Newark left it until a couple of minutes before half time to take their third try of the afternoon and finish off what had been a strong first forty minutes. Stafford went into half time trailing by 21-0 and looking for a way into a very misty and frosty game.

A resurgent Stafford opened the second half with a period of rugby which propelled the home side backwards for the first time in the match. A flying Tom Windibank snatched up the ball, racing up the pitch and it took a concerted defensive effort to bring him down short of the line. The defenders couldn’t prevent a supporting Cal Jones from grabbing the ball and crossing the line for a try, converted by Christian Ureche. The Newark response was immediate as they ran in a fourth try to re-establish a three-score lead. Stafford wouldn’t lie down and a period of possession allowed them to smuggle the ball up the pitch to threaten the home side line. As the ball was released through the hands an alert Cal Jones launched the ball for 1st XV debutante Finn Jenkinson to run onto for Stafford’s second try of the afternoon. With a quarter of the game to go two further Newark tries killed off any hope of a Stafford comeback and gave the hosts a well-earned victory, with a deserved place in the semi-final of the cup.