Back-to-back wins for men

Newark Hockey Club men’s 1st XI earned a second successive victory to move up to sixth position in East Midlands One.

Newark lost 3-1 in both their opening league games, but chalked up a first win at home to Rolls Royce and followed that up with another success against Berkswell and Balsall at Magnus Sports Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors belied their bottom spot in the table by starting brightly, and they deservedly took the lead as a crisp passing move was calmly finished low past the Newark keeper.

The home team kept their nerve, however, and levelled before the break through a slick finish from leading goalscorer Jules Williams, though a Berkswell striker managed to put the ball wide in front of an open goal as the half drew to a close.

Newark turned round looking for a better start to the second period, and started to string together some quality passes.

Nigel Bett had the best of the chances but could not bag the goal that the build-up warranted, but he finally slotted the ball home to give Newark the lead for the first time.

Berkswell started to push forward again but found Newark in stubborn mood, and the home side took the opportunity to launch breakaway attacks.

It was from one of those that young Adam Reynolds capitalised to notch his first league goal of the season and give Newark a two-goal cushion that they held until the end.

Berkswell would have been disappointed not to get something out of the game, but the finishing was the difference between the two teams.

There was better news for Newark ladies’ 1st XI as they maintained their 100% record with a crushing 7-1 demolition of hosts North Notts 2nds to stay top in the Notts Premier League.

It was the home side’s first defeat of the season, but they had no answer to the powerful play produced by the Newarkers as they took their goals tally to 21 goals in four games.

Newark broke the deadlock on 14 minutes when they were awarded a penalty corner that Jemma Gough duly dispatched, and they doubled their lead when player of the match Hannah Coe netted after slick passing play that involved virtually the whole of the Newark team.

No more goals were added before the break, but the second half saw the visitors switch on the turbo-charger, leaving North Notts chasing shadows for long periods.

Coe took her tally to four in the first quarter of an hour of the second half, and the visitors made it 6-0 just before the hour mark when Gough scored a penalty flick, which was awarded after a Notts foot thwarted a goalbound shot.

The home team scored a consolation goal on 64 minutes with a penalty stroke of their own, but Trish Trafford rounded off a quality performance by adding goal number seven.

Coach Paul Halfpenny said: “The team-work was of the highest quality, which was reflected in the spread of votes for player of the match.

“All the goals could be classed as team goals, created by slick passing and positive movement off the ball.

“I feel we truly have a team here that will experience success together, and at last raise the profile of Newark Hockey Club.”

Newark ladies’ 2nds picked up their first point of the season following their promotion to the Notts Premier League, drawing 3-3 at home to South Nottingham 1st XI, but they were disappointed not to have won after building up a 3-0 advantage in the first half.

There was a major transformation in the hearts and minds of the players as they took on their bogey team from last season, and there was a strong determination to turn round the side’s fortunes.

Newark pressed hard from the start, and it wasn’t long before a move up the left found Holly Cloke who deftly slipped it through to Ann Crockett-McLean to beat the keeper for her first of the season.

The pressure continued, with the dynamic central combination of Jackie Foulds and Katherine Hawkins seeking out their team members and creating flowing moves which outfoxed the South Notts defence.

It paid off with a penalty corner that Crockett-McLean slammed in, and then a neat Newark move up the left was taken along the back line by Rachael Tongue before setting up Lucy Brailsforth for a third.

The confidence in the Newark side was high as they strove for more goals, but South Notts burst the bubble seconds before the half-time whistle when they pulled a goal back after goalkeeper Sophie Chambers had made three consecutive superb saves.

The second half started at a slower pace and it was South Notts who took the initiative, pulling two goals back to restore parity and earn a share of the spoils.

The last few moments of the match saw Newark find a second wind, but they ran out of time in the end, and had to settle for honours even in a match they felt they should have had wrapped up.