Newark 20-7 Dronfield: Newark Rugby Club 1sts in fine form ahead of RFU Intermediate Cup Midlands semi-finals

Newark Rugby Club’s 1sts produced another determined display to post a fourth successive Midlands 2 East (North) league win ahead of their semi-final clash on Saturday.

This time it was fourth-placed Dronfield who fell to the improving team, who pulled away in the last quarter at Kelham Road.

The 20-7 win made up for Newark’s poor performance at Dronfield in October when a slow start ended in a 59-10 defeat.

This time the Kelham Road side made a much better start and led 8-7 going into the final minutes, when the match swung firmly in favour of the hosts thanks to a clearing kick by wing Rhys Overland, which brought a line-out near the Dronfield line.

Overland’s 50-metre shunt cleared Dronfield pressure and set up Newark for a crucial spell camped on the visiting line.

Second row George Woodman nicked the Dronfield throw and Newark’s pressure eventually brought a try for full-back Robbie Hunter-Shaw. Alex O’Dell converted for a 15-7 lead.

Newark made sure of victory minutes later when captain Will Britten and prop Mason Coulam linked well to put Overland in the clear for a try in the right corner.

Overall, Newark showed all-round improvement, which included good defending to cut down Dronfield’s chances.

The visitors knew they were in for a far harder match than the first league match when Newark’s new wing James Archdale broke free on the left to score in the corner.

After Newark’s early pressure, Dronfield took over and led 7-5 at half-time through a converted try.

They continued on the attack for the early stages of the second half, but the match began to go in Newark’s favour when flanker Sean Denning, also on his home debut, led a charge into the Dronfield half.

The pressure earned a penalty, which O’Dell kicked to put Newark 8-7 up

After that Newark’s greater zeal sealed the win helped by a noisy home crowd.

The fourth successive win will have boosted the confidence of the Newark players ahead of the semi-final of the Midlands Division section of the RFU Intermediate Cup ­— a national competition.

They travel to Leighton Buzzard in a 2pm kick off.

The fixture will go to extra-time, should it be needed, with the Midlands final (national quarter-finals) to be played on Saturday, March 14.