No Christmas cheer for Newark men’s 1st XI
In the bleak mid-winter weather of Saturday afternoon, Newark were hoping for a festive reversal of fortunes and a return to winning ways in their last game before the Christmas break against visitors Berkswell and Balsall Common at Magnus Sports Centre.
Indeed, after a thoughtful and analytical pre-match session with coach Keith Taylor, and a warming pre-match workout, Newark started the game with spirits raised.
From the off the game was played at pace, with the ball quickly moved around the pitch by both teams, but it was the visitors who struck first and maintained their advantage until the interval.
Newark pulled level through a penalty flick by Adam Henfrey, but Berkswell and Balsall restored their lead near the end and held on to take the points with a 2-1 win to record only their third victory of the season and move out of the bottom three.
It leaves Newark locked in mid-table, after winning three of their 11 league games to date, 12 points adrift of leaders Sikh Union from Coventry.
Newark men’s 2nd XI fought out a 1-1 draw at Boots, with a penalty flick from Adam Reynolds earning a share of the spoils to leave Newark in fourth place at the halfway stage, and six points off a promotion place, with five wins from their ten league outings to date.
2nd Team League
Newark men’s 3rd XI slipped to a 3-0 defeat at Leicester Westleigh, and will be hoping to climb out of the bottom three after Christmas, having won only two of their nine league games so far.
THE Newark Hockey Club ladies’ player Nic Jenner (17) has taken a huge step forward in her career by earning a place in the Great Britain College squad.
Jenner, who plays for the Newark ladies’ 1st XI, was nominated by New College at Nottingham to go forward for a series of trials for the national squad.
After the hopefuls were whittled down to 64, a final trial took place at Cannock with the aim of choosing an elite squad of just 21.
Following an intense day of selection process exercises, the Newark player was given the good news.
“I’ve played hockey since I was nine and it has become my passion – I’m still pinching myself to check that this news is actually real,” she said
Jenner, who used to play her hockey for Ashfield Aztecs, is now enjoying success at club level with Newark ladies’ 1st XI as they continue their promotion battle in the Notts Premier League.
Club coach Paul Halfpenny is full of praise for the young sportswoman, and he said: “Nicola is a real talent who works very hard at her game and deserves this fantastic honour.
“In recent years, I’ve watched her game develop beyond recognition, and she has become a formidable young hockey player.”
Jenner, who also coaches the Newark men’s 3rd XI, can now add national squad selection to her list of achievements that include Nottinghamshire junior sports leader of the year, Ashfield’s junior leader of the year, and her gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.
She is currently studying sport and exercise science at New College, Nottingham, and hopes to gain a place at Loughborough University to take a sports degree next year.
