Newark Town : Players given two weeks to improve

Interim manager Ricky Hunter has warned his Newark Town players that they have until the end of the month to prove themselves, or risk being cut out of the squad.

The message came after Town’s worst performance of the season so far — a 9-1 loss at Awsworth Villa that saw them crash out of the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup in the first round.

Town have won just one of their eight games in the Central Midlands League this season and their form was no better in the cup.

Hunter said: “I was embarrassed and I am sure the lads were embarrassed.

“They know they can play much better than that and they will be disappointed with the result and the performance.”

Hunter said he was frustrated by having different players turn up for training each week.

“When you don’t have the same team every week you cannot work on things like shape,” he said.

“I’m hoping by the end of October I’ll have the squad that I want.

“I have given them until the end of October to show that they want to play for Newark Town.

“I will be cutting the squad down to 25 and the rest I will have a word with in person and I will tell them why they are not in the squad.”

'It might be a blessing in disguise'

Awsworth, who play at the same level as Town, outclassed and outplayed their opponents for almost the entire 90 minutes.

After two early strikes for the home side, John Pinnington scored Newark’s only goal mid-way through the first-half.

His effort sparked perhaps Newark’s only good spell of play and for a few minutes they looked like they might get something out of the game.

But Awsworth scored two more to give them a comprehensive half-time lead.

After the break, Newark fell apart and Awsworth scored five more.

Hunter said he had not been interested in the cup and would focus on the league.

“I was never interested in the cup in the first place. It wasn’t my main priority,” he said.

“I was upset we lost but it might be a blessing disguise because we don’t have the cup to distract us.

“A few of the players did OK but a lot of them didn’t play to their full potential.

“It was frustrating. We missed a few chances as it was looking like we were going to get something out of it.

“We got outplayed, outclassed and there was no spirit from us. It is what it is and it wasn’t a good day at the office.

“We will forget it now and move on to our game against Collingham on Friday — that is our local derby and I am looking forward to it.

“If they don’t get motivated for that I don’t know what they will get motivated for.”