Tony Smith reports
NEWARK FLOWSERVE produced a below-par performance on Saturday, but came from behind three times to salvage a point at fourth-placed Graham Street Prims in the East Midlands Counties League.
The Highwaymen began the game in second spot but they struggled to impose their game on mediocre opposition, and once again on their travels they showed little of their excellent home form which has made Lowfields their fortress.
It is their away form that needs addressing, particularly as a change to the fixture list now sees them facing successive away games at Ingles (on Saturday), Kimberley Miners’ Welfare (October 13) and Ashby Ivanhoe (October 20) before they return to Hawton Lane action against Eastwood Community on Tuesday October 23 (7.45pm).
Yinka Adebowale, chosen ahead of the fit-again James Beddingham, pulled off a fine diving save to keep out Michael Fitzhugh’s 18th minute direct free-kick, but he was left stranded a moment later when home skipper Kevin Morrow powerfully headed home to give Prims the lead.
Sam Agar equalised from the penalty spot ten minutes before the interval as the in-form striker scored for the sixth successive game, but the home side led again three minutes into the second half when referee Callum Parke again pointed to the spot and Fitzhugh converted.
Parity was restored on the hour mark when Sol Miller – back in the side following a three-match suspension – launched a long throw into the box. The ball was headed clear as far as Danny Meadows on the edge of the box, and his half volley flew past an unsighted keeper.
On 68 minutes Fitzhugh broke clear down the right and finished crisply to restore the home side’s lead, but six minutes later the referee completed a hat-trick of penalty awards and Agar duly despatched his shot to net his 11th goal in 11 outings.
It sounds like a thriller, but it wasn’t, and a silent dressing room after the game told its own story. Far from an away point secured, it felt like two dropped.
Newark Flowserve: 1 Yinka Adebowale; 2 Liam Moran; 3 Will Rawdon; 4 Tom Potts (captain); 5 Steve Kirkham; 6 Rhys Lewis; 7 Jack Beckett (Jammy Lloyd 69mins); 8 Danny Meadows; 9 Sam Agar; 10 Sol Miller; 11 Elliot King (Callum Smith 71mins). Subs not used: 14 Tom Perkins; 16 Ryan Broxholme; 17 James Beddingham.
Attendance: 79.