plenty of entertainment on show
If Newark Town can replicate the football they produced in their final pre-season warmup match in the forthcoming league season, there’ll be plenty of entertainment on show at the YMCA Activity Village in the forthcoming months. The Blues ran the show for almost the whole 90 minutes against a youthful Spalding side who rarely threatened.
Town took a 3rd minute lead when Jawanza Grant beat the keeper to the ball before finding the net from an extremely acute angle. Craig Bridge then saw his firm shot blocked by the keeper, before Spalding briefly retaliated, Craig Rhodes being palming away a couple of long range shots. Christian Andersen then saw his snap-shot turned away following good work by Lewis Chambers and Bridge’s shot from out on the right passed just wide of the far post.
As Town kept up the pressure Ben Castell’s free kick from just outside the area brought an excellent save from the visitors’ keeper who pushed the ball on to the inside of the post, from which it somehow bounced clear. Grant added Newark’s second on 35 minutes, netting again from an acute angle following a run down the left. Spalding’s sporadic attacks were well dealt with by Sean Fulcher and Luke Parsons, a formidable centre half pairing.
Town made five changes at the interval but it within three minutes of the restart the lead was extended as George Pearce played an incisive through ball to George Asplin, whose shot went through the replacement keeper’s legs. Nathan Burrows was then brought in to action at the other end, touching a long range effort over the top before Asplin played a superbly judged ball to Kieron Job whose shot was blocked. Asplin got his second and Town’s fourth with a memorable goal, cutting inside and deliberately lifting the ball over the head of the onrushing keeper.
In the 74th minute Ricky North made it five with a powerful header from Job’s corner and after Job had himself hit the post from the edge of the area, Andersen rounded off the entertainment five minutes from time by robbing the full back before unleashing a powerful effort past the motionless keeper from 20 yards out.
This was an excellent team performance with all 16 players on view contributing. Messrs Parkinson and Parsons biggest problem would seem to be choosing which eleven will start a week on Saturday.
Town have received a bye in the first round of the League Cup, but face a tough opener in the Floodlit Cup with an away tie at Reford United on September 24th/25th.