Impressive Elks too much for Newark

Chris Tipton, who played a major role all game, received the catch and the Elks quickly got on the score board from a poorly fielded box Kick, with Kartar Soar on hand to punish the mistake and run in his first try of the season, with the conversion missed, making it 5-nil with less than 2 minutes gone.

After a succession of lineouts and scrums between the 22m, the next score came from a Newark box kick fielded by Isaac Taylor wide out on the right who punched up the midfield and the ball was spun far left to Jack Partington, who impressed with his tackling and probing line breaks all afternoon, then again back far right to Isaac and Jay Heath. The ball was then spun back left to Jack who offloaded back inside to Adam Corcoran to run it in on the 26 minute mark. With the conversion missed, the score now 10-0.
Having success with the box kicks, another score came from the restart which Newark again failed to field, Alex Ayres come up with possession, feeding Greg Taylor to run in under the post unopposed to bring the score to 17-0 with the Jonathan Falls conversion.
Tom Southall, having another good game since re-joining the Elks this season, left the field on 34 minutes being replaced by another returning Elks legend, Steve Mahoney. Kartar playing his first game this season having returned from a nasty knee injury last year, got yellow carded on our try line, following a series of penalties. The Elks now down a man, Newark took full advantage to get the first of three tries with a series of pick and drives to cross the Elks line, failure to convert brought the score to 17-5. Half time followed shortly after.

The Elks next scoring opportunity in the 2nd half came from a penalty, which was pushed wide by Jake Lamb. Newark then closed the gap on 42 minutes from a poor Newark scrum midfield on the half way that they kicked away to relieve the pressure and somehow managed to re-gather and score in the corner, which was converted much to the delight of the travelling supporters to bring the score to 17-12.

Kartar returned after his sin bin and Jack Wilkinson, who was having another solid game, was replaced with the recuperated Tom Southall just before half time. NLD U20s youngster Daniel Bell made his Ilkeston debut shortly afterwards, replacing Toby Keep and gave an impressive account of himself on his first appearance. Following another solid Elks lineout, a sublime offload from Greg Taylor at 10 fed Tipton in the midfield which saw him run in unopposed under the sticks, giving an easy conversion for Falls and a scoreline of 24-12.

The next score came from an excellent build up by the forwards with a brace of powerful catch and drives from lineouts in the Newark half, saw Steve Mahoney sitting in Adam Corcoran’s driving maul armchair seat to crash over out wide, with an excellent conversion from Falls, saw the scoreline at 31-12 with 55 minutes gone.

Newark scored the final of their tries using the pick and go again to score a try from a scrappy affair in the corner with 10 minutes remaining on the clock to bring what was to be the final score of 31-12. Dan Mahoney completed the very popular and long awaited return of Jedward with 10 minutes remaining, replacing Jonathan Falls and Toby returned to the fray, replacing another solid performance from Dan Hyams.

With solid performances across the board, man of the match is a tough call, but Kartar Soar’s hunger for victory and stunning contribution gets the nod. Next week see’s the Elks travel to Old Northamptonians.