Victories for West Bridgford, and Newark, Mansfield, and Southwell, featured this past weekend in counties regional rugby scene, successes going a long way to boosting hopes of promotion, or even title-winning campaigns.

The same can be said at the other end of the spectrum, With West Bridgford IIs, and Southwell IIs, holding court atop of their division, but it’s in the Regional 2 Midlands Counties (N), where the highest-ranked Notts clubs reside, and a high-scoring success for sixth place Newark, hot on the coat-tails of the tip five.

Hosting a Tamworth side who are joint-bottom with Mellish, Newark quickly turned the contest into a one-sided rout at their Kelham Road home, in what has been described as their ‘best display of the season.’

There were eleven tries registered by the rampant hosts, the first half would see them at their best, running over seven times, to the visitors one, as both winger Henry Allen, and full-back Noah Catley notched two apiece, further scores being added by fly-half George Leeson, number eight Sean Denning, and another winger, Alexander Scott.

The second half was a slightly quieter affair, the hosts taking their foot off the gas a little, scoring just the four tries, and allowing their visitors a second, just after the hour mark; centre Matt Walton, alongside front-rowers Tommy Williams (off the bench) and Harry Wright took the try-tally to double figures for the afternoon, before the scoring was completed by Allen, who completed a hat-trick of tries in the closing stages.

Adding to Tamworth’s misery, those eleven tries from the rampant hosts would also see eight conversions coming via the boot of George Leeson, adding to his first-half try in emphatic fashion, the hosts registering what is in fact, just their second win of the season (drawn one, lost three), but sit nicely poised in sixth place.

Newark (starting XV vs. Tamworth) – Matthew Ashton, Edward Coen, Harry Wright, William Ellison, Edward Clayton, Thomas O’Leary, Oliver Dodders, Sean Denning, James Tarbatt, George Leeson, Henry Allen, Matt Walton, Joshie Waqalevu, Alexander Scott, Noah Catley (subs – Nathan King, Wayne Alexander, Tommy Williams)

Next up for Newark, a trip to eighth place Ilkeston this coming Saturday (26 October); victory for the hosts was dedicated in memory of Carole Swain, wife of the clubs’ former captain, president, and a life member, Alan Swain, she having recently passed away.

Within the divisions’ top five are West Bridgford, sitting joint-third with a Dronfield side who slipped up in their own, top-of-the-table clash, with Lichfield at the weekend, the hosts claiming a huge, 22-10 win; for West, it was a road win, knocking off Old Saltleians 36-30, to maintain pressure on those above them.

It was a narrow win, but a win all the same, as they continue to make their case for promotion; Stephen Terea (2), Daniel Langton, Euan Murray, Jasper Allen, and Calum Gunn, all crossed for the visitors, Gunn also converting three of their six tries to keep them in the hunt.

A tougher battle for West in their next outing, albeit at their Stamford Road home, as they welcome second place Melbourne, who sit a point and two places above.

Paviors and Mellish meanwhile both suffered defeats, their fifth and sixth respectively in what are tough seasons for the two Notts clubs.

The former went down 32-24 when home to high-flying Walsall, whilst the latter suffered a 39-22 loss on the road at Matlock.

Southwell are second in Counties 1 Midlands East (North) following their comfortable success in a local derby away to lowly Nottingham Moderns, the 57-17 win being the visitors’ fourth victory of the season, and are five behind leaders Hinckley IIs.

Mansfield are down in eighth after winning their third of six outings this season, narrowly edging a Lincoln side, 43-39, who are currently two places and four points beneath, in tenth place.

With the Keyworth versus Nottingham Casuals games in Counties 2 Midlands East (N) abandoned, the other two games involving Notts clubs both ended in defeat on the road; Newark IIs were beaten 46-12 away to Birstall, and Ashfield lost 49-21 at Gainsborough, to remain in the bottom two.

As for Casuals and Keyworth, they’re in the top four, with the former of those leading second place Ashby by two points, whilst there was plenty of action on show at the bottom end of the pyramid, in the Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) division.

A top-heavy Notts division has a top four of the counties’ clubs, West Bridgford IIs and Southwell IIs sitting joint-top of 26-points apiece, both having lost at the weekend; Bingham find themselves third (23) and Nottinghamians are fourth (18).

West were narrowly beaten, 24-17, away to Melbourne IIs on Saturday, whilst Southwell were edged, 20-14, under the Friday Night Lights, when hosting Bingham; Nottinghamians kept up the pressure on the top three with a comfortable 38-20 success away to second bottom Spalding IIs, whilst Mellish IIs, who are third bottom, lost 23-19 at home to Leesbrook.

It’s Nottingham Moderns who prop up the division having suffered six straight losses, have -4 points, and are currently eight adrift of second bottom Spalding.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NewarkRUFC action between Newark and Tamworth at Kelham Road.