Newmarket consolidated their lead at the top of Crowe Division 5NW
with a performance (pardon the cliché) of two halves. Until the
break, Newmarket played with an imperious style, moving the ball
from wing to wing, using the midfield pair of Badcock and Wilson
Junior as their pivot, and tormenting a packed March defence,
clearly out from the start to avoid another 7-0 drubbing.
Newmarket really turned it on, and were rewarded after 15 minutes
when they won a penalty stroke, expertly put away by Wilson Junior.
Before long came a second, after more good play on both flanks by
Gibson and Cummins, a scrappy period of play in the March "D"
resulted in Geordie Young scoring with an excellent strike from a
narrow angle. Not long before the break Newmarket put away a third,
this time Matt Holden finding the backboards.
Utilising the whole squad of 16 with several changes at the break,
Newmarket never quite recaptured the fluidity of the first period,
nevertheless scoring a fourth when Dave "shirts" Badcock struck from
another narrow angle, with Ian Starling eventually guiding the ball
over the line. Newmarket keeper Steve Freed made two fine
interceptions on the edge of his own "D" before, with ten minutes
left, March scored a consolation goal.
The problems of not having a pitch were again highlighted with
Newmarket having to accept a later start time than originally
planned, eventually getting underway at 4.45pm, which on a cold
afternoon in the middle of the Fens is no joke!
