13/09/2026
The latest in Towndrow types.
THE FA VASE
Newark Town v Lutterworth Town FC, 3pm Saturday 12th of September 2026, at the YMCA
THE LUTTERWORTH SWIFTS SOARED HIGH OVER THE SKY BLUES
H.T. 1-2
F.T. 1-4
Four consecutive defeats for the blues, after today's loss, nevertheless, confidence is still high and things shall inevitably improve. The blues might rightly wonder, where Lady Luck has been hiding!
The FA Vase is a cup competition, played between, the English National League clubs, at step 5 and step 6. Around 600 teams compete, for the honour, of playing in a final, at Wembley Stadium.
Lutterworth Town FC, known as, "The Swifts" like Newark, complete at step 5 level, and play in the Premier Division South, United Counties League, where they sit in 9th place. At the end of last season, they finished in six place. Therefore, a decent team, and they provided a tough challenge for the blues, of the Northern Premier League.
Pre-kickoff, Matt Ridyard, one of the Newark Club's most celebrated members, and the home-match-day's,PA announcer, commented, regarding the news that, No 9, Ryan Rushen, has left the club, to join step 4, Grantham Town FC,
"Rushy, wasn't just a great lad on the pitch but was also a fantastic club-man off it. I like many others, will honestly miss him. Unfortunately, this happens in football but we have a strong squad, and a great management team. All will be well"
This week's loss of Rushy was indeed disappointing and required another reconfiguration of the team sheet before kickoff.
The Blues wore their sky blue kit and The Swifts, who had flown an hour and 55 miles down the A46, Orange shirts , black shorts and socks.
After last Saturdays narrow 3-2 away defeat, in Stamford, the blues were fired up to get back to winning ways and from the whistle, were on the offensive.
Often the terminology used is "game of two halves" but whilst the first-half was pretty even, possibly, advantage The Swifts, the Blues, certainly had greater possession in the last 45 minutes of the game, probably seventy-percent.
Newark have, after today's defeat, lost four on a trot,
Whilst blues were without their top scoring and highly rated centre-forward, after his transfer move, and kicked-off, the game with Theo Sackey-Mensah, a debutant, right-back, disappointingly, on 30 minutes, they also lost, through injury, two of their key defenders, Lewis Smalley and left-back, Ryley Thompson. Management, were therefore, forced to think-on-their-feet, making two substitutions, Kemal Yenibertiz and Nelson Aideyan, both of whom had an excellent game, like also, new boy No 2 Theo. The substitutes, added a slightly more aggressive or perhaps we should say, assertive-edge, to the blues defensive play. Joeie Bass, the man on the turnstiles, said, Nelson, known to some as "The Lord" - had an excellent game, Robin our Club photographer extraordinaire, commented, referring to Nelson "Thy Shall Not Pass" 'it's more difficult to get past Him than it is to pass through The Pearly Gates' He indeed played 'admirably' in fact their prolific goalscorer centre-forward No 9 was virtually, unable to move, as he was so tightly marked, by the lord, as Town pushed confidently forward in unison, to the halfway-line, forcing The Swifts to fly lower, as the game progressed, and into a 40 yard deep, orange defence.
On 18 minutes, a short-back-pass was chased down by Andre Williams, Haydon McCarthy, the blues keeper under pressure attempted a clearance, the ball hit the Lutterworth player on the shin and ricocheted into the open net 0-1
24 minutes, a high cross 30 yards was met at the near-post by the head of jumping Swift's No 9 Tendai Daire, who cleverly directed the ball into the bottom of the far post and beyond the diving blue keeper 0-2
43 minutes, a decent diagonal chip made from the halfway-line tantalisingly rolled and bounced towards the 18 yard box, The Shift's central defender and keeper both hesitated, Harry Allcock, chased, the Lutterworth keeper in his attempted clearance, hit the ball to the foot of Harry, the ball rolled past the keeper, Allcock, in pursuit, forced, left-footed the ball home from one yard out, and into an empty net 1-2
91 minutes, Dominic Brennan, chased his keeper's long kick that bounced awkwardly over a blue defender on the halfway-line, to the edge of the box, where he stopped and with his right foot cleverly curled the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net 1-3
95 minutes, substitute, Tyler Haddow, chased a pass made from the halfway-line, to the edge of the box and kicked using the outside of his right foot, a shot that passed, the advancing keeper, and into the bottom of the net 1-4.
Despite recent defeats, a number of blue supporters, expressed their satisfaction, with today's attacking style of play, one being, a Ladies supporter, Terri, who said after the game "we were the better side for the whole of the second-half. We played like the old newark town, today, never gave up, pressed all the time"
Blues Manager, Luke Parsons, was quoted last week in the Newark Advertiser, regarding his sides , early season performances to-date.
"We’re not quite there as a 90-minute team yet, and that’s down to a few factors"
Today's game was certainly against a decent side but Newark despite losing, gave a good account, with another valiant performance, better times will follow.
Next Saturday 19th September, 3pm, The Blues play another Leicestershire side, a home league game, against, Aylestone Park FC. Aylestone, sit 17th in the table, despite their league 3-0 victory, today against Deeping Rangers.
Paul Bryan, a Volunteer for the blues, commented "Unlucky today, keep pushing, keep fighting, keep working and the wins will come"
Well said Paul.
uptheblues
Thank you as every to Francis 🩵
