OLD Newton United manager Colin Macrow can empathise with his Ipswich Town counterpart Paul Jewell.

Macrow’s side won three of their opening five matches in the Senior Division of the Kingsley Healthcare SIL, but then suffered seven defeats and picked up just three draws in their next 10 matches.

But just as Jewell’s side ended their seven-match losing sequence thanks to last Saturday’s stunning 5-3 win at Barnsley, so Macrow’s side returned to winning ways in equally emphatic fashion with a 5-0 victory at Capel Plough.

Macrow, whose side still prop up the senior Division table, reflected: “Like Ipswich we desperately needed it!

“And like Ipswich we have had a few changes in personnel from the previous season, so it was a coming together of the new players with the existing ones.”

Old Newton’s cause was not helped by the fact that in the third of those three early season wins – a 3-0 victory over Leiston St Margarets – they fielded an ineligible player, and were subsequently deducted six points.

“He only went on for the last five minutes, and as a result we have been playing catch-up ever since, which has not helped matters,” lamented Macrow, who has had experienced coach Alan Johnson working alongside him this season.

Marcow targeted a run of five matches where he thought Old Newton could haul themselves off the foot of the table, starting with Wickham Market, followed by matches against Melton St Audry’s Capel Plough, Ransomes Sports and Crane Sports.

“They were games we thought we could get wins out of, but we slipped up at Wickham Market, where we didn’t turn up in the first half, and we lost 2-0 before drawing 2-2 with Melton St Audry’s when we thought we had done more than enough to win the game.

“So to then score five and keep a clean sheet at Capel Plough last Saturday was a big bonus,” said Marcow, who picked out goalkeeper Craig Brand and striker David Lampshire for special praise.

“Craig is a young keeper who came to us from Team Bury and he found it tough early on in the season, but he has improved in the last few weeks and our back four is looking much more solid.

“David Lampshire, who joined us this season, said he was a centre half but I put him upfront and he has proved quite a handful without scoring many goals. It all came together for him last Saturday and he scored a hat-trick.”

Old Newton face second-from-bottom Ransomes tomorrow and Marcow admitted: “It is a big game for both of us and we will be going out all guns blazing to get the three points. We then face Cranes, who are also around us, and both games are vital with the situation we are in.”