Romaine Graham says he could have taken anyone off after making a triple substitution during the first half of Newark & Sherwood’s 3-1 defeat at Belper. The Highwaymen were 2-0 down when boss Graham took action just 26 minutes into Saturday’s United Counties Premier Division North match. Benjamin Henderson, Luke White and Coden Duncan were introduced, with Kieran Walker, Ricco Spencer and Jamie Goddard making way.
Newark conceded again before half-time and while Kieran Cummings’ early second-half header gave them hope, there was no way back for the visitors. “We had a bit of an off-day,” said Graham, who saw Tuesday night’s home match against Kimberley Miners Welfare postponed. “In the first half, we just weren’t at it and at that point I thought I need to react and whoever needs to come off.
“It was purely tactical. It was a case of I’ve got this personnel on the bench who can give me this, I need to get them on. “We weren’t retaining the ball enough and I had two on the bench who that’s their speciality, for want of a better word, and we needed more productivity out wide, so we went for an attacking wideman.
“No player is pleased at getting taken off in the first half of a game but I’ve spoken to them and, to be honest, it could have been anyone. At that stage, I had to do what I felt was best. “We were 2-0 down and it looked like it could be more.
“In hindsight, I might have left it a bit longer and that’s maybe something I’m learning..
