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Mansfield crash out on the road
MIDLANDS ONE EAST
OLD NORTHAMPTONIANS 32 MANSFIELD 11What looks like a comprehensive defeat does not tell the tale of a game where Mansfield held possession and position for long periods, The failure to take points in those passages, particularly the first half hour when two overlaps were squandered, cost them dear as the home side seized their chances.
‘Slow at the start, wrong options and we only really played our rugby in the last quarter’ a disappointed Steve Shaw reflected. ‘We need to play like that for eighty minutes and trust the ball in hand.’
From the kick off Hooper was in the thick of it and with Donaldson took play to the opposition. McGregor proved a willing ball carrier and after Johnson smuggled the ball clear Mansfield had a penalty. That slid wide to the left but Mansfield maintained position in the ONs half.
The game lacked shape with the home side effective in spoiling and slowing down ball as Mansfield attempted to open up their back line. Symcox turned the defence with crash ball tactics and when Williams spun it wide it took three defenders to halt Hough’s progress. Pritchard was mixing line out duties with control of the rolling maul but when Lee Shaw broke and Bacon came in off his wing the cover was there in numbers to snuff out the danger.
A late tackle on Robinson gave the Blue and Whites another attacking option and penalty but this effort into the wind fell a metre short. At last some quick ball emerged but first the lack of a pass with a free man outside and then an option to chip ahead with two men free meant tries went a begging.
The punishment came quickly. Moore than a hint of offside left a man in position to intercept and race clear for the opening score on thirty six minutes. Just two minutes more and a near repeat as Mansfield threw wild passes attempting to get back level and converted try number two had the home team 14-0 in front.
Determined to have something from the half Hough collected and jinked past three men and Adam Shaw moved play across field for a Mansfield had a line out on the 22. Hooper made the catch and when the Shaw brothers linked with Holmes and Pritchard there was enough space for Symcox to power through. With the line beckoning and defenders slowing his progress he found Williams bursting across the line for an unconverted try.
If Mansfield wanted to keep the momentum into the second half they seemed reluctant to claim the kick off and were pinned back for the opening five minutes of the half. Important tackles from Williams, Holmes and Robinson kept ONs at Bay before Holmes linked with Pritchard and took the Blue and Whites up field. Coleman, replacing Johnson peeled round the blind side with McGregor as support but it took a timely tackle from substitute Hawson to keep play in the home 22.
Some ping pong kicking tested both defences but the home side had a devastating response to end the exchanges. When the home full back collected in his 22 there seemed little danger. A burst of speed and surge to the left saw him heading for the Mansfield line and despite lunging tackles Mansfield were back fourteen points behind.
Three minutes later and Lee Shaw reduced the lead by three after McGregor stole ball, Simmons moved play on and again a penalty for slowing the ball. It did not spark the revival it should. A penalty to Mansfield on their 22 was reversed, and somewhat one sidedly the only yellow card went to McGregor. A chance to move play into the ONs half turned to a 22-8 score line.
Bacon found room to move inside and with Grant and Donaldson burrowing away ex Mansfield man Beaumont earned a long overdue yellow card. Lee Shaw kicked the penalty to bring the scores within eleven points and Mansfield seemed to have the momentum. Lowery came off the bench and just failed to find Hawson as the home side were stretched. However, as time ran down and attempts to get the two required scores more desperate loose ball was lost and a runaway try under the posts rounded off the scoring.
Next weekend see the league leaders, Scunthorpe, make the trip to Eakring Road. Despite a surprise defeat at Dunstablians and a number of serious injuries picked up in the last month the Lincolnshire outfit lead the table by 4 points at half way. They landed an impressive 35-0 win last Saturday whilst the chasing pack faltered, but a repeat of Mansfield’s away performance could create an upset. Kick off 2.15.