Dogged Mansfield dominate Boro’
Powergen Midlands 2 East
WELLINGBOROUGH 0 MANSFIELD 26
A measure of the progress that Mansfield has made could be judged by the reaction to Saturday’s historic first ever victory at Cut Throat Lane. Satisfaction at the sixth away win of the season was tempered by disappointment at not having built up more positive points difference in an ever-tightening promotion battle.
The fact that they could not add to the points has to be credited to the home side’s defensive tactics, a gluepot pitch and some ill luck that meant they failed to secure tries on four forays over the home try line.
The start could not have been better. Roberts and Davies converted the kick off into an opportunity for Robinson to chip through. Storey chased through and his tackling penned Wellingborough on their own line before a clearing kick was run back by Draycott and a tackle on Davies set up Robinson with a second minute penalty and a 3-0 lead.
Attempts to open up and create running rugby through Rushby and Jones were floundering on the sticky surface. Mansfield looked comfortable in resisting any attacking ambitions from the home side and had scrum dominance irrespective of the side putting in. On the quarter hour Robinson was again presented with a penalty opportunity and the Mansfield Man of the Match, narrowly ahead of Roberts and Buck, hammered the ball over.
The restart saw Roberts charging forward and Buck added 30 more yards to the move before the front row union appeared scampering like young centres with Newbold carrying play deep into the 22 and Head harshly adjudged to have held on as he was brought down a yard from a try. No respite for the home side as Mansfield came straight back through Buck and Draycott. The only way to stop Mansfield was diving over and Robinson struck his hat trick to ease Mansfield 9-0 in front.
Buchanan and Storey benefited from Robinson’s quick invention with a tap penalty in midfield. Taylor and Davies kept the game moving forward and even when the ball was lost in the maul Buchanan was first up to charge down a clearing kick. The hack clear from behind the line had Rushby and Jones on the move again only to be halted by a high tackle.
With time petering out Robinson made it four from four with the boot and despite late flurries from Pike, linking with the three quarters, and Storey just losing out in a race with 3 defenders they failed to add to the 12 –0 half time score line.
Mansfield’s fallibility at kick offs raised it’s head again with a comic passage of fumbles and soccer taps taking the ball up the touchline and creating a 5 yard lineout for Wellingborough. Any thoughts that a home revival was on the cards were snuffed out as Pike stole the throw in and Jones linked to send the ball across field. Mansfield worked their way deep into the home half with Roberts and Taylor at the fore to set up a series of scrums. Roberts stole home ball after a Kirk steal but he was held up over the line. Mansfield had a five yard scrum and finally a pick up at eight by Roberts was unstoppable and a simple conversion made it 19-0.
Williams marked his entry to the game with typically incisive runs off Buck and Jones passes. Davies kicked long and from the ensuing play Robinson had a penalty in front of the posts only to see his kick rebound from the cross bar. Rushby runs and a spirited incursion by replacement Stringfellow should have seen Mansfield stretch their lead but fumbles and the effort of trying to make progress through the clinging mud thwarted Mansfield for the next thirty minutes up to stoppage time.
Brown replaced Storey and had to quickly put in tackles down the right wing before he jinked infield to link with the forwards. Buchanan secured line ball and Stringfellow twice joined a move that swept Mansfield from half way to try line. Held up there Mansfield allowed frustration to get the better of them and after Draycott was robbed of a try he went high on a tackle to earn a yellow card and sit out the final ten minutes. Despite being a man short the game was still played in the home 22 and Mansfield’s domination was summed up as a five yard scrum saw them send the opposition careering back, crumple alongside their own posts and Roberts touch down. Robinson’s conversion ended proceedings for the day, events elsewhere saw Kettering’s lead at the top cut to four points and Mansfield stay well in touch in the chasing bunch with two games in hand. The message from Eakring Road was that there is a lot more rugby to be played before any issues are decided.
Before the week is out Mansfield will be looking to have made it eight away wins before Christmas. Three Counties banana skin Market Rasen awaits on Tuesday night under the lights in Lincolnshire and must be negotiated before travelling for an early 1.45 kick off at Derby on Saturday in the Intermediate Cup. The prize of a last 16 place awaits the winner between clubs sitting in similar positions in the Midlands East and West divisions. Mansfield see out 2002 with the rearranged league game with Northampton Old Scouts on December 28th at Eakring Road. |
