Battling Kettering fail to capture Fortress Mansfield
Powergen Midlands 2 East
MANSFIELD 13 KETTERING 7
This was billed as "Super Saturday" - three fixtures covering the top six - and this as the "Match of the Day" - top of the table playing the only side with enough games in hand to topple them. For both sides a must win affair, and judging by the ferocity of the clash they both knew it.
Kettering left "an intense team briefing", as described by one of their managers, at a local hotel to lay siege to Mansfield's 100% home record and repeat their bruising victory of last October. In the event rugby largely went by the board and a trial of strength took over the afternoon.
From the Kettering kick off Mansfield gained the first of many penalties and only a fumble at the resultant line out stopped their drive. Kettering's scrum was shunted backwards and through 90 degrees to give Ashley a chance to launch off the back of Mansfield’s heel. Williams linked but with a gap opening accidental offside brought the move to a halt.
Kettering's defence held and Robinson fielded their long clearance downfield, he returned it with interest, only to be felled by the latest of late barges. A stern lecture and no card was a fortunate, if temporary, let off for the culprit.
With promising possession, and the promptings of the Vendside Man of the Match Davies, Rushby carved through three tackles and Jones was able to progress.
Robinson's next action was to land the penalty awarded and open up a 3-0 lead on six minutes. Roberts powered the ball back from the restart but already the game was degenerating. Kettering's tactics of pulling down drives and mauls and killing the ball, so successful for them in halting South Leicester, were being met by second phase players equally determined to clear the bodies out of the way.
The Mansfield performance in the set scrums was only matched by the dominance Taylor and Pritchard exerted in the line outs. However, every break from the limited possession Kettering were getting looked dangerous. Storey and Rushby made vital tackles, Robinson's cover plugged gaps and Arnold, immovable in defence, looked an irresistible force going forward.
Still the frustration of spoilt possession was raising the temperature and as Ashley and Kirk took Mansfield on to the visitors line Williams reacted to testicular assault with a flailing leg and the first two of five cards in the opening half were issued. The retaliation though understandable was not excusable and, more especially in the context of the game, cost a penalty try.
Within two minutes the tally was rising and Buchanan left for the sin bin. Kettering launched themselves forward to exploit the extra man but again Mansfield had the key tacklers both in the forwards and backs. Clearly frustrated Kettering sought confrontation with Roberts a target. He joined from the side once too often and in doing so lined himself up to be Mansfield's third yellow card. Kettering had a man clearly unable to heed words of warning from his violence of the opening minutes who chose the occasion to race fully ten yards from the three quarters to land a rabbit punch as the Mansfield number eight had his back to him. The red card was the only logical outcome. The hostilities had begun at two fifteen but it was full three minutes past three before the half ended. Oh yes still at 3-0.
The second period began scrappily with only a Roberts, Ashley, Pritchard drive to distinguish and after Taylor snuffed out an attempt at Kettering enterprise the rare sight of a three quarter run from Jones. Williams linked up, Davies, Kirk and Arnold carried on the attack before the predictable penalties halted enterprise. Taylor twice took the lines balls and Mansfield forced their way to within 15 yards. This time the lineout catch was fed to Roberts who raced blind, round the front of the line and into the corner for his eighth league try of the season.
Cleaning up from the kick off Newbold, Taylor, Kirk and Arnold carried play forty yards before the wingman was forced out. Kettering looked for invention in their backs to stretch Mansfield's cover but after a charged down kick the home side were quickest to react and Rutter began a move through Arnold and Robinson before receiving a reverse pass and racing in for his first league try for two years.
Head replaced Williams but that gave the visitors no comfort as he drove through at the next maul. Buchanan stole Kettering's line ball in a key attacking position, unleashed the forwards but Mansfield were soon on the back foot with Rushby's all enveloping tackle cutting out an overlap.
With ten minutes to go the fresh legs of Draycott and Calladine replaced Buchanan and Ashley. Kettering attacked the reshuffled home side, Jones just halting a certain try but in the seventy seventh minute having attempted to run the ball out from the 22 Mansfield lost possession, Kettering pounced and with the conversion put themselves within a converted try of a most improbable victory. Thanks to a Storey/ Taylor pincer, Robinson claiming a mark and finally Calladine and Storey shutting out the wing channel Mansfield survived the final minutes. A significant, if not wholly satisfactory, win and one that spoke reams for the spirit and determination of a side under intense pressure.
"Our destiny is in our hands now," was John Tasker's summary "we mustn't take any games for granted and everyone will now look upon us as the team to beat. It's going to be one hell of season!" That season rolls on at Banbury on Saturday and the home club moved into mid table at the weekend with a 43-8 win. A combative side with plenty of speed and skill in the backs Mansfield will have no let up as they use one of their games in hand to join the top two on 24 points.
Some of Mansfield's fixture congestion has been clarified. The Blue and Whites travel to Market Bosworth on March 15th and have arranged for the home game with Moderns on February 15th. to be a double header of League and Notts. Cup. The following weekend should see the Three Counties Cup tie against Newark or Buxton at Eakring Road
CLICK FOR ALL THE OTHER MIDLANDS 2 EAST RESULTS,
COURTESY OF RUGBY ROUND-UP
