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Mansfield aim for Final glory 

Mansfield aim to bring down the curtain on a successful season with a record breaking fifth consecutive County Cup win at Casuals ground this Sunday, 3 o’clock kick off. They return to the ground where they claimed the last two wins in a repeat of the 2001 final against Newark. The Kelham Road club caused a Three Counties upset with their win 19-13 at Mansfield in February, a day when the home side froze against a great display of forward mobility and determined cover tackling.

Coach John Tasker should need no more motivational team talk than a reminder of that day linked to the tactics and style that brought the crushing 53-15 Semi Final win over Paviors, conquerors of Newark in the league this year. “We don’t want to end the season without silverware,” was John’s message this week. “The boys owe that much to themselves for all the effort and the performances that landed us third spot in the league. We took two points and three points off sides that have gone up. It could easily have been us.”

Niggling end of season injuries mean the squad will be named after Thursday’s training, the team will be meeting at 11.45 and supporters will be welcome on the club’s lucky cup bus.

The First team have the added incentive of matching the club’s other sides record this campaign. Mansfield’s Thirds won their league convincingly and the Seconds pulled off a double that seemed beyond them a month ago.

 

Mansfield played hosts to top of the table Newark in the 2nd XV Pennant Decider and pulled off a tremendous 10-6 win, making themselves the only club Newark have failed to beat in a record breaking season.

Mansfield started at frantic pace with driving play through stalwarts Saunders and McGregor, but were soon reduced to 14 players when Grant was sin binned for some aggressive rucking. However, this did not hinder Mansfield in the set pieces as Saunders stepped in to the propping berth. The teams determination to wrest top spot was undiminished despite going down to 13 Players as Leeson was given 10 minutes in the sin bin for obstruction.

Still Mansfield applied the pressure and from a scrum inside the Newark 22 Mansfield pressurised the visitors, Cartwright stole the ball to feed Hornsby who forced his way over the try line. Wagstaff’s conversion opened up a 7 - 0 lead in Mansfield’s favour.
From the kick off Mansfield then lost Wagstaff who left the field with a broken jaw, Maxwell entered the arena as Mansfield shuffled the side around.Soar used his pace to beat 3 Newark defenders , Harrison was on hand to carry the ball forward and Newton produced quick ball for Buck to take the ball into the Newark half. The visitors gave away a penalty which Leeson converted to give the half time score 10 - 0 in Mansfield favour.

From the restart Newark used the wind advantage and boot of ex-Mansfield Player Mower to pin Mansfield in their own half. However, Mansfield's back line put in some crunching tackles to keep the Newark backs at bay. After considerable pressure Mansfield 's forwards were adjudged to be offside, Mower converted the resulting penalty to close the gap to 10 - 3.

From the restart the Mansfield pack turned over Newark's ball with Davis collecting loose ball and driving up field into the Newark 22 only to be forced to leave the field with a serious knee injury.

Another Mansfield reshuffle before winning the resulting scrummage ball and moving it wide to Fletcher on the wing whose first touch of the ball chipped the Newark defence and showing that he still has pace, collected the kick and crashed over. Disappointingly the referee disallowed the try for obstruction and Newark cleared their lines.

Newark converted another penalty but Mansfield’s defence held out for a 10 - 6 victory. Most importantly it contained the only try of the game and this ensured that Mansfield moved a point clear of their opponents to retain the Notts. 2nd XV League.
The sides’ successful season was then crowned by pulling off the Cup and League double on Sunday at Paviors with a 38-20 victory over West Bridgford in the Ron Rossin Shield. 

Early mistakes saw West move into an early 10-0 lead but this did not deter Mansfield from playing free flowing rugby and pressure told when from a line out Mansfield obtained clean ball through Maxwell, Ashley and Harrison drove the ball forward, enabling Cartwright to unleash the back line with Hornsby giving the scoring pass to McGregor. Leeson added the conversion.

Stevenson collected the restart and Buck put in a cross field kick pinning West Bridgford inside their own 22.Coleman disrupted the line out , Grant , Harrison and Robinson drove through and Hornsby again made good yardage through direct running sent Brown towards the line, but he was just held up short. Soar picked up the ball and gave the scoring pass to Ashley, again Leeson converting bring the score line to 14 - 10 in Mansfield's favour.

From the restart Mansfield gave away a penalty, West Bridgford took a quick penalty, and despite Stevenson's last-ditch tackle an unconverted try put the Nottingham side 15 - 10 up.

Roaring back Mansfield collected desperate clearing kicks and from one, well taken by Williams, Buck made excellent yardage before feeding Brown, who collected his own chip and chase to score. Four changes of lead but at half time Mansfield ahead19 - 15.

Mansfield made two changes at the break with Maxwell and Soar being replaced by Bennett and Newton, continuing to pressurise. Buck interlinked with Williams and the hard running Hornsby again provided McGregor with the scoring pass. Leeson converted for 26 - 15. Mansfield continued to play some attractive rugby, Coleman and Ashley always making ground with Grant and Bennett in support, Buck entered the line at pace, drew the West Bridgford defence and McGregor crossed unopposed for his third try of the afternoon, Leeson again kicking the conversion, to send Mansfield into a 33 - 15 match winning lead.

West continued to strive for territory and possession, helped by Mansfield giving away a number of penalties and Harrison being sin binned for 10 minutes. Mansfield's defence held firm with Cartwright and Leeson making some important tackles, but eventually West Bridgford were awarded a 5 metre line out, their pack drove the ball forward and the winger crossed in the corner to make the score line 33 - 20.

Mansfield made two more changes with Smith and Broadhurst replacing Stevenson and Williams, both replacements making an immediate impact carrying the ball forward with the hard working Coleman in support.

Ashley and Cartwright continued to work well off the scrummage giving good ball to Leeson who was just held short, Bennett picked up the loose ball and fed Newton who could not force his way over. From the resulting line out Coleman secured good quality ball to enable the Mansfield pack to drive towards the try line, with Robinson and Cartwright to the fore, enabling Harrison to crash over for a final score 38 - 20 to Mansfield.
 

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Mansfield U14s final fixture of the season ended on a high note with a 58-0 win away at Long Eaton.
Mansfield tries came from Tom Calladine, Samuel Johnson, Aiden McGregor, Stuart Wilson, Michael Mumford, Nick Bansal, 2 for Andreas Zacharia and 2 for Mansfield 'Man of the Match' Chris Lee. Jonathan Williams added 4 conversions for Jonathan Williams.

For afters end of season fun the two clubs mixed Mansfield’s pack with Long Eaton backs vice versa foe an entertaining 10-5 game. Mansfield players Matt Broughton and Nathan Carrington securing a try on each side, the decider being scored by a Long Eaton player affectionately known only as  'The big lad'.

 

 

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