Powergen Intermediate Cup
MANSFIELD 22 HUNTINGDON 0
Mansfield’s Twickenham dream lives on after an impressive win over Midland’s form side Huntingdon at Eakring Road. Arriving with a tally of 332 points for and only 45 against in their unbeaten eight game run the visitors more than contributed to a full blooded, intensely contested encounter. Significantly Mansfield’s well marshalled, hard tackling defence denied their high flying opponents any points, for the first time in over three years, and their forward dominance created the openings for three well executed tries.
The forward dominance was evident from the off, as a clean catch by Stringfellow was taken on by Williams for experimental fly half Jones to drill the ball deep into the 22. Pritchard’s catch at the line out set up a Newton charge and the opening two scrums of the game where the visitors much respected pack were backpedalling. Roberts capitalised with a bullocking run before Storey’s pace forced a penalty. Opting to set up a 5 metre line out the advantage looked to have been lost but another Huntingdon heel whilst on the retreat gave Mansfield scrum 5 and they made the most of it.
Roberts picked up at eight, developed the drive with Newton and Taylor before scrum half Buck twisted and slid over for the opening try on seven minutes. A tidy collection of the restart by Taylor allowed Jones to move play to half way and Robinson, secure under the high ball all afternoon pinned the visitors back onto defence.
Robert’s, turning in his best and most focussed display since returning to the club, again exploited the solid Mansfield scummaging and twice Storey angled in from passes by Davies and Jones. His link with Pritchard and Head saw Kirk control the rolling maul and Buck darted clear for a second try. The Alex McKie Man of the Match, Wayne Robinson, slotted over the conversion and after an Arnold ground shuddering tackle reversed the flow of play the full back was on hand to land a tricky penalty to open up a 15-0 lead on the half hour.
From the kick off Head was adjudged to have blocked an incoming opponent and, maybe harshly, became the first of three to visit the sin bin during the afternoon. The subsequent penalty missed and a fluffed 22-drop out should have led to some reward for Huntingdon. Instead Mansfield held firm with a seven-man pack, took ball against the head and opened up through Arnold and Draycott to keep the pressure in the visitors half. Alarm bells rang when a flowing three quarter move saw the ball go astray but the hack down field and race was won by Storey out pacing three opponents and clearing into touch.
The second half ushered in the visitor’s most concerted passage of pressure. Robinson was key behind a series of big tackles and turnovers with long clearing kicks but Mansfield were adjudged the culprits as an increasingly disrupted Huntingdon pack reared up in the air at the scrums. Despite this territory was gained and Roberts was unlucky not to claim a touch down after Newton and Davies burrowed over the line.
A walk to the sin bin for Williams and the visiting skipper after a frank exchange of views saw a front row reshuffle and Newbold took just three minutes to mark his arrival. Supporting the run from Jones he took two defenders before feeding Roberts whose pass was perfectly timed to Draycott’s run. Still the try needed scoring but a feint left and lightening side step to the right sold three defenders and opened a passage to the side of the posts. Robinson’s conversion made the game safe at 22-0 on three quarter time but such was the intensity of the afternoon that both sides maintained the pace of the game. Replacement Pike kept pressure on the visitor’s lineout stealing possession in his own 22. Twice Mansfield defenders prevented touchdowns when Huntingdon crossed the try line and the visitors just forced Storey runs into touch. T
he game ended as it began with Huntingdon’s scrum in reverse, replacement hooker Bennett enjoying a strike against the head and a fifty-yard Robinson clearance. Coach John Tasker praised the way the side bounced back from their defeat the previous week, “Great commitment, they all played for each other and have beaten a very good and confident side.” Typically he dismissed thoughts of Twickenham apart from a request for a home tie in the fourth round and spoke about the need to carry Saturday’s form into next weekend’s local derby.
Back into League action this weekend Mansfield make the short journey to Wilford and old adversaries Nottingham Moderns. Moderns will seek revenge for last season’s narrow defeat in the County Cup Final while the Blue and Whites will want to put right their recent away performances and claim two points on a ground which has seen controversial defeats in recent years.
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