Mansfield grasps victory from jaws of defeat
Powergen Midlands 2 East
SYSTON 9 MANSFIELD 20
A quarter of the game left and Mansfield are down to fourteen men, trail 9-3 and have hardly looked like creating a try all afternoon. A certain home win is surely on the cards, but don’t let this Mansfield side hear you say that. Another gear apparently unused is called into action, a flash of inspiration that the game had being crying out for and sheer determination. Result – another game without having their try line crossed and most importantly two more points in the promotion challenge.
Mansfield had only ever won one game on the Quinneborough ground, twelve months ago, so revenge and the honour of your home pitch was the message the Syston coaches sent out with their side. That determination coupled with a referee who erred short of allowing advantage on occasions meant a stop start encounter and little flowing rugby.
The opening minutes promised a high scoring game. Lindsay took an early line out and after Williams charged 30 metres Rutter was given a simple second minute penalty to open Mansfield’s account. Another two minutes and things were back level after Mansfield in support of a Holmes run found themselves going over the top.
A lot of disruptions at the set scrums but Roberts’s pick ups were giving Mansfield attacking momentum. Rushby led Mansfield out of the 22 and Newton linked before Storey swept 50 metres only for his inside pass two metres from the line being intercepted.
With little clean ball for either side Rutter angled kicks to put Mansfield in promising positions. Lindsay, Roberts and Kirk worked play to the Syston line but a penalty allowed the home side to clear. Karl Robinson was first to a fumbled Syston attack and Stringfellow and Newton forced play deep into the 22. Rutter’s next probe had Arnold following up and harrying an error from the defender. Robinson was equally astute with a bobbling, rolling grubber and Holmes again proved a handful before a knock-on ended the attack.
Despite dominating territorially for the opening half hour Mansfield had nothing to show for it and they finished the half defending frantically and relieved that an off day for the Syston kicker meant two easy penalties sailed wide. The second half and much of the same as Davies, Rutter, Wayne Robinson and Jones threatened to open up Syston’s defence. Somewhat against the run of play the home forwards exerted pressure but couldn’t breach the Mansfield cover and fortuitously found their fly half with a drop goal attempt that bounced on the cross bar and limped over.
Newbould came off the bench as Mansfield attempted to force their way back up field but a crazy five minutes threatened to wreck their chances. In an increasingly fractious atmosphere any number of players could have been penalised as bodies piled in to stop Mansfield midway into the home half. A penalty for Mansfield after foul play on Newton was immediately reversed as the referee adjudged Williams had been over zealous with his boot in raking out a Syston man on the wrong side and flourished a red card. The reversed decision allowed Syston into Mansfield’s 22 and with Roberts stepping up as emergency prop they sought to utilise their extra man advantage.
Once again Mansfield showed their defensive mettle and well drilled cover but they were unable to prevent another drop goal stretching the lead to 9-3. That should have been the springboard for a home victory but the belief for much of the afternoon had been that the game would need a calamitous error or a flash of genius to decide it.
Fortunately it was the latter and Mansfield skipper Rutter who provided it. Robinson fielded the ball and set off from his own 22 scuttling three tacklers on the way. Rutter appeared on his shoulder and beat four men to go clear into the Syston half before drawing the last man and popping the ball up for Jones to complete the move at the foot of the posts. The conversion edged Mansfield in front by a single point and within five minutes Rutter had delivered the killer blows.
Rushby and Arnold took Mansfield down the left and when it looked as though the move would peter out the seven man Mansfield pack were in attendance to drive play to within ten metres. The recycled ball was met by Arnold coming in off his wing; Davies made the pick up and fed Rutter five metres out. Despite two tacklers the fly half pirouetted and dived across the line under the posts he then dissected with the conversion.
Mansfield still had to withstand a rally from shell shocked Syston. Roberts stole a home line out, Kirk and Lindsay worked the ball clear and Robinson’s howitzer boot meant the dying moments would be at the right end of the pitch. Storey was obstructed but the penalty faded left of the posts, Rushby and Jones ensured the home side remained in their own 22 and with the final kick of the game Captain Rutter landed a penalty to move Mansfield onto twenty points and his personal tally to fifteen.
Coach John Tasker was full of praise “I feared reaction after the important wins in recent weeks and there was too much stop – start to allow us to develop moves. The sheer determination, self belief and spirit in the squad, even when down a man carried us home today.” It also ensured two points which kept Mansfield on the coat tails of leaders South Leicester.
This weekend Mansfield entertains Ampthill who arrive on the back of their second 81 point tally of the season. They despatched Moderns 81-18 to make it three consecutive wins and climb to fifth on the fringe of the promotion chasers. Always a useful set of forwards they have added a back division to make them the division’s top scoring team.
The other fixture at Syston was shrouded in controversy whilst the Second team romped home 77-5 at Eakring Road. Despite finishing the game with only 13 men following two surprise dismissals, Mansfield 3rds pulled off their best performance of the season to beat a previously unbeaten Syston by just one point. The final score of 28-29 and not the dismissals depicted the game to perfection.
From the start Syston’s intentions were clear, moving the ball quickly down the back line to score in the corner and converting the try within the first 5 minutes. Mansfield levelled instantly from the kick off after Parker ran from his own half to score under the posts. However, Parker was to play no more part in the game after the referee spotted an alleged infringement just after the restart and to the surprise of both sets of players produced the red card.
Down to 14, inside the first 10 minutes, Mansfield’s 7 man pack produced some of the best rugby seen this season and forced Syston on the back foot. With constant driving and tremendous support play Pritchard, returning from injury, powered over twice to stamp some authority on to the game. This too was short-lived as yet another unbelievable decision from the referee saw the red card emerge again- this time to a bewildered Pritchard.
With the Mansfield forwards now reduced to six, centre Hall was forced to join the pack, leaving obvious gaps in the back line for Syston to exploit and come back into the game. Fly half Smith ensured victory with a converted try and a penalty to cap of a spirited team performance, marred by two extremely questionable refereeing decisions.
Mansfield U14's secured an excellent victory in the first round of the Three Counties Cup after travelling to the North Lincolnshire coast to beat Grimsby 10 - 0. Mansfield dominated both possession and territory and only strong tackling and sound defence from a large Grimsby pack limited the score to a single try in the first half. This was created by a quick break from the backs to within 5 metres of the line, the ball being collected by the forwards and driven over for James Wood to score in the corner.
The second half followed the pattern of the first with the forwards providing a sound platform for Barney Bromley to break the game line and release to Sam Cordin to evade two desperate tackles before scoring the second try. Man of the match, from a very good overall team performance, was second row Sean Symcox
The Juniors have two more NLD cup encounters this weekend. The U15s will try for another win on the road with their tie at Chesterfield, team and supporters leaving the club at 9-15am. At Eakring Road a 10 a.m. kick off for the U13s who entertain Sleaford.
The Notts. U14s squad had wins against Derbyshire, 14-7 and 27-15 with Mansfield well represented. James Wood,Nialle Goldie, Jo Kimberly, Tommy Blyth, Sam Johnson, John Tasker, Sam Cordin, Barney Bromley and Daniel Ellis all featured and were joined by Ross Elms and Adam Shaw from the under 13s playing up a year.
CLICK FOR ALL THE OTHER MIDLANDS 2 EAST RESULTS,
COURTESY OF RUGBY ROUND-UP
