Mansfield Crowned as Champions
Powergen Midlands 2 East
MANSFIELD 51 HUNTINGDON 7
The final game of a long season finally brought Mansfield the victory they required to guarantee they would go up to Division One as Champions. In keeping with their season it was a wonderful team effort, so much so sponsors Redfern Travel could not pick one individual as Man of the Match and Coach John Tasker collected the award on behalf of the team.
Despite rounding off with seven tries and a near flawless afternoon of kicking from skipper Brad Rutter Mansfield were pushed all the way by a strong and technically streetwise Huntingdon pack. That meant the leagues meanest defence was fully occupied, ensuring just a seventy fifth minute converted try to blot the copybook.
Needing to settle early Mansfield used Taylor’s lineout catch to allow Rutter to kick from 22 to 22 and exert the pressure on Huntingdon’s defence. Their clearance only found Wayne Robinson who brushed tackles aside before linking with Wilson. The ensuing maul gave Davies the opportunity to dart through the gap and the ball was down the line to Storey who rounded the defence to the posts to ensure Rutter’s fourth minute conversion was a formality.
Despite scrum pressure Roberts was retrieving and setting a platform, Holmes and Newbould spun away through the visitors defence and after a Pritchard run Rutter chipped ahead to force a penalty and stretch the lead to 10-0. Stringfellow exploded out from his own 22 at the restart but a series of five metre scrums to Huntingdon needed tight defence before Harrison stole a ball against the head, Roberts led the charge and Pritchard and Harrison in support saw Mansfield back in the opposition half.
Jones provided a crucial break on twenty minutes. The move through Wilson and the supporting forwards had Stringfellow held up over the line. Desperate attempts to lift the siege saw Davies charge down the clearance from touch in goal and Harrison the 22 drop out. When Taylor once more soared for the line ball Mansfield drove, Davies and Rutter committed the midfield and Wilson side stepped and dummied three men on the way to the first of a brace of tries.
After Rutter converted Rushby mopped up scrappy ball and his looping run and interchanges with Wilson and Storey sent Mansfield back onto attack. Exhilarating rugby from Pritchard and Harrison plus the three quarters stepping up the pace threatened to stretch the Mansfield lead. Even when Huntingdon found good position a Wayne Robinson howitzer moved play 65 metres from his 22 for a lineout stolen by Taylor and Karl Robinson’s alertness. Once more Mansfield moved the ball quickly and the half ended with Storey crossing the line and Rutter ensuring a 24-0 half time score.
News of Hinckley’s eight point advantage at Syston and Mansfield’s customary reticence to take anything for granted meant they started the second period search for another score to make the game safe. A 30 metre Roberts run and Jones break and chip ahead created just the chance and Rutter accepted the three points to move Mansfield on again.
The introduction of Williams gave the visitors fresh problems, notably when fed from a Rutter tap penalty. Holmes ripped ball to snuff out a promising move before being replaced by Lindsay and still the interchanges across the three quarters had the visitors on the back foot. Then with a quarter to go Mansfield could finally believe they were to be champions.
Roberts from a tap penalty charged through the gain line. Long passes spread the defence and Storey was racing away for his hat trick, league try number twenty four and the crown as league’s top try scorer. Newton marked his entry with an attack stopping try and Davies marshalled Mansfield out of defence. Pritchard was left with a fifty metre dash to the line and made forty nine of them before being hauled down. Support in the shape of Harrison was in attendance, however, and with Rutter’s conversion the Blue and Whites moved on to a 39 point lead.
With five minutes left he w as stroking over conversion number five, this time from his own try. Built on clean line ball from Pritchard Davies found the skipper, he fed Jones and having swapped passes with Wilson the centre switched the ball back inside and Rutter was in the clear.
Huntingdon battled up field from the kick off to claim a converted try their never say die spirit more than deserved but the season had one more spectacular before the curtain came down. Back attacking Huntingdon sought a try wide out. Wilson, ever alert in his 22, read the play, took the ball and left three covering tacklers in his wake on an eighty metre run to the corner.
As the Huntingdon players were applauded from the pitch the champagne corks began to pop and the Mansfield squad began a gig of delight and melodious renditions that were to last into Sunday morning. That was when the planning for Midlands One began. Coach John Tasker will be looking to retain the young squad that has matured together this campaign. He knows there are Mansfield Colts knocking on the first team door but is also keen to attract other quality players to ensure the depth required in the higher division and the demands of six senior sides, four involved in league rugby, are met.
Before the season ends Mansfield will be looking to add a sixth successive Nottinghamshire Senior Cup to that league title. The side will look for a warm up game this weekend after Nottingham Moderns conceded the Semi Final tie at Eakring Road, leaving Mansfield to face Mellish at Newark on Sunday May 2nd.
Mansfield 2nds were also victorious against Huntingdon, winning 21 - 7 in a spirited game. The visitors opened the scoring after 10 minutes of play after ineffective tackling from Mansfield. But forward dominance and adventurous attack brought Mansfield back into the game after a 70 yard try from Marrows. A spectacular try from man of the match Smedley, and a further score for the mercurial Broadhurst sealed the game for the Blue and Whites.
Mansfield 3rds confirmed their part in the celebrations at Eakring Road, beating Matlock 2nds at home 22-10 to secure the Security Plus Pennant Group 3 league title at the first attempt. Losing only one league game all season Mansfield were in the fortunate position of starting the game against second place Matlock knowing full well that the result was immaterial. However, you wouldn't have thought so to watch the game! In a frantic first half, Matlock drew first blood with a penalty kick, but that was quickly followed with a try from Mansfield prop Adey Smith converted by Fletcher. Matlock replied scoring out wide to go 10-7 up after some uncharacteristic sloping defending by the Mansfield backs. Mansfield were soon in control despite losing stalwart fly half Troman to a blood injury that proved to be irreparable. A reshuffle saw Fletcher move to fly half, number eight Palmer to scum half and veteran Lowe came off the bench to back row. In spite of the changes, a series of strong supporting phased rugby saw Mansfield extend their lead with a penalty kick by Fletcher and two more tries from Palmer and Haynes. Matlock never gave up and were unfortunate to lose one of their more influential players with a broken jaw.
This result rounded off a tremendous season for the third team who become league champions for the third successive season, however this being all the more impressive as Mansfield are the only third team in a league consisting of second and first teams. Captain Chris Hall stated after the game "At the beginning of the season our goal was to establish ourselves in this league against potentially higher calibre opposition. With no preconceived expectations, the players rose to the challenge and have shown exceptional commitment to the task. I'd like to thank all the players for their part in this achievement, but special thanks to Steve Troman, Shane Mayfield and Neil Repton for their support on and off the field!"
League Table |
|
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Diff |
Pts |
1 |
MANSFIELD |
22 |
19 |
0 |
3 |
766 |
287 |
479 |
38 |
2 |
HINCKLEY |
22 |
19 |
0 |
3 |
611 |
294 |
317 |
38 |
3 |
MKT BOSWORTH |
22 |
18 |
0 |
4 |
687 |
343 |
344 |
36 |
4 |
STH LEICESTER |
22 |
16 |
0 |
6 |
577 |
419 |
158 |
32 |
5 |
AMPTHILL |
22 |
11 |
1 |
10 |
568 |
528 |
40 |
23 |
6 |
NEWARK |
22 |
10 |
2 |
10 |
466 |
460 |
6 |
22 |
7 |
L/BORO STUDENT |
22 |
10 |
0 |
12 |
583 |
459 |
124 |
20 |
8 |
SYSTON |
22 |
8 |
1 |
13 |
408 |
549 |
-141 |
15* |
9 |
HUNTINGDON |
22 |
7 |
0 |
15 |
328 |
712 |
-384 |
14 |
10 |
NTHAMPTON O S |
22 |
6 |
0 |
16 |
335 |
575 |
-240 |
12 |
11 |
BANBURY |
22 |
4 |
1 |
17 |
373 |
616 |
-243 |
9 |
12 |
NOTT MODERNS |
22 |
1 |
1 |
20 |
302 |
762 |
-460 |
3 |
* denotes points have been deducted
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