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Mansfield stumble on promotion road

Powergen Midlands 2 East

Market Bosworth  33   Mansfield  28 

Still top but Mansfield saw their lead at the head of table halved on Saturday with a narrow defeat at much fancied Market Bosworth. For the second year running a narrow defeat in this fixture starts the promotion nerves jangling. Make no mistake this game was not so much won by ‘Bos but thrown away by a Mansfield performance with unforced errors, missed tackles and uncharacteristic indecision.

Using the slope but into the wind Stringfellow collected the kick off and Rutter used a clever chip to pressurise the home back line. Tackles from Holmes and Pritchard kept ‘Bos penned back and having stolen their line ball a typical forward drive allowed Draycott a run up the blindside. From the next passage of play Wilson put Mansfield into the corner and as they peeled away from Lindsay’s catch won a penalty for Rutter to open the scoring.

The greasy top was making scrumaging a lottery but Davies’ quick service gave Rutter a vital gap and when he flighted the ball into open space where Wilson’s power took him clear and Mansfield went 8-0 in front. Trying to force the pace Wilson and Storey worked a quick penalty down the right wing. The home scrum found themselves on the slide and Roberts capitalised. He found Pritchard who swapped passes with Jones twice and solid rucking created a space for Rutter to slot a drop goal and an eleven point lead.

That should have been the platform to build a victory but instead it was the home side who took control. At first the tackling of Newbould and Holmes kept them at bay and even their 5 metre line outs were forced well back. However, the concerted pressure eventually told and a converted try on twenty minutes left Mansfield just four points to the good.

Wayne Robinson took the play to the opposition and a Jones – Storey interchange was held by desperate defence. Wilson again created havoc in the centre of the field but poor handling allowed ‘Bos to work their way clear. Breaking out from a line out 35 metres from Mansfield’s line there didn’t seem to be too much danger. However, a series of missed and unconvincing tackles and Mansfield were trailing.

It could have been worse as the clearly buoyed Leicestershire outfit pressed to build on their lead. Mansfield had a defensive line out on 5 metres and with Kirk pinpointing Pritchard everyone looked for the clearing kick. Instead a 90 metre sweep with Draycott, Wilson and Jones to the fore after a clever Davies, Rutter strike ended with Jones hitting the corner flag lunging for the line.

Pritchard got a hand to the subsequent line out and after Karl Robinson, Holmes and Stringfellow kept the ball alive before Pritchard controlled the ball at the end of a rolling maul. Rutter converted on forty minutes but before the half was up he saw repeating the act.

It took a saving kick from Storey to prevent ‘Bos from hitting straight back before Lindsay closed in on scrappy possession. His tackle dislodged the ball and Wilson scooped up and outpacing the defence was round behind the posts.

A 25-14 interval lead again should have been the base to secure a notable away win. Within two minutes of the second half Mansfield contrived to gift their opponents a lifeline. Despite having the wind at their backs the kick off failed to make 10 metres. From the scrum a long downfield kick did not seem to pose much danger but a sliced kick and then there was hesitation as players looked for others to take responsibility.      

The result was that the gap was back to four points. The introduction of Williams and a trade mark bullocking charge brought Mansfield within striking distance. Rutter linked with Storey and as Holmes headed infield a penalty was won and Rutter put his side 28-21 ahead.

The next quarter saw Mansfield under near constant pressure and despite great tackling efforts and driving back no fewer than six five metre scrums the tide could not be held back. Seven minutes from time and a converted try levelled matters.

Again a kick off failing to cross the 10 metre line meant Mansfield had put themselves on the back foot. Immediately given the chance to peg ‘Bos back a long kick went too long, a well worked scrum 30 metres out and Mansfield slipped behind with just two minutes remaining.

The kick was missed, and a penalty but as the seconds ticked away Mansfield broke from the 22, hopes rose as the half line was crossed but then a fumbled pass and knock on with an overlap created summed up Mansfield’s day and performance.   

The Blue and Whites twice threw away eleven point leads and that clearly annoyed Coach John Tasker. “I can’t remember so many mistakes in any other game all season” was his curt reaction. The result opens up an intriguing charge for the title with four teams in the frame and Loughborough Students, next Saturday’s opponents, the jokers in the pack coming to Eakring Road fresh from the 84-0 demolition of Banbury that took them into fifth spot.

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Better news from the Youth Section with Mansfield U14's triumphing at Rotherham17-7.  Playing uphill and against a very heavy pack, Mansfield scored the first try from a well worked move from the back of the scrum, when Tom Clark crashed over from 10 metres.  Within 10 minutes Mansfield were two tries up when a move along the backs allowed Sam Cordin to score in the opposite corner.  Rotherham upped the tempo for the rest of the half scoring a converted try in the final minutes to bring the score to 10-7. The second half saw Mansfield dominate the majority of the play with a further try from Sam Cordin converted by Tom Clark taking the score to 17-7.  Mansfield’s pack had a very good game with prop James Seal in his first full match of the season being awarded man of the match.

Mansfield U13’s won emphatically 49-7 at Newark against a very strong team and fellow NLD cup semi-finalists. Three 20 minute periods were played to enable both teams to play their full squads. Mansfield played 30 players and performed extremely well in all departments with excellent scrummaging and rucking from the forwards and superb handling and running skills from the backs, which was a delight to watch for the large crowd.

Mansfield won the very tight first period 5-0 with a well worked try from Ross Elms. The second and third periods were dominated by Mansfield winning the second 4 tries to 1 and the third 4 tries with no reply.  Scorers fro Mansfield were Adam Shaw 2, Jono Cordin 2, John Ross Ward, Sam Wakelin, Dean Gillon and Ross Elms with his second.  Two of the tries were converted to complete the scoring.

 

 

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