Mansfield tamed in Lions Den
POWERGEN MIDLANDS ONE
LEICESTER LIONS 30 MANSFIELD 3
Mansfield learnt more of the harsh realities of rugby in the top flight as their errors were severely punished in a game which was a lot tighter than the score suggested. Despite matching their hosts for territorial occupation through the afternoon Mansfield lacked the cutting edge to consistently threaten the Leicester line. The fact that the biggest plus the Blue and Whites could bring back up the M1 was their much improved tackling and defensive covering tells its own story.
Playing into the wind Mansfield fell behind to a third minute penalty but immediately roared back at the Lions. Wayne Robinson mounted two penetrating runs, first linking with Davies and Stringfellow and seeing Taylor secure resulting line out ball. The full back’s next run ended with a penalty for Rutter to level the scores.
Stringfellow moved the restart back to the Leicester half but possession was turned over and despite a crunching Holmes tackle the ball was spun out to Kiwi centre Fitzgerald who crossed by the posts for the first of a brace of tries to add to the five on his debut seven days earlier.
The pressure on Mansfield remained as the kick off fell short of the 10 metre line and from the scrum a clever chip to the right corner gained Leicester a line out. The drive was held and tackles by Rushby and Robinson wrested the ball away for Arnold to switch Mansfield onto the attack. Despite good line ball from Pike and Kirk breaking down the touchline Mansfield could not sustain pressure in the 22 and found they were chasing back at the expense of a penalty to slip 13-3 behind in the twentieth minute.
The second quarter saw Mansfield at their most effective. Forward drives from Karl Robinson, Pritchard and Kirk set up a sweeping move with Rushby, McGaffney and Rutter handling before Stringfellow looked to have gone clear but was called back for a forward pass. Jones broke but a knock on the follow up ended the move and a loose pass on the end of a Rushby thirty metre diagonal run again brought Mansfield to a halt.
Looking for the second period and use of the wind Mansfield dug deep to stay within ten points and had the tackling of Holmes and Drury to thank at the interval. For the second week running, however, Mansfield failed to utilise the elements effectively and add to their score.
An early Arnold run saw the winger just put a foot in touch and replacement Newbould was quickly involved as Mansfield drove forward. Kirk recovered scrappy Leicester line ball and despite the prompting of Davies and Rutter
it was increasingly defensive duties that occupied Mansfield’s thoughts. Finally after Arnold thwarted a cross field punt Lions secured the line out and involved the whole back line for a try wide out.
Cruelly Mansfield fell further behind to interceptions and run away tries although it took two efforts after the ball was dropped over the line. In between the most exhilarating passage saw a clever kick off move involve Arnold, Holmes, Robinson and Rutter get to within five metres. Spilt ball encouraged Leicester to run from behind their line but Stringfellow covered and Pike set Mansfield back on attack. Mansfield gave Smedley and Tom Newton the opportunity to taste Midlands One rugby and they linked with Pritchard to create one final flurry but the consolation of a late try, more than deserved, did not materialise.
The improvements over their opening day performance will need redoubling this weekend as Mansfield head for Scunthorpe and a repeat of their August Senior Cup encounter. That game saw Mansfield 10-0 up at the break but falling away to a 22-10 defeat John Tasker will hope for better news from the ‘physio room and six more of his squad to be available to seek the first league points of the campaign.
Mansfield U15's started their season with a comfortable 45-0 victory over a Rotherham team that had given them problems home and away last season. After a bright start by Rotherham, Mansfield began to dominate territory and it wasn't long before the pressure paid dividends. Simon Rowlands made a good break down the wing and from the resulting strong forward play Joe Kimberley broke the game line to score the first try. The second followed shortly afterwards, the forwards recycled the ball from a ruck and the ball travelled down the back line for winger Simon Rowlands to go over in the corner. Midway through the half Mansfield worked a line out move creating space for Jordan Bailey to run through and score between the posts. Tom Clark converted.
After a period of rare pressure from Rotherham, Sam Cordin cleared from his own 22 collected the loose ball and raced over half the pitch to score between the posts. Clark again converted. In the final minutes of the half, another good move along the backs after good forward play saw winger Tom Eames race down the touch cross to the try line and place the ball between the posts, Clark converted to take the score to 31-0 at half time.
Mansfield using all 23 players again dominated territory and possession in the second half scoring two further converted tries. The first a drive of 10 metres by the forwards for hooker Josh Blake to go over and the second an individual break by Jim Smith beating three men to score near the posts. Clark converted both to take the score to 45-0.
Mansfield’s Under 13s got their season under way with a great display to beat Mellish 32 – 7. The transition into 15 man rugby on a full pitch did not seem to faze the lads and constant forward pressure was creating good opportunities for the quick Mansfield backs to attack the Mellish line, and the tries soon started to come. With the home defence outstanding, Mellish faced wave after wave of Mansfield tacklers, and in the end ran out of steam, and with the home sides superior fitness telling Mansfield ran out worthy winners. Training Sunday 9.45am for 10.00am Prompt start.
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