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Cup that cheers for Mansfield

Nottinghamshire Senior Cup

NEWARK  8   MANSFIELD  38

Having clinched their place in the NLD Final against Newark in the morning Mansfield’s Under 15’s stopped off at Kelham Road to see if they could pick up any hints from their Senior counterparts. What unfolded before them was a typical derby game of 100% commitment from both sides with Mansfield weathering the early Newark onslaught before pulling clear.

Kicking off with the benefit of the breeze Mansfield soon found themselves under pressure. A long kick was run back by Newark with great adventure and they had Buck to thank for covering the charge down but it proved only temporary respite. Clean Newark ball from a line out, a rarity as the afternoon progressed, allowed them to unleash their three quarters and grab a fourth minute try in the corner.

Immediately Mansfield were on the back foot as the restart failed to make ten metres and Newark again built from centre field. They looked for the next line out to provide a repeat move but found Pike soaring to steal the ball and send Mansfield forward through the tenacious Holmes and Stringfellow on the crash ball. Rutter began to turn defenders with angled, probing kicks and with Buchanan’s experience at the base of the scrum being prompted by Buck Mansfield penned the home side back.

Rutter prevented Newark progress with a shuddering tackle and Mansfield developed with Pike and Pritchard line ball moving them into the 22. Jones capitalised on quick scrum ball and Pritchard linked with Rushby twice to set up a 5 metre lineout. Pike found the whole of his pack driving as he landed and Kirk cradling the ball to level the scores.  

Despite unforced handling errors The Blue and Whites were maintaining and tightening their grip. Trickery from Rutter took him way from three men. Robinson had the home side scrambling back and more clean line ball saw Mansfield drive twenty metres down field. For once the lineout execution misfired but Holmes tidied, Newbould led the charge and Pritchard touched down giving Rutter a simple conversion and the lead.

With more adventure coming into their play Mansfield rounded off the half with quick fire passes through Stringfellow, Rushby, Arnold and Rutter nearly creating a third try. They had to wait ten minutes into the second half to gain that.

Despite variations with their line ball Newark could not bypass the Mansfield jumpers.  Buchanan broke strongly down the centre with Robinson on hand to keep the ball alive and penalties saw the Blue and Whites set up a series of scrums. Each push brought another Newark infringement and finally a yellow card and penalty try to carry Mansfield to 19 -5.

Old habits die hard and having scored the opposition was allowed back into the game. A penalty score and the game was far from over at 19 – 8. But for a forward pass in the move the nerves would have been starting to jangle.  What was apparent, however, was that Mansfield were putting a long, hard campaign out of their minds and showing some sparkle. A strike against the head and Jones, Holmes and Pritchard were carrying the ball across field. Waterhouse ran with purpose, jinking through Newark’s defence and Wagstaff rounded his man only to see the pop up ball inside knocked on.

The pressure had to tell. A solid scrum and Waterhouse came into the line, Arnold just held. Pritchard’s quick ball off the top and with Kirk on the loop Jones angled to the line to present Robinson with only his second Mansfield try. Rutter made no mistake with the conversion and Pike had one more run before Taylor came on and fresh legs cut out a dangerous left wing break.

The twists and turns of these encounters were not over. Holmes was yellow carded and Newark decided to run against the fourteen men. Rutter stole the ball close to his own line, confidently allowed Waterhouse to run out of the 22 and his link with Arnold moved the play sixty metres.

Maddocks took over propping duties and the seven man scrum controlled the ball for Buck and the three quarters to see Rushby grab try number five. Coach Tasker gave the bench their opportunity to add to the victory. Smedley showed recovery from injury with forays across the gain line; Harrison was typically energetic securing ruck ball and directing the mauls. Williams first tidied a bobbling loose ball then turned to the attack and the Mansfield support cheered the evergreen Denny Buchanan on his passage round behind the posts.

‘Hard work paid off’ was skipper Rutter’s assessment, ‘the season is still alive and more training and hard work will see us finishing strongly.’ Before thinking that silverware can be brought into that equation two tough league games lay ahead and a home semi final against table topping Paviors will have to be negotiated. That game will be on April 16th, the following day we will see what those Under 15’s learnt from this sweet victory over old rivals Newark.

 

 

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