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Mansfield down but not out Powergen Midlands One MANSFIELD  0   WHITCHURCH  38 The curtain finally came down on Mansfield’s league season on Saturday ending their adventure and experience of life in the professional strewn Midlands One. Another defeat meant they had harvested just one win and two points from the campaign and yet the spirit and dogged determination to play out every minute of that season remained to the end. The instances of sides suffering the drop and bouncing straight back  are many in recent years and Saturday saw Luton crowned as Champions a year after swapping places with Mansfield having secured just one point all season. Around Eakring Road the murmur of ‘We’ll be back’ was mixed with earnest planning for this weekends County Cup Final. This was a must win game for Whitchurch, still in danger of the drop, and under the surveillance of spies from Derby. In the end they comfortably took care of their own destiny, but not without some jitters in a closely contested first half. Making maximum use of the strong breeze at their back Whitchurch used long kicks to gain territory but Pike and Harrison combined to ensure the Mansfield line out became a steady source of possession. Where the visitors could bring their three quarters into play the tackling of Waggstaffe, Rushby and Storey, in his first full game of the season, ensured no way through. When they did open the scoring on seven minutes it came from a well worked blindside drive. Jones at fly half mixed astute kicks and a desire to bring the backs into play. That allowed Bacon on his full debut opportunity to show his speed and the centre was unlucky not to collect his own up and under as the opposition hesitated. Such are the vagaries of the game at this level that within seconds he too had to show his tackling skills. Holmes was sharpest in the loose and Drury developed the crash ball with Robinson to test the heart of the Whitchurch defence. On the half hour, despite taking a ball against the head Mansfield played themselves into trouble then exacerbated a penalty decision with comments to the referee that simplified the kick and pushed the Shropshire side eight points in front. Turning round with that score would have left the Blue and Whites marginal favourites but two minutes from the break a try wide out tipped the balance. Snuffing out any hopes of a comeback with two more penalties in the first six minutes of the second half Whitchurch could count on their league position being secure and Mansfield looked to pointers for the future. Buchanan, Lindsey and Stringfellow combined off the back row, Smedley gained yards and directed the rolling mauls, Bacon proved his speed will be a threat and a combination of Storey and replacement Williams nearly undid the visitors. Whitchurch pulled well clear as Mansfield rotated their replacements and gave time for all the prospective Cup Final squad on the pitch. Thankfully there were no fresh injuries and with Rutter, Kirk, Taylor and Arnold all declared fit for selection Coach John Tasker has the unenviable task of pruning the squad down to twenty. The side and supporters will be meeting at Eakring Road at 12.30 on Sunday before taking the short trip to Mellish (supporters travelling on the bus should contact Paul Elliott so numbers can be confirmed). The Mapperley Top ground has seen Mansfield triumph before but not against Moderns. These two last met in the 2002 final when the 21-16 result was the closest in Mansfield’s run of six successes. The Wilford based side finished comfortably in mid table in Midlands Three, winning twelve and losing ten of their fixtures and topping 400 points scored. With their Second Team also featuring in the finals day are sure of plenty of support as they go for the double and aim to stop Mansfield making it the Magnificent Seven. Mansfield U15's travelled to Leicester Lions to playing the East Midlands Championship and came back having won the Plate with a 13-0 victory against Luton Rugby Club. To reach the final they played out a draw with Northampton Old Scouts 7 each, a narrow loss to Market Bosworth 3-0 and a comprehensive 17-0 victory against Towcester. Mansfield's try scorers were: Barney Bromley with two, and Sam Cordin and Simon Rowland with one each. Tom Clark kicked four conversions and a penalty with Jordan Bailey completing the scoring with a drop goal. This crowned an excellent season for the U15's with their fourth trophy in four weeks.

 

 

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