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Mansfield just fall short

Powergen Midlands One

MANSFIELD  7   SCUNTHORPE  12 

A typically hard fought encounter between Three Counties rivals defied the weather and conditions to provide a thriller on Saturday. Mansfield, once again, paid the penalty by conceding four simple shots at goal but having scored the only try of the game will rue not adding at least one more.

If revival acts are all the rage then spectators could be excused flash backs to the 90’s when seeing Buchanan and Maddocks on the team sheet. Their response to the call to arms as John Tasker saw his squad dwindle and the injury roll rise helped enliven a much improved performance by the Blue and Whites. By the end of the afternoon the younger fans will have appreciated why they are names so often referred to by their parents.

Buchanan was in action from the kick off catching and then sending Mansfield forward with Tom Newton and Pritchard’s support. Mansfield’s pace was blistering and Scunthorpe was tested as Rutter twice probed and turned them after scrums and a quick penalty. Smedley and Buchanan worked the pick up from a quick heel, Newton again made big yards and Stringfellow crashed through after Waterhouse linked from full back.

Scunthorpe made efforts to use the strong wind at their backs but found Wagstaff rock steady under the high swirling ball.

The centre also jinked clear and fed Arnold who was just held before the Lincolnshire side launched their first attack on twelve minutes. Mansfield looked to have contained the threat but were adjudged to have gone over at the ruck and a simple penalty in front of the posts gave a lead against the run of play.

The restart put Mansfield straight back on attack and driving from Harrison’s’ pin point throw and Pritchard’s catch they forced mistakes on the Scunthorpe scrum. It appeared they were working their way to a try but allowed the opposition to steal a ball in the maul that should have been secure. Scunthorpe seized the opportunity to move the ball through the backs and through the Mansfield defence. A certain try was only prevented by Rutter’s perfectly timed tackle from behind.

Relief was short lived, however, as again Mansfield infringed from the resulting scrum and again in simple kicking distance. Despite hard tackling from Holmes and the mobile Harrison who emerged the Jackson’s Building Centres Man of the Match Scunthorpe were beginning too exercise some pressure. A juddering Newbould tackle dislodged the ball and destroyed their best option before a critical passage.

Mansfield held a back row manoeuvre and having driven the visitors back a dozen metres a melee erupted. It ended with Mansfield’s Pritchard being taken from the field for stitches in a head wound and his opposite number receiving a red card for his gratuitous stamping.  

With Buck entering the fray to attempt two runs down the wing Arnold was showing his versatility in the forwards. Scunthorpe managed to counter as Rutter and Waterhouse cleared long before grabbing another, vital three points and a 9 – 0 lead with the last kick of the half.

Another lively start saw Scunthorpe desperate to stretch the lead and give them breathing space. Their backs moved the ball but with Wagstaff and Rushby proving impenetrable in the centre Mansfield with Pritchard restored tested their defence. Rushby and Harrison put pressure on a 22 drop out but a knock on at the resulting five metre scrum wasted a chance to reduce the arrears. More pressure, Holmes burrowing and Drury on crash ball before Arnold appeared to have grabbed a score but again a fumble and a knock on in the move was the decision.

Buchanan continued to be a thorn in Scunthorpe’s side, both with all enveloping tackles and determined breaks from the foot of the scrum. A Rutter chip was chased down by the skipper and Newbould forced a hasty clearance. Williams gathered and weaving in field found Stringfellow to continue the move stopped only at the expense of a penalty. Once again Buck appeared as Stringfellow was treated for a blood injury.

As the game entered the final quarter Mansfield were becoming hastier and more desperate in their attempts to cross the line.

Maddocks on for Drury quickly showed the pace and power to slice through his tacklers and as the stream of penalties rose Mansfield twice took scrums to the try line only to come away with nought. Wagstaff was close to going over, Harrison was held and Arnold just denied by the corner flag.

As is so often the case after such pressure the Blue and Whites were vulnerable to the break. Holmes was needed to stop one threatening run; Waterhouse timed a text book tackle inside his 22 but for the fourth time in the game over anxiousness at the ruck presented Scunthorpe with a kickable penalty and a 12-0 cushion and just seven minutes remaining.

The scoring and the excitement were far from over. More forward pressure could not unlock the defence for runs from Rushby or Arnold. With their scrum creaking the persistent infringements brought a yellow card and the retreating pack sent the ball shooting back over Scunthorpe’s line. Smedley was the first to react and his speed to touch down gave Rutter a simple conversion.

Those seven points were all Mansfield could conjure, despite the injection of Smith and fresh legs for the stoppage time minutes. Frustrating for the Mansfield men but an all round performance which showed a giant improvement on recent weeks.

Mansfield will be hoping that timely improvement carries forward to this weekend and more visitors from Lincolnshire. Mansfield and Spalding have provided thrilling cup action in recent years. Most notably 2001 saw Mansfield secure an Eakring Road victory by 17 – 12 in the RFU Senior Cup just three months after a single point victory in the NLD Final. Either of those results would satisfy Mansfield at the start of March and cup action on two fronts. A decision on Saturday or Sunday for the game will be finalised mid week and will be posted on the CHAD hosted website, www.mansfieldrugby.co.uk and in 103.2’s sports summaries. 

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Mansfield U15's entertained Scunthorpe, a team they hadn't previously beaten, and fought hard for a 17 - 7 victory on a bright Sunday morning at Eakring Road.

The first period was played predominately in the Scunthorpe half but, it took 15 minutes for the first break through when scrum half Sam Johnson collected the ball from the rear of the scrum and weaved through the cover to score.  The second try came 5 minutes later when the ball was recycled from a ruck for Sam Cordin to round the defence and score near the posts.  Tom Clark converted to take the score to 12 - 0 at half time.

 Mansfield started the second period as they had left off the first, with some excellent rugby.  This was exemplified by the third try; when the ball was collected from a scrum, won against the head, and was passed through six pairs of hands before being released to winger Simon Rowlands who out sprinted the Full Back to score in the corner.

At 17 - 0 Mansfield were forced into a number of changes through injuries.  This allowed Scunthorpe more possession and territory and in the final few minutes they scored a converted try from a penalty which was given five metres from the Mansfield line.

The game ended with a victory and a final score of 17-7 to an ever improving Mansfield squad.

Mansfield U12’s again showed the improvements they have made so far this season with a convincing 47 – 0 win against a Mellish side that never gave up to the final whistle. They found however, that they could not cope with the forward power of the visiting side, which dominated every aspect of the game, setting the platform for the improving back line to show what they can do. The seven tries were spread evenly throughout the forwards and backs, with Sam Angell missing just one kick despite the difficult conditions. Despite a number of contenders, man of the match this week went to Alec Weightman.

 

 

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