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Two close finishes mark Birthday weekend

Mansfield marked their 50th. Birthday with games on Saturday and Sunday and excitement right to the final minute in both. The drama of their final league game of the season at relegated Spalding was followed by a seesaw encounter with a strong Founder Presidents XV. Based on the NLD County Championship squad they were stiff opposition for Mansfield’s Club squad but both sides produced great entertainment for guests, members from down the years and spectators as the focal point for Sunday’s party.

SPALDING  19   MANSFIELD  20

POWERGEN MIDLANDS 2 EAST 

If this was supposed to be an end of season game with one side already relegated and one comfortably in mid table and nothing to play for then someone should have told the players. No end of season stroll as commitment to the tackles, pride and desire to win made this a full blooded encounter.

Mansfield began with their now traditional start, or rather no start, which has become a habit that needs kicking. Gathering Spalding’s kick off Mansfield swept forward through Holmes and Ashley and with Newbould and Karl Robinson adding weight to move them into the opposition’s half it looked promising. However, the breakdown saw the ball spirited away to the home backs and their flying centre avoiding three tackles before rounding under the posts for a try and easy conversion in fewer than sixty seconds.

The next kick saw a near carbon copy with Wayne Robinson to the fore of the charge and only an enveloping tackle from Bacon prevented try number two. A resulting line out saw Pritchard catch Kirk’s delivery and Mansfield making progress before they decided to being a mix of Barbarian passing and the Harlem Globetrotters. Entertaining to the crowd it might have been but it was causing palpitations to Coach John Tasker in his final league game.

Giving away possession they were pegged back for the next five minutes and with the defence stretched across the field try number two arrived after Spalding stretched across the line. Ten minutes were gone and Mansfield were twelve points adrift. Just as in previous weeks that seemed to be the wake up call they required to get into the game and so they did with avengence.

No more points in the first half despite Storey racing clear from his half to within 15 metres, Arnold setting up his forwards on the Spalding line where an apparent try was penalised and Mansfield denied a push over try for breaking their binding.

Rutter showed a clean pair of heels to the Spalding centres, Jones went to within inches of a try and after Bacon and Rutter forced the Lincolnshire defence into panic the half time whistle came with Mansfield just failing to ground the ball in the corner.

Mansfield began the second period at pace. Newbould recovered loose ball and gave his forwards the chance to impose themselves. Jones appeared to have replicated Spalding’s second try with as he rolled and stretched from the tackle but he was adjudged to have made a double movement.

Crookes replaced Karl Robinson as Mansfield continued to shunt the Spalding set scrum around the park. He then popped up to steal a home line out and fed to his skipper for Rutter to force himself over and get Mansfield on the score board. Another taste of the future brought Hooper on for Ashley but as Mansfield reformed they left a gap and once more the gap was fourteen points.

Harrison’s introduction meant Mansfield had given the whole squad a run and the intensity of Mansfield’s game had gone up a gear. Arnold crashed over but again the try was disallowed. Solid scrumaging gave the backs the chance to probe and test the home defence before Rutter drifted across the field with defenders following the dummy runs before the captain sent Storey clear and under the posts for a simple conversion.

Within a score Mansfield saw Hooper wrestling ball back in a tackle and the resulting scrum opened up a classic three quarter move with Robinson joining from full back and crashing over. That score brought the game back to 19-17 and a pulsating final fifteen minutes.

Stringfellow took the restart back to the Spalding half and Mansfield stayed there on attack. Bacon ran to the heart of the defence and was only stopped at the expense of a penalty. Cool as you like Rutter stepped and put Mansfield a point in front.

The drama was not over. A final fling brought Spalding to within 35 metres and the referees arm signalled a penalty for the final kick of the game. The hush turned to a mix of groans and sighs of relief as the slid to the right and Mansfield ended their season with a win and seventh place in the table on point’s difference.

MANSFIELD XV  17   FOUNDER PRESIDENTS XV  29 

Twenty two hours later and Mansfield again took to the field, this time against Founder President Ted Lane’s Invitation XV. The side built round the NLD County Championship squad with the addition of an impressive display from veteran Tim Brookes, Finance Director of Sponsors, The Linney Group and erstwhile stalwart of Mansfield’s mother club Southwell.  

Be it Saturday or Sunday Mansfield concede early. After five minutes of pressure and speedy backs moves Adam Draper was skipping in at the right corner. However, Mansfield may be improving their response times and after Bacon pulled off two important tackles Rushby was taking the Blue and Whites forward and Taylor soaring to collect a line out throw and allow Mansfield to send Jones and Rowbottom at the heart of the defence. Another line fifteen metres out and Pritchard set up the drive finished off by Kirk surrounded by his pack. Rutter made sure and the lead changed hands for the first time.

Within ten minutes Draper again showed his skills with a virtuoso run past four men to reach the corner once more. Mansfield now faced a torrent of well angled driving runs from backs and back rows and had to be thankful for Smedley’s dogged tackling, Karl Robinsons’ powers of recovery and Holmes ability to arrive at every loose ball. An Arnold run gave respite before Rowbottom had to be at his best to stop try number three and Hooper intercepted a crucial pass.

Having weathered the storm Mansfield looked to move into attack but spilled the ball and paid the penalty with Rohan Nirmalendran collecting a pass one handed, behind his back at full flight and outstripping the defence to the line.

Tom Newton appeared and was moving clear after Holme’s work and with adventure in their play Smedley, Rushby, Rutter and Storey spread the play wide and gave Mansfield an attacking platform. Williams came in to the fray to show his typical solid front row anchoring and commitment to ball carrying to earn Mansfield a penalty and Rutter brought the scores to 15-10 at the break.

The second period began with Wayne Robinson signalling his entry to the game with a great run to split the defence. Davies broke twice from scrumhalf and Wagstaff made progress down the wing. Mansfield’s forwards continued to create a platform and when Harrison made ball available they spun it out to Storey who sped over to level the scores. Rutter’s conversion from wide out put Mansfield in front and meant he game was played out to a finish as a true contest.

The game finished as it had started with the Invitation XV having the speed to expose Mansfield. Tim Robinson stamping his mark on proceedings, converting Andy Jaques’s try before finishing off a move for one of his own.

Far from daunted Mansfield saw Rushby held up over the line and young Symcox just failing to get to a bobbling ball behind the defence for a final score for the Mansfield XV.

Thrills to the finish and hopefully the performance of both the club side and his own Invitation XV will bolster Founder President Ted Lane on his recovery from illness.

This weekend Mansfield travel back to their Mother Club with another 50th. Year themed game at Southwell.

Mansfield III v Southwell II

Mansfield 3rds came away from Southwell with their heads held high even with the 73-7 losing score line. With a scratch side, which has been common all season, Mansfield started the better side sustaining long periods of  possession. The forwards actually out mauled the Southwell outfit on many occasion too. Simply, the difference between the sides was the outstanding Flyhalf of Southwell and the organisation he brought to their side. At times it felt like Mansfield were playing a 1st XV with their brilliance of play execution.

On the whole Mansfield put up a brave fight and more importantly never gave in, which was duly praised by the referee and Southwell coach after the game. This is testiment to the Mansfield club spirit. The tireless pack topped Mansfield’s game off with a consellation try which must have stuck in Southwell’s throat. Southwell’s Full Back took a quick long line out throw on their 22 metre line only for the receiving player to be tackled on receipt of the ball by the ever present Toon who scavenged the ball to pop to No8 Johnstone who scored under the uprights. Payne went on to convert. This was all Mansfield needed for their galant efforts. Their job was done.

 

 

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