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Forwards pave the way for victory

POWERGEN MIDLANDS 2 EAST

PAVIORS  15   MANSFIELD  19

Mansfield got their league account into credit on Saturday with a hard fought win ground out by a superb forward effort sprinkled with occasional flashes of inspiration from the backs. Their dogged determination and fitness kept up an eighty minute work rate that finally overcame newly promoted Paviors. However, the home side’s refusal to give up the game meant a tense passage of injury time play where the final outcome was still in doubt.

“Much improved but still we are showing indiscipline and making unforced errors to make the games harder for ourselves” was the reflection of the Mansfield Coach John Tasker.

The game opened with a catalogue of those unforced errors. Despite running the ball skilfully from their 22 Mansfield gave away a penalty from the kick off and contrived to miss touch with three kicks to allow the home backs counter attacks in the opening minutes. Having put themselves under nine minutes of pressure Paviors’ Chalkley opened the scoring with a penalty. The Blue and Whites cover defence was proving an effective blanket and a springboard for attack through Stringfellow, Lindsay and Holmes.

Scum half Smedley, acting as a general to his forwards drives, squeezed through a half gap and in opposition territory for the first time the resulting line outs saw Lindsay and Pritchard supply superb service from Kirk’s throwing in. Developing a drive Mansfield sped the ball down the three quarter line before Robinson changed the angle with an incisive run at speed. The full back playing for the first time in nine months broke and pirouetted through three tacklers before crashing over for the opening try, converted by Rutter.

He continued to look for the opportunities to run ball at the heart of the Paviors defence and links with Arnold, Rutter and Rushby threatened further scores. As much as the Paviors defence it was Mansfield fumbles that prevented the lead being stretched. As the play became more fractious the Mansfield cause was not aided with Lindsay sin binned on the half hour. 

Using quick distribution and the extra man Chalkley converted a try by Eggleshaw who had been lucky not to join the Mansfield number eight in the sin bin. A further high tackle on Rushby on served to raise the temperature and both skippers were asked to warn their sides before the half time whistle.

The slender 10-7 lead to the home side ensured a tension filled second half. Smedley and Holmes worked away from the base of the scrum and Pritchard had a scintillating thirty metre burst right through the heart of the defence before being penalised for holding on with the line beckoning.

Ashley joined for a blood injury to Holmes and remained as a replacement for Lindsay. Arnold went close to breaking through and Storey’s foot in touch prevented him from scoring. Williams was increasingly taking the crash ball through and over the gain line and Mansfield set up camp on the home 5 metre line.

A series of line outs and penalties taken as scrum options saw ever more desperate defence. Eventually the misdemeanour count became so high that the inevitable penalty try and easy conversion for Rutter put Mansfield 14 – 10 in front with five minutes to go.

No let up for the Paviors defence as they tried to mount a counter and Holmes was to the fore to charge down an attempted clearance. The ball was scrambled to touch but Mansfield used the line out to send their forwards driving onwards and Kirk marshalled the ball to ground

Rutter’s conversion shaved the wrong side of the upright and a lengthy stoppage period had to be endured with a nine point gap. Another controversial sin bin decision saw Ashley missing the last three minutes and once again Paviors used their man advantage. Oates secured the try but the conversion failed. Just four points behind the home side had to be launched from deep for the matching winning try. Half a break was not enough, Holmes magnificently tackling, holding up and stripping the ball to signal the final whistle

A good win with plenty more to be improved upon and more tension with another local derby this week. Newark make the trip to Eakring Road at 2.30 for one of the season’s most eagerly awaited matches amongst local rugby fans. Both sides have two league points and will look to double up against their rivals.

A big improvement from Mansfield under 13’s saw them come away with a resounding 72 -5 victory, against a committed Mellish side. Early pressure from the forwards led to plenty of ball for the impressive looking backline to attack Mellish from virtually anywhere on the pitch. Excellent decision making from Fly Half Sam Angell led to centre Ben Palmer crossing for the first of his five tries. Continued pressure saw Mansfield turn around 40 – 0 up at half time. The second half brought much of the same with further tries coming form Bradley Eames 2, Jack Mitchell 2, Jordan Simmons, and Ellis Wilson. Man of the match Angell added 6 conversions in difficult conditions.

Mansfield under 14's had total control of their encounter with Mellish running out 51 – 5 after putting into practice what they had learned from their coaching sessions. The support play was superb, good handling and offloading the ball created the tries for Bob Peace and 2 for Joshua Knight. Good straight running landed Danny Burdet 3 tries and strong all-round play and safe hands finished the scoring off with tries for backs Stacey Barker, Tom Lowery. To top his man of the match performance off Connal Baxter converted 3 times, an all round uplifting performance

 

 

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