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Strong running, tight finish but no Derby win

Powergen Midlands 2 East

DERBY  30   MANSFIELD  22

Mansfield came away from high flying Derby defeated, disappointed but far from despondent having given their hosts a worrying afternoon as the league positions in all parts of the table tightened. The results elsewhere saw Mansfield slip two places to seventh, the relegation places seem to have left a perm one from three for the last drop spot and the top three are covered by just three points.

With a stiff breeze at their backs and intermittent squally rain Mansfield looked for a telling start and got just that. Derby cleared the kick off but saw Taylor highest to claim the line out but as Mansfield drove forward they conceded a scrum. The telling tale of the day was to unfold. Derby, distinctly uncomfortable, tried to move untidy ball but Arnold was on hand to stop the move, recover the ball and fed Wills. The fly half sent a teasing punt cross field and a kindly bounce allowed Storey to out manoeuvre two defenders and sweep in under the posts.

Wills’ conversion made it 7-0 with just two minutes gone and straight back into attack after a Derby knock on. Ashley broke to force a penalty and with Pritchard in possession Mansfield drove 25 metres into home territory before the backs stretched the defence. A fumble gave Derby the chance to consolidate but Holmes tackled to halt progress and after Wills took play to the 10 metre line the back row and prop Newbould forced yet another penalty. The line and drive should have doubled the lead but instead it was disjointed, broke down and Derby released their backs for a silky smooth three quarter sweep and overlap for a left wing try.

Derby owe much this season to the kicking of full back Congleton, the leagues top scorer, and despite the conditions he secured the conversion before adding a seventeenth minute penalty, helped by a ten metre bonus for back chat. The relief round the ground that the favourites were in front was short lived. Mansfield’s man of the Match Ashley again picked up at eight and with Taylor and Holmes quick in support Derby was again in retreat. Stringfellow and Pritchard were quick to chase through under a high ball and after Karl Robinson broke the gain line Smedley again released the backs.

Arnold angled runs from wing into the centre and Wayne Robinson took every opportunity to add his presence to the line from full back. A forty metre drive demonstrated the dominance of the Mansfield front eight but Wills penalty kick from the wing slid across the posts. After Robinson created another line out deep in the 22 Mansfield were driving for the line again. The Derby number eight joined the drive but from Mansfield’s side and must have been relieved that his yellow card was not accompanied by a penalty try award that on other days have been given.

A repeat penalty and drive against the depleted home numbers took Mansfield to the try line where Kirk controlled the ball to the ground. Wills ensured Mansfield were 14-10 in front to complete a pulsating half hour without a break in the pace and entertainment.

The last ten minutes kept up the tempo. Mansfield strayed offside in front of their posts to bring Derby back within once point. The towering restart saw Derby collect the ball and also Stringfellow whose tackle took everything into touch. That line out became the first of a series moving Mansfield from penalty to penalty with the instances of pulling down becoming more prevalent. As the half came to a close Wills broke and with a two man overlap was thwarted by the threat of an interception and found he was enveloped by three tacklers. The resultant penalty edged Mansfield to 17-13 at the break but it could easily have been a bigger lead.

The importance of that lead became apparent as the sides turned round and so did the impetus. The Derby kick off was run back by Ashley and Pritchard twice moved play forward. Replacement Drury broke through with Smedley quick to work down the touchline. Having got into good position the tide of penalties turned and Mansfield found themselves edged back into their own 22.

Moving ball infield it was Derby’s turn to use the cross kick to create a try on fifty minutes. Five minutes later their South Pacific centre combination carved through and a four point lead had become a ten point deficit. It looked certain that a third quick try was going over but somehow Robinson covered across field and held firm two metres out.

Bacon added to his impressive tackle count before Jones took Mansfield forward and Ashley broke before linking with Robinson for his last run before giving way to Rowbottom. The young full back was immediately tested with a high clearance but showed confidence to collect, run at and then through the defence, stopped at the expense of a penalty. Despite losing their line out put in Derby only had a scrum and found themselves pushed back over their own line.

The three quarters kept probing through Wills, Bacon, Rowbottom, Storey and Wills again, testimony to the Youth conveyor belt feeding the Mansfield squad. Defending a line out Mansfield were shocked to see Drury singled out for a Yellow card and faced the closing stages a man down. Derby could only capitalise with a solitary penalty before Mansfield laid siege to the Derby line to close the game out. Former Blue and White Roberts collected the third yellow for the afternoon and Mansfield ran the penalty with Wills floating the ball over the defence, collecting it and bringing Mansfield up to 22 points.

An encouraging performance with young players stepping up to the mark and Derby will want Mansfield to be just as much a handful in two weeks time when second placed Peterborough come to Eakring Road. That follows a week off for the First team who face a busy end to the season. A trip to Spalding will be followed by their 50th. Anniversary game when they will take on a strong President’s XV on April 23rd

Photographs courtesy of Derby RFC - www.derbyrfc.com

Mansfield II v Derby Development - Home

Mansfield’s 2nds took on Derby’s development side and won 33-5. After Nottingham Modern’s called off the cup fixture Mansfield took on a useful Derby side who, from the start, put Mansfield under pressure up front which took the home side about 20 mins to compete with. Some good open rugby allowed Mansfield to score twice in the first half through Williams and Broadhurst and Scott was on hand to convert. The second half saw Derby score first but were unable to convert the try. Mansfield then replied with two more quick tries from Haynes and Hooper which seemed to kill Derby off. As the game came to a close Scott was able to convert 3 more penalties. The Mansfield players can take a lot away from this game. After a slow start they managed to find direction and a passion to win and an excellent debut for the second team by young Frank Hawsen at No9.

Mansfield III v Market Rasen II – Home

Mansfield 3rds fielded a young side this week to take on a strong experienced Market Rasen outfit. Mansfield, although showing true grit throughout the game went down a disappointing 36-0. The young lads got away to a flying start passing the ball down the line as if they had the right to win this game. For a good 20 minutes Mansfield applied the pressure dominating the high lineout ball and driving into the heart of the oppostions 22 then it all just seemed to fade away and it all went seriously wrong when Market scored through a break away try. Heads never dropped but all the momentum was lost. Good back play from the young guns nearly gave them a try half way through the second half where only a foot in touch prevented the winger from running around the Market defence to score what might have been the try of the game. Market were strong in depth and kept trudging in the trys at a slow but calculating rate. Mansfield man of the match was P. Pogmore with a high tackling work rate.

Mansfield V v Ilkeston II – Home

A depleted 14 man Mansfield 5th team had no answer to a very experienced Ilkeston 2nd string losing 36-12. Ilkeston had a back diversion to a grace any first team. The young stars of Mansfield set off at a fantastic rate and early in the first half went ahead twice but they could not maintain the pressure and the experience of Ilkeston came through when they turned Mansfield over time after time to set up their own attack. The young hearts of Mansfield never laid down and their never say die attitude was a total credit to them but the wealth of talent on show in the Ilkeston side was just too much on the day. Scores for Mansfield came from McClintock (try), Marshall (Con) and a try for the man-of-the-match Leroy Oakden in his first game back after a 4 month lay off period.

 

 

 

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