SENIOR RESULTS
Miserable
Mansfield slip deeper in trouble
Midlands 2 East
MANSFIELD 10
MATLOCK 25
Mansfield
crashed to their third successive home defeat on Saturday to remain rooted to
the third relegation spot. Worryingly they also saw the mid-table pack pick up
points in front of them and open up a gap to the sides staring through the trap
door.
Every
league game is attracting mounting importance and despite Matlock’s impressive
start to the season the weekend was seen as an opportunity to start moving up
the table. Instead a first half performance lacking in verve and passion saw the
Blue and Whites fourteen points adrift, a mountain too high to climb against the
men from the Peak District.
Receiving
the kick off Holmes looked to take Mansfield on the offensive. Support in the
shape of Kirk, Crookes and Spencer caught the visitors offside and with Wills
setting up a line out on the Matlock ten metre line there was the springboard
for attack.
Not for the
first time this season self inflicted errors took over. The line was lost, two
unnecessary penalties moved the Derbyshire side deep into the Mansfield 22 for a
line out. The take and control of the rolling maul was exemplary, finished off
with a carefully controlled touch down from the visiting hooker. The touchline
conversion took the score to 7-0 with just six minutes on the clock.
Attempts to
immediately respond were fuelled as Kirk, Taylor and Stringfellow all made
ground before releasing Jones on a run through the middle. From the first scrum
of the afternoon Tom Newton was in action linking with scrum half Smedley to
again force Mansfield into the opposition half. However, as was the pattern of
the day far too often once in the loose Matlock were claiming possession.
A high ball
caused problems before Symcox and Grubb could scramble it into touch and again
Mansfield were defending rolling mauls across their line. Important tackles came
in from Stringfellow and Richard Newton before Mansfield managed to disrupt the
visitors put in but relief was short lived. Jones hurtled to the rescue to stop
a certain try but the next scum saw Mansfield freeze and the Matlock number
eight pick up and dart across the line unopposed.
Another
sound conversion and again Stringfellow was battling under a restart kick.
Smedley and Wills coaxed the Mansfield backs to attack down both flanks but
despite two Storey runs the telling break failed to come. After ten encouraging
minutes Mansfield were again turned and found themselves defending their own
line against the rolling maul. Try number three was notched and the Mansfield
support feared the worst from a clearly dispirited team.
With one of
the many twists and turns that happen in a game Mansfield were thrown a
lifeline. Indiscipline reduced Matlock to fourteen men for ten minutes running
up to half time and Mansfield took advantage. A strong drive from the penalty
with Man of the Match Spencer and Harrison providing the vital force took the
Blue and Whites within striking distance. A mercurial blindside dart from
Smedley made it to the line before Symcox agonisingly saw his conversion bounce
back off an upright.
Despite the
full back snuffing out another attack, and then with Holmes to aid taking
Mansfield back into opposition territory the half ended at 19-5. The blistering
summary of the first forty minutes delivered by Coach Steve Shaw left no doubts
as to his view of the team’s performance. It was a surprisingly long and
detailed summary given his opening blast that he was ‘lost for words.’ His after
match comment that after two marvellous efforts in the previous fortnight the
side had simply failed to perform was echoed by those who had witnessed the
three games.
The desired
effect came in some measure. Smedley promoted and probed, Wills linked with Tom
Newton and Jones before replacement Arnold moved Mansfield 15 metres. Another
half time replacement Williams took the opportunity to show his ball carrying
impact before exerting considerable pressure in the scrum.
Loose
passes led to an easy penalty for Matlock on the hour before the Mansfield
injury jinx struck again.
Storey
limped from the field and Mansfield used their final replacement, Colts hooker
Pogmore, as an emergency winger. He was quickly in the action and went close
down the left before crowning his first appearance with a try, finishing off a
move to the right wing.
With the
intensity rising three yellow cards were issued in two minutes and Mansfield
again had a man advantage. Despite Wills nearly forcing his way over Taylor and
Arnold going close it was the visitors who had the last word. A penalty in front
of the posts completed the scoring at 25 - 10 and a check round the grounds
confirmed the stark reality that this winter is going to be a long, hard battle
to pull clear of relegation.
Those
thoughts will be banished this weekend as EDF Energy National Intermediate Cup
action provides the curtain raiser to the club’s 50th. Anniversary
Ball. That means an early breakfast as Mansfield depart at 10.30 for a 1.30 kick
off at Solihull. The Birmingham side have marked their arrival in Midlands 2
West with three wins in seven games, despite a 23-17 defeat last weekend.
Mansfield II v Matlock II - Home
Due to injuries and
non-availability Mansfield 2nds were left without their captain and 5 regular
players as they tried to reshuffle the side to face Matlock in the league but
came unstuck losing 5-10 at home. In a game where both sides struggled with the
weather conditions it was Matlock who broke the deadlock after 15 minutes
scoring an unconverted try in the corner. Mansfield’s pack playing to their
strengths with continued rolling and driving mauls attacked the try line but
with no reward. After half time Mansfield attacked from the base of every scrum
with new boy Roberts and Ashley making big holes in the oppositions defence and
were soon rewarded with a try from Roberts in the corner to put the sides level.
Mansfield continued to apply pressure searching for a second try, fighting
against poor handling conditions and a determined defence but failed to score.
Entering into the final minutes of the game Matlock picked up on a loose ball
and ran in the winning try leaving Mansfield with no time to reply.
Mansfield III v No Game
Mansfield IV v Doncaster Vets – Home
Mansfield 4ths played this
vets fixture hoping to make amends for the loss earlier in the season but came
unstuck in the contact area and only managed a 15-15 draw. Mansfield has
Doncaster on the back foot from the start with slick hands through the forwards
to run the ball all the way to visitors 5m line, winning a penalty for offside.
The ball was played quickly and Hubbard dived in to score before the opposition
realised the ball was in play. This try set the scene for next 30 mins with the
forwards dominating the play for long periods but then all of a sudden the
Mansfield front men started to play to Doncasters’ strengths in the tight. Too
many times the ball was lost from going into contact too upright allowing the
stronger Doncaster players to rip the ball from the resulting mauls. This gave
the visitors a boost and they ran a try in before half time, converting to make
the half time score 5-7. At the turn around Mansfield used the slope to their
advantage. Camped in the oppositions half, again for long periods Mansfield
looked to take the win comfortably after Berryman crashed through to make the
score 10-7. Mansfield knew this wasn’t enough and became unsettled when the
scores did not come from the high percentage of possession and territory they
fought hard for. Niggling mistakes crept into Mansfield play probably through
frustration more than anything and this again gave Doncaster the life line they
were hoping for. A quick tap penalty saw them go 10-12 up and the game took a
different shape. Mansfield responded positively by resorting back to mobile game
they had played in the first 20 mins, moving the ball through the hands,
Draycott being instrumental in the setting up the attacks from Fullback.
Doncaster struggled to keep up with the pace of the game and eventually relent
with a great try from Hughes for Mansfield to secure a 15-12 lead. As up and
down the game was it was Doncasters turn to apply the pressure. They seemed to
get a second wind and opted for a guaranteed draw by kicking a penalty in front
of the posts instead of going for the win. At 15-15 the whistle blew leaving
Mansfield to rue their tactics.
YOUTH RESULTS
Mansfield Colts v Chesterfield Colts – Away
Mansfield Colts
stuttering start to 2007 continued with a 13-10 defeat at local rivals
Chesterfield on Sunday morning. The only score of the first period was a try for
Chesterfield gifted to them when the Mansfield defence failed to clear their
lines allowing a more alert home side to pounce on the loose ball and score.
Arguably, the last five minutes in the first half was the turning point of the
game with Mansfield finally putting something together but being kept out by a
combination of poor execution and superb defence. With the interval score at
5-0, Chesterfield extended this to 8-0 with a penalty early in the second
period. Finally this did spur Mansfield into action and after 10 minutes outside
centre Tom Calladine broke through the defence only to be tackled short of the
line but managing to offload to Danny Spencer who scored in the corner. The same
two players combined again moments later only for the referee to rule the final
pass as forward. Mansfield took the game to Chesterfield in a desperate attempt
to turn the game around and were rewarded 2 minutes from time when open side
Theo Tsiolas was first to react to a ball that spurted out of a scrum on the
Chesterfield 5m line making the score 10-8 to Mansfield. Then heartbreak,
Mansfield knocked on at the re-start and from the resulting scrum Chesterfield
moved the ball wide to score in the corner with what was the last play of the
game to make the final score 13-10.
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