Improving Mansfield fall short
Midlands 2 East
MANSFIELD 7 OLD NORTHAMPTONIANS 24
Mansfield put in their best performance of the season to date against unbeaten Old Northamptonians on Saturday, but failed to pick up points as they saw every error punished and immense pressure thwarted.
From the start Stringfellow was taking the game to the visitors and Wills drilling the ball down field and an opening line out for Mansfield. Richard Newton tidied and Robinson burst through on a well angled run.
Just as expected the first penalty saw a tap and dart into defenders who stood firm and another line out saw Lindsay feeding back to Kirk and Wills clearing the lines. The adventurous ON backs went close down the right then after switching cross field could find no way through on the left.
With the line outs fiercely contested Grant collected and broke away, Robinson benefited from quick hands and turned the defence with a deftly flighted kick. Symcox coolly dealt with two long balls and varied his runs to keep ONs on the back foot. Their crash ball option ran into Jones, Holmes and both Newton brothers resulting in lost possession.
The pace, adventure and openness of the game was providing great spectacle but surprisingly no points. Holmes and Drury made sure of possession after a try saving tackle from Storey before the quarter ended with Robinson limping out of the action with a knee injury.
His replacement Taylor wasted no time in letting the visitors know his attacking intentions. With the ON scrum in retreat Smedley harried his opposite number and released the back line but once again handling errors halted a promising move.
After probing both flanks and finding Smedley and Grubb on hand twice to provide a last ditch barrier, and Storey and Symcox covering the other side an element of desperation spread into the ONs play. A drop goal attempt slipped wide, Tom Newton brought proceedings to a shuddering halt but finally the dam broke.
A switch in midfield and well angled run set up an overlap and a try deep in the left corner after thirty five minutes. The 5-0 deficit was one the Blue and Whites would have settled for turning to play down the slope, but the last five minutes had drama to unfold.
Mansfield played themselves into trouble with some casual defending and poor kicks. A 22 drop out failed to clear the line and Mansfield were thankful to Holmes and Richard Newton for getting them out of trouble. Stringfellow hacked clear on a burst and Grubb continued the move with a race for six players to make first contact with the ball. It looked as though Mansfield would collect, recycle and plunge over but ONs smuggled the ball and spun it away to cover under their posts.
It looked innocuous enough as their flanker made a run to the 22 but turned out to be far from that as he went unchallenged close to halfway, saw support sweep on and after an interchange the try under the home posts. In a flash Mansfield went from levelling or potentially leading at the break to losing 12-0.
Looking for a flying start Mansfield began the second half with another injury blow as Kirk had his knee trapped in a tackle. Harrison took up hooking duties and with his colleagues spent 80% of the half in and around the visitors 22. Five metre line outs and scrums were the order of the day as ONs hung on, several times behind their own line.
Both Newtons made it to the line, Harrison found himself isolated darting down the blindside and Lindsay was driven 20 metres after a pin point line out. Attempts to open up through the backs were forced wide but fifty minutes gone and this time Stringfellow was being helped from the pitch. As Mansfield regrouped they failed to deal with a quick tap and the old failing of tackles through the centre allowed a clear run to seven more points.
It would have been easy for Mansfield to capitulate but far from it. Replacement Spencer showed his strength; Holmes and Harrison showed the way to the line as the siege of Eakring Road continued. Drury burrowing away in the loose turned ball over for Taylor and Symcox to try the rapier approach through the defence.
A rare break into the Mansfield half behind a long kick was met with a loose kick back and try number four. The last ten minutes again territorially belonged to the home side. Spencer took play to within five metres, Mansfield scummaged their way to a penalty and Smedley took a quick tap before spinning the ball wide. Down the backs the ball flew to Grubb on the wing who chipped the ball into hand and raced over before a deft Symcox conversion ensured Mansfield had seven points for their afternoon’s efforts.
‘Nothing but pride, great effort and by far the best we have performed,’ Steve Shaw commented.’ If we had played this way earlier in the season we would have at least two more wins under our belt. Now we have seen what we can do the players will not be allowed to turn in any less.’
The intensity of effort last Saturday will need to be redoubled when the Blue and Whites travel to table toppers Loughborough Students. A tough task and with a lengthening casualty list the selection meeting may be moved to the Physio’s room before setting off down the M1.
Mansfield II v Ashbourne II - Home
Mansfield 2nd’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end with defeat away to a strong Ashbourne side losing 28-21. A lacklustre first half display and poor defence from set pieces enabled the Ashbourne backs to run in some good tries. Despite their patchy start to the game Mansfield were still in the game all the way up to the end, and actually had a blatant try disallowed during the final play of the game which would have given them the chance to level the game. An excellent display from Bruce Arnold was capped with 2 tries. Further scores came from Broadhurst (1 try) and 3 conversions from Wagstaff.
Mansfield III v Mellish II – Away
Mansfield’s development side, in their first league game were very unlucky not to come away with a better result against a very strong and mobile Mellish 2nd team losing 22-7. The Mansfield youngsters were always in contention and some superb handling sent them into the break only 12-7 adrift. With all to play for Mansfield set off in the second half at a fantastic rate and against the run of play Mellish collected a spilled ball and drove over in the corner to go 17-7 up. Mansfield rallied and took the game to Mellish, actually crossing the line only to have the try disallowed. The game turned into a niggly affair in the last twenty minutes with various off the ball incidents marring what had started out as a good, open game. Mellish scored a fourth try in the final minutes to seal the game. Mansfield's try came from young centre Rick Poulter and was converted by captain Darren Marshall
Mansfield Vets v Derby Vets - Home
Mansfield Vets hosted a strong Derby Vets squad at home this week but again lost, going down 17-0. Mansfield threw everything at Derby but just could not get over their try line. They spent the majority of play inside their 22 but Derby came away unscathed and managed to run in 3 breakaway tries. It was an encouraging effort from the veterans and their first win will soon come.
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