Millennium Mansfield Maul Moderns
MIDLANDS 3 EAST (NORTH)
MANSFIELD 47 NOTTINGHAM MODERNS 8
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- Georgia Hawkins, representing her father Maurice Hawkins, main club sponsor and match day sponsor AIPS Insurance for the game against Nottingham Moderns presents the ‘Man of the Match' award to Jonathan Colley. |
As Mansfield winger Jon Colley forced himself across the line for the second of his hat trick of tries a Mansfield milestone was passed. The score moved them off 999 points scored for the competitive season and over the thousand mark, testament to a foundation of excellent forwards efforts that has allowed Mansfield to open up their exciting back division for length of the field moves.
Mansfield were gifted an early scrum on half way after the kick off was carried into touch by the blustery wind which influenced so much during the afternoon. Davies and Holmes moved the ball into open field and Robinson angled a run before linking with Wills who turned the defence for an attacking line out. Despite the throw drifting Moderns could not clear their lines effectively.
Robinson keen to be involved from full back had Richard Newton on his shoulder before Storey jinked through the defence. Grant carried on the move and Rushby crashed into the heart of the visitors cover defence for Taylor to move Mansfield within ten metres. The pressure was maintained with a series of penalties and lineouts Pritchard and Davies were just short of opening the scoring but on fifteen minutes the duck was broken.
Lee Kirk peeled round as Pritchard took clean ball and Mansfield rolled infield and Richard Newton was plunging over the line, Robinson adding the conversion.
Holmes collected the restart kick and committed Moderns to allow Wills the opportunity to send them back to their own half. The pattern of play was disrupted by the windy conditions and a series of stoppages for injuries as both sides tried to test defences down the wings. Colley and Leighton Kirk mixed tackling duties with strong runs from deep. Tom Newton and Pritchard began a move out of defence and hooker Kirk found himself in the clear. As ball was recycled Wills drifted across field before hitting Robinson on a perfectly angled run. The full back drew his opposite number and fed Colley, the AIPS Man of the Match, who used his speed to great effect to cross and round under the posts for a simple Robinson conversion to double the lead before the break.
Any hopes Moderns had of a better start to the second period were dashed in three minutes. Despite making inroads to the Mansfield 22 replacement Calladine and the Mansfield pack drove their way forward before Davies fed to Wills. Instead of the anticipated clearance kick the fly half turned up the after burners and scorched 85 metres down the centre of the park and under the posts. Another three minutes and another seven points. In similar vein it was Robinson starting out from under his own posts, as he closed in on the opposition 22 a perfectly timed off load sent Colley in for that record breaking try and a 28-0 lead.
Moderns came back with a penalty as Drury was somewhat harshly given ten minutes in the sin bin having been on as replacement for less time than that. Despite being a man down Mansfield were not to be denied. Wills chip nearly found Robinson in the clear but a resulting scrum had Calladine and Davies forcing play blindside and Colley claiming his hat trick. Some sustained Moderns pressure brought a try wide out but with the effervescent Blythe coming on for Davies and buzzing round the mauls Mansfield had two more tries to savour.
Quick passes found prop Simmons hitting the line at speed and after scattering three defenders unselfishly popping up ball for Tom Newton to complete the move. Try number seven rounded off the day with Leighton Kirk going close on the right wing before the ball came down the line for Storey to run in. Conversion number six for Robinson and Mansfield had edged that little bit closer to clinching the League.
Four more points, or any slip by Spalding is all that now stands between Mansfield and the title. They will be looking to claim two of them at West Bridgford this Saturday. The game at Eakring Road saw Mansfield run in twelve tries but a visit to the Memorial Ground is bound to be a much tougher prospect against a side that has improved as the season has gone on.
