This was a day when the Royal British Legion expressed their thanks to Mansfield Rugby Club for their help during recent Poppy appeals by presenting them with a stunning and specially framed ‘Poppy Adorned’ shirt to display. Mansfield came in to this game looking for win home with Bakewell sitting four places below them in the league, this was a perfect opportunity for the blue-and-white to rebuild a winning platform. However, a game that saw both teams struggle to build momentum saw the visitors take the spoils on what would have been a frustrating afternoon for all involved.
Head coach Wayne Robinson epitomised this frustration: “I thought we played well in parts but we just couldn’t get any momentum going. With the ball in hand I think we look like a good team.”
The game couldn’t have started much worse for the home team. A try to the visitors within the first 2 minutes and things were looking bleak. However, that would be their only score of the first half and the possible opening of the floodgates didn’t happen.
An early opportunity for the blue-and-whites to narrow the deficit with a kick at goal was missed and the half largely played out in a back-and-forth affair. Bakewell did concede 2 yellow cards during the first half, one very early on, but the home team were unable to capitalise on the advantage. Both teams struggled to find their form. The home team disrupted a lot of ball, especially at the scrum and lineout, but couldn’t establish dominance in those areas and struggled to secure their own lineout as well. The visitors used the wind to their advantage, kicking a lot of ball in behind the home side’s defence, but then struggled to make any inroads with the lion’s share of possession and territory they had.
That said, it wasn’t through lack of effort. Mansfield’s scrum enjoyed early dominance over Bakewell’s and the forward pack were industrious all afternoon, creating a nuisance of themselves whenever possible, lead from the front by matchday sponsor Tony Skillington’s Man of the Match Richard Lindsey, who harried well and secured vital turnover ball.
The home team were also the recipient of a yellow card during the first half but, again, the team with the man advantage were unable to make that count. The half finished 5-nil to the visitors.
The second half was much a repeat of the first, Bakewell enjoying the lion’s share of possession but lacking the killer edge when it counted. Mansfield’s scrum lost its dominance, the lineout misfired and the final pass lacked finesse but the defensive display was mightily impressive and continuously halted relentless attacking pressure. An early penalty saw Bakewell extend the score to 8-0.
Despite the scrum achieving parity, it was a Mansfield attacking platform that saw the ball end up in the hands of Zane Chiapetta who gladly took the opportunity to register the first points for the home team. The conversion was missed but Mansfield were still in the game at 8-5 and plenty of time left to play.
Unfortunately for the Eakring Road faithful the remaining score went to Bakewell, a converted try taking their total to 15, ten points ahead of the blue-and-whites and out of the losing bonus point range.
Despite valiant efforts by the home team to close that gap, the game finished 15-5 with Bakewell claiming the spoils.
Next week, Mansfield travel to Belper. You can follow the action on Twitter @MansfieldRugby.