MANSFIELD 22 DERBY 22

Mansfield Seconds found themselves flying the flag on Saturday after fixture chaos saw Matlock decline a NLD cup tie in favour of a Derbyshire tie to leave the Firsts without a game. As controversy over an alternative date of 27th. December rumbled on the side turned their thoughts back to the League and a second meeting with Moderns in a month. A hard fought battle at Wilford saw Mansfield out score the Nottingham side four tries to two in a 29-10 win.

The game starts the second half of the season which sees Mansfield sitting top of the table and with all the others looking to shoot them down. “We have some very tricky away trips and two sides coming to Eakring Road who will want the points to secure their promotion,” mused Coach John Tasker, “plus local derbies. There are no easy games in this league and I just want to avoid injuries that could be crucial for all the clubs.”

The shortest day means that Mansfield will kick off at 2p.m. on Saturday.

If injuries do come along he will have seen some impressive reserves as Mansfield Seconds showed total forward dominance to counter a lightning fast Derby back division. Leeson opened the scoring on fifteen minutes following strong running through the centre by Wright. Derby went ahead with a converted try ten minutes later with a converted score but Mansfield took just two minutes to cancel it out. Draycott and Broadhurst linked well before Hall outstripped the defence, Leeson added the conversion.

Derby brought the score to 12-12 on the stroke of half time and the ding dong scoring continued through the second period despite Mansfield’s forwards ensuring the game was in the Derby 22 for over thirty minutes. Draycott, moving to scrum half grabbed the first of his two tries with ten minutes remaining. Many believed that would be the winning score but a sensational final three minutes and stoppage time added three more tries.

Derby broke the length of the field to even things out at 17-17 and then repeated the feat to go five points in front as the ref indicated one minute to play. A clever switch kick off was met by Draycott, recovered by Harrison and Mansfield forced a line out with fifteen seconds to play. The catch by Pike and Mansfield drove over, Draycott controlling the touch down. From the touchline Leeson saw a superbly struck conversion come back off the post, a draw but for their forward domination Mansfield really deserved the win.