An Autumnal Sunday morning saw Mansfield travel with a squad of twenty players for a development match with Chesterfield Panthers. After a warm-up session the coaching team selected the line ups to play Chesterfield in halves.

H1:

From the Chesterfield kick-off Mansfield took the high ball and pressed forward, both teams took time to settle with handling errors resulting in lost ball possession. A free pass for Chesterfield saw Mansfield quickly press the ball carrier, make the tackle and turnover the ball in the ruck. The ball was passed away from the ruck through several pairs of hands before a surging Mansfield run tracking the touchline was taken into contact. With the ball secured Mansfield again passed the ball through the hands presenting the opportunity for Mansfield (Frankie) to score a well worked team try.

The breakdown and scrum were becoming hotly contested areas for both teams, with Chesterfield gaining possession from a Mansfield scrum, breaking into broken field with Mansfield (Ben) tracking the player across the pitch and making a well-timed try saving tackle into touch. From a free pass Mansfield passed and carried the ball across the pitch, forcing Chesterfield to defend in numbers. This inevitably created space for Mansfield to exploit as the passage of play and ball carrying swept back across the pitch and down the touchline towards the try line. Quick ball through the hands culminated in the pass that gave Mansfield (Ben) time and space to score the team try.

With Mansfield continuing to press, the set piece scrum provided the platform for Mansfield to break from the midfield and take the ball into contact short of the try line. Mansfield were again quick to secure the ball before a searching pass found Mansfield hands enabling an offload for Mansfield (Lewis) to place the ball in the corner. With Mansfield now dominating all aspects of the play further Mansfield (Seth and Corey) tries closed out the first half.

H2:

Half time gave the players a well-earned break, before the second half line up introduced eight fresh players all “chomping at the bit” and ready for action! From the kick-off Mansfield took a little time to settle with the early passages of play in the Chesterfield half. As Mansfield continued to press with several phases of play securing the ball at the ruck, with the pass away finding and releasing Mansfield (Carter) in the midfield to surge forward hold off the Chesterfield defenders and score a well-deserved try.

Chesterfield took possession of the ball from kick-off and scored their first try of the match. The Mansfield response was swift…a high ball towards the corner from the kick-off gave Mansfield (Ben) an opportunity to collect the ball from a single bounce and score the try. From the kick-off a neat passage of link-up play by Chesterfield across the width of the pitch released a player down the wing before cutting inside to score a second try for Chesterfield. Chesterfield whilst competing, were finding it difficult mid-way through the half to match Mansfield and generate the time and space with the ball to create their own opportunities. Mansfield continued to apply pressure in the Chesterfield half resulting in a Mansfield team try placed over the line by Mansfield (Ben).

Mansfield continued to work hard with all play in the Chesterfield half. As Mansfield applied further pressure at the breakdown a Chesterfield player found himself on the wrong side of the ruck with Mansfield (Big Max) opting to use his physical attributes “pick-up and place” the player into touch. A Mansfield free pass on the halfway line set the stage for Mansfield (Elijah) to surge through the Chesterfield defence and score the try. As Mansfield continued to dominate a great “pop pass” gave Mansfield (Joe) the opportunity to weave a route through the Chesterfield defensive line and score in the corner. A Chesterfield line out pass deep in their own half forced Chesterfield to kick and clear the line…Mansfield (Elliott) was quickly out of the blocks to charge down the kick, collect the ball and score the try.

Chesterfield although a little frustrated continued to work hard under constant pressure from Mansfield. A free pass in the midfield gave Mansfield another chance to deploy the teams new secret weapon! Mansfield (Elijah) received the ball and ploughed his way through the Chesterfield defenders placing the ball in the corner. Four further Mansfield tries (Lewis x 2 and Corey x 2) closed out the match.

Match Summary:

Simply put…a fantastic all-round team effort today!

Mansfield Player of the Day: Frankie

Written by Paul Connall