U15 V Southwell

Mansfield travel the short distance to our county cousins at Southwell RFC for a welcomed late arranged fixture by Lyn their team’s admin and the Mansfield coaching staff who all made this fixture happen.
With a bare 15 after some cry offs the boys in blue got stuck in early and from the kick off Tyler Carrington on a trade mark run beat the first man, second man…fifteenth man and in under the posts Try! With the practice paying off Smithy took over the kicking duties to convert. Great start by Mansfield could this be the week we perform like we know we can???
Southwell 0 Mansfield 7
Cup side Southwell soon shook off their Sunday morning slumber to score a quick brace of tries converting one and addressing the balance of play.
Quite simply and weirdly the game shaped as many of these local derbies between these two cousins across the whole range of junior and senior sides, Mansfield’s bigger forwards attempting the more direct approach “Route one”, and the smaller but more nimble Southwell XV were attacking at pace spreading the ball wide.
The scrums were even and Southwell had the edge in the lineout, but it was Mansfield lack of retaining their own possession in contact and at the breakdown with Mansfield’s midfield laboured line speed and organisation in defence with cost them dearly and Southwells gifted Fly – Half who exploited the latter was Mansfield’s undoing. Another 3 quick scores followed with Southwell simply just getting it wide.
Half Time
Southwell 33 Mansfield 7
The message from the coaches was to win the collisions and to play 10-man rugby amongst the forwards. Mansfield got straight back into the game and the game plan began to take shape. Chandler with another line break darting and weaving, hitting and spinning all the way in try Mansfield, unconverted.
Southwell 33 Mansfield 12
Then with more aggression about the Mansfield Team and pressure in defence from the midfield, Mansfield started to compete and held their own for long periods of time in the second half. They maintained their shape, Skipper Charlie Collier went close and was held up, as did Asher Freeman, Connor Moore and Chandler Gregory who was everywhere around the park, showboating some of his real rugby skills! Constant line breaks from Jak Stevens, Ben Hayes and Braden Pressley – Cook got Mansfield on the front foot now uphill and up wind after the break.
Unjustly but well taken, Southwell scored a break out try which was disappointing after so much Mansfield graft and pressure from everyone in the Mansfield side that boasted (hardly the right word) 5 flankers in that bare 15.
Southwell 38 Mansfield 12
But no excuses made and credit where credits due Southwell scored a couple of late tries, one with some good handling across the park from one side to the other for one of their wingers to get in the corner and with the last play of the game a set move from the line out to catch the knapping defence.
Final Score
Southwell 48 Mansfield 12
Thanks again to Lyn and a big thanks to Sean who picked up the whistle and played a blinder! Thanks to our old mother club Southwell RFC for an enjoyable fixture we were made to feel very welcome.
In closing, a lot of this game was closer than the score represents, no major surgery required on Mansfield’s part, just hard work in training to develop an understanding of game and positional sense which is not far away and a commitment from the missing few who in fact missed out today. A big very well done from the coaching staff to the lionhearted 15 Mansfield lads who stuck to the task and just as their heads dipped, picked up and fought back.
Man of the Match Chandler Gregory
Match Report by Roy Reeve