Sponsored by
RUGBY UNION - MANSFIELD BUZZ AT LEIGHTON
MANSFIELD notched four tries and their fourth home and away league double, despite taking an under strength squad to Leighton Buzzard on Saturday, still dominating their hosts in every department to win 27-9.
A quagmire of a pitch and strong, gusting wind helped to level out the sides, but with more control up front, more incisive running from the backs and - when put under pressure - better drilled defence, Mansfield more than deserved their 18-point win.
With the wind at their backs and a stuttering start from Mansfield, the home side took early advantage through a penalty and drop goal in the first five minutes.
Stung into action from the restart Kirk forced a line out, Davies fed Radford who beat four men a gained a penalty. Taking the line out five yards out Buchanan secured the ball, Kirk and Stringfellow drove, and Davies finished the move with a spectacular dive over the line.
Still struggling to find a rhythm, Mansfield put themselves under more pressure knocking on the kick-off and then giving away two penalties the second which saw the Buzzards 9-5 in front.
However, the signs of the new look pack gelling were there for all to see as Mansfield contemptuously walked the home side off their own put in at the next two scrums, allowing a Buchanan run, and Rushby the opportunity to carve through before Robinson and Kirk won a five yard penalty.
Not surprisingly Mansfield opted for a scrum, and with a classic number eight pick up and run Buchanan put them into a lead they were not to concede for the rest of the afternoon.
Mower s conversion into the wind was icing on the cake, and within five minutes he defied the conditions again with a 35-yard penalty in front of the posts.
That came from a Troman break and more direct running from Rushby. Saunders was in support as the props Newbold and Robinson kept up the pressure in the loose before Storey went close to breaking away on the right.
When Buzzards did string together some attacking options the tackling of the Mansfield centres snuffed out any danger, and Stringfellow and Pritchard showed their attacking ambitions before the ball found Taylor for a rare run which took three tacklers to halt.
Once under danger Mansfield again shunted the home scrum back on their own put in and, switching quickly to their backs, were again camped out on the Leighton line.
From a five-yard tap penalty Troman committed the home defence and Newton, close to a score, was adjudged not to have released.
His disappointment was short lived as the side turned round. Buchanan line ball allowed Radford and Rushby to move Mansfield into the danger area, Saunders broke tackles, and when he looked to have fallen a yard short Newton was on hand to finish the job.
Mower s easy conversion eased Mansfield 22-9 in front and effectively sealed the game.
After both sides saw men sin binned in the space of 60 seconds the final scoring action ensued.
Smith, replacing Robinson did what all modern props are supposed to do and turned up at outside centre, drawing the defence before a perfectly timed pass sent Storey in at the corner for try number four.
Coach John Tasker used all his bench with Coleman replacing Saunders with no reduction in the bulldozing charges, or tackling prowess as he and Newbold not only stopped an enterprising move but took it back 15 yards.
Brown replaced Storey, and his speed and willingness to chase down opponents deprived the Buzzards time to build even from deep.
Allied to a cover defence which had the speed to close down overlaps and plug any gaps, and Mower s ability to use the wind and his howitzer boot to move play 60 or 70 yards back, the last half hour saw little to excite the enthusiastic Mansfield following apart from an apparent interception try from Mower called back for offside.
Whether he would have managed the 70 yards required through the ankle deep mud uphill even the player doubted, but at least he had a following wind.
The rule of four comes into play again on Saturday when the fixture chaos further unravels with Moderns at Eakring Road in the Notts Cup Semi Final.
With a Three Counties victory and one of those league doubles against the Nottingham club already this season, Mansfield will hope to make it four from four - but nothing will be taken for granted, and complacency will be well and truly banished on the training ground this week.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Worksop
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: East
