Bedford halt Mansfield revival

The home side struggled to find their spark, despite a dominant performance from an injury-hit pack in the scrum, particularly evident in the early stages of each half.

Frustrated head coach Neil Stent bemoaned the team’s inability to convert forward dominance at the set piece into points, saying: “I’m disappointed so much of good work over the previous two weeks was undone.

“This was always going to be a tough game against a well-drilled side, who executed the basics well. We failed to execute our basics at all well, which was always going to make things difficult for us.”

Two scrums within the first five minutes were to set the tone with the home side disrupting the visitor’s ball who, to their credit, still managed to clear their lines, even with their scrum in retreat.

If the home side’s scrum was dominant, their usually reliable line-out was the mirror image with errors in that area of the game to prove costly on more than one occasion during the afternoon.

The visitors showed their attacking intent as early as the fourth minute, stealing Mansfield line-out ball and releasing the backs, only valiant defence halting the attack with Mansfield awarded a penalty on their own line as Bedford failed to release.

The visitors finally opened their account in the 10th minute after a period of sustained pressure when quick thinking from their scrum half caught the home side napping to score under posts.

The restart was knocked on by Bedford and gathered by a player stood in an offside position; fly half Ross Elms kicking the ball into the corner.

For once, line out ball was secured and the maul formed, Bedford then using their full armoury to disrupt the drive to the satisfaction of the referee, but to the dismay of the watching faithful. Eventually prop Liam Grant broke from the back of the maul only to be halted agonisingly short of the line.

From the resultant scrum Joe Symcox picked up from the base and set off towards the line, ably supported by brother Alan, only for a close quarters knock-on to hand possession back to the visitors, who gratefully cleared their lines.

More line out misery for the home side after 15 minutes saw the ball tidied by the Bedford flanker, who released his supporting winger to make it 14-0.

A Bedford scrum from the restart again resulted in scrappy possession, but again they managed to scramble a clearance to halfway.

Yet another line out was taken against the head, allowing Bedford to clear deep into Mansfield territory. A deft chip put the winger through, but again great defence prevented what looked to be a certain score.

However, the relief was only temporary as, from the resultant scrum, Bedford quickly spun the ball through their backs for the winger to score in the opposite corner.

The visitors controlled the remaining 10 minutes, executing the basics exceptionally well and releasing their lively back line at every opportunity.

More misery for the home side before the end of the half saw first captain Phil Donaldson leave the field with a blood injury and then lock Andy Simms left the field on a stretcher.

A further Bedford score off yet another line out, made the half-time score 24-0.

Mansfield started the second period in determined fashion and were unlucky not to open their account when a 43rd minute penalty came back off the post.

The next 10 minutes were all Mansfield with the home side enjoying both territorial and possession advantage, but lacking the cutting edge to drive home their advantage.

The pattern of the game was re-established on 55 minutes when Bedford stole yet another Mansfield line-out and ran the ball back downfield to score under the posts.

Undaunted by this setback, the Blue and Whites took play back to Bedford with the Symcox brothers again to the fore, but they were unable to convert pressure into points.

On 65 minutes Bedford cleared long from a defensive scrum and the ball was collected just inside his own half by John Ross Ward.

Superb vision from Ward saw him spot space behind the onrushing defence to place a pinpoint chip onto the Bedford try line where Mansfield Ladies’ Man of the Match Scott Bailey was first to the ball to finally put Mansfield onto the scoreboard.

The good work was, however, immediately undone as, from the restart, Mansfield failed to gather the ball and Bedford recycled to touch down in the corner and make it 36-7.

Mansfield regrouped and a quickly taken penalty took them to within five metres of the visitors’ line where the forwards drove over, Joe Symcox emerging with the ball.

The final word was to be Bedford’s as with five minutes to go they were awarded a scrum on the Mansfield 22 and the best move of the game saw them score off first phase ball.

Mansfield travel to Belgrave this Saturday (2.15pm) and you can follow the action on Twitter, just go to @MansfieldRugby.