Late blow for Mansfield as Kesteven snatch the victory

Mansfield and Kesteven were only two places apart in the table coming into this game, and that was certainly evident in the display by both teams.

A try in the final few minutes was the difference between them as they both pushed each other to the wire.

A final push from the home team unfortunately wasn’t able to amount to a score that would have tied the game.

Frustrated head coach Wayne Robinson said: “I thought we played well for large portions of the game but we left points out there and that’s what made the difference.”

The game was punctuated by bouts of rain that made the ground heavy and the ball slippery.

This may have played into the tactics, particularly of the home team, to try and keep the ball close to the rucks and puncture the defence through the forwards.

Early pressure saw the forwards put to good use as a lineout drive from a penalty saw a powerful march towards the try line.

Emmanuel Ogunode emerged from the pile of bodies to register the first score, after just a handful of minutes. A successful conversion saw the score read 7-0 to the home team and possessing all the momentum.

However, the next two tries came from the opposition, both of them the result of poor clearing kicks.

That’s not to say they were easy tries to score. Both kicks were gathered around halfway and saw a 50m run carving through the Blue-and-White defence, resulting in Mansfield’s early momentum all but evaporating.

Two successful conversions saw Mansfield lose both the momentum and the lead with Kesteven now 14-7 ahead.

Mansfield were their own worst enemy at times.

Kesteven’s defence was solid, but the home team were finding their way either through or around it. Unfortunately, the decisive pass just wasn’t there.

A missed overlap here, a kick out on the full there, it was simple errors that were stopping the Blue-and-Whites from getting back into the game.

It was the lineout that again got Mansfield back into the game.

A penalty saw another kick to the corner and another driving maul set.

Kesteven struggled to contain the driving maul all game, it was unfortunate for the home team that lineouts in that particular area of the park weren’t frequent.

This driving maul saw the ball fall to scrum half Reece Flowers-Lane who gladly took the opportunity. A successful conversion saw the scores tied at 14 apiece.

As would be repeated later in the game, Kesteven responded well.

They had largely dominated the scrum all half and it was this dominance that gave them the platform to end the half in the lead.

With the platform the scrum gave them they were able to recycle the ball and add a third try to their tally. A missed conversion saw the half-time score read 19-14.

The second half saw the home team spend large amounts of time in the opponent’s 22, throwing everything they had at the visitor’s defence.

A number of inroads were being made but either defiant defence or the stodgy conditions meant the score wasn’t coming.

The forwards, both in attack and defence, were recycling ball and there was a colossal performance from matchday sponsor the Lenehan Family’s man of the match Anthony Symcox, who was an absolute nuisance for the opposition all game.

The home team decided to mix it up and on one of the few occasions it went beyond the fly half position, the overlap was finally exploited and Harry Brough crashed over for the score-levelling try. A missed conversion saw the score at 19 apiece.

Unfortunately, as is so often the case after a period of dominant pressure leading to a score, Mansfield switched off and Kesteven furthered their lead almost from the kick off, a simple chip over the defence was collected, scored and the conversion was added. The scoreboard once again saw the visitors in the lead, 26-19.

The home team did manage to draw the scores level again, Mark Wallace helping to recycle various phases and build territory before breaking through the defence to, again, level the scores.

At 26 apiece and with both teams having thrown everything they had at each other, it would have been fair to say if the game had ended here there would be no complaints.

However, Kesteven showed why they are two places higher then Mansfield, managing to find field position and work their way round the defence to add one final score to the game.

The conversion was missed but with only a couple of minutes left and the score now 31-26, Mansfield were unable to mount a counter attack that would see them either level or pinch the game.

While both teams demonstrated desire and tenacity, the home team were often architects of their own downfall and could easily have scored another couple of tries.

That said, they did come away with two bonus points so there are positives to take away.

This Saturday Mansfield welcome Sileby Town to Eakring Road. You can follow the action on Twitter @mansfieldrugby.