Mannerians 27-10 Oakham

For Mannerians’ last home game of the season, Oakham were the visitors to the Showground. It was VPs day and with the second team also playing at home, the whole afternoon had a certain buzz about it.

Paul Webster returned in the second row and Pete Fearn started in place of Ali Gregory who had to pull out with a sand or grass injury at the last minute.

Mannerians have been unable to beat any of the top 3 sides over the last few seasons, and Oakham presented an opportunity to do just that. There were still league placings to play for, so it was a game that both teams wanted to win.

Mannerians opted to play with the wind in the first half in order to gain territorial position.

The first kick off was knocked on by Bakewell and things could have been ominous, but bit by bit, the home side took the game to their visitors. Soft penalties at crucial times were penalising Mannerians once they’d earned good field position allowing the visitors to clear their lines.

Man of the match Henry Bagshawe was causing the visitors all sorts of problems with direct running. Brother Ethan was controlling the breakdown and ensuring the pack were in the right place and doing the right thing. The ever improving front row of Henry Lofthouse, Ben Furness and Sean Driscoll were more than holding their own in the scrums and with Pete Fearn’s accurate throwing the set piece was being won allowing skipper Will Moroney to dictate terms with his backs on the front foot.

Mannerians were winning the territorial battle and making use of the elements with some good positional kicking.

The pack were mixing up their game of direct running and pick and go’s, which eventually won their side a penalty at the breakdown. The skipper stepped up and gave his side a deserved lead after ten minutes. 3-0

A second penalty soon followed and the score was moved to 6-0 after 15 minutes.

The only thing missing from the dominance Mannerians were showing was a try. Some close drives towards the line were held up or stopped just short, which led to consecutive 5 metre scrums. The second of which saw the ball released to the backs and a well-timed run and pass saw Henry Bagshawe crash through and under the posts for a converted score after 22 minutes. 13-0

The start Mannerians had given themselves was exactly what had been asked of the side by coach Mark Burnett and echoed the start they’d made against Market Bosworth a couple of weeks previous, before they went off the boil. Surely they wouldn’t do the same again? Yes they would – well for a short time at least.

After being awarded a penalty on halfway, Fearn retaliated and was sent to the sin-bin, which saw a reverse of the penalty. Following a catch and drive that saw the visitors move into the Bakewell 22 metre area, and a backs move that got them close to the line a penalty was awarded under the posts, which the fly-half duly dispatched to register their first points of the afternoon after 25 minutes. 13-3

This spurred the visitors on who were seeing a lot more of the ball, and when a missed tackle allowed them to break the line a simple two on one saw them cross for a converted try after half an hour. 13-10

The skipper reminded the players about what had happened against Bosworth and demanded that the same thing didn’t happen today. The players responded in a more than positive manner and took the game back to the visitors.

The final score of the half was a penalty kicked on the stroke of half-time by Moroney that gave his side a just about deserved 6 point lead. 16-10

Coach Burnett called on the side to play with the intensity of the first 20 minutes.

The visiting fly half was making good use of the wind advantage, but the back three of Al Ashton, who continues to improve in the full-back position, Tom Oldfield and Tom Crapper dealt with any issues well by running the ball back to thwart any possible danger.

Mannerians were keeping the ball close and making progress that way with more pick and go’s. On their first visit to the 22, they were awarded a kickable penalty which the skipper converted to take the side out to a two score cushion of nine points, but with still thirty minutes to play. 19-10

The home defence was standing firm to the frustration of their opponents who were starting to concede penalties and turnovers at the breakdown allowing Bakewell to clear their lines.

Dan Driscoll and Will Brocklehurst were winning their balls at the line-out allowing the pack to drive up the field given the opportunity. Their defence along with Dave Boam and veteran Webster was halting any pressure put on them and with the backs looking dangerous with centres Jack Duncan and Bagshawe featuring prominently.

Whilst it wasn’t an afternoon that was seeing the ball spun wide that often, both wingers were looking for the opportunities to get involved.

When Mannerians were awarded a penalty just outside kicking range the ball was kicked into the 22 to allow a catch and drive to put Oakham under more pressure. When the ball was held up just short, and the ball spun to centre Bagshawe who was tackled in front of the posts, the skipper dropped into the pocket to convert a drop-goal to take the lead out to 12 points with 20 minutes to play. 22-10

Oakham were now really starting to test the Mannerians defence and were putting the home-side under increased pressure. To each player’s credit they all stepped up and were determined to keep the visitors out. This they managed to do, and from a tackle in the Mannerians 22, winger Tom Crapper of all people stepped over the tackled player, picked up and set off on a footrace to the try-line. He beat his opposite winger and with the fly-half covering across managed to out-pace him as well to score a fantastic individual effort and in effect seal the victory for the side. Despite the conversion being missed, the home side led 27-10 with little over ten minutes remaining.

That’s how the score remained, but there was time for Dave Boam to make a forceful run over the opposition skipper much to the delight of the large crowd. James Turner came into the back row in place of Sean Driscoll and Ed Armstrong replaced Ben Furness to bolster the defence for the remaining minutes. When last-play was called Mannerians forced the turnover and kicked the ball to touch to seal what was a deserved victory not only on the day, but for their efforts all season.

Coach Burnett announced that was to be his last home game in charge as he’ll be taking up a full-time teaching position that will involve evening and weekend teaching, so it was a fitting way for his side to thank him for his efforts that have seen the side progress since his involvement began.

With one game to go, Mannerians can still move up a place thanks to Market Bosworth winning at Belgrave, and if Oakham can do Bakewell a favour and beat Belgrave in their last game, provided Mannerians get a victory at West Bridgford, then the goal of finishing a place higher in the league this season will have been achieved. There will be a bus so there will be some spaces available for anyone wanting to go. Details will be on the website later in the week. Kick off 3pm.

Mannerians: Lofthouse, Driscoll S (Turner), Furness (Armstrong), Webster, Driscoll D, Brocklehurst, Fearn, Boam, Bagshawe E, Moroney (c), Crapper, Bagshawe H, Duncan, Oldfield, Ashton

Scorers:

Tries: H Bagshawe, Crapper
Conversion: Moroney
Penalties: Moroney (4)
Drop Goal: Moroney