Five years ago Mansfield were a National Three team but have tumbled down the leagues and last year both Spalding and Mansfield were relegated to Midlands Three East North.

Like Spalding they are rebuilding and are known for their strong forward play.

With us taking the lead early in the second half we could not press on, as Mansfield ground out a win, using their forwards to greater effect.

Early in the second half Gav Sharman outpaced Mansfield defence out wide and ran in his second try of the afternoon for Spalding to establish a well deserved two point lead. However the home team using their forwards more effectively, responded, took control of the match and despite stiff resistance from a stout Spalding defensive performance eventually ran out winners.

Spalding kicked off with the notorious disadvantage of Mansfield’s sloping pitch and immediately the home team looked to pin the visitors down into their twenty two. However Spalding were well organised and in Richard Cooke and Ash Ankar they had players who were constantly tackling any threat.

Having absorbed the early storm, Will Shields, scrum half, was starting to snip around the tackle area and the link with Willis Ingleby at fly half was work well. Suddenly Spalding caught Mansfield out of position as the backs passed the ball along the line out to Sharman on the left wing. With the try line beckoning, he was tackle but brilliant support play by Ingleby saw him pick the free ball up and dive over for the opening try.

In typical fashion Mansfield immediately responded from the restart pinning Spalding down in the left hand corner and their flanker broke down the blind side, evaded a couple of tackles and went over for a converted try. A few minutes later and a crash ball move created a break through the middle of Spalding’s defence and the home team was over, followed by a successful penalty and a points gap was starting to appear between the two teams.

Whilst tackling George Brown took a knee to the head and Tom Wilson came off the bench for the rest of the game.

With half time approaching, again, Mansfield were attacking deep into the left corner following a kick ahead. George Douglas, fullback, looked to have the ball covered, but with it breaking free, Ashton Capes, right wing, held back the Mansfield attacker, off the ball, and was yellow carded. Taking an attacking scrum the odds were in Mansfield favour.

But Spalding’s scrum was holding their own with props Jacob Greaves and Kev Hudson not giving an inch all afternoon. With the ball won Dan Adams, inside centre, broke through the middle. From the tackle area the movement continued with Spalding securing a scrum on Mansfield 5 metre line. A quick blind side move saw Sharman in and with an excellent conversion by Ingleby the half time whistle went with only three points separating the teams.

Within a couple of minutes of the restart and still a man down, Spalding shocked Mansfield with a storming break down the left by Sharman and with this try in the left corner Spalding had taken the lead.

Steadily Mansfield were gaining an upper hand led by their forwards grinding out territory but Spalding were responding. Unfortunately, as Spalding mounted an attack deep in Mansfield territory the ball was lost and a counterattack saw a breakaway try by Mansfield down the wing to restore a five point advantage.

Pressure on Spalding mounted. Locks Luke Turner and Ash Piccaver were making tackle after tackle against waves of Mansfield driving forwards and the only relief for Spalding was some excellent runs in the centre by Dan Adams but support runners were, now, not with him.

Fin Peters came on for Ashton Capes for the final 10 minutes and with some strangle referring decisions going against Spalding, Mansfield fly half was kicking deep for touch and after a succession of lineout’s, Mansfield secure their fourth try in the final couple of minutes of play.

Team Jacob Greaves, John Barrett, Kev Hudson, Luke Turner, Ash Piccaver, Ash Ankar, Richard Cooke, Harry Brown, Will Shields, Willis Ingleby, Gav Sharman, Dan Adams, George Brown, Ashton Capes, George Douglas, Subs Tom Wilson, Fin Peters, George Reid.

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