What difference a week makes!

Disappointing draw at Mansfield

South visited Eakring Road, the home of Mansfield RFC, for this latest N3M encounter still smarting from the home reverse against leaders Rugby Lions.
South arrived late due to closure of the M1 and a dodgy coach sat nav! So the game didn’t kick off until 3pm with floodlight assistance for the second half.

Casualties from the previous week were Connor Smith and Ricki Aley (injured) and Luke Coltman (club suspension) while Sam Badham was still ill. Dan Holmes was back at Durham University starring in their successful BUCS XV.
Mitch Culpin took Smith’s place at centre while Nick Griffin and Matt Fisher came into the backs. Rod McNaughton took over the captaincy moving to hooker enabling Dan Robson to take his place in the front row. Andy Harris, James Sutliff and Mike March made up a forward orientated bench.

Attacking with the slope South took full advantage and racked up fifteen points in as many minutes as they attacked full of confidence. Tries were scored by Mitch Culpin and Will Keeling while Mark Lord added a conversion and a penalty. However, beware the South side that take an early big lead as they took their foot off the pedal. The home side responded with some abrasive forward play enabling both half backs to score tries, one of which was converted. A further setback befell South as flying winger Sam Greasley had to retire through injury to be replaced by Mike March with Chris Bale moving out to centre. South lead 15-12 at the half time point.

South started the second half confidently and almost immediately Culpin bagged his second try running through the home defence after Kris McFedries collected a wayward Mansfield clearance kick – some masterly footwork.
Not to be outdone Mansfield came back to add a penalty to close the gap to seven points.
From then on Mansfield were in the ascendency and only good scrambling defence kept them out. South were trapped in their own half and only a couple of breakouts offered any sign of a South score.
Andy Harris and James Sutliff entered the fray for the last ten minutes, but unfortunately Sutliff saw yellow after only four minutes on the field for a repeat team infringement and South were up against it.
Continued home attacks were thwarted, but eventually South ran out of numbers and Mansfield scored a converted try to level thing up at 22 points apiece. The home side continued to press in the final moments and could have scored again, but failed through poor execution and frantic South defence.

Unfortunately, not a good display from South with very little composure being shown both individually and collectively. Generally Mansfield seemed to want it more which might be a throwback to the previous week or indeed the travelling delay. Both scrummage and line out didn’t go well and the confidence to move the ball wide accurately gradually dissipated as the game wore on. The folly of an all forward bench didn’t help either.

Unfortunately we again lost the second half.

Team: Griffin, Fisher, Culpin, Keeling, Greasley (March), Lord (Nice Socks), McFedries, Bale C, Johnson (Sutliff), Miller, Bale S, Hague, Bayley, McNaughton ©, Robson (Harris)

Men of the Match: Mitch Culpin and Dan Robson