Spalding RFC 9
Mansfield RFC 8
Harry Harrison’s second-half penalty earned Spalding RFC the narrowest of wins over fellow strugglers Mansfield on Saturday – and eased any lingering relegation fears.
Town made it three wins from their last four Midlands Two East (North) games with a gritty 9-8 triumph at the Memorial Field, with James West kicking the other six points.
Mansfield, who are now just three points above 11th-placed Spalding, did run in the only try of the match through Ollie Stamford as they led 8-6 at half time.
But the mighty Elephants showed great desire and commitment all the way down to the final whistle to earn their first win of 2016.
The Spalding squad, which has looked more settled in recent matches, displayed a couple of changes with young Tom Winch starting on the wing after returning to the club midweek and Ed Booth fit enough for a place on the subs bench after recovering from an injury.
Amid chilly conditions, the match started in a physical manner as both were putting in their tackles.
But it wasn’t long before Mansfield infringed at a breakdown with their tackler not rolling away – allowing fly-half West to step up and give Spalding an early 3-0 lead.
Five minutes later Spalding returned the compliment, only for the Mansfield penalty kick to sail wide of the posts.
However, Mansfield’s front row was looking big and heavy and throughout the match they tested Spalding’s front row of Pete Waudby, skipper Sam Cooke and Sam Cowell.
Indeed, Spalding lost several early ‘put-ins’ at the scrum, but as the match developed the tide was turned especially in the all important last quarter.
When the ball was moved along the backs, Spalding’s Sion Williams carried the ball well. Harrison was also breaking tackles, but could not escape the last man.
Debutant Winch was also showing glimpses of his potential with good handling and pace, while full-back Adam McHugh was hitting the line well.
Both teams worked hard, with hardly a missed tackle in the first half. But, as the interval approached, Mansfield opened up Spalding’s defence for the first and only time to score an unconverted try through Stamford. That was followed by successful penalties for both teams (West got Town’s) to make the score 8-6 in the away side’s favour at half time.
With just the one score in the game there was a certain amount of tension in the early second half play.
Spalding could have gone back ahead, but West put a penalty kick just wide.
Disaster then struck a few minutes later as he strained his hamstring and had to be replaced by Booth.
That forced a re-shuffle, as the sub slipped in at full-back and McHugh moving to fly-half. Kier Moore also jumped off the bench to replace Jordan Templer in the pack.
With all the changes perhaps unsettling Town, Mansfield had a good spell of pressure – but they could not capitalise on their territory.
Hosts Spalding duly counter-attacked down the middle and won a penalty in front of the posts, but some 40 metres out. With regular kicker West off the field, Harrison stepped up superbly with a successful kick to give his side a crucial one point lead.
Again Mansfield came back – and at one point there was a bit of a melee. The referee, who had a good game, was forced to call both captains aside in order to calm their teams down.
Spalding now turned up the gas and the rugby started to flow with good offloads and fine support play from the forwards, allowing the backs some room to run.
For the last ten minutes Mansfield were pinned back, but their fly-half was still prepared to fling the ball out wide to their speedy backs.
But the Spalding pressure was relentless, exemplified by a superb tackle by Harrison, who tracked across the field and stopped their left winger in his tracks.
George Douglas, on the ring wing, followed this up with a fine play of his own.
He collected a clearance kick, charged down the wing, kicked the ball forward and then, as his opposite number collected it, delivered a crunching tackle.
Sam Cowell now at flank, also showed his versatility with a superb counter ruck which secured the turnover of the ball at a critical moment.
There was one last moment of drama as Mansfield tried to break down the left in search of a win in the closing stages.
But Booth, as last man, put in a match-saving tackle, sealing the narrowest of victories and making it three successive home league wins on the trot for Town.
Pete Waudby, Sam Cooke, Sam Cowell, Jordan Templer, Mikey Watts, Ash Piccaver, Ryan Chappell, Harry Sharman, Will Shields, James West, Tom Winch, Sion Williams, Harry Harrison, George Douglas, Adam McHugh. Subs: Kier Moore, Harry Brown and Ed Booth.
