​Rasen end season on high

​Rasen began slowly and an early penalty put Mansfield ahead, before they then registered the game’s first try under the posts.

Despite numerous stoppages from a whistle-happy ref, Rasen soon began to exert their muscle up the middle of the pitch and got on the scoreboard when a ball was spun out to Spen Holvey who was stopped short of the line but somehow reached across to dot the ball down next to the uprights.

Stout defence from Rasen then kept Mansfield at bay and eventually they got the ball out to the wing then brought back inside for scrum half Ed Nichols to dart in under the posts for a 12-10 half-time lead.

Mansfield began the second-half strongly by scoring their second try to take the lead, but Rasen responded well and from a line-out the ball was spun out for centre Marius Berger to cut back through a gap in Mansfield’s line to run in under the posts.

Rasen soon exerted their dominance again and forced Mansfield to cough up the ball into the waiting mitts of flanker George Grant who took the ball on and offloaded sweetly to Ben Young who cantered in for another Rasen score.

The final try came soon afterwards, as a tactical kick downfield from full-back Harry Lightfoot saw him follow it up with an excellent tackle releasing the ball for Holvey to scoot in for another score under the posts.

This match was always going to be hard fought. Mansfield are a solid side with a good reputation. After the last few games, especially the ones played at home, it was probably felt that the odds were stacked in Rasen’s favour.

The team on the pitch on Saturday was very different from the team who faced Mansfield at the beginning of the season.

That’s not just in the quality of players added to the squad, but the improvement in technique, the quality and fierceness in defence and the integration as the team has progressed through the season.

The result saw Rasen seal fifth place in the league, with regular supporters having been treated to some really good rugby contests and a real buzz around the players.

*Saturday also saw the Rasen 2nds, the Wolfhounds, secure a 80-5 win over Mansfield’s 2nds.