A second try never materialised.

Newark Rugby

Mansfield 13 Newark 10

Mud, mud, mud, glorious mud but no silverware for Newark at Mellish in the ‘double header’ for Notts Cup and Three Counties honours.

Mansfield held on to win in a gripping finish as Newark attempted to overcome a 13-0 half-time deficit.

A try eight minutes into the second half by prop Shaun May gave Newark hope of finishing a promotion-winning season on a high.

But after May burst clear from 15 metres out, Newark could only find further points through a conversion and penalty from fly half Matt Cox.

Cox, who was replaced for the last seven minutes by Danny Coen after a blow to the head, helped give Newark the initiative in the second half by pinning Mansfield into their own half for long periods.

After Mansfield had taken an early lead through a penalty, the key moment came in the 25th minute when fly half Lee Shaw charged down Cox’s clearing kick before going on to complete the touch down.

A conversion and penalty followed to leave Mansfield 13-0 clear at the interval only for the game to swing back towards Newark when May burst clear.

Newark kept up the pressure despite been disrupted by injuries to hooker Ian Tomlinson and lock Fred Tatham but a second try never materialised.

Team: Tate; Edlin, Waqalevu, Moore, Britten; Cox, Matt Clark; May, Tomlinson, Gray, Evans, Tatham, Price, Lewis Cove, Chris Coen.

Subs: Matt Cove, Jackson, Primett, Webster, Neil Clark, Danny Coen, Mark Byrom.

Try: May.

Conversions: Cox.

Penalty goal: Cox.

Sin bins: Price, Matt Cove.

Rob Wildman