The match kicked off and Mansfield held the game on and around the visitors twenty-two. Ashbourne however were unphased by the early territorial advantage and knew considering some of the personnel they had in the backs they had only to get the ball and they could turn it around. Following a good break from Carter which resulted in Mansfield scrabbling the ball into touch not five yards from their try line Ashbourne eventually through Elliott drove over for the try, Glithero added the extras.

Mansfield again put the pressure on the visitors and held Ashbourne in their own twenty-two. Eventually following good pressure from the hosts Mansfield went over for the try, the conversion was missed.

The Mansfield pack had the upper hand against Ashbourne at times but it was the reverse in the Backs with the Ashbourne players all running good lines and at the same time being solid in defense. As a result of this the teams were evenly matched and it was a tight game, the score remained at 7-5 in Ashbourne's favour for the remainder of the half.

Captain Townsend on his 50th birthday roused the troops at half time. The message was clear, Ashbourne had spent too much time moaning and not enough time concentrating on their game, as a result of which Ashbourne hadn't fulfilled their potential.

The match restarted and Ashbourne taking heed of Townsend's speech put themselves in range of the Mansfield line. The hosts seemed to be tiring and Ashbourne sensed a breakthrough. Unfortunately Ashbourne failed to convert two strong chances but eventually were awarded a penalty which Glithero kicked over to extend their lead to 10-5.

Soon after Townsend replaced Hope-Smith with the late arriving Finney which was to mark a series of events that was to turn the match. The match was still tight and Ashbourne were still not overly comfortable in their lead, perhaps if touch-master/bench co-coordinator Bennett had had his say the personnel would have remained unchanged. But, ten minutes after Hope-Smith's departure Townsend tinkered with the side again. Glithero made his way off the pitch with Carter moving from full-back to fly-half, Finney moving from wing to full-back with Psycho coming on at winger.

Finney still adapting to the pace of the game allowed a kick to bounce over his head and an ensuing Mansfield back to collect and run a try in under the posts. It was 10 points each but the conversion was an easy one, Ashbourne however were riding their luck and the Mansfield kicker pulled the drop-kick wide.

After the restart Finney was still blushing from his blunder and was probably wishing that he'd had been caught in traffic on the M1 on the way to the match, however his match was not quite over! The referee had had words with both captains regarding players holding on to the ball on the deck in the first half and also at half time. Unfortunately the now 50 year old Ashbourne skipper had not relayed this message to the late arriving Finney and poor Keith (trying his hardest to hold on to the ball for once) soon found himself sin-binned for such an offence. Ashbourne were down to 14 and with less than ten minutes to play they did their best to win the game. But, with the likes of Glithero and 37 yard drop goal hero Hope-Smith substituted and an embarrassed Finney hiding in the bushes it wasn't possible.

The whistle went for full-time, Ashbourne had snatched a draw from the jaws of victory, Townsend was refused "the bumps" and Finney (man of the match for Mansfield) got changed in the car park.