Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Rainworth Miners’ Welfare
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Mansfield Town
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Baxendale 6, Yussuf 62.
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Attendance: 629
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Date: 2 July 2016
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GOOD WORKOUT AS STAGS DOMINATE IN FIRST FRIENDLY
Martin Shaw at Kirklington Road Pre-season training had started last Monday for Mansfield Town with a residential week at Brooksby College in Leicestershire, and today was the first pre-season friendly and the first opportunity for the fans to see the new Stags signings. Local side Rainworth Miners’ Welfare were the opposition at Kirklington Road, where the Stags youth and reserve have played many home games in recent years. On an afternoon that contained a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers, and on grass that looked a bit long, the Stags put out two different XI’s in each half and ran out 2-0 winners. The goals came from a shot from James Baxendale from inside the area that went in off the post in the first half, and a beauty into the top corner from Adi Yussuf from outside the box in the second half. There were plenty of encouraging performances, though in truth pre-season friendlies, especially early ones, are more about getting fitness than anything else, so it can be misleading to read too much into them. Adam Murray had said that he hoped it would rain today to soften up the pitch. He got his wish with a couple of heavy showers in the 2 hours before kick off. Unfortunately this may have also had the effect of keeping the attendance down by a bit. Stags team: First half (4-4-2. Midfield 4 in a diamond formation): Brian Jensen; Rhys Bennett, Krystian Pearce, Corbin Shires, Mal Benning; Adam Chapman, Kevan Hurst, Ashley Hemmings, James Baxendale; Pat Hoban, Matt Green. Sub: Zayn Hakeem for Matt Green (35 mins). Mansfield’s first half team included new signings Rhys Bennett at right back, Kevan Hurst on the right of a diamond formation in midfield, and Ashley Hemmings on the left of it, Pat Hoban up front. Second half (4-4-2): Scott Shearer; Jordan Wheatley, Jamie McGuire, Corbin Shires, Louis Danquah; Mitch Rose, Chris Clements, Jack Thomas, CJ Hamilton; Adi Yussuf, Danny Rose. Sub: Cameron Healey for Corbin Shires (67 mins). Jason Law for Jordan Wheatley (74 mins) (Jason Law to right wing, Mitch Rose to right back). Jordan Wheatley back on for Adi Yussuf (84 mins) (Jason Law to forward, Mitch Rose to right midfield, Wheatley to right back). The second half team included new signing Jordan Wheatley (just 17 and signed from Ilkeston this week and Adam Murray confirmed he goes straight into the first team squad; he’s previously mainly played at centre half, but Murray sees him more as a right back at this stage), CJ Hamilton on the left of midfield; Danny Rose up front, Cameron Healey (sub at centre half; a youth teamer who’s been training with the first team). Other players present who did not play: Lee Collins (told me he'd taken a little knock and just a precaution that he didn't play), George Taft (Murray said he wasn't due to play today and will play next week; he’s a new signing at centre half). Mansfield played in the old black away shirts, with Rainworth in white. Mansfield’s new away kit of white is due to be launched this month. On 3 minutes, a Stags corner from the right, and Pat Hoban headed wide and over the bar. Mansfield took the lead on 6 minutes. Green got through into the box, he went over the keeper, the ball dropped to Baxendale who fired into the net off the left post from 10 yards. Before the game restarted, a yellow smoke bomb was thrown onto the pitch, and quickly thrown out of the ground by a Rainworth player, into the car park where it looked as though it hit a white car. On 13 minutes, Benning got to the byline on the left, put in a deep cross, it was played back to Hoban, whose shot was blocked to Baxendale, whose shot was also blocked. On 19 minutes, Kevan Hurst teed up Benning for shot with the outside of his left foot which was saved by the keeper low to his right. On 22 minutes, a shot from Sykes from 25 yards was held by Jensen at the second attempt. On 25 minutes, a cross from the left, and Hoban did well to get in a header under pressure but could only head straight at the keeper. Ashley Hemmings ghosted past a defender on 28 minutes and shot from 22 yards, which the keeper tipped past the right post. A minute later, a cross from the right and Corbin Shires knocked the ball wide at the left post from close range. On 31 minutes, Hemmings got the ball out to Rhys Bennett on the right, who brought the ball down superbly, but his low cross was wasteful. The ball was recycled to Shires on the right in the box, he took a good touch to get the ball onto his left foot and make some space and his low shot was on target before it was deflected wide for a corner. On 33 minutes, Hurst dinked in a cross from the right, and there was a good knock down by Hoban which the keeper just claimed. Zayn Hakeem, who made his debut at the end of last season, replaced Green for the final 10 minutes of the half just to give him some game time. I spoke to Green afterwards and he’s feeling sharp. He looked it too. Later I found his car parked just an inch from my bumper - careful Greenie :-) On 39 minutes, a Rainworth free kick from Barnett from 28 yards was curled straight into Jensen’s arms. On 42 minutes, Rhys Bennett did well on the right, he put in a good cross which Hoban acrobatically fired well wide of the right post with his right foot. So a first half with the Stags dominating possession but with just one goal to show for it. Baxendale had a good half just behind the strikers and did manage to find the net. Green looked very sharp. Hoban looked physically strong winning headers. Hurst looked composed in midfield mainly on the right. Bennett pushed forward a lot from right back. Half time 0-1 A change of the Stags XI at half time, with just Corbin Shires continuing. A reminder of the team for the second half (4-4-2): Scott Shearer; Jordan Wheatley, Jamie McGuire, Corbin Shires, Louis Danquah; Mitch Rose, Chris Clements, Jack Thomas, CJ Hamilton; Adi Yussuf, Danny Rose. Sub: Cameron Healey for Corbin Shires (67 mins). Jason Law for Jordan Wheatley (74 mins) (Jason Law to right wing, Mitch Rose to right back). Jordan Wheatley back on for Adi Yussuf (84 mins) (Jason Law to forward, Mitch Rose to right midfield, Wheatley to right back). On 47 minutes, Danny Rose shot wide of the right post from 25 yards. Three minutes later, Mitch Rose broke into the box, played a one-two with Danny Rose, and Mitch Rose’s shot was blocked by the keeper at close range. On 52 minutes, a mistake in the Rainworth defence, Danny Rose shot on target from 12 yards and it was blocked. On 55 minutes, another shot from Danny Rose from a tight angle on the right was parried by the keeper for a corner. On 57 minutes, a quick corner from Clements on the right, to CJ Hamilton, who fired in a low shot from the edge of the area, the keeper half-stopped and retrieved from behind him. A rare chance for Rainworth on 59 minutes, their third and what turned out to be last chance of the match. A high cross from the left and Edridge headed well over the bar. On 61 minutes, Danquah played inside to CJ Hamilton whose low shot from the edge of the box on the left was wide of the right post. Mansfield made it 2-0 on 62 minutes. Yussuf robbed Barnett and fired left footed into the top left corner of the net from 25 yards. A great finish from Yussuf. Moments later, Danquah, who was impressing at left back, got down the left again, his cross was deflected and looped over the keeper and just wide of the right post. On 65 minutes, CJ Hamilton got past two defenders on the left, cut inside, and his shot was deflected for a corner. A minute later, young Jordan Wheatley squared to Yussuf who got the ball stuck under his feet. Cameron Healey, a youth teamer who’s been training with the first team, replaced Corbin Shires at centre half on 67 minutes. On 70 minutes, Danny Rose tried to thread the ball forward for CJ Hamilton inside the box, but the keeper just got there first. Jason Law replaced Jordan Wheatley on 74 minutes. Law went to right wing, Mitch Rose switched to right back. Law was straight into the action on 76 minutes feeding Danny Rose, whose low shot was spilled by the keeper to Yussuf who miscued in front of goal. Two minutes later, CJ Hamilton ran to the byline, stood up a cross but it was taken off the head of Law inside the 6 yard box by a defender. On 81 minutes, Danny Rose kept the ball in on the byline, pulled back to Yussuf, who put in a good turn to get past his defender, and his low right foot shot was just wide of the left post from 18 yards. A chance for Chris Clements from a free kick on 82 minutes. It was 26 yards out, to the right of centre, and Clements curled just wide of the left post as the keeper never moved. Two minutes later, good play by CJ Hamilton, cutting in from the left, he tried to find Mitch Rose in the box, but it just skipped through to the keeper. Jordan Wheatley came back on, on 84 minutes, in place of Adi Yussuf. Jason Law moved up front, Mitch Rose to right midfield, and Wheatley to right back. A very heavy shower and some thunder sent fans running for cover. On 90 minutes, Danquah shot from the edge of the box, it was blocked though seemed to be going wide anyway. So a good workout from the Stags. Plenty of possession from Mansfield and plenty of chances to score in the second half. CJ Hamilton showed tremendous pace and trickery, and linked well with young Danquah on the left. Yussuf demonstrated the ability that Stags fans saw last season and scored a terrific goal. Danny Rose looked good but will want to find better finishing. Corbin Shires looked very solid. All in all, enjoyable to watch. After the game, I asked Adam Murray for an update on pre-season fixtures. He told me the fixtures will remain as they are. Next Saturday Mansfield will play at both Clipstone (midday) and Carlton (4pm). Both teams should contain first team players though the exact mixture will depend on the state of the pitches. Murray said there will be no replacement for the cancelled Blackburn game. He may add a behind-close-doors fixture. Pre-season fixtures here http://stagsnet.net/match/Fixtures.html FURTHER REFLECTIONS: Pre-season friendlies, especially early ones, are more about getting fitness than anything else, so it can be misleading to read too much into them. Nevertheless, there were plenty of encouraging performances from Mansfield Town’s new signings in Saturday’s win at Rainworth MW. Pre-season training had started last Monday with a residential week at Brooksby College in Leicestershire, and on Saturday the opening friendly at Rainworth offered the first opportunity for the fans to see the new players. The Stags put out different XIs in each half and ran out 2-0 winners. The goals came from a shot from James Baxendale from inside the area that went in off the post in the first half, and a beauty into the top corner from Adi Yussuf from outside the box in the second half. In the first half Rhys Bennett showed how keen he is to push forward from right back, and one piece of skill to bring the ball down from a pass from his left was superb. Kevan Hurst, on the right of a diamond formation in midfield, looked very composed. Ashley Hemmings, on the left of midfield, showed his ability to ghost past defenders and get in a shot and Pat Hoban up front looked physically strong winning headers. In the second half, CJ Hamilton, on the left of midfield, showed tremendous pace and trickery and linked well with young left back Louis Danquah. Danny Rose looked good but will want to find better finishing than at Rainworth. Jordan Wheatley, just 17, has signed from Ilkeston and Adam Murray confirmed he goes straight into the first team squad. He’s previously mainly played at centre half, but Murray sees him more as a right back at this stage. On Saturday at Rainworth, he certainly didn’t look out of place and could provide good back-up to Rhys Bennett this season. Of the players we know well, those who caught the eye most were James Baxendale, who had a good half just behind the strikers and did manage to find the net, Matt Green, who looked very sharp, Adi Yussuf, who demonstrated the ability that Stags fans saw last season and scored a terrific goal, and young centre half Corbin Shires, who looked very solid. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Kirklington Road
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Line Up:
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teams listed above
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Sub Line Up:
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teams listed above
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Opposition Line Up:
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Townsend (Davies 72), Cheeseman, Claxton (Mansell 49), Barnett, Plant, Wankiewicz, Edridge (Weir 77), Clarke (Widdowson 64), Moxon (Russell 49), Theakstone, Sykes.
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Referee:
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Andrew Dallison.
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