{ match reports }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Newport County  
2 - 3
 Mansfield Town
Compton 18, Labadie 78.
 
 Green 12, D.Rose 66, Hurst 90+3.
Attendance: 2790 (339 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 6 August 2016

STAGS WIN THRILLER AT NEWPORT IN STOPPAGE TIME

Martin Shaw at Rodney Parade

It was the first day of the new season in the English Football League Sky Bet League Two, and Mansfield Town deservedly won a thrilling game in Wales thanks to a brilliant stoppage time winner from Kevan Hurst. Mansfield had already led twice and been pegged back but this time there was no coming-back for Newport, and Mansfield had their first away win on the opening day of the season for 26 years, since August 1990 and a win at Wigan Athletic. The Stags, with the same starting XI and formation as at Worksop last week, took the lead on 12 minutes with a Matt Green header from a terrific Hurst cross. Four minutes later Green had a goal disallowed following a super free-kick in from Mal Benning, and our pitchside video footage, while not completely definitive, suggests Green was onside. Just two minutes after that, Newport equalised from a fine free kick from Jack Compton. The Stags deservedly regained the lead on 66 minutes with a debut goal for Green’s strike partner Danny Rose who fired into the bottom left corner of the net from 16 yards after being set up by Lee Collins. On 76 minutes, the Stags nearly made it 3-1 following more superb wing play from Hurst who crossed for Green whose header into the ground was brilliantly tipped over by the keeper. After that game Green told me that while it was an incredible save, he shouldn’t have given the keeper a chance. The Stags were pegged back again two minutes after that with poor defending from a Newport free-kick from the left, allowing Joss Labadie to tap home unmarked at the far post. It was a sickener for the Stags who had been much the better side in the second half. But Mansfield were not to be denied and Kevan Hurst became the second debut scorer as he curled a simply brilliant winner from the edge of the box on the left, over the keeper, and into the right corner of the net. Hurst ran 80 yards to celebrate with the Mansfield fans. It was a wonderful moment, and capped an outstanding performance from Hurst. A superb start to the season. The Stags now have three consecutive home games, with Blackburn the visitors in the League Cup on Tuesday, followed by Cheltenham and Yeovil in the league.

Stags team (4-1-3-2, Chapman in front of the back four):
Scott Shearer;
Rhys Bennett, Lee Collins, George Taft, Mal Benning;
Adam Chapman;
Mitch Rose, Chris Clements, Kevan Hurst;
Danny Rose, Matt Green.

The Mansfield starting 11 was exactly the team and formation that started as Worksop. Bennett, Taft, Hurst and Danny Rose made their Stags league debuts. As did subs Howkins, Hemmings, and Hogan from the bench later. Adam Chapman and Matt Green were playing against their former club. Krystian Pearce missed out with a slight tweak in his knee. New signing Darius Henderson was not considered match fit after signing for the club during the week.

Newport had 10 players out of their starting 11 making their league debut for the club, indeed only goalkeeper Joe Day wasn’t making his league debut for them.

It was a very hot day as it often seems to be on the first day of a new season. A good following from Mansfield of 339 many of whom had a terrible journey with bad traffic and a coach breakdown for the SSA. The home crowd were also very noisy, seemingly in hope of a good season.

Mansfield were in the new all white away kit, with blue pin stripes, for the first time in a league game.

Danny Rose made a good early impression winning 3 headers in the opening 10 minutes.

Newport hit the top of the bar after 10 minutes. A Mitch Rose handball gave Newport a free-kick just inside the Stags half. It was taken quickly, to Sean Rigg who fired from 25 yards over Shearer and onto the top of the bar. Terrific effort from almost nothing.

The Stags took the lead on 12 minutes. Clements was gifted the ball by a defender, and clipped the ball forward into the path of Kevan Hurst. Hurst got to the byline on the left, cut back onto his right foot, and curled a terrific cross to Matt Green, unmarked in the 6 yard box, who headed past the keeper.

Four minutes later Green had a goal disallowed. Danny Rose won a free kick, 32 yards out on the right. Benning curled it into the area and Green swept the ball into the net from about 7 yards. Green wheeled away in celebration but the offside flag was up straight away. Our pitchside video footage, while not completely definitive, suggests Green was onside by studying it on freeze frame, as the free kick is taken. A few frames later, as the ball is in mid-air, halfway to Green, he is then goalside of the defender and this is what the linesman may have seen.

But just 2 minutes later, on 18 minutes, Newport equalised. Mitch Rose was penalised for a foul 26 yards from goal in a central position. Initially I thought the free-kick was harsh but studying it again, the referee got the decision right. Jack Compton took the free kick, left footed, and curled it beautifully into the bottom left corner of the net, around the wall. Not great defending all round, poor to give away the free-kick in that position, and the wall wasn’t well lined up.

A free-kick for the Stags 35 yards out on the left on 21 minutes. Hurst curled it in and Taft hooked a volley wide of the left post.

Shearer was hurt on 23 minutes. He made a great claim from a free-kick, but landed awkwardly, and had to have some attention. Jensen was warming up for some time afterwards and at half time, but Shearer made it through the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jensen plays in the League Cup on Tuesday.

On 29 minutes, Compton shot from 22 yards and Chapman blocked for a corner. The corner came in to the near post and Shearer punched it behind for another corner. On 35 minutes, a free kick from Compton from the right was over the bar.

Great play from Green on 40 minutes winning the ball on the left touchline with great strength, he cut inside and fired in a shot from 25 yards, but a block took the sting out of it and it ran through to the keeper. On 42 minutes, Mitch Rose shot well wide of the left post. Two minutes later he had another shot, when he was in space, this time from 30 yards out, but he miscued a daisycutter well wide.

A fair scoreline at the break. Entertaining and competitive, with Newport perhaps edging possession. The Stags unlucky with the disallowed goal, Newport unlucky hitting the bar.

Half time 1-1

On 47 minutes, a great run by Rhys Bennett down the right and he won a free kick level with the edge of the area. A minute later, a quick free kick from Chapman to Clements to Bennett to Green, who did well to hold the ball under pressure, and crossed to Danny Rose, who teed up Bennett for a side-footed shot, that was blocked for a corner.

On 55 minutes, Green tried his luck with a free kick from 35 yards, straight into the wall. Two minutes later, a free kick by Hurst, from the left, 30 yards, curled into the middle, was headed out to Chapman who fired in a piledriver, that was blocked.

Another free kick for the Stags on 58 minutes, 10 yards from the byline on the left. Hurst took it and it was blocked for a corner. Hurst took the corner as well, which was to the near post but headed away.

The Stags were completely on top. A half chance for Newport on 61 minutes, a corner to the near post and Jackson headed towards the net, but Shearer saved low down. Then a minute after that, Compton fired a shot that was always going wide of the right post, as Shearer watched it all the way.

The Stags deservedly regained the lead on 66 minutes with a debut goal Danny Rose. Rose fired into the bottom left corner of the net from 16 yards after being set up on the right by Lee Collins.

Kyle Howkins came on for his Stags league debut on 67 minutes in place of Chapman. Howkins went in at centre half, Collins moved in front of the back four.

Labadie went down in the area on 68 minutes but it was no foul.

On 76 minutes, the Stags nearly made it 3-1 following more superb wing play from Hurst, who skipped to the byline on the right and crossed for Green whose header into the ground and up again was brilliantly tipped over by the keeper. After that game Green told me that while it was an incredible save, he shouldn’t have given the keeper a chance.

The Stags were pegged back again two minutes after that, on 78 minutes with poor defending from a Newport free-kick from the left taken by Tozer, allowing Joss Labadie to tap home unmarked at the far post. It was a sickener for the Stags who had been much the better side in the second half.

Ashley Hemmings replaced Danny Rose on 79 minutes, for his Stags league debut. Then on 84 minutes, Pat Hoban replaced Green, also for his Stags league debut. It was a hot day and the strikers had worked hard.

On 87 minutes, Mitch Rose shot straight at the keeper from 25 yards. Then on 90+2 minutes Labadie shot well wide of the left post.

But Mansfield were not to be denied and on 90+3 minutes, Kevan Hurst became the second debut scorer as he curled a simply brilliant winner from the edge of the box on the left, over the keeper, and into the right corner of the net. The ball had been played to him by Hemmings. Hurst ran 80 yards to celebrate with the Mansfield fans. It was a wonderful moment, and capped an outstanding performance from Hurst.

There was only a minute left and Newport didn’t threaten to get anywhere near the Stags goal. A thoroughly deserved win, albeit with the winner coming late. The first half had been pretty even, but Mansfield had gained real control in the second half.

MORE REFLECTIONS

It was the first day of the season in the newly-named English Football League on Saturday, and Mansfield Town’s season started with a bang, in Wales, with the Stags deservedly winning a thrilling game at Newport. Amazingly, it was Mansfield’s first away win on the opening day of the season for 26 years, since August 1990 and a win at Wigan Athletic. Adam Murray had repeatedly said that pre-season was all about getting the right level of fitness into the players, and it paid off in full as the Stags kept going on a very hot day until the 93rd minute to claim a richly deserved winner. And what a winner it was as Kevan Hurst, on his Stags league debut, curled a brilliant shot from the edge of the box on the left, over the keeper, and into the right corner of the net. Hurst ran 80 yards to celebrate with 339 travelling Mansfield fans. Many of those travelling Stags fans had had a terrible journey with bad traffic and even a coach breakdown for the Stags Supporters Association, but went home very happy after that. It was a wonderful moment that we’ll remember for a long time. It capped an outstanding performance from Hurst who also set up a goal for Matt Green with a terrific cross, and almost set up another for him with an equally good cross, but Green’s header was brilliantly saved. After the game, Hurst said he didn’t think he had a particularly good game! If there’s better to come, I can’t wait to see it. Green is looking somewhere near back to his best to me. He scored one, had one disallowed, and worked very hard for the team with tireless running. He was unlucky with the disallowed goal as well, as he swept Benning’s curling free kick into the net from about 7 yards. Our pitchside video footage, while not completely definitive, suggests Green was just onside, by studying it on freeze frame, as the free kick is taken. There is more to come I think in Green’s partnership with Danny Rose up front, for although Rose won plenty of headers, Green didn’t get on the end of many of them and that is an area for them to improve together. And I think they will do. Danny Rose himself had a fine game, also on his Stags league debut. His goal was well-taken, clinically finished from 16 yards. He also wins lots of free-kicks, including the one that led to the disallowed goal. I said last week that I thought that at least 9 of the starting 11 at Worksop would start at Newport. Well it turned out to be all 11, in an unchanged side. Krystian Pearce is still out injured, and when he is fit, there will be huge competition for places at centre half, with the new loan signing of Kyle Howkins from West Brom. Howkins came on as substitute on Saturday and looked very impressive. There is room for improvement at the back though with both goals conceded being avoidable. Both came as a result of free-kicks given away in dangerous positions, and the marking for the second goal was really poor.

Man of the match: Kevan Hurst


Report by: Martin Shaw at Rodney Parade



Line Up:
(4-1-3-2)
Shearer 6 Not at fault for the goals in my opinion. Battled on after falling awkwardly. Handling was solid.
Bennett 7 A couple of good runs forward. Got into the box for one shot that was blocked. Defended ok.
Collins 6.5 Defended ok. Set up Danny Rose’s goal nicely. Moved in front of the back four midway through the second half.
Taft 6.5 Started slowly but grew into the game. Had a chance when he hooked a volley wide. Defended ok.
Benning 6.5 Great free kick for the disallowed goal.
Chapman 6 One good block in defence, and had a powerful shot that was blocked. Did ok.
M.Rose 6 Appeared to be the player who lost Labadie for the Newport second goal. Gave away the free kick for the first Newport goal. Showed some good purpose going forward.
Clements 6 Played Hurst in down the left in the build up to the first goal. Didn’t do anything spectacular but also didn’t give the ball away.
Hurst 9 Outstanding performance on his Stags league debut, capped by his brilliant stoppage time winner. Also set up the goal for Green with a terrific cross, and almost set up another for him with an equally good cross.
D.Rose 8 Very good game, also on his Stags league debut. Goal was well-taken, clinically finished from 16 yards. Won free-kicks, including the one that led to the disallowed goal. Also won plenty of headers.
Green 8 Good header for his goal. Unlucky with the disallowed goal which I think was onside. Also thwarted by an incredible save, but told me afterwards that he shouldn’t have given the keeper a chance. Worked extremely hard for the team.
Sub Line Up:
Howkins (for Chapman, 67 mins) 7 Looked impressive as sub at centre half.
Hemmings (for D.Rose, 79 mins) - Played the ball to Hurst, for Hurst’s brilliant winner.
Hoban (for Green, 84 mins) -
Subs not used: Jensen, McGuire, Baxendale, Hamilton.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Day; Barnum-Bobb, Turley, Bennett, Butler; Compton, Randall, Labadie, Myrie-Williams (Tozer 71); Rigg, Jackson. Subs not used: Bittner, Darren Jones, Bignot, Owen-Evans, Dafydd Jones.
Referee:
Robert Jones 7 His first league game. I think the disallowed goal was onside but it was so tight that it would be unfair to criticise his linesman. Generally handled the game well.


Season 16/17 Reports