Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Crawley Town
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Clements 50, 60, Hoban 54.
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Bennett OG 82
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Attendance: 2984 (72 from Crawley)
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Date: 19 November 2016
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STAGS GET NEW ERA UNDER STEVE EVANS OFF TO A WINNING START
Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town registered an emphatic 3-1 victory over Crawley Town to get a new era under manager Steve Evans off to a winning start. There was a real buzz around the ground with the arrival of Evans and assistant Paul Raynor and a sense of anticipation and excitement. Mansfield shaded the first half but were unable to break Crawley down before 3 goals in 10 minutes early in the second half decided the game. The Stags took a deserved lead on 50 minutes. A great crossfield pass from Chris Clements out to Matt Green on the left. Green cut inside Young onto his right foot, crossed to the right, Hoban headed back, defender Garnett could only head the ball up to Clements who volleyed into the net from 8 yards. Clements starting and finishing the move. Mansfield increased the lead on 54 minutes, good use of the advantage by the referee as Ashley Hemmings was fouled coming forward, but the referee played on, Green broke down the right wing, and his cross was perfect for Pat Hoban at the far post who volleyed in from 7 yards. And the Stags made it 3-0 on 60 minutes. Hemmings swept a ball down the left wing for Green to run onto, Green knocked the ball over the keeper who was a long way out of his area on the touchline, Green steadied himself and played a lovely ball with the outside of his right foot to Clements unmarked on the edge of the box, who smashed into the top right corner of the unguarded net. Crawley had been swept away. Crawley pulled a goal back on 82 minutes when Bobson Bawling got past Mal Benning to the byline and fired in a powerful cross that flicked off Rhys Bennett’s head into his own net under pressure from Matt Harrold. It was a very good team performance from Mansfield, typified by tremendous workrate, getting the ball forward fast into the box, and fighting for every loose ball. Several candidates for the man of the match award on a day when no-one had a poor game, with Chris Clements just shading it for us, from Jamie McGuire, Matt Green and several others. The defence was also generally solid with Mitch Rose filling in well at right back. A great day for the Stags with the promise of more to come. The appointment of Steve Evans during the week was a rare appointment of a manager with a proven record of guiding a team to promotions in the Football League, not seen since the likes of Ian Greaves and to a lesser extent Billy McEwan. It is a real coup for the club to get a manager with such credentials. John Radford had talked about wanting to get the club to the Championship, and appointing a manager who had done exactly that with Rotherham was a huge statement of intent from John and Carolyn. The arrival of Evans came after the departure of Adam Murray on Monday. Murray had been a fantastic servant to the club in several spells as a player and then manager. As a player he was in my all-time best Mansfield Town XI, joining Gordon Hodgson, Liam Lawrence and Jim McCaffrey in a mouth-watering midfield. As a manager, he had the Stags safely in mid-table last season after being in and around the play-offs for three-quarters of the season, and again in mid-table this season before last week’s defeat to Portsmouth brought an end to his reign. Murray gave his heart and soul to Mansfield Town over many years and we wish him well. It was a cold but fine day in Mansfield. The home attendance was 296 up (from approx 2600 to 2900) from the Stevenage game. Going in the right direction and hopefully more to come back soon. Evans made two changes from the Mansfield side that lost at Portsmouth. Mansfield were without Howkins and Iacovitti, recklessly sent off at Portsmouth. Also absent were the injured defenders Collins and Taft, plus Hurst. Mitch Rose came in for Howkins, and slotted in out of position at right back, with Bennett moving to centre half. The other change saw Hoban return to the side in place of Baxendale. Hoban and Green were up front. McGuire was in midfield behind Clements, Gobern and Hemmings in a 4-1-3-2 formation, where the midfield was fluid. Clements retained the captaincy. Young Zayn Hakeem warmed up with the team before the game but was not in the 18 man squad. Crawley came into the game in a poor run of form. Adi Yussuf, on loan at Crawley from Mansfield, was not allowed to play under the terms of the loan. There was a very welcome return to “On the Ball” to welcome the teams onto the pitch. Evans and Raynor were given a great reception from the home fans with everyone on their feet. On 3 minutes, Crawley keeper Morris dilly-dallied on the ball in his area, Green closed him down, a hurried clearance from Morris reached Hoban who blasted over the bar from the edge of the box. At the other end on 5 minutes, Clifford shot well over the bar. A good move from the Stags on 7 minutes. Mitch Rose played a great ball down the right, Green put in a good cross and Hemmings fired straight at the keeper right footed. Then on 10 minutes, Green fired in a low shot from 25 yards which was going just wide and the keeper tipped it further wide. The Stags went close on 16 minutes. Shearer’s long free kick forward was headed away as far as McGuire who headed goalwards from 22 yards over the keeper just wide of the right post. Good chasing by Green a minute later, from a ball forward but the under pressure Crawley defender did well to clear. The Stags were harrying well. On 19 minutes at the other end, Young crossed from the right and James Collins headed well over from 14 yards. On 26 minutes, Hemmings had a shot blocked, and Hoban slipped when about to shoot on the follow up. A minute later, Clements sent a left footed shot just wide of the post from 20 yards. On 33 minutes, Hoban took advantage of a defensive mistake but could only fire high and wide from a tight angle, with Green better placed unmarked. A minute after that, Gobern, who was playing well, fired left footed wide of the right post from 28 yards. On 38 minutes, poor refereeing as McGuire knocked the ball into the area and Bennett was about to shoot but the referee brought the play back for a free kick for the Stags. Benning took the resulting free kick, from 29 yards out, but it was straight into the wall. On 39 minutes, Benning crossed from the left and an acrobatic first time effort from Gobern was just wide of the left post. On 41 minutes, Green was pushed in the back 28 yards from goal. Clements sent the resulting free kick over the bar. A wonderful crossfield ball from Clements on 42 minutes was beautifully collected by Benning but Benning’s cross was blocked. The Stags went close on 43 minutes, as Pearce nodded on a long Mitch Rose ball and Hemmings looped a header over the keeper who did very well to arch back and tip it over the bar. On 45 minutes Gobern broke into the area but with a chance to shoot he took an extra touch and the chance was gone. On 45+3 minutes, a poor free kick from Clements which didn’t beat the first man into the box. A decent first half from Mansfield without being able to convert any of the chances and the first half home goal drought continues. There was extra zest from the Stags players, with everyone on trial. Half time 0-0 On 46 minutes, Hoban shot wide of the left post via a deflection. From the resulting corner from the left from Clements, a header from Pearce was cleared off the line. The Stags took a deserved lead on 50 minutes. A great crossfield pass from Clements out to Green on the left. Green cut inside Young onto his right foot, crossed to the right, Hoban headed back, defender Garnett could only head the ball up to Clements who volleyed into the net from 8 yards. Clements starting and finishing the move. On 53 minutes, Benning was booked for a deliberate foul just outside the opposition penalty area. Mansfield increased the lead on 54 minutes, good use of the advantage by the referee as Hemmings was fouled coming forward, but the referee played on, Green broke down the right wing, and his cross was perfect for Hoban at the far post who volleyed in from 7 yards. On 56 minutes Clements was brought down on the edge of the D after taking an extra touch rather than shoot. Green took the resulting free kick through the wall and saved well by the keeper with his legs. The Stags made it 3-0 on 60 minutes. Hemmings swept a ball down the left wing for Green to run onto, Green knocked the ball over the keeper who was a long way out of his area on the touchline, Green steadied himself and played a lovely ball with the outside of his right foot to Clements unmarked on the edge of the box, who smashed into the top right corner of the unguarded net. Crawley had been swept away. On 63 minutes, Mitch Rose took an extra touch before attempting to clear the ball near his own byline, he was dispossessed and Crawley crossed into the middle before the danger was averted. Steve Evans gesticulated to Mitch Rose to launch the ball downfield rather than mess about when in a dangerous position. Good advice in our opinion. Baxendale replaced Hemmings on 72 minutes. Baxendale was straight into the action on 75 minutes shooting at the keeper from 14 yards. A rare Crawley chance on 76 minutes, as a corner taken to the edge of the box and a shot from Bobson Bawling was blocked by his own man Clifford for a goal kick. On 77 minutes, Benning’s high cross found Hoban who headed straight at the keeper. Crawley pulled a goal back on 82 minutes when Bawling got past Benning to the byline and fired in a powerful cross that flicked off Bennett’s head into his own net under pressure from Harrold. Danny Rose replaced Green on 84 minutes. Green came off to a rousing reception. Gobern sent a 30 yards shot well over the bar on 85 minutes. On 89 minutes, a free kick for the Stags from the right. Gobern curled it in and Hoban acrobatically shot wide of the left post. Straight to the other end, and Bawling tried to get past Benning again but this time Benning put in a great tackle. Henderson replaced Hoban on 90+1 minutes, Hoban leaving the pitch also to a rousing reception. On 90+2 minutes, McGuire went down under a challenge from Billy Clifford and was caught in the head by Clifford’s boot as Clifford also dropped to the ground. McGuire reacted very angrily and had to be calmed down by the referee and teammates before getting treatment and bandaging to a cut head. “Oh Jamie McGuire” was sung by the Stags fans. A fine victory for the Stags. Blackpool up next on Tuesday night, a team who have just moved into the play-off places in what should be a good game. FURTHER REFLECTIONS (MY WEEKLY BLOG FOR THE CHAD NEWSPAPER): APPOINTMENT OF EVANS A REAL COUP FOR THE STAGS What a week in the life of Mansfield Town FC. The appointment of Steve Evans was a rare appointment of a manager with a proven record of guiding a team to promotions in the Football League, not seen at Mansfield since the likes of Ian Greaves and to a lesser extent Billy McEwan. It is a real coup for the club to get a manager with such credentials. John Radford had talked about wanting to get the club to the Championship, and appointing a manager who had done exactly that with Rotherham was a huge statement of intent from John and Carolyn. The arrival of Evans came after the departure of Adam Murray last Monday. Murray had been a fantastic servant to the club in several spells as a player and then manager. As a player he was in my all-time best Mansfield Town XI, joining Gordon Hodgson, Liam Lawrence and Jim McCaffrey in a mouth-watering midfield. As a manager, he had the Stags safely in mid-table last season after being in and around the play-offs for three-quarters of the season, and again in mid-table this season before last week’s defeat to Portsmouth brought an end to his reign. Murray gave his heart and soul to Mansfield Town over many years and I wish him well for the future. There was a real buzz around the One Call Stadium for the first game of the Evans era and a game against one of his former clubs, Crawley Town. The Stags registered an emphatic 3-1 victory to get the new era off to a winning start. It was a very good team performance from Mansfield, typified by tremendous workrate, getting the ball forward fast into the box, and fighting for every loose ball. There were several candidates for the man of the match award on a day when no-one had a poor game, with Chris Clements just shading it for me, from Jamie McGuire, Matt Green and several others. The defence was also generally solid with Mitch Rose filling in well at right back, in the absence of several defenders through suspension and injury. Mansfield were the better side in the first half but were unable to break Crawley down before 3 goals in 10 minutes early in the second half decided the game. First, a great crossfield pass from Chris Clements out to Matt Green on the left, Green cut inside defender Young onto his right foot, crossed to the right, Hoban headed back, and defender Garnett could only head the ball up to Clements who volleyed into the net from 8 yards. Clements starting and finishing the move. The second goal saw good use of the advantage by the referee as Ashley Hemmings was fouled coming forward, but the referee played on, Green broke down the right wing, and his cross was perfect for Pat Hoban at the far post who volleyed in from 7 yards. Delight for Hoban who had been left out by Murray despite some good performances. And the Stags then made it 3-0 in quick succession. Hemmings swept a ball down the left wing for Green to run onto, Green knocked the ball over the keeper who was a long way out of his area on the touchline, Green steadied himself and played a lovely ball with the outside of his right foot to Clements unmarked on the edge of the box, who smashed into the top right corner of the unguarded net. Crawley pulled a goal back when Bobson Bawling’s powerful cross flicked off Rhys Bennett’s head into his own net under pressure from Matt Harrold. But that didn’t affect the result and it was a great day for the Stags with the promise of more to come under Steve Evans and his assistant Paul Raynor. The home attendance was 296 up (from approx 2600 to 2900) from the Stevenage game. Going in the right direction and hopefully more fans to come back soon. John and Carolyn Radford will certainly be hoping so after their statement of intent. Man of the match: Chris Clements |
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Report by: Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
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Line Up:
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(4-1-3-2)
Shearer 6 Didn’t have a save to make apart from being beaten by the own goal for which he had no chance. M.Rose 7 Filled in well at right back. Bennett 7 Slotted in well at centre half. Pearce 7 Assured in defence. Header cleared off the line. Benning 7 Beaten for the cross that led to Crawley’s goal, but then put in a good tackle soon afterwards. Put in some good crosses. McGuire 8 Fiercely competitive all afternoon. Clements 8 Two well taken goals. Two lovely crossfield passes including one which led to his first goal. Gobern 7 Good game, got himself involved. Hemmings 7 Header brought a great save for the keeper. Green 8 Involved in all 3 goals. Hoban 7 Took his goal well. Missed a few chances. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Baxendale (for Hemmings, 72 mins) -
D.Rose (for Green, 84 mins) - Henderson (for Hoban, 90+1 mins) - Subs not used: Jensen, J.Thomas, Hamilton, Law. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Morris; Young, Connolly (Davey 35, Djalo 65), Garnett, Blackman; Boldewijn (Bawling 57), Smith, Clifford, Roberts; Collins, Harrold. Subs not used: Beeney, Payne, Tajbakhsh, Henderson.
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Referee:
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Carl Boyeson 6 Made a howler not playing advantage in the first half, but played advantage very well leading to the second goal.
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