Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Colchester United
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Attendance: 3398 (237 from Colchester)
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Date: 10 December 2016
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STAGS DRAW 0-0 WITH COLCHESTER
Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town and Colchester United drew 0-0 in the last home game before Christmas in a disappointing game which lacked quality in the final third from both sides. The best chance of the entire game fell to Matt Green after just 12 minutes when a free kick ricocheted off two defenders into the path Green, unmarked and with only the keeper to beat from 9 yards, but he surprisingly shot wide of the left post. Scott Shearer made a couple of regulation saves, and there was panic in the Stags box on 90 minutes when the ball bounced on top of the bar and then ran loose before Mansfield cleared. A bit of controversy with almost the last kick of the game as Stags sub Danny Rose played a one-two with Green and went down on the edge of the box. The referee gave a free kick against Rose and booked him for diving. From review of the video footage, the referee got the decision right, it was a dive (just outside the area). Overall Mansfield were marginally the better side but the draw was probably a fair result. So Mansfield’s very poor run of not having scored at home in the first half of a game this season continues, and is now at 14 home league and cup games. The Stags are four points outside the play-offs and move on to Exeter next Saturday, a team who bizarrely have just two points from nine home games and without a win, yet have 21 points from 11 away games. After the game Stags boss Steve Evans confirmed that he’s looking to bring in “three or four” players in the January transfer window though wouldn’t elaborate on which positions. It was Mansfield’s first game against Colchester for 12 years. Colchester had won their previous two games 3-0 and 4-0, away to Cheltenham and at home to Crewe respectively, after 13 games without a win. Mansfield were unchanged from the side that won at Carlisle in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday. So no place in the starting XI for Danny Rose who scored his 3rd goal in 3 games from the bench in that game. Steve Evans explained before the game that Danny Rose was not fit enough to play more than 50 to 60 minutes. Mitch Rose and Darius Henderson were back from injury into the 18 on the bench in place of Gobern and Hakeem. The Stags started with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Collins continued at right back with Bennett at centre half. Clements and McGuire were behind Baxendale (right), Hemmings (centre) and Hamilton (left), who were behind Green. The attendance was boosted by a superb offer for families of £11 for parent and child in the Lower Tier. The number of home fans was 250 up on the Crawley game and nearly 600 up on the midweek Blackpool game. The Crawley attendance itself of course was increased by being the first game under Steve Evans. So all in all and given that the last home game before Christmas traditionally has a lower crowd, the attendance wasn’t bad. Well done to John and Carolyn Radford for the offer. It was a mild day, dry and not windy. Good conditions for the game. The big scoreboard, purchased from Wembley a couple of years ago, finally made its debut, showing the time, occasionally the score, and the teams before the game with photos of the players. By the end of each half, the time was 30 seconds out (eg registering 44 minutes 30 seconds when it should have been registering 45 minutes), a problem which has to be ironed out before the next game, or the time not shown at all. It even caused confusion for the 4th official who waited until the scoreboard reached 45 minutes before putting the board up for stoppage time. The Stags started positively. On 2 minutes, following a short throw-in, Hemmings curled a shot wide of the left post from the right. On 9 minutes, a Hemmings free kick from level with the edge of the area on the right bounced around but a foul was given against Pearce. The Stags should have scored on 12 minutes. Hamilton won a free kick 40 yards out, on the right. The free kick from Hemmings into the area ricocheted off two defenders into the path of Green, 9 yards out in front of goal, unmarked and with just the keeper to beat. Green fired wide of the left post when he should have scored. The miss of the season. On 14 minutes, Benning crossed from the left, Green got his head on it but couldn’t direct it goalwards. Then on 16 minutes, Baxendale pulled back to Hemmings who miscued a shot, it nearly fell to Green, and eventually it fell to Benning who curled a right footed shot wide. On 23 minutes, Collins found Baxendale overlapping with a superb little pass, Baxendale played the ball in, Clements shot was blocked out to Benning who fired wide. A rare Colchester chance on 24 minutes. A free kick from Garvan into the area, Guthrie headed goalwards and Shearer saved. The rest of the half was a non-event and my only other note was on 41 minutes as Garvan’s low towards the left corner was tipped around the post by Shearer. A competent regulation save. 0-0 at the break. The Stags had been well on top in the opening 23 minutes, with Green’s chance and other half chances and shots from distance. But the second half of the first half was a non-event. It was the 14th time out of 14 home league and cup games this season in which Mansfield failed to score in the first half at home. Half time 0-0 On 48 minutes, Johnstone headed straight at Shearer for an easy save. A minute later, Brindley whipped in a cross from the right through the corridor of uncertainly across the face of goal and no-one got a touch on it. On 54 minutes a good Stags move to earn a corner. Clements’ corner didn’t beat the first man. Two great pieces of play by Hamilton in the middle of the park to win the ball on 56 minutes. Danny Rose replaced Baxendale on 58 minutes. Baxendale had offered little. On 60 minutes, a free kick in from Clements, keeper Sam Walker got a good punch on it away. Then on 62 minutes Hamilton played a good one-two with Benning and put in a low cross that was cleared. On 63 minutes, Hamilton cut inside his man on the left, squared the ball in, Clements shot was blocked, the ball came to Green, who turned and shot low, and keeper Walker got down low to make the save. It was his first save of the game. On 67 minutes, two half chances for the Stags. Collins slid a fine ball inside for Danny Rose whose hard low cross was cleared, then Danny Rose won the ball with a sliding tackle to get the ball across again. Danny Rose was already making an impression. Moments later, Collins crossed from the right and Green headed over. The Stags were now getting on top again. On 72 minutes, a ball out to the left, Benning cut inside, and dinked a cross/shot with the outside of his boot over and wide. After the game, Benning said he was caught between shooting and crossing and made a mess of it. Two minutes later at the other end Colchester broke down the left and McGuire did well to intercept the cross. On 84 minutes, a Colchester free kick from the right by Garvan was just cleared by Mansfield. On 86 minutes, a Stags free kick near the corner flag, was quickly followed by two corners. But the Stags didn’t make anything of any of them. There was a scare on 89 minutes as Pearce left a back-pass to Shearer a bit short, and Shearer had to be out quickly to clear into touch. An even bigger scare on 90 minutes. A Colchester free kick from the left by Garvan was headed back across goal onto the top of the bar, came back down into the play and bounced around with Mansfield finally clearing. On 90+3 minutes, Danny Rose played a one-two with Green and went down on the edge of the box. The referee gave a free kick against Rose and booked him for diving. From review of the video footage, the referee got the decision right, it was a dive (just outside the area). So probably just about a fair result with neither team doing enough in the final third to earn the points. Man of the match: Nothing to choose between Shearer, Collins, Bennett, McGuire and Hamilton. FURTHER REFLECTIONS (MY WEEKLY BLOG FOR THE CHAD NEWSPAPER): STAGS DRAW BLANK BUT SIGNS THAT THINGS IMPROVING Mansfield Town drew a blank in front of goal on Saturday against Colchester United, in a 0-0 draw. The Stags’ have failed to score at home in the first half of a game this season in 14 attempts in league and cup, which tells its own story of the season so far. However there are signs that things are improving under new manager Steve Evans. Despite Saturday’s failure to score, Mansfield have scored 9 goals in the first five games of the Evans era. Danny Rose has scored three of those, from the bench, and looks rejuvenated. His last gasp winner against Blackpool was critical, and his winner at Carlisle in the Checkatrade Trophy was a fantastic strike, into the top corner from distance and worthy of winning any game. He didn’t start the game against Colchester as Evans said he wasn’t match fit to play more than 50-60 minutes, but that match fitness will come very soon, through playing games. He did come on as substitute and was involved in a bit of controversy with almost the last kick of the game. Rose played a one-two with Matt Green and went down on the edge of the box. With the naked eye it looked like it might be a penalty but the referee gave a free kick against Rose and booked him for diving. From review of the video footage, the referee got the decision right, it was a dive (and it was just outside the area anyway). The best chance against Colchester fell to Matt Green early in the game, when a free kick ricocheted off two defenders into his path, unmarked and with only the keeper to beat from 9 yards, but he surprisingly shot wide of the left post. Green looked aghast to have missed it but all strikers miss chances and Green is no different. He has 9 goals this season, and if he continues at this rate is on target for 20 goals for the season. After the game Steve Evans confirmed that he’s looking to bring in “three or four” players in the January transfer window though wouldn’t elaborate on which positions. I’d be surprised if a winger is not on his shopping list. Whilst CJ Hamilton had an improved game on Saturday, overall the quality from Mansfield’s wingers hasn’t been good enough this season. However Evans is still assessing his squad, and he is probably considering players for every position. The Stags are four points outside the play-offs and move on to Exeter on Saturday, a team who bizarrely have just two points from nine home games and without a win, yet have 21 points from 11 away games. Saturday’s attendance was boosted by a superb offer for families of £11 for parent and child in the West Stand Lower Tier. The number of home fans was 250 up on the Crawley game and nearly 600 up on the midweek Blackpool game. The Crawley attendance itself of course was increased by being the first game under Steve Evans. So all in all and given that the last home game before Christmas traditionally has a lower crowd, the attendance wasn’t bad. Well done to John and Carolyn Radford for the offer. The big scoreboard, purchased from Wembley a couple of years ago, finally made its debut, showing the time, occasionally the score, and the teams before the game with photos of the players. By the end of each half, the time was 30 seconds out (eg registering 44 minutes 30 seconds when it should have been registering 45 minutes), a problem which has to be ironed out before the next game, or the time not shown at all. It even caused confusion for the 4th official who waited until the scoreboard reached 45 minutes before putting the board up for stoppage time. |
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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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(4-2-3-1)
Shearer 7 A couple of competent regulation saves including tipping one around the post. Alert to come out and clear from a back-pass left short by Pearce. Collins 7 Defended solidly at right back. Got forward, one good cross, otherwise little success going forward. Bennett 7 Solid at centre half. Pearce 6 Left his back-pass short near the end, and lost his man from one cross into the box. Otherwise solid. Benning 6 Some poor shots, and poor crosses. One good cross. Defended ok. Clements 5 Poor delivery from set pieces. Didn’t figure enough. McGuire 7 Battled well. One good interception from a cross. Baxendale 5 Ineffective, offered little. Hemmings 6 Good first 25 minutes, but disappeared after that. Hamilton 7 One or two good runs, set up a chance for Green, and won the ball well tracking back a few times. Green 5 Miss of the season early on. A couple of headers off target. One shot brought a save from the keeper. Definitely not his day. |
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Sub Line Up:
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D.Rose (for Baxendale, 58 mins) 7 Put himself about, and made the team look more potent up front.
Subs not used: Jensen, Iacovitti, Hurst, M.Rose, J.Thomas, Henderson. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(3-5-2): Walker; Eastman, Kent, Elokobi; Brindley, Lapslie, Garvan, Slater (sub Wright, 87), Dickenson; Guthrie; Johnstone (sub Szmodics, 77). Subs not used: Barnes, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Doyley, Fosu.
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Referee:
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Darren Deadman 7 Got the decision right in stoppage regarding Danny Rose’s dive. Booked a few Colchester players for repeated offences and back-chat. Handled the game well.
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