Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Blackpool
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Mansfield Town
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Green 29.
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Attendance: 2948 (471 from Mansfield)
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Date: 2 January 2017
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GREEN WINNER AS STAGS WIN AT BLACKPOOL WITH 4 NEW SIGNINGS
Martin Shaw at Bloomfield Road New-look Mansfield Town deservedly won 1-0 at Blackpool this afternoon thanks a deflected shot from Matt Green after 29 minutes on his 30th birthday. Green powered forward after a ball forward from Yoann Arquin and his shot from just inside the area took a deflection helping it past the keeper. Mansfield handed debuts to all four new signings, Arquin, Ben Whiteman, Joel Byrom, and Jake Kean, freshening the team up from the draw with Doncaster just 48 hours earlier, and all played a part in this win. The Stags were close to a second goal when Arquin fired over the keeper and agonisingly wide of the right post after a great ball from Whiteman, on 73 minutes. Of the new signings, Byrom showed a lovely left foot with some good delivery from set pieces, and looked a calming influence in the centre of the park, while keeper Kean didn’t have a difficult save to make, but made some fine catches and punches from balls into the box, including one take somewhere near his penalty spot, and he generally looked commanding. Arquin impressed with an assist for the goal and going so close with his shot. He also showed pace and power going forward. Whiteman played on the right wing and after a slow start, showed some good quality. Blackpool rarely looked like equalising until 3 minutes into stoppage time when Mark Cullen fired just wide from inside the area. Plenty of other impressive performances throughout the Stags side too, in fact everyone played well, including Hamilton who made a number of good runs. The unchanged back four was mostly solid, and Lee Collins played well in midfield, helping the defence out when needed. Green’s goal was his 11th league and cup goal of the season and his 79th goal for Mansfield in league games (FL and Conference). He just has Harry Johnson, Ken Wagstaff, Chris Staniforth, Steve Wilkinson and Ted Harston in front of him. Harston and Wilkinson are within sight on 81 and 83 respectively (details here). I predict he’ll get at least 20 goals for the season with improved service that could be forthcoming from the likes of Byrom and Whiteman. The win leaves Mansfield 8 points behind the play-offs and 9 points above the relegation zone. After the game, boss Steve Evans revealed that he's made two cash offers for players and he's waiting to hear back from those clubs (he noted that the offers are not hundreds of thousands of pounds). He also confirmed that Mansfield had been interested in Northampton midfielder Lawson D'Ath but the deal has fallen through. Mansfield had failed to win in 5 league games since beating Blackpool in Steve Evans’ second game in charge, in November. Mansfield made 4 changes from the side that drew with Doncaster. In came new signings Arquin, Whiteman, Byrom, and Kean, for Danny Rose, Clements, Baxendale and Shearer. On Danny Rose, Evans explained that he had been excellent against Doncaster and he has a big future at the club, but his fitness levels were not yet such that he could start two games in 48 hours. It was a 4-4-2 formation. Arquin (pronounced “arr can”) and Green up front, and the midfield of Whiteman (right wing), Byrom, Collins, Hamilton (left wing). The defence was unchanged. Howkins was at centre half. His loan from West Brom is up now. Steve Evans did not confirm one way or the other whether it will be extended. The 4 players left out of the 18 from Saturday were Mitch Rose, Hemmings, Jack Thomas and Jensen. Mitch Rose and Hemmings did not travel with the squad. It was Mansfield’s first visit to Bloomfield Road since 2003 and the ground has been heavily redeveloped since then with Blackpool of course rising to the Premier League and back down again. Blackpool included former Stags loanee Michael Cain, but Colin Daniel failed a late fitness test. It was a pleasant day by the seaside, though temperatures dropped and by the end of the game it was quite cold. On 6 minutes, Collins fouled Potts just outside the area, to the left of centre, as Potts swung a leg at the ball. Cain curled the free kick just over the bar. On 9 minutes, Collins knocked the ball forward, it looked a chance might come for Benning but the offside flag was up. Hamilton made a good run down the left on 13 minutes, the keeper came out of his area and chopped Hamilton’s legs down as he went past towards the byline. A clear free kick which was given, but unbelievably no yellow card for the keeper. Outrageous refereeing. On 18 minutes, Byrom headed the ball forward to Green but the ball just wouldn’t drop for him to get in a shot. A minute later at the other end, Pugh’s corner from the right, found Mellor unmarked in the middle and his goalbound header was cleared off the line by Whiteman. Pearce lost the ball on 24 minutes in a dangerous position rather than clear it, and was lucky to get away with it. On 28 minutes, Mellor pushed forward and from 25 yards fired just wide of the left post with Kean at full stretch. The Stags were in front after 29 minutes. Centre half Robertson tried to play the ball forward from the halfway line. Arquin closed him down, and then played the ball forward into the path of Green. Green collected the ball on the edge of the centre circle, powered forward and his shot from just inside the area took a deflection off Pugh chasing back, helping it past the keeper into the bottom right corner of the net. Video evidence shows that Green’s shot may possibly have been heading just wide of the left post. Anyway it is credited as Green’s goal, though the dubious goals committee might have something to say if they study it closely, rather like Danny Rose’s goal in the reverse victory in November, which it seems they did not study. Green’s 11th league and cup goal of the season and his 79th goal for Mansfield in league games (FL and Conference). He just has Harry Johnson, Ken Wagstaff, Chris Staniforth, Steve Wilkinson and Ted Harston in front of him. Harston and Wilkinson are within sight on 81 and 83 respectively (details here). On 32 minutes, Byrom crossed from the left, Arquin headed wide, Green kept the ball in play, Whiteman recycled from the right, Pearce glanced the header on, it was headed away by Mellor, to Green who missed his kick on the edge of the box on the volley, it was cleared out again as far as Benning, who volleyed goalwards from 30 yards but straight at the keeper. A clean strike from Benning. On 34 minutes, a little dinked ball forward from Whiteman to Hamilton who chested down to Pearce, whose right foot shot from the edge of the box was caught above his head by the keeper. Then some good play by Byrom, and some good play by Hamilton on the wing, without creating a chance. On 39 minutes, Potts crossed from the left, and Gnanduillet headed just wide. On 44 minutes, Byrom knocked the ball into the middle, Whiteman headed goalwards but the referee gave a free-kick for something which wasn’t clear. A free kick from about 45 yards into the Stags box on 45+1 minutes and Kean came out to somewhere near his penalty spot to catch. Commanding goalkeeping. The Stags 1-0 ahead at the break and a really good showing. A freshness about the Stags with Byrom impressing with his quality, Hamilton showing great control and running on the left, Green looking hungry, and the keeper commanding. Half time 0-1 On 47 minutes, Green fed Hamilton on the left. Hamilton hammered a low cross across the box and it was put behind for a corner. A chance for Mansfield on 48 minutes. Byrom’s free kick from 45 yards was high to the far post where Pearce headed over the bar. Good delivery from Byrom. On 57 minutes, Hamilton did well to win a free kick next to the corner flag on the left. Byrom’s free kick came out to Whiteman unmarked on the edge of the area and his volley was blocked. A couple of good bits of defending by Collins and Bennett. Byrom was booked for fouling Potts on 64 minutes. The resulting free kick into the Stags box was well punched away by Kean. On 71 minutes, Vassell crossed to Matt who attempted an overhead kick which just lobbed up nicely for Kean. On 72 minutes, Matt got away from Howkins and went down outside the area but there was no foul. Moments later, Samuel broke forward straight down the middle but was thwarted by a great tackle from Howkins. Otherwise he would’ve been through 1-on-1. Mansfield came within a whisker of extending the lead on 73 minutes. Whiteman played the ball diagonally to Arquin just outside the area, to the left of centre. He controlled the ball beautifully and lobbed a volley over the keeper but it finished inches wide of the right post, just in front of the Stags fans. Arquin turned away in anguish. Danny Rose replaced Arquin on 80 minutes. Both players got a great reception. Hamilton was booked for catching Mellor with a late tackle on 83 minutes. McGuire replaced Byrom on 86 minutes. Blackpool had an appeal for a penalty on 87 minutes when Cullen went down in the area. From the video, he simply ran into Howkins off the ball. A minute later, Potts fired over the bar from 35 yards. Baxendale replaced Green on 89 minutes to chants of “Greenie, Greenie” from the Stags fans. Blackpool had one final chance to equalise three minutes into stoppage time. Robertson’s long ball forward into the area fell for Blackpool sub Mark Cullen who fired just wide from 9 yards off the end of his outstretched boot. So a fully deserved win for Mansfield and the double over the Blackpool this season. Man of the match: Tough to pick a MOM as everyone was good, though no-one outstanding. I’ll give it to Arquin for an assist and a great effort just wide. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Bloomfield Road
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Line Up:
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(4-4-2)
Kean 7 Didn’t have a difficult save to make, but made some fine catches and punches from balls into the box, including one take somewhere near his penalty spot. Generally looked commanding. Bennett 7 Some good bits of defending. Howkins 7 One great tackle to deny Samuel. Good performance. Pearce 7 A couple of chances to score with a shot saved above his head by the keeper and a header over the bar. Defended solidly. Benning 7 One of his best shots of the season (in a lean season on that front), a clean strike but unfortunately straight at the keeper. Defended solidly. Whiteman 7 Played on the right wing and after a slow start, showed some good quality and a bit of class. Good ball to Arquin to set up his near miss. Good header off the line. Collins 7 Played well in midfield, helping the defence out when needed, with some good defending. Byrom 7 Showed a lovely left foot with some good delivery from set pieces, and looked a calming influence in the centre of the park. Hamilton 7 Made a number of good runs, won some free kicks and created danger in the final third. Green 7 Got a bit of luck with his goal taking a deflection but his hard work throughout deserved it. Got his mojo back after two goals in successive games following three consecutive poor performances. Looked hungry. Arquin 7 Impressed with an assist for the goal and going so close when he controlled the ball beautifully and lobbed a volley over the keeper but it finished inches wide of the right post. |
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Sub Line Up:
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D.Rose (for Arquin, 80 mins) -
McGuire (for Byrom, 86 mins) - Baxendale (for Green, 89 mins) - Subs not used: Shearer, Clements, Hurst, Hoban. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-2) Slocombe; Mellor, Aldred, Robertson, Taylor; Potts, Pugh, Cain, Philliskirk (Osayi-Samuel); Vassell (Cullen), Gnanduillet (Matt). Subs not used: Lyness, Aimson, McAlister, Payne.
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Referee:
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Robert Jones 7 Decent game, though failure to book keeper Slocombe after came out of his area and chopped Hamilton’s legs down as he went past towards the byline, was bizarre.
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