Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Newport County
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Pearce 17, Coulthirst pen 75.
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Bird 5
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Attendance: 3824 (158 from Newport)
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Date: 25 February 2017
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STAGS SCRAPE PAST NEWPORT
Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town scraped a 2-1 win against bottom of the league Newport County in a tense game this afternoon. Newport took an early lead when Ryan Bird knocked home from close range after Craig Reid crossed from the left and Jake Kean couldn’t grab the loose ball under pressure from Mitch Rose. The Stags were level on 17 minutes. Joel Byrom’s free kick from the right was knocked down by Krystian Pearce and with a second touch he fired under the keeper from 7 yards. A fair scoreline at the break with both sides missing good chances, through Pat Hoban for the Stags and Bird for Newport. The game exploded into life midway through the second half. Newport striker Jaanai Gordon had been limping and the fourth official put up the board to indicate that he was being substituted, presumably under instruction from the Newport bench. Newport manager Graham Westley then stopped the fourth official and changed his mind so no substitution was made. Within a minute, Gordon had been booked for a foul on Jamie McGuire, and incredibly within another minute after that, he was booked again for another foul, this time on Byrom, and sent off. Westley put his head in his hands, presumably unable to believe the stupidity of his striker. The Stags won the game with a penalty on 75 minutes. Shaq Coulthirst’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Craig Reid as the ball struck his arm which was in front of his body. The referee pointed to the spot, and Coulthirst converted with a powerful kick despite the keeper getting a hand to it. His third penalty for the Stags. Despite being down to 10 men, Newport came close to equalising in stoppage time as Bird lobbed over substitute keeper Scott Shearer and onto the roof of the net with virtually the last kick of the game. Not a good performance from Mansfield, but they found a way to win the game with a helping hand from the penalty and the red card. An important three points as Mansfield remain outside the play-offs only on goal difference, ahead of trips to Yeovil and Cheltenham this week. It was a windy day in Mansfield, would usually makes for a poor game of football. Mansfield made four changes from the side that lost at Grimsby. Hayden White was suspended for one game. Also out went Potter, MacDonald and Green. In came Jamie McGuire as Lee Collins moved from midfield to right back to replace White. Also coming in were Joel Byrom, CJ Hamilton and Pat Hoban. Hoban had not even made the 18 in recent games. Danny Rose missed out with a hamstring injury (after the game, Steve Evans said he should be fit for Tuesday). Baxendale also returned to the 18 after illness. Howkins and Taft were still not available. It was a 4-1-3-2 formation with McGuire in front of the back four, Whiteman on the right of midfield, Byrom in the middle and Hamilton on the left. Coulthirst and Hoban up front. Newport came into the game with just 1 defeat in 8 games since Graham Westley completely revamped the squad during the January transfer window. But with 6 draws and only 1 win in those 8 games, they were still at the bottom of the league. Newport included Mitch Rose who joined from Mansfield in January. He was sent off last week, the red card rescinded. Then he was charged by the FA for knocking the red card out of the referee’s hand, but he asked for a personal hearing which will be next week, therefore delaying any potential suspension. He’ll surely get a one or two game suspension for that though. Stags assistant manager Paul Raynor watched the game from the director’s box, banned from the dugout after a previous sending off. Steve Evans is awaiting his fate after his sending off at Grimsby. Good play from CJ Hamilton inside the opening 40 seconds as he won a corner. The corner was cleared. Newport took an early lead on 5 minutes. Ryan Bird knocked home from close range after Craig Reid crossed from the left and Kean couldn’t grab the loose ball under pressure from Mitch Rose. It was just what the Stags didn’t want against the team at the bottom of the league who have made themselves much more solid under Westley. On 8 minutes, Coulthirst found Hamilton on the left. Hamilton could have crossed but instead shot low towards the near post where the keeper saved easily. Mitch Rose was booked on 9 minutes for hacking Byrom down in front of the Stags dugout. On 11 minutes Byrom’s free kick came out to Whiteman whose left footed shot was blocked. On 13 minutes, a high cross in from Lee Collins from the right, Whiteman headed forward and Rhys Bennett headed straight at the keeper. On 15 minutes, a free kick for the Stags, which Byrom took quickly and gifted straight to Newport in his own half, Dan Butler got down the left, and his cross found Bird whose low shot was deflected just wide when it might have been creeping inside the far post. A let-off which spared Byrom’s blushes. Butler biffed Coulthirst in the face, for the second time in quick succession. The referee gave a free kick on each occasion and incredibly didn’t show a card. The Stags were level on 17 minutes. Byrom’s free kick from the right was knocked down by Krystian Pearce and with a second touch he fired under the keeper from 7 yards. A fine goal from Pearce, his third goal of the season. On 20 minutes, a decent shot from McGuire from 30 yards was straight at the keeper. The Stags could have been ahead on 22 minutes. Bennett did well to block a Mitch Rose shot. Straight to the other end where Coulthirst played in Hoban superbly for a 1-on-1 with the keeper. The keeper blocked Hoban’s shot, it came back to him, and his second shot was cleared off the line by a defender who had done well to get back. A missed double chance from Hoban. On 28 minutes, Byrom’s corner from the left, came out to Whiteman for a volley but he couldn’t keep it down as it flew well over the bar. On 30 minutes, the Stags defence was all at sea as Benning was dispossessed by Samuel, Samuel played the ball forward, Kean came out to challenge for the ball against Gordon, and got injured in the process as they went for the ball at the same time. The loose ball span away to Gordon who was about to shoot towards the empty net from the edge of the area when Bennett put in a wonderful challenge and the danger was averted. Heart in the mouth stuff from the Stags. Kean stayed down injured, but was temporarily ok to continue. On 35 minutes, good play from Hamilton, whose cross was cleared out to Benning who also did well and crossed in for Bennett who headed down and the keeper saved at the right post. On 39 minutes, Kean couldn’t continue and replaced by Scott Shearer, who hadn’t played since the end of December. A minute later, Samuel crossed from the right, and it burst through Shearer’s hands, before Whiteman cleared for a corner. A terrible start for Shearer. Newport could have retaken the lead on 44 minutes. Butler’s ball in from the left found Bird, unmarked 12 yards out. He fired wide of the right post. On 45+1 minutes, Coulthirst tricked and turned in the area but couldn’t get a shot away. On 45+4 minutes, great play from Coulthirst on the left, and he pulled the ball back and Whiteman got in a shot that was deflected away. A fair scoreline at the break. Neither side had done enough to deserve to be ahead. The Stags were looking hesitant at the back and not producing enough quality going forward. Half time 1-1 On 46 minutes, Coulthirst turned in the box and his shot was blocked. On 48 minutes, Whiteman floated in a cross from the right, Hamilton came in at the far post and headed down and wide of the right post. On 52 minutes, a good run from Hamilton down the left, he pulled the ball back from the byline to Whiteman whose shot was deflected straight to the keeper. Nothing happened at either end for the next quarter of an hour. Pearce was booked on 66 minutes for protesting about a foul on McGuire by Gordon for which Gordon was booked and the Stags got a free kick. A minute later, Gordon fouled Byrom and was shown a second yellow card and a red. Just a minute before the first yellow, Gordon had been limping and the fourth official put up the board to indicate that he was being substituted, presumably under instruction from the Newport bench. Newport manager Graham Westley then stopped the fourth official and changed his mind so no substitution was made. As Gordon was sent off, Westley put his head in his hands, presumably unable to believe the stupidity of his striker as well as the irony in not having substituted him (later note: Westley’s opinion was that it was not a foul). On 72 minutes, Scott Bennett fired from 18 yards for Newport. Alex MacDonald replaced McGuire on 73 minutes. The Stags took the lead with a penalty on 75 minutes. Shaq Coulthirst’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Craig Reid as the ball struck his arm which was in front of his body. The referee pointed to the spot, and Coulthirst converted with a powerful kick despite the keeper getting a hand to it. His third penalty for the Stags. On 80 minutes, MacDonald crossed to Coulthirst who shot was stifled by a defender. On 81 minutes, Shearer did well to punch away a free kick from the right. Then a minute later, Hamilton did well to block a shot on the edge of his own area. The Stags broke straight to the other end, and Coulthirst on the left had Whiteman completely unmarked to his right in the middle, but couldn’t find him. On 84 minutes, Hamilton got past his man on the left but put in a terrible cross with men waiting for it unmarked in the box. Two chances to finish the game within a couple of minutes, had been blown. Arquin replaced Hoban on 88 minutes. Arquin got himself booked on 90+2 minutes for taking a shot long after the whistle had gone. That really was senseless. 4 minutes had been added on. On 90+3 minutes, Newport had players over at the far post but somehow the Stags escaped with panic stations in the Stags defence. In the 5th minute of stoppage time, a great chance for Newport to equalise Mitch Rose’s chipped ball into the box was headed by Marlon Jackson to Bird who was 1-on-1 with Shearer and lobbed over Shearer and onto the roof of the net. Every Newport player put his head in his hands. It was a massive let-off. The final whistle brought a huge relief. The Stags had looked so nervous, hanging on against 10 men. But three big points and a confidence booster ahead of the trips to Yeovil and Cheltenham. Man of the match: Krystian Pearce/Shaq Coulthirst. Scoring the goals edges them the joint man of the match. |
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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)
Kean 6 Injured in a challenge. Collins 7 A couple of good crosses. Bennett 7 One good block. One wonderful last ditch challenge. A couple of weak headers easily saved. Pearce 7 Took his goal well. One good interception near the end. Benning 6 Dispossessed leading to a defensive mix-up and the injury to Kean. One good cross in the second half. Had the opportunity to shoot in the second half in space having beaten his man but instead squared the ball. Have a shot, Mal. McGuire 6.5 Battled well in a niggly game. One good shot from distance. Whiteman 6 A couple of shots blocked, but some poor distribution and has lost his form after an outstanding run of games. Byrom 6 An assist for Pearce’s goal with the free kick. One terrible free kick put Newport on the attack. Hamilton 6.5 Lively but blew hot and cold, with some fine runs, winning corners, but also some poor crosses. Header just wide. One good block on the edge of his own area. Coulthirst 7 Won and converted the winning penalty. Great set up for Hoban’s chance. One terrible cross near the end. Hoban 6 Missed a good double chance in the first half. Didn’t take the opportunity to nail down a starting place. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Shearer (for Kean, 39 mins) 6 Let a cross through his hands just after coming on. One good punch in the second half.
MacDonald (for McGuire, 73 mins) - Arquin (for Hoban, 88 mins) - Subs not used: Baxendale, Potter, Hemmings, Green. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Day; Jones, Bennett, Demetriou; Samuel, Flynn (Bignot, 27, Sheehan, 79), Mitch Rose, Butler; Reid (Jackson, 85), Bird, Gordon. Subs not used: Bittner, Owen-Evans, Williams.
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Referee:
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Ross Joyce 6 Got the penalty and sending off right in my opinion. Otherwise didn’t have a good game though.
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