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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
2 - 0
 Forest Green Rovers
Rose 51, Anderson 57
 
 
Attendance: 3826 (147 from Forest Green)
 
Date: 12 August 2017

DOMINANT STAGS PICK UP FIRST WIN

Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield picked up a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win over League new boys Forest Green Rovers at the One Call Stadium with a dominant display capped with second half goals from Danny Rose and Paul Anderson. The Stags had most of the play in the first half but there was a lack of cutting typified by a terrible miss from Lee Angol, who was gifted the ball by former Stag Lee Collins. Angol was through 1-on-1 with the keeper in front of the goal but fired straight at him after 5 minutes. The other best chance for the Stags in the first half was a Danny Rose header from a corner that was deflected and saved by the keeper. Nothing was seen of Forest Green in the first half, and that continued in the second half as Mansfield made their dominance count. The Stags were in front on 51 minutes as Will Atkinson chipped a great cross in from the right and Danny Rose glanced a fine header into the bottom left corner of the net. The Stags nearly increased the lead twice in the next few minutes as the ball came off Paul Anderson and just wide and then Rose was just wide with another header. But the Stags did make it 2-0 on 57 minutes. Byrom clipped a lovely ball forward. Rose sensibly left it as he would have been offside. Anderson ran on to the ball, into the area of the left, his first shot from 12 yards was saved by the keeper, but Anderson knocked the rebound into the empty net.
The Stags could easily have added more goals with Anderson flicking just wide from a terrific Danny Rose cross, and a great move involving Anderson and sub Omari Sterling-James created a chance for Jimmy Spencer who put the ball in the net but the offside flag was up in a tight call. Forest Green never looked like getting back into the game and it wasn’t until the final few minutes that they created their first chance in the entire match. Plenty of good performances from the Stags. Danny Rose deserved his goal with another good header, to add to his goal at Crewe, he also set up a good chance for Anderson with a great cross, and won plenty in the air. Will Atkinson continues to get better, and his outstanding cross set up the first goal. Anderson scored one, could have had another, and looked dangerous down the left. At the back, the Stags defence was always in control, with Hayden White impressing at right back and doing well pushing forward, Zander Diamond dominant at centre half in another good performance, and Krystian Peace did well alongside him, and Benning was very tidy at left back. Forest Green were disappointing and we were expecting more from them, but credit to the Stags for not allowing them into the game.

Steve Evans made two changes to the side that played LAST SATURDAY at Crewe. Pearce came in for Mirfin, and Digby came in for Mellis. Mirfin is out with a sore knee after a clash on Tuesday, though it is just precautionary. Mellis had a bit of a virus earlier in the week so is not quite right, though is on the bench, and Byrom gets the shirt ahead of him. Meanwhile in transfer news pre-match, Steve Evans confirmed that the club record bid for a striker is to a club in the Championship, and their manager is thinking it over.

Forest Green arrived at the One Call Stadium for their first away game as a Football League club. They brought just 147 travelling fans, which was though 2.5 times more than they brought in their last visit here in the Conference. Forest Green included Lee Collins at centre half.

It was bright day in Mansfield but windy. Forest Green had the wind behind them in the first half, but made no use of it.

On 2 minutes, a free kick for the Stags 30 yards from goal. Byrom dinked in the free kick, but it was headed away. At the other end 2 minutes later, Diamond did well to clear a low ball from Dale Benneet into the Stags box.

The Stags were gifted a golden chance to open the scoring on 5 minutes. Angol picked the pocket of Lee Collins , pushed forward into a 1-on-1 chance with the keeper, directly in front of goal, but he shot straight at the keeper. Angol could have done anything, including trying to take the ball around the keeper as he had plenty of space and time. A terrible miss.

Byrom was lucky to escape a booking on 7 minutes as he overran the ball then slid in with a rash challenge.

On 10 minutes, Angol did well to win a corner on the right. But the corner was cleared.

Lee Collins redeemed himself on 13 minutes with a great tackle on Rose as Rose pushed forward into the box.

On 16 minutes, Christian Doidge put the ball in the net for Forest Green but the linesman’s flag had long since been raised.

On 20 minutes, a clash of heads between Byrom and Charlie Cooper. The referee seemed to signal drop ball before both players were treated, but then awarded a free kick to Forest Green. The free kick was taken into the box, which reached Lee Collins but the ball was almost on the byline when he headed wide from an impossible angle.

On 22 minutes, a great tackle by White on Laird.

On 27 minutes, a free kick from Byrom 35 yards out, to the left of centre. It was a good kick into the right area but no-one got on the end of it.

The Stags went close on 30 minutes. Byrom’s corner from the left was met by Rose with a firm header down into the ground, it took a deflection off Angol before the keeper pushed it wide for another corner.

Yet another free kick for the Stags 30 yards out on 33 minutes. The referee marked the 10 yards for the wall, but there was no wall as Forest Green knew, as we did, that Byrom would not shoot. The kick was cleared. In our opinion, we should occasionally be shooting from this distance.

Liam Noble was booked for a trip on 36 minutes, after previous lenience from the referee. The resulting free kick from Byrom nearly found Pearce, who rose but missed it. Any sort of connection would have taken it over the keeper who had come out.

The referee now booked Forest Green keeper Bradley Collins, on loan from Chelsea, for time wasting, on 38 minutes.

Diamond put in a good tackle on 40 minutes. A minute later, good skill from White, who got past one man, but his ball forward to Angol was overhit.

The Stags were now harassing Forest Green who had been attempting to play keepball at the back.

On 43 minutes, the Stags nearly made a mess of it at the back. A long clearance into the Stags half, White played back to Logan but got too much on it, and Logan was just able to grasp at the second attempt, as Doidge tried to capitalise.

On 45+1 minutes, Rose headed to Anderson, 35 yards out, and his shot floated straight to the keeper.

0-0 at the break. The Stags had most of the play but lacked a cutting edge.

Half time 0-0

On 50 minutes, Digby found White, who played a ball in to Rose, who sent a first time effort wide with his back to goal. Better from the Stags.

The Stags were in front on 51 minutes. Will Atkinson chipped a great cross in from the right and Danny Rose glanced a fine header into the bottom left corner of the net.

The Stags nearly increased the lead on 54 minutes. Rose got into the area with excellent trickery, his shot was blocked by the keeper and the ball came off Anderson’s knee and then a defender cleared it just wide for a corner. From that corner, taken by Byrom, he floated it beyond the far post, where Danny Rose sent a flying header just wide.

But the Stags did make it 2-0 on 57 minutes. Byrom clipped a lovely ball forward. Rose sensibly left it as he would have been offside. Anderson ran on to the ball, into the area of the left, his first shot from 12 yards was saved by the keeper, but Anderson knocked the rebound into the empty net.

Omari Sterling-James replaced the disappointing Angol on 60 minutes.

Benning was booked for a bad foul on Noble on 61 minutes.

On 64 minutes, Byrom’s free kick came out to Anderson who fired left footed just over and wide from 25 yards.

On 65 minutes, Anderson flicked just wide of the far post from the right, from a terrific Danny Rose cross from the right. Great play from Rose.

On 67 minutes, a good header away by Diamond. Then great play by Byrom, to Anderson but his ball in floated over Rose.

A great tackle by White as Laird pushed forward into the area on 68 minutes.

Spencer replaced Rose, who came off to a well deserved standing ovation on 70 minutes.

A minute later, Sterling-James showed good trickery on the edge of the box, but his shot was going well wide, before it hit Atkinson and went further wide.

On 72 minutes, a great move involving Anderson, forward to Sterling-James who showed great vision to play the ball forward to Spencer who put the ball in the net but the offside flag was up in a tight call.

On 77 minutes, wonderful control from Sterling-James on the halfway line won a free kick.

A minute later, Digby fired in a low left footed shot, which was on target but the keeper saved.

On 88 minutes, a short corner with a 1-2 between Spencer and Sterling-James, Spencer was into the area and his shot was blocked.

Potter replaced Atkinson on 88 minutes.

On 90+1 minutes, Sterling-James had a shot blocked.

On 90+3 minutes, a great block by White as Mullings got in a shot from close range. Forest Green’s first proper chance of the game. Then a minute later, Liam Noble shot straight at Logan from 18 yards.

Forest Green never looked like getting back into the game and it wasn’t until the final few minutes that they created their first chance in the entire match.

So a comfortable win for Mansfield. On to Accrington next Saturday, a team who we still haven’t beaten in a League game since they reformed.

Man of the match: Danny Rose/Hayden White


Report by: Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill



Line Up:
(4-4-2):
Logan 6 Had a very quiet afternoon, very little to do.
White 8 Great block on a rare Forest Green shot, several good tackles, and looked dangerous going forward.
Diamond 7.5 Some good headers away and clearances. Dominant at centre half. Picked up a knock near the end and had an ice pack on his knee afterwards.
Pearce 7 Solid at centre half. Forged a good partnership with Diamond. Diamond and Pearce should be the centre half partnership for the time being.
Benning 7 Very tidy at left back.
Atkinson 7.5 Continues to get better, and his outstanding cross set up the first goal.
Digby 7 Decent game in midfield.
Byrom 7.5 Some good set pieces.
Anderson 8 Scored one, could have had another, and looked dangerous down the left.
Angol 4 Very poor. Terrible miss early on, and gave the ball away a few times.
Rose 8 Deserved his goal with another good header, to add to his goal at Crewe, he also set up a good chance for Anderson with a great cross, and won plenty in the air.
Sub Line Up:
Sterling-James (for Angol, 60 mins) 7.5 Had a good impact with some good trickery and skills. Looked to get at the Forest Green defence.
Spencer (for Rose, 70 mins) - Did well, unlucky with the disallowed goal, and had another shot blocked.
Potter (for Atkinson, 88 mins) -
Subs not used: Olejnik, Bennett, Mellis, Hamilton.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-5-1): B.Collins; Fitzwater, Lee Collins, Monthe, Laird (Wishart 82); Bennett, Traore (James 63), Cooper, Noble, Brown (Mullings 55); Doidge. Subs not used: Russell, Marsh-Brown, Bugiel, Evans.
Referee:
Carl Boyeson 6 Overly lenient in the first half, then some odd decisions.


Season 17/18 Reports