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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League Trophy - Checkatrade Trophy
Mansfield Town  
1 - 0
 Everton U23
Diamond 81.
 
 
Attendance: 964 (36 from Everton)
 
Date: 31 October 2017

STAGS BEAT EVERTON U23 IN CHECKATRADE TROPHY

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town won their final game in the group stages of the Checkatrade Trophy, beating an Everton academy side 1-0 at the One Call Stadium. Mansfield made 11 changes from the side that somehow failed to beat Exeter on Saturday, and yet after a forgettable first half, it looked like being the same story of missed chances being costly, until Zander Diamond scored from close range from a fine Alfie Potter corner on 81 minutes, for the only goal of the game. The first chance of the game fell to Everton on 7 minutes as Bobby Olejnik made a good save from Antony Evans. That was to be Everton’s only chance of the entire game. Lee Angol should have put Mansfield in front on 8 minutes, as a terrific lay-off from Calum Butcher gave him a clear sight of goal from 12 yards but he sent a ferocious drive over the bar. On 11 minutes, Will Atkinson’s powerful shot from the edge of the area was straight at the keeper. Then on 43 minutes, Omari Sterling-James fired a shot from the edge of the area straight at the keeper again. On 51 minutes, Sterling-James was close again as he slid a low shot just wide of the left post after a great run. Young Everton keeper Louis Gray then made the first of three magnificent second half saves, as Hayden White crossed from the right on 61 minutes, and Butcher put in a good header which the keeper somehow tipped away at full stretch. On 64 minutes, Potter’s great corner from the left reached Spencer at the far post and his volley was somehow blocked on the line by a defender when it had goal written all over it. From the resulting corner, Diamond should have scored when he headed over the bar. On 67 minutes, Potter cut inside from the left, aided by a great ball from Spencer, and shot powerfully towards the left corner of the net, where the diving keeper made another fabulous save. On 75 minutes, a clever ball from Spencer gave Sterling-James a sight of goal but his cross-shot across the face of goal was cleared away. Then on 79 minutes, a great move by the Stags and Johnny Hunt slid a ball across the area, cleverly dummied by Angol, allowing Butcher to sidefoot low and goalwards, and the keeper incredibly save with his legs. Another fabulous save. Butcher couldn’t believe it. And nor could the Stags fans. It was the 10th time the Stags had gone close. But on 81 minutes, the goal finally came. Potter’s great corner from the left, the keeper tried to punch away but the ball hit Diamond and went in from close range. It was the quality of the delivery from Potter that resulted in the goal, plus Diamond being in the right place of course. The Stags had ideally wanted to win the game by 3 goals, which would have ensured qualification for the knockout stages regardless of the result of the game between Lincoln and Notts County next week, and Mansfield had more than enough chances to win by 3 goals, but had to settle for 1-0. So Mansfield pick up £10,000 for this win but have to wait until next week to see if they will go through. Mansfield will go through if Lincoln beat Notts County, or it is a draw. If Notts County win by 1 goal or 2 goals, then Mansfield will go out. If Notts County win by 3 goals, then Lincoln and Mansfield would have the same goal difference, and it would depend on who had scored more goals. If Notts County win by 4 or more goals, then Mansfield would go through. A word about Everton U23. I thought they were terrible for a Premier League academy side. However their goalkeeper Louis Gray was outstanding. Attention now turns to the FA Cup and a visit to Shaw Lane on Saturday in a game live on TV. It is a big game for Mansfield as an FA Cup run would be so useful.

The attendance of 964 was the second lowest at Field Mill for a competitive Stags game, beating 800 against Torquay United on 08 March 1939.

Mansfield made 11 changes from Saturday. Steve Evans said that Zander Diamond, who was returning from the injury he picked up in August, would play 70 minutes. As it was, he played the full game, and just as well too as he scored the winner near the end! Steve Evans also said that Calum Butcher would play a more attacking role than previously. Evans said that Butcher has been playing through a nasty groin injury which he’s now shaken off, but had had to play as Byrom was not available in that defensive midfield role. Butcher played here in the front of a diamond in midfield, just behind the strikers, while Will Atkinson played at the back of the diamond, in front of the back four. Sterling-James (right) and Potter (left) were either side, though not playing as wide as we’ve seen CJ Hamilton for example. Paul Digby joined Zander Diamond in central defence, Digby on the left, Diamond on the right. There was a place on the bench for Zayn Hakeem who has returned from loan at Corby.

Everton made three changes from the side that lost 2-1 at Lincoln last week. One of those missing out was the only player I think who had played against Mansfield before, Jose Baxter, 25 years old, who had played for Sheffield United in the League Cup against us in 2014, before being banned from all football by the FA for taking ecstasy. Luke Garbutt, the captain and left back, is an England U21 international, and has played 25 games in the Championship for Fulham. Two members of the U23 squad, Jonjoe Kenny and Benny Baningime, were not considered, having broken into the first team in recent weeks.

The first chance of the game fell to Everton on 7 minutes as Olejnik made a good save from Antony Evans after receiving the ball from Nathan Broadhead. Olejnik made himself big and narrowed the angle, deflecting the shot into the side netting. That was to be Everton’s only chance of the entire game.

Angol should have put Mansfield in front on 8 minutes, as a terrific lay-off from Calum Butcher gave him a clear sight of goal from 12 yards but he sent a ferocious drive over the bar.

On 11 minutes, Will Atkinson’s powerful shot from the edge of the area was straight at the keeper after the keeper had punched Potter’s free kick from 35 yards straight to him. It was a good shot from Atkinson.

On 13 minutes, Spencer was fouled on the edge of the D outside the area. Sterling-James took the resulting free kick and it was on target but deflected over the bar. Potter’s corner was disappointing and over everyone.

Diamond put in a good block as Antony Evans broke forward. Then Atkinson put in a couple of good tackles, and he was doing well in the defensive midfield role.

On 32 minutes Angol did well with brute strength to get forward but his shot from 25 yards was low and straight at the keeper. He needed to get the ball into one of the corners of the net, as at Notts County last week, if he was going to give the keeper a problem.

On 37 minutes, Potter found Angol who had a split second chance to shoot, but didn’t, headed for the byline instead and it came to nothing.

Olejnik was out quickly to claim low as Broadhead’s ball was into the area.

Then on 43 minutes, Sterling-James fired a shot from the edge of the area straight at the keeper again, after a good move as Angol crossed from the byline on the right, and Potter chested down to Sterling-James.

Not the most entertaining of halves. Mansfield played some decent tippy tappy football and created a few chances. Everton showed little though Broadhead, Evans and Garbutt looked decent.

Half time 0-0

On 49 minutes Potter cut inside from the left and shot well wide of the right post.

On 51 minutes, Sterling-James was close again as he slid a low shot just wide of the left post after a great run into the area on the right.

On 54 minutes, White made a fine run down the right and won a corner.

A rare Everton attack on 55 minutes. Antony Evans crossed in, it looked easy for Olejnik but he made a terrible punch, only a couple of yards out to Broadhead who headed straight back to him. A real mess by Olejnik and he was lucky to get away with it.

On 57 minutes, Johnny Hunt played a great ball down the left, Spencer controlled it well, played to Angol who had a chance to shoot but tried to create a better position for himself and the chance was gone.

Everton took off striker Bassala Sambou on 59 minutes. He’d turned in one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen by a professional footballer, giving the ball away on almost every occasion. Had I been rating the Everton players, I would have had to have added a new low rating score to reflect how bad he was.

Young Everton keeper Louis Gray then made the first of three magnificent second half saves, as White crossed from the right on 61 minutes, and Butcher put in a good header which the keeper somehow tipped away at full stretch.

On 64 minutes, Potter’s great corner from the left reached Spencer at the far post and his volley was somehow blocked on the line by defender Garbutt when it had goal written all over it. From the resulting corner, Diamond should have scored when he headed over the bar. Diamond put his head in his hands.

On 67 minutes, Potter cut inside from the left, aided by a great ball from Spencer, and shot powerfully towards the left corner of the net, where the diving keeper made another fabulous save, tipping the ball away.

Butcher tried an ambitious volley from a Sterling-James ball in on 70 minutes and completely missed the ball!

A minute later at the other end, Garbutt’s free kick from 32 yards was well over the bar. A minute later, Hunt made a great tackle on the halfway line.

On 75 minutes, a clever ball from Spencer gave Sterling-James a sight of goal but his cross-shot across the face of goal was cleared away. Then Potter played the across the area, Butcher headed back and Spencer knocked into the net but the offside flag was already up.

Then on 79 minutes, a great move by the Stags and Johnny Hunt slid a ball across the area, cleverly dummied by Angol, allowing Butcher to sidefoot low and goalwards, and the keeper incredibly save with his legs. Another fabulous save. Butcher couldn’t believe it. And nor could the Stags fans. It was the 10th time the Stags had gone really close.

Sterling-James went off with a slight injury on 80 minutes having been earlier hurt in a challenge and he was replaced by Hamilton.

On 81 minutes, the goal finally came. Potter’s great corner from the left, the keeper tried to punch away but the ball hit Diamond and went in from close range. It was the quality of the delivery from Potter that resulted in the goal, plus Diamond being in the right place of course. The keeper, having been outstanding up until this point, was at fault here.

On 83 minutes, Hamilton played a ball in from the left to Spencer on the edge of the area, his low shot was already going wide before it was deflected for a corner.

On 88 minutes, White made a good clearance as sub Donkor tried to push forward.

Jack Thomas replaced Angol on 90 minutes. I would have liked to have seen Thomas get more minutes after his encouraging display a week ago.

On 90+2 minutes, a long ball forward to Spencer, who should have shot but didn’t.

Anderson replaced Potter on 90+2 minutes.

Great play from CJ Hamilton on 90+4 minutes, as he ran from inside his own half, cut inside two defenders, but his shot was poor and went out for a throw-in.

So a good performance from Mansfield in the second half in particular and it should have been a much more convincing scoreline.

Everton U23 were truly terrible for a Premier League academy side. Credit of course has to go to Mansfield for making them look bad. However their goalkeeper Louis Gray was outstanding, ... until he made a mistake for Diamond’s goal. And Nathan Broadhead and Antony Gray looked decent pushing forward, as did Luke Garbutt at left back.

Man of the match: Zander Diamond


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



Line Up:
(4-4-2, diamond in midfield):
Olejnik 6 Good early save from Antony Evans but made a mess of a punch on 55 minutes and was lucky to get away with it. Otherwise a very quiet night.
White 7 Some good runs and crosses. Also defended well.
Diamond 8 The biggest plus of the evening was to see him returning from injury. Scored the winner and should have scored earlier. Looked very solid in defence.
Digby 7 Slotted in very capably at centre half as he did last week.
Hunt 7 Good game at left back. One notable tackle, defended well. I suspect he will get the nod over Benning at Shaw Lane where Evans will probably want to be rock solid in defence, rather than focus on being adventurous going forward.
Atkinson 7 Played at the back of the midfield diamond, in front of the back four, and looked good in that role. However he’s unlikely to nick that position from Byrom at Shaw Lane. One good shot with real power that was straight at the keeper though.
Potter 8 Great corner for the goal and another great corner for Spencer’s volley. Several other good moments. Brought a great save from the keeper after he cut inside and shot towards the corner of the net.
Sterling-James 7 Four efforts on goal. Some good runs.
Butcher 7 Evans revealed that he has been playing through a nasty groin injury which he’s now shaken off, but had had to play as Byrom was not available in that defensive midfield role. He played here in the front of a diamond in midfield, just behind the strikers, and did a lot better especially in the second half after a quiet first half. Terrific lay-off to give Angol a clear sight of goal early in the game. Denied a goal twice by fabulous saves by the keeper.
Angol 6.5 Should have scored early on when he fired over. A couple of occasions where he had a chance to shoot and didn’t and the chance was gone. Showed good strength on occasions. Great dummy for Butcher’s sidefooted shot.
Spencer 7.5 Several good lay-offs to create chances and excellent control on several occasions. Volley from a corner was somehow blocked on the line.
Sub Line Up:
Hamilton (for Sterling-James, 80 mins) - His run from inside his own half, cutting inside two defenders, and then putting in a poor shot was reminiscent of the Hamilton before the last two games. He needs to improve that final ball or shot, which is what he had done in the last two games.
Thomas (for Angol, 90 mins) -
Anderson (for Potter, 90+2 mins) -
Subs not used: Logan, Bennett, Hemmings, Hakeem.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Louis Gray; Nathan Markelo, Matthew Foulds, Con Ouzounidis, Luke Garbutt; Josh Bowler (Fraser Hornby 28), Harry Charsley, Dennis Adeniran, Antony Evans, Bassala Sambou (Shayne Lavery 59), Nathan Broadhead (Anton-Leander Donkor 82). Subs not used: Sam Byrne, Boris Mathis, Alex Denny, Joe Hilton.
Referee:
Michael Salisbury 7 Good game.


Season 17/18 Reports