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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
The Emirates FA Cup - Round One
Shaw Lane  
1 - 3
 Mansfield Town
Lee Bennett 41.
 
 Pearce 34, Rose 73, 78. Mellis missed pen 65.
Attendance: 1576 (560 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 4 November 2017

STAGS THROUGH IN FA CUP ON LIVE TV

Martin Shaw at Sheerien Park, Athersley Recreation FC

Mansfield Town are through to the second round of the FA Cup after a 3-1 win at Northern Premier League Shaw Lane. The game was shown live on BT Sport, and was Mansfield’s first live TV game for 4 years since an FA Cup replay against Oldham. The Stags’ hero was Danny Rose with two stunning second half goals. Mansfield should have been in front of 17 minutes, Conrad Logan’s long ball forward was missed by defender Kelvin Lugsden, giving Kane Hemmings a free shot at goal from the edge of the area, but his shot was pushed away by keeper Jon Stewart, Danny Rose was quickest to the rebound and knocked it against the right post. The Stags were in front after 34 minutes. A quick free kick from Joel Byrom, to Alex MacDonald who headed for the byline before crossing into the middle, and his cross was half-cleared to Krystian Pearce who hooked a good finish into the bottom right corner of the net from 12 yards. Shaw Lane were level on 41 minutes. Zander Diamond did well to block Paul Clayton’s shot, but the ball was recycled and eventually rebounded off Pearce to allow Lee Bennett to fire in from 6 yards. Shaw Lane nearly took the lead on 45+2 minutes when Lee Bennett fired against the right post from 12 yards. Straight after the break, Rose played a good ball forward to CJ Hamilton who tried to flick the ball past keeper Stewart as he rushed out, but Stewart made a fine save. Clever play on the left by the Stags earned a penalty on 65 minutes, as Jacob Mellis played a 1-2-3 (if there is such a description!) with Benning and Hamilton, got the ball back and was tripped just inside the area. Super play by Mellis making things happen. Mellis took the resulting penalty and struck it well towards the left corner of the net but keeper Stewart made a fantastic save to push it away. The height of the penalty from Mellis made it possible for the keeper to save. But the Stags were in front on 73 minutes, as Joel Byrom chipped in a wonderful cross from the left and Danny Rose got up superbly to place a wonderful header into the top right corner of the net. If that was a great goal from Rose, his second goal, on 78 minutes, was even better. MacDonald crossed from the right and Rose launched himself to acrobatically fire a magnificent scissors kick, almost an overhead kick, into the bottom left corner of the net from 12 yards. Quite stunning from Rose, and live on TV too. The game was effectively over and Mansfield could have added more goals as Shaw Lane tired.

An enjoyable day out for the Stags fans and in the end a comfortable win, but much credit to Shaw Lane who played well. The Stags are in the draw for Round 2, which is on Monday at 7pm.

Shaw Lane are flying high in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, three leagues below League Two. They beat Barrow in the last round to reach this stage.

Shaw Lane now ground share at Sheerien Park, home of Athersley Recreation FC, but used to play on Shaw Lane, and by chance I drove down Shaw Lane to get to this game.

Shaw Lane included several experienced players, including Neil Austin (400 league games for Barnsley and Hartlepool), David Norris (200 appearances for Plymouth, 100 for Ipswich, 30 for Leeds), Paul Clayton (who played well against Mansfield for Alfreton several times in our Conference years), and Damian Reeves (scorer of many goals across the years for Altrincham). Reeves was on the bench and came on in the second half.

Rhys Bennett was “under the weather” on Friday according to Steve Evans, and so “made it an easy decision to start with Zander Diamond”, who played 90 minutes against Everton U23 in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday. Diamond for Bennett was the only change from the side that started against Exeter in the League. Lee Angol missed out from the 18 man squad with a knee injury. Several Stags players had a connection to the area, with Rose, Digby, Hemmings and Mellis all been on Barnsley’s books. Rose indeed lives just a few streets away from the Sheerien Park ground.

Heavy overnight rain made the pitch a bit heavy. But much of the match was played in sunshine on a pleasant November day.

The Stags created the first chance of the game on 4 minutes. Mellis’s shot from 12 yards was blocked. Then on 7 minutes, another shot from Mellis, this time from 18 yards, was blocked again, Hamilton got to the byline, but his cross was cleared, then MacDonald had a shot blocked from 18 yards. Shaw Lane getting their bodies in front of everything.

Mansfield should have been in front of 17 minutes, Conrad Logan’s long ball forward was missed by defender Kelvin Lugsden, giving Kane Hemmings a free shot at goal from the edge of the area, but his shot was pushed away by keeper Jon Stewart, Danny Rose was quickest to the rebound and knocked it against the right post.

A great tackle by Anderson on Walker on 25 minutes. But moments later, everyone stopped expecting a free kick that didn’t come, Serrant got into the area, and his low cross-shot was saved by Logan as Lee Bennett was waiting in the middle. It was Anderson who was the main guilty party stopping expecting the whistle.

Diamond was booked for a foul on 26 minutes.

On 28 minutes, the Stags broke following a Shaw Lane free kick. Rose was away down the middle, and tried to lay off to Mellis, but Mellis had gone too early and was offside.

The Stags were in front after 34 minutes. A quick free kick from Byrom, to MacDonald who headed for the byline before crossing into the middle, and his cross was half-cleared to Krystian Pearce who hooked a good finish into the bottom right corner of the net from 12 yards.

Shaw Lane had a shot blocked straight from the restart as Walker’s piledriver from the left was blocked. At the other end moments later, Hemmings laid off to Benning, who headed for the byline but overran the ball.

Shaw Lane were level on 41 minutes. Diamond did well to block Paul Clayton’s shot, but the ball was recycled and eventually rebounded off Pearce to allow Lee Bennett to fire in from 6 yards.

Shaw Lane nearly took the lead on 45+2 minutes when Lee Bennett fired against the right post from 12 yards following a free kick, and Danny Rose did superbly to clear the loose ball away before Whitehouse could knock in the rebound.

The Stags had been pegged back to 1-1 at the break, and both sides had hit the post.

Half time 1-1

Straight after the break, Rose played a good ball forward to CJ Hamilton who tried to flick the ball past keeper Stewart as he rushed out, but Stewart made a fine save.

A possible penalty for the Stags on 48 minutes. Fine play from Mellis on the left, he found Anderson on the right, and he played a high hanging ball into the middle. Rose leapt for it and got a little push in the back from Byrne, not seen by the referee but visible in the replay on TV.

Mellis was booked for a foul on the halfway line on 49 minutes, after the referee played advantage to Shaw Lane.

Pearce was booked a minute later for a foul on Clayton just outside his own area. Byrne took the resulting free kick from 26 yards, over the bar.

Rose won a free kick 28 yards from goal on 52 minutes as he appeared to be clipped by a high foot from Harris. The video replay showed there was no contact, bringing a comment from BT Sport summariser Adam Virgo that it “was pretty poor from Danny Rose”. Byrom’s curled free kick in was claimed by the keeper.

Logan did well to punch away a free kick on 56 minutes. On 59 minutes, Logan did well to hold a free kick that bounced awkwardly in front of him. The Stags were conceding too many free kicks though.

On 62 minutes, a free kick in from MacDonald on the left was punched away by the keeper, Mellis knocked it back forward, but it was cleared away.

Clever play on the left by the Stags earned a penalty on 65 minutes, as Mellis played a 1-2-3 (if there is such a description!) with Benning and Hamilton, got the ball back and was tripped just inside the area. Super play by Mellis making things happen. Mellis took the resulting penalty and struck it well towards the left corner of the net but keeper Stewart made a fantastic save to push it away. The height of the penalty from Mellis made it possible for the keeper to save. Mansfield have now missed 4 penalties (out of 7) this season. Mellis has scored 1 out of 2, having scored (just) against Cambridge.

But the Stags were in front on 73 minutes, as Byrom chipped in a wonderful cross from the left and Rose got up superbly to place a wonderful header into the top right corner of the net.

Rose was in the action again on 76 minutes, as he met Byrom’s corner from the right and knocked it into the side netting at the far post.

If the first was a great goal from Rose, his second goal, on 78 minutes, was even better. MacDonald crossed from the right and Rose launched himself to acrobatically fire a magnificent scissors kick, almost an overhead kick, into the bottom left corner of the net from 12 yards. Quite stunning from Rose, and live on TV too.

A third goal for the Stags coming from a cross by the byline.

The game was effectively over and Mansfield could have added more goals as Shaw Lane tired.

Benning pushed forward on 80 minutes but when you wanted him to pull the trigger, he laid the ball off instead.

On 82 minutes, Hemmings did well to get past his man on the right touchline, and he slid the ball across the edge of the area to Hamilton, after Rose dummied well, Hamilton took a couple of touches to make space for himself but then fired over the bar.

Spencer replaced the hero of the day Danny Rose on 82 minutes.

A good move from Mansfield on 85 minutes, Mellis out to MacDonald on the right, his ball into the middle reached Spencer, but Spencer miscued his shot poorly when completely unmarked.

On 88 minutes, MacDonald did very well on the left to find Mellis just outside the area in the middle, but Mellis fired over the bar.

Atkinson replaced Hemmings on 90+2 minutes.

Digby replaced Mellis on 90+5 minutes.

Good play again from MacDonald getting along the byline on the right on 90+5 minutes, but Spencer’s first touch was poor when he received the ball from MacDonald.

A good second half from Mansfield. Shaw Lane only had one shot, Byrne’s free kick over the bar. Mansfield created plenty of chances, and had that quality when it mattered with Danny Rose’s finishing, plus some good crossing.

The Stags are 6 games unbeaten in all competitions, 3 draws in the league and 3 wins in cup competitions. Back to the league next Saturday and a visit to Coventry. It will be Mansfield’s first, and possibly last, game at the Ricoh Arena.

Before the game, I enjoyed meeting Doug O’Connor, from the Stags 1974/75 Division 4 winning squad:


It was also nice to meet up with Adam Summerton, now a regular commentator for BT Sport, before the game. Adam used to commentate for Mansfield 103.2 and we commentated on a few Stags games together.



Man of the match: Danny Rose


Report by: Martin Shaw at Sheerien Park, Athersley Recreation FC



Line Up:
(4-4-2, diamond formation in midfield):
Logan 6.5 Solid game. Did well to punch away a dangerous free kick, and did well to hold another free kick that bounced awkwardly in front of him. No chance with the goal.
Anderson 6 Guilty of stopping expecting a whistle, which gifted Serrant a chance. Otherwise did well.
Diamond 7 Very solid. Fine block in the build-up to Shaw Lane’s goal.
Pearce 7 Generally solid. Took his goal very well.
Benning 5.5 A little below par. Defended ok. Overran the ball when going forward on one occasion.
Byrom 7 Wonderful cross for Rose’s headed goal. Quick free kick set up the first goal. Good corner for Rose’s effort into the side netting.
MacDonald 7 Cross for Rose’s scissors kick goal. Several other good pieces of play in the second half.
Hamilton 6 One shot over the bar, and one flicked effort saved by the keeper.
Mellis 7 Fine game. Creative and kept going. Won the penalty, but then missed it.
Rose 9 Two stunning goals. One terrific last ditch clearance at the end of the first half.
Hemmings 6 Free shot at goal from the edge of the area in first half, saved by the keeper; should have scored. Good set-up for Hamilton’s shot near the end.
Sub Line Up:
Spencer (for Rose, 82 mins) -
Atkinson (for Hemmings, 90+2 mins) -
Digby (for Mellis, 90+5 mins).
Subs not used: Olejnik, Rhys Bennett, Potter, Sterling-James.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Stewart; Austin, Kelvin Lugsden, Qualter, Serrant (Whitehouse, 43); Byrne, Norris, Harris, Walker (Abadaki, 86); Lee Bennett (Reeves, 72), Clayton. Unused subs: Jepson, Kieran Lugsden, Chilaka, Young.
Referee:
Ben Toner 6 Got the yellow cards about right. Did ok.


Season 17/18 Reports