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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
0 - 0
 Yeovil Town
 
 
Attendance: 3032 (86 from Yeovil)
 
Date: 16 December 2017

STAGS DRAW A BLANK AGAINST YEOVIL

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

Mansfield Town were unable to beat a Yeovil Town side that is languishing towards the bottom of the table, and that had taken just one point from their last five games, in a 0-0 draw at the One Call Stadium. In a disappointing first half, it was Yeovil who created three good chances to take the lead, as Sam Surridge headed against the angle of bar and post, then Matt Worthington brought an excellent save from Conrad Logan who got down low to Worthington’s powerful shot from just outside the box which took a deflection on the way. Then it was Surridge again who chipped onto the roof of the net in a Yeovil break. Mansfield went close on the stroke of half time as Lee Angol’s on target shot was deflected into the side netting, while earlier in the half Alex MacDonald had shot straight at the keeper. The second half saw Mansfield completely dominate possession but a real lack of quality in the final third meant that not many clearcut chances were created. Mansfield’s best chance came on 70 minutes when Mellis played in from the right and sub CJ Hamilton was denied by a fine save from keeper Artur Krysiak who palmed away his goalbound volley. Hamilton had injected some purpose into Mansfield’s attacking. On 75 minutes, Benning dinked a free kick beyond the far post to the byline, where Krystian Pearce rolled the ball back across the face of goal and Paul Anderson, surprisingly employed as a striker for the last half hour, was unable to turn it in from close range when he seemed certain to score. Mansfield had Yeovil pinned back for much of the half but the final ball and crosses in general were very poor which resulted in the lack of efforts on goal. There was also a real lack of quality from set pieces, both corners and free kicks, which were wasted. Once again, Mansfield badly missed Joel Byrom and his quality of balls into the box. Mansfield also missed striker Kane Hemmings, with Lee Angol ineffective since his return from injury. The Stags are two points outside the play-offs and six points outside the top three, with another home game against a side languishing towards the bottom of the table in Morecambe coming to town next week.

Steve Evans made four changes to the side that lost at Crawley and reverted to wing backs in the system he’d played at Blackpool 10 days ago. Benning returned to the side at left wing back. Pearce started, alongside Bennett and Diamond in central defence. Mellis and Atkinson were in central midfield, with MacDonald behind the front two of Rose and Angol. Hemmings was still not ready to return from injury. Byrom was still out. So the changes saw Benning, Pearce, Mellis, and Angol replace Hunt, Anderson, Hamilton and Spencer. Before announcing the side, Steve Evans asked me to guess the side and agonisingly I got 10 out of 11, failing with the last man as I had Hemmings rather than Angol. Mind you Evans had given me a clue when I said “White at right back..” and he hesitated saying “yes but..” so I quickly changed my side to the new formation.

Yeovil had taken just one point from the last five league games. New signing Oscar Gobern, who briefly was at Mansfield, had got injured on his debut last week so was not involved.

Mansfield started the game on the front foot in the opening 10 minutes. On 2 minutes, MacDonald’s shot was deflected for a corner. Then on 4 minutes, a clever ball forward from MacDonald for Rose to run onto but the keeper was out quickly to clear. Then on 6 minutes, MacDonald fired wide of the left post from 30 yards.

At the other end on 7 minutes, Zoko shot from 22 yards, it was going wide but Logan could take no chances and pushed it further wide.

Mellis was fouled 30 yards out on the left on 9 minutes. The free kick in from Mellis was dinked into a good area but no-one was on the end of it.

Bennett was booked for a cynical foul on 11 minutes.

Yeovil created two chances in a minute. On 16 minutes, Logan’s clearance was poor, straight to Otis Khan, who pushed forward down the left and his cross was headed by Surridge against the angle of post and bar. Poor defending from Bennett who allowed Surridge to get the header in. A minute later, Worthington’s powerful low shot from 22 yards was deflected and Logan made an excellent save low on his line to his left with his left hand.

On 21 minutes, good football on the left by Mansfield, MacDonald played a 1-2 with Benning, MacDonald got into the area and fired straight at the keeper.

On 25 minutes, Zoko turned and shot, and Diamond did well to block.

Good football on 28 minutes, as Mellis found Benning 22 yards from goal but Benning’s right footed shot was just over the bar. A minute later, sloppy defending from Yeovil nearly presented Angol with a chance, but the keeper just cleared.

Yeovil went close again on 30 minutes, with a fine break as Otis Khan pushed forward, found Surridge who turned well to cut inside Pearce on the edge of the box, leaving both Pearce and Logan on the ground as they slipped, and Surridge chipped over them but onto the roof of the net. That was very close and effectively an empty net once he had chipped the ball over them.

On 34 minutes, MacDonald’s through ball was just too far forward for Rose.

On 45 minutes, Rose was fouled 28 yards out to the right of centre. Mellis’s ball in from 28 yards came out to Angol who headed goalwards, it was blocked out to White who miscued a shot wide, though the whistle had already gone for a handball by Rose.

Then on 45+2 minutes, good play on the left as MacDonald found Angol, whose shot was on target and deflected into the side netting by a defender.

A disappointing and uninspiring first half. Yeovil didn’t have much of the ball in the first half, but looked more like scoring, going close three times.

Half time 0-0

On 48 minutes, an off the ball incident between Surridge and Pearce left Pearce on the ground. Surridge was booked and so was Pearce. From the video, they wrestled each other to the ground and perhaps a yellow card for each was about right.

On 52 minutes, Rose chased a lost case and managed to hook from the byline across the goal to Benning, who sent a high ball back across goal to nobody. Good from Rose, poor from Benning.

A good move on 53 minutes, White found Mellis in the area, he turned, and his cross-shot was deflected just wide.

Yeovil made a rare break on 56 minutes as Surridge sent a weak shot straight at Logan.

On 58 minutes, White fed the ball back to MacDonald who crossed high to the far post where Benning headed wide.

On 60 minutes, MacDonald’s free kick from 38 yards came out to Benning who shot wide of the left post.

Anderson replaced Angol on 60 minutes. Angol had been largely ineffective. Anderson surprisingly went up front with Rose. He has not played up front before for Mansfield.

On 62 minutes, a high ball forward to Zoko who cut inside and sent a low shot straight at Logan.

Benning was brought down 25 yards from goal to the left of centre. The free kick was taken short to MacDonald whose low shot was scuffed straight at the keeper.

Hamilton replaced Bennett on 66 minutes. Bennett had been booked early on, but hadn’t had a good game. The Stags reverted to 4 at the back.

On 67 minutes, Hamilton’s low cross from the left went through Anderson’s legs.

On 70 minutes, Logan’s long ball forward, Rose flicked on and Anderson was almost through on goal but was crowded out.

Mansfield’s best chance came on 70 minutes when Mellis played a delightful ball in from the right and Hamilton was denied by a fine save from keeper Artur Krysiak who palmed away his goalbound volley. Moments later another Hamilton ball in, Anderson threw himself at the ball but missed it and there was no foul.

On 71 minutes, Benning’s free kick came out to MacDonald who shot miles over the bar.

Anderson got to the byline and crossed to Hamilton whose shot was blocked for a corner on 73 minutes.

The Stags were nearly ahead on 75 minutes. Rose was fouled 27 yards out on the right. Benning dinked a free kick beyond the far post to the byline, where Pearce rolled the ball back across the face of goal and Anderson was unable to turn it in from close range when he seemed certain to score.

Butcher replaced Mellis on 81 minutes.

On 82 minutes, a rare half chance for Yeovil as James Gray’s shot was blocked following a corner.

On 83 minutes, Anderson’s low cross from the left was blocked straight up in the air, he headed the ball across the face of goal, it was headed straight back out to him by Sowumni, and Anderson’s second header was punched away by keeper Krysiak, though it wasn’t going in anyway.

On 90 minutes, Jordan Green was fouled 29 yards out. James Bailey’s free kick was terrible, in keeping with the game, and well wide.

Benning was booked for a foul on Jordan Green on 90+4 minutes.

On 90+7 minutes, Logan made a low save from Otis Khan from 25 yards. Khan had done well to create space for a shooting chance.

With more or less the last kick of the game on 90+8 minutes, Benning’s high ball in was poor and caught by Krysiak.

Frustration at the final whistle. Mansfield had so much possession, especially in the second half, but the quality of crosses, and of set pieces in general was really lacking. Just one real save for keeper Krysiak to make when he denied Hamilton’s volley. Based on chances created during the game, Yeovil deserved their point. Mansfield need to be better against Morecambe next week.

Man of the match: Diamond/Hamilton. Diamond was solid and distributed the ball well, while Hamilton, only on from 66th minute, injected a spark that had been missing before he came on.

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



Line Up:
Logan 7 Excellent save from Worthington’s low deflected shot. Some poor kicking in the first half.
Pearce 6 Turned by Surridge who chipped onto the roof of the net. Good ball across the face goal which Anderson couldn’t turn in.
Diamond 7 Very solid. Good block from Zoko’s shot. Distributed the ball well.
Bennett 5 Didn’t have a good game. Allowed Surridge to get the header against the woodwork.
White 6 Did ok without opening up the Yeovil defence from wing back position.
Benning 6 Involved in quite a lot but set pieces and crosses were generally poor. Some good interplay down the left.
Atkinson 5.5 Poor first half. Gave the ball away a few times.
Mellis 6.5 Not at his best, but fine play to set Hamilton’s shot, and some nice crossfield balls.
MacDonald 6.5 Some good play, some poor play. Worked hard.
Rose 6 Got very little service. Some good flick-ons.
Angol 5 Largely ineffective. One goalbound shot that was deflected wide.
Sub Line Up:
Anderson (for Angol, 60 mins) 6 Surprising choice as striker. Unable to turn the ball home from close range.
Hamilton (for Bennett, 66 mins) 7 Injected some purpose into Mansfield’s attacking. His goalbound volley brought a great save.
Butcher (for Mellis, 81 mins) -.
Subs not used: Olejnik, Digby, Potter, Spencer.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Krysiak; James, Sowunmi, N.Smith, Dickson; Gray (Green 84), Bailey, Worthington, Khan; Surridge (Olomola 69), Zoko. Subs not used: Maddison, Davies, Mugabi, Nelson, Santos.
Referee:
Martin Coy 6 The first time he’s refereed a Stags game. Didn’t have any major decisions to make. Didn’t get a grip on time wasting. But generally was ok.


Season 17/18 Reports