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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
The Emirates FA Cup - Round Three
Cardiff City  
0 - 0
 Mansfield Town
 
 
Attendance: 6378 (1064 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 6 January 2018

SUPER STAGS EARN REPLAY WITH FULL STRENGTH CARDIFF

Martin Shaw at Cardiff City Stadium

Mansfield Town drew 0-0 at the magnificent Cardiff City Stadium, home of both Cardiff City and Wales, to earn a replay in the FA Cup Third Round. Cardiff City are third in the Championship and pushing hard for promotion to the Premier League, and surprisingly put out a full strength side for this tie. But Mansfield fully deserved the draw, with a tremendous display. The Stags worked so hard and limited Cardiff to few opportunities. The game plan was to keep it tight during the first half and stay in the game well into the second half. It worked well. The Stags didn’t have a lot of the ball in the first half but Cardiff created very little. Conrad Logan made two saves, first pushing away a shot from Callum Paterson on 36 minutes, then pushing away a Rhys Healey shot from the edge of the box after a mistake by Alex MacDonald on 40 minutes. Into the second half, gradually Mansfield created more going forward, and it was indeed the Stags who had the best chances to win the game. On 51 minutes, a jinking run forward by MacDonald past two defenders and firing just wide of the right post. On 60 minutes, Alfie Potter robbed possession from Joe Bennett on the right, pushed forward to the edge of the area, laid off to Jimmy Spencer who pulled back from near the byline on the right, the ball was behind Lee Angol but he was able to fire goalwards from 10 yards and it was brilliantly saved at point blank range by keeper Brian Murphy. Angol could have left the ball for CJ Hamilton, who was coming in behind him, but from studying the video, it was still a decent effort from Angol. Then on 79 minutes, a great passage of play from Mansfield, Jacob Mellis found MacDonald who charged forward, twisting and turning away from Lee Tomlin, laid the ball forward and Spencer deflected into the path of Paul Anderson who took a touch to give him a sight of goal from 10 yards, but Junior Hoilett slid in with a goal-saving challenge as Anderson fired goalwards. In the last minute of stoppage time, it was Cardiff who nearly won it with an own goal as Paterson crossed from the left and Krystian Pearce’s header seemed destined for the bottom left corner of his own net before Conrad Logan made a wonderful save clawing it away off the line low to his right. That would have been a travesty if it had been the winner. The Stags were roared on throughout the game by 1000 fans, who created a great atmosphere and enjoyed this performance from their team. The Stags are therefore into the hat for the Fourth Round. The replay will be in around 1.5 weeks, with the exact date to be decided as there is a possibility of being live on TV depending on which other games also go to replays.

This was Mansfield’s first appearance in the FA Cup Third Round for 5 years, since the Liverpool game in January 2013. The Stags have not been in FA Cup Fourth Round for 10 years, since January 2008 when the Stags played Middlesbrough live on BBC One. The Stags will have a chance to get there again in the replay.

Mansfield were unchanged from the side that beat Carlisle on Monday. Danny Rose was not recovered from the injury he picked up at Wycombe where he got a knee in his pelvis. Jimmy Spencer was recovered from the virus that had kept him out of the squad for recent matches and he returned to the bench.

Cardiff, managed by Steve Evans’ old friend Neil Warnock, put out a very strong side which surprised the local media. 9 of the starting 11 had started at least 1 of the last 4 league games. Of the other 2, Jazz Richards, a Wales international, was returning from injury, and Sean Morrison, the captain, was also returning from injury and had started 21 league games this season.

It was a bright and dry day in Wales though quite windy even inside the enclosed stadium.

On 7 minutes, Zohore got into the area and his poor shot was blocked.

The Stags kept it very quiet in the opening 15 minutes. There was strong defending by Pearce on Zohore on 14 minutes. On 15 minutes, Zohore crossed from the byline on the left, Healey got away from his markers and attempted to volley goalwards but somehow ended up booting the ball the wrong way.

On 17 minutes, Angol tried to clear the ball forward, it hit the referee and rebounded straight to Tomlin who shot wide from 25 yards.

Mellis played a great ball forward on 24 minutes to find Hamilton who broke into the area on the left but his ball across the edge of the 6 yard box evaded everyone. Mendez-Laing got to the byline on 25 minutes but his cross was cleared by Bennett.

Three times in fairly quick succession the ball went out for a throw-in close to the dugouts and on each occasion, the referee and linesman seemingly did not know which way to give a throw.

Good defending by Pearce on 32 minutes.

Mellis seemed to be brought down just outside the area on 33 minutes but the referee waved play on. Two minutes later, Hemmings was brought down 30 yards out. Instead of shooting, MacDonald chipped the ball to the far post and the offside flag went up. A complete waste.

Conrad Logan made a save, pushing away a shot from Callum Paterson on 36 minutes.

Great play by Mellis to win the ball on 38 minutes.

Meanwhile Angol had committed 5 fouls but the referee deemed that the accumulation was not worthy of a yellow card.

On 40 minutes, Logan pushed away a Rhys Healey shot from the edge of the box after a mistake by MacDonald. From the resulting corner taken by Tomlin, Morrison headed straight at Logan.

Hemmings was forced off injured on 43 minutes. He felt tightness in his hamstring and physio Dan Kett indicated that he should not carry on. Hemmings was replaced by Spencer on 45 minutes.

On 45+2 minutes, Potter cut inside from the right. He had a chance to shoot but instead played to Anderson who crossed in and Hamilton headed over the bar in the middle. Moments later at the other end, Mendez-Laing got to the byline and his powerful cross was pushed away by Logan.

Not a lot of ball for the Stags in the first half but a good performance working hard off the ball to limit Cardiff to very few chances.

Half time 0-0

On 47 minutes, Angol won the Stags first corner. Potter’s corner came back to him. He crossed in and Rhys Bennett attempted to attack it but it was cleared away. On 49 minutes, MacDonald forced his way into the area and went down, but it was no penalty. A minute later at the other end, Tomlin’s corner was taken short to Joe Bennett who put in a left footed cross which Paterson headed well wide.

On 51 minutes, a jinking run forward by MacDonald past two defenders and firing just wide of the right post.

On 53 minutes, Tomlin’s free kick came out to Joe Bennett on the left. He crossed back in and Healey ballooned a shot over the bar.

On 56 minutes, Potter’s corner from the left came back to him, he crossed back in, Spencer headed across but the keeper held. A free kick for Cardiff on 57 minutes from 34 yards was blasted straight into the wall by Tomlin. A good move by the Stags on 59 minutes. Spencer crossed to the far post and the keeper claimed under pressure from Anderson.

On 60 minutes, Potter robbed possession from Joe Bennett on the right, pushed forward to the edge of the area, laid off to Spencer who pulled back from near the byline on the right, the ball was behind Angol but he was able to fire goalwards from 10 yards and it was brilliantly saved at point blank range by keeper Brian Murphy. Angol could have left the ball for CJ Hamilton, who was coming in behind him, but from studying the video, it was still a decent effort from Angol. Moments later, Potter cut inside from the right and his left footed shot was deflected up to the keeper.

On 61 minutes, a good move from Cardiff. Healey fired in a shot which was going wide but Benning took no chances and cleared for a corner. Logan held the resulting corner very well under pressure.

The Stags fans were in tremendous voice chanting “Steve Evans’ barmy army” and “There’s only one Johnny Radford”.

A great challenge by Potter in his own area on 73 minutes.

Angol ran at goal and was clearly fouled 30 yards out on 74 minutes but the referee waved play on.

Sterling-James replaced Angol on 75 minutes.

On 78 minutes, Sterling-James found Hamilton who surged forward into the area on the left and his low shot was straight at the keeper.

Then on 79 minutes, a great passage of play from Mansfield, Jacob Mellis found MacDonald who charged forward, twisting and turning away from Lee Tomlin, laid the ball forward and Spencer deflected into the path of Paul Anderson who took a touch to give him a sight of goal from 10 yards, but Junior Hoilett slid in with a goal-saving challenge as Anderson fired goalwards.

Mellis was brought down 24 yards out to the right of centre on 81 minutes. Benning sent the resulting free kick into the wall. Still the Stags can’t score from this sort of position from a free kick. The last one was Chris Clements at Accrington at the beginning of last season.

On 87 minutes, MacDonald dinked a free kick from 38 yards into the box. The defender missed it but that took Pearce by surprise and he also missed it as it went out for a goal kick.

At the other end a minute later, Logan caught a free kick into the area by Tomlin.

On 90 minutes, Tomlin fired in a powerful shot which Logan pushed away.

Atkinson replaced Mellis on 90+2 minutes.

In the last minute of stoppage time (90+4 minutes), it was Cardiff who nearly won it with an own goal as Paterson crossed from the left and Krystian Pearce’s header seemed destined for the bottom left corner of his own net before Conrad Logan made a wonderful save clawing it away off the line low to his right.

A great day for the travelling Stags fans and much for Mansfield to build on with this tremendous performance against high quality opposition. Before the replay, Mansfield have a league game at Cambridge next Saturday.

Man of the match: Alex MacDonald

Report by: Martin Shaw at Cardiff City Stadium



Line Up:
(4-4-2)
Logan 8 Wonderful save in stoppage time to prevent an own goal. Good handling from corners and free kicks. Two fairly routine first half saves.
Anderson 7 Denied a goal by a brilliant sliding challenge. One good cross for Hamilton’s header.
Pearce 7.5 Defended well. Nearly scored an own goal.
Bennett 7.5 Very solid, good clearances.
Benning 7 One good block in his own box. Solid game.
Potter 7 Good play in the build-up to Angol’s chance. Some good defensive work.
MacDonald 8 Impressed against high quality opposition. Several surging runs forward, shooting just wide on one occasion and setting up a chance which eventually fell for Anderson. First half mistake gifted a half-chance to Healey.
Mellis 8 Several great passes to create good moments. Worked hard, winning tackles.
Hamilton 7 A couple of good runs, one cross evaded everyone, one shot was straight at the keeper. One header over the bar.
Hemmings 6 Forced off injured when he felt tightness in his hamstring.
Angol 6.5 Denied by a brilliant point blank save by the keeper.
Sub Line Up:
Spencer (for Hemmings, 45 mins) 7 Did well as sub in the second half. Held the ball up well and some good lay-offs.
Sterling-James (for Angol, 75 mins) -
Atkinson (for Mellis, 90+2 mins) -
Subs not used: Olejnik, Digby, White, Butcher.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-2-3-1): Murphy; Richards, Manga, Morrison (Damour 74), Joe Bennett; Halford, Paterson; Healey (Hoilett 77), Tomlin, Mendez-Laing; Zohore (Pilkington 80). Subs not used: Etheridge, Feeney, M Harris, Bogle.
Referee:
Lee Probert 7 Premier League referee who handled the game well. Missed a couple of clear fouls.


Season 17/18 Reports