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Season 17/18 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Exeter City  
0 - 1
 Mansfield Town
 
 Rose 38
Attendance: 3680 (224 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 17 February 2018

TREMENDOUS STAGS WIN AT EXETER

Martin Shaw at St James Park

Mansfield Town produced a fabulous first half display and a gritty second half display to play high-flying Exeter City off the park at St James Park this afternoon and earn a huge three points. The Stags continued their scintillating form from Tuesday night’s thumping of Newport County and should have had the game sealed by half time. Instead they only had Danny Rose’s 38th minute goal to show for their domination. The goal came when Alfie Potter did well to get to the byline on the right, crossed into the middle and Kane Hemmings stuck out a leg to superbly turn it towards the roof of the net from 4 yards. Keeper Christy Pym produced an incredible save to turn it onto the bar, but the ball came out and Danny Rose was quickest to react, turning it goalwards from 7 yards, and despite the keeper getting a hand on that that as well, he couldn’t keep it out of the net. It was Rose’s 17th goal of a superb season. Mansfield could have been ahead after 5 minutes as Alex MacDonald’s shot was blocked and Alfie Potter headed on to Rose who fired against the post from a tight angle on the right. On 16 minutes, Rose headed straight at the keeper and knew he should have done better, then Hamilton’s on-target shot was blocked on 25 minutes. Then a volley from Hemmings, also on target, was blocked. Exeter were never in the game in the first half. In the second half, the Stags started well but gradually Exeter got a small foothold in the game, but Mansfield defended solidly and Exeter were unable to create a single meaningful effort at goal. On 74 minutes, an outrageous dive in the area by Jayden Stockley, Conrad Logan was furious but the referee refused to book Stockley. Still no chances for Exeter, and into the final minute of stoppage time Exeter got the ball into the Stags box, Stockley again threw himself to the floor, then seconds later the ball was squared to Dean Moxey who again outrageously dived into Paul Anderson, trying to win a penalty. The referee correctly said no penalty. From the video, it is a clear dive. Moxey was booked moments later for scything down Krystian Pearce but both he and Stockley should have received yellow cards for diving. So a richly deserved win for Mansfield and another terrific result. We have to bear in mind that, as against Newport on Tuesday, the Stags have played a really good side off the park and made them look poor. The Stags are three points behind 2nd and 3rd place, and 7 points above 8th placed Exeter (albeit they have 2 games in hand).

Steve Evans kept the same side that beat Newport on Tuesday. He explained that he couldn’t justify to any of the players if he had left them out, even though he did consider freshening the side up having played in midweek, whilst opponents Exeter did not. Before the game, Steve Evans asked me to name the side. I thought he might freshen things up a bit but I really didn’t know with which players, so I predicted an unchanged starting XI and unchanged bench, which was correct.

Two sides of the ground have been demolished since Mansfield last visited St James Park, so there are just two sides open at present. It was a lovely sunny day. But the pitch was poor, muddy in some places and apparently boggy in some places. There would be no excuses from Steve Evans, who was well aware of the state of the pitch after a phonecall with Gareth Ainsworth whose Wycombe team played here last week, and Evans simply stated before the game that it was the same for both sides.

The Stags started strongly. On 4 minutes Hamilton played a 1-2 with Benning, got into the area on the left and his cross was deflected for a corner.

Mansfield could have been ahead after 5 minutes as MacDonald’s shot was blocked and Potter headed on to Rose who fired against the right post from a tight angle on the right.

Hamilton put in a great tackle on Kane Watson inside his own area after 9 minutes.

Straight to the other end and MacDonald fired well wide from 35 yards. Back at the other end on 11 minutes, Loft’s shot from 35 yards, well off target anyway, was blocked by Potter.

On 14 minutes, a good move from the Stags, into the area, but Rose couldn’t quite get in a shot at goal.

On 16 minutes, Rose’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Moxey. The ball was headed back in by King, and Rose headed straight at the keeper. He knew he should have done better, a yard either side of the keeper and it would have been in.

On 18 minutes, a free kick from the right by Potter, Rose headed down, but it was an easy grab for the keeper.

On 19 minutes, the Stags moved forward quickly following an Exeter throw-in at the far end, Hemmings found Potter overlapping, and Potter’s shot was blocked for a corner.

Mansfield were really knocking on the door, and making Exeter look really poor.

A rare chance for Exeter on 23 minutes. Moxey’s long throw in, Stockley headed down to James, who almost hit the corner flag with a shot.

Hamilton’s on-target shot was blocked on 25 minutes. It was heading for the far corner of the net and the keeper would have got nowhere near it.

Then on 28 minutes, a volley from Hemmings was deflected away, after Hamilton had squared to him.

A minute later, King crossed in, Hemmings headed weakly straight at the keeper.

Another great move from the Stags on 31 minutes, started by King who won the ball and pushed forward, but Hamilton’s cross was cleared.

A rare Exeter attack on 32 minutes. Jake Taylor shot across goal, and Loft wasn’t far from getting a touch at the far post.

Twice in 2 minutes, around 35 minutes, the referee missed clear fouls on Rose. He was getting some rough treatment.

On 37 minutes, an Exeter free kick from James pinged around the Stags area, but the Stags cleared but the offside flag was up anyway.

Finally 38 minutes, the Stag had a goal to show for their domination. Potter did well to get to the byline on the right, crossed into the middle and Hemmings stuck out a leg to superbly turn it towards the roof of the net from 4 yards. Keeper Christy Pym produced an incredible save to turn it onto the bar, but the ball came out and Rose was quickest to react, turning it goalwards from 7 yards, and despite the keeper getting a hand on that that as well, he couldn’t keep it out of the net. It was Rose’s 17th goal of a superb season.

I could see on the screen of one of the local media chaps in front of me, he had written “Exeter playing crap”. I assume he wasn’t going to publish that, but Mansfield were certainly making the home team look poor!

Finally the referee produced his yellow card, on 44 minutes, for another blatant foul on Rose, this time by Kane Wilson.

A tremendous first half from Mansfield, taking the game to Exeter throughout. The Stags were so dominant and Exeter were never in the game in that half.

Half time 0-1

Exeter made two changes at the break. Paul Tisdale had to do something to change it.

Mansfield carried on on top.

On 47 minutes, Hemmings on the edge of the area with his back to goal, laid off to Rose, who fired wide across the goal from the right.

On 54 minutes, a great tackle by Potter, right in front of the Stags fans.

A free kick for Exeter 40 yards from goal on 56 minutes. Harley’s set piece was just missed by Troy Brown and went out for a goal kick.

Exeter were inching their way into the game.

On 60 minutes, Kane Wilson crossed in, and a good header away by Pearce for a corner.

Evans was concerned about the possession Exeter were now having, and on 62 minutes changed shape to 4-5-1, bringing on Atkinson for Hemmings.

On 66 minutes, great play by Benning playing a 1-2 with Rose to get into the area and his shot was blocked for a corner.

Pearce nearly lost the ball in a dangerous position on 67 minutes but just got away with it.

On 73 minutes, Bennett headed wide from Potter’s corner from the right.

On 74 minutes, an outrageous dive in the area by Jayden Stockley, with Logan not touching him. Logan was furious but the referee refused to book Stockley.

Spencer replaced Rose on 75 minutes. A great display from Rose, who had taken a battering. MacDonald was playing just behind Spencer in a 4-4-1-1 formation.

Exeter were resorting to pumping long balls forward into the Stags box, and not creating anything dangerous.

Good keeping by Logan on 85 minutes as he was out quickly to clear a long ball that had been played forward.

Hamilton got into the Exeter area on 88 minutes, but wasted his cross.

Diamond replaced MacDonald on 90 minutes, as the Stags just added an extra defender at the back for insurance.

Still no chances for Exeter though, and into the final minute of 4 minutes of stoppage time Exeter got the ball into the Stags box, Stockley again threw himself to the floor, then seconds later the ball was squared to Dean Moxey who again outrageously dived into Paul Anderson, trying to win a penalty. The referee correctly said no penalty. From the video, it is a clear dive. Moxey was booked moments later for scything down Krystian Pearce but both he and Stockley should have received yellow cards for diving.

And that was it, a thoroughly deserved win for Mansfield. Rarely can Exeter have been so comprehensively outplayed at home in recent times. The 224 Stags fans gave their side a rousing reception at the end for such a tremendous performance. Exciting times to be a Stags fan. If you possibly can, make sure you get yourself to the One Call Stadium next Saturday for what promises to be another terrific game against Coventry City.

Man of the match: Adam King/Danny Rose

Report by: Martin Shaw at St James Park



Line Up:
(4-4-2)
Logan 7 A quiet afternoon with not a single shot to save, but showed his class by being so alert to clear a long ball into the area late on.
Anderson 7 Solid defensively and some good play moving forward down the right.
Pearce 7 Defended well. One fine header away.
Bennett 7 Very solid. Plenty of headers away.
Benning 8 Some fine attacking down the left with Hamilton.
Potter 8 Very good. Great cross which led to the goal. Some fine defensive play.
King 8 Really classy, quality on the ball.
MacDonald 7 Worked so hard, as he does every week. Good game.
Hamilton 8 Some great attacking down the left. Good to see him playing with freedom away from home. Some good defensive work.
Rose 8 Great display. Alert for his goal, his 17th of the season. Hit the post early on. Took a battering and kept going.
Hemmings 8 Superb effort was denied by an incredible save before Rose scored from the rebound. Very good all round display.
Sub Line Up:
Atkinson (for Hemmings, 62 mins) -
Spencer (for Rose, 75 mins) -
Diamond (for MacDonald, 90 mins) -
Subs not used: Olejnik, Mellis, Penney, Miller.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Pym; Wilson, Brown, Moore-Taylor, Woodman (Edwards, 68); Taylor, James (Boateng, 46), Tillson, Moxey; Loft (Harley, 46), Stockley. Subs not used: Jones, Archibald-Henville, Simpson, Holmes.
Referee:
Chris Sarginson 6 Did well not to cave in and give penalties for three blatant dives, but should have got his card out to punish the offenders. Otherwise did ok.


Season 17/18 Reports