Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Cambridge United
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Mansfield Town
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Preston OG 88.
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Rose 26.
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Attendance: 3909 (475 from Mansfield)
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Date: 22 September 2018
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STAGS DRAW AGAIN, AFTER LATE DEFLECTED EQUALISER
Martin Shaw at the Abbey Stadium Mansfield Town drew for the fifth time in 8 league games this season at Cambridge United this afternoon to remain in the bottom half of the table. The Stags led after 26 minutes when Danny Rose flicked on Bobby Olejnik’s long kick, the Cambridge defence made a mess of clearing it in the area, and defender Jake Carroll headed across goal where Rose was the quickest to react and sweep the ball under keeper David Forde from 8 yards. A poacher’s goal from Rose, his first in the league this season, indeed his first in the league under David Flitcroft. Rose should have done better earlier, on 21 minutes, when he headed into the side netting, causing David Flitcroft to put his head in his hands, and then super play by Rose on 24 minutes, to set up a chance for Tyler Walker, but Walker fired wide. Cambridge’s best two chances of the first half came when former Stag Reggie Lambe’s shot was half-saved by Bobby Olejnik and Ryan Sweeney cleared off the line, and earlier when Olejnik made a super save on 19 minutes from Barry Corr’s powerful header. The Stags however were good value for the lead at the break against a poor Cambridge side, with the home fans on the back of the players, but then turning their ire towards the referee and Stags players who they felt were feigning injury. In the second half, Neal Bishop fired just wide from 25 yards, and Preston’s header was clawed away just inside the post by the keeper. Then on 55 minutes, a superb acrobatic effort from Rose clipped the top of the bar. On 61 minutes Bishop headed over after great play from Walker, and Alex MacDonald fired just over the bar from 25 yards. With Mansfield not having killed the game off, Cambridge started to get a foothold, and Olejnik made a great save from sub Azeez on 76 minutes. Olejnik also made a couple of good catches from crosses and a couple of good punches away. The Stags were not keeping the ball though, and Cambridge were putting the Stags under some pressure, albeit without giving Olejnik further saves to make. On 87 minutes, a heart-stopping moment as a shot from George Maris deflected off Preston, leaving Olejnik wrong-footed but it went just wide of the post. It would have been a fluke but it looked like the Stags had got away with it. Unbelievably, a minute later, another shot from Maris, from 20 yards, which was going a couple of yards wide, was again deflected, off Preston again, and flew like a rocket into the very top corner of the net giving Olejnik no chance at all. The Abbey Stadium exploded, not able to believe their good fortune, as the shot should have ended up in the stand. By the way, because Maris’s shot was heading well wide, it is an own goal, not Maris’s goal as reported elsewhere. It could have got worse for the Stags as Lambe shot straight at Olejnik in stoppage time and sub O’Neill shot wide from 20 yards with the home side’s tails up. Absolutely gutting for the Stags. However it was a poor last 25 minutes from Mansfield, who conceded possession too often against a poor Cambridge side and allowed them back into the game. The equaliser was a huge fluke for Cambridge which robbed the Stags of the points, but Mansfield have to be better than this, and especially against one of the poorer sides in the league, put the game to bed. After the game David Flitcroft said he thought Cambridge deserved a point. I think that is generous towards Cambridge who were totally lacking in quality, and were let back into the game by a Stags side that didn’t do enough to earn the victory. That said, the Stags would still have won the game but for the hugely deflected goal. For the second time this season (Macclesfield being the first), the Stags have failed to beat a side who I predict will be towards the bottom of the table come the end of the season. The Stags need to improve if they are going to turn this season into a promotion push. Mansfield made two changes from the side that lost to Exeter. Hayden White picked up a knock in training, not thought to be serious, and missed the game. In came Mal Benning at left wing back, as Hamilton moved to right wing back. Danny Rose came in for Calum Butcher who dropped to the bench. Craig Davies was still not fit, but trained today and will train again on Monday. Cambridge included ex-Stags Reggie Lambe and Greg Taylor in their side, while George Taft was on the bench. The Stags played in the brand new third kit of all green with gold lettering. It’s a nice kit that will be used for this game and Newport away, as the Cambridge and Newport kits clash with both Mansfield’s home and away kits. The game was played in light persistent rain. The Stags had the better of the opening exchanges. A ball into the Cambridge area on 6 minutes wouldn’t drop for a Stags player. On 14 minutes, MacDonald’s shot from 25 yards was blocked after a good lay-off from Benning. The Stags won two corners in succession on 16 minutes. Hamilton won the first corner after good play by Rose, then great play by Khan earned the second corner. Both corners, from Khan, were poor, but following the second corner Preston headed back and Rose sent an acrobatic scissors kick well wide. On 19 minutes, Cambridge’s first corner. Maris took it from the right, Corr got away from his marker Pearce, and met it with a powerful header, which deflected off Pearce, and Olejnik made a super save pushing it away. A minute later at the other end, Pearce found Hamilton with a great ball, Hamilton cut inside from the right and had a sight of goal with his left foot, but his shot was powderpuff and straight to the keeper. Rose should have done better on 21 minutes when he headed into the side netting from the left after a good cross from MacDonald from the right, causing David Flitcroft to put his head in his hands. From the video however, it was a much tighter angle than I realised for Rose. Then super play by Rose on 24 minutes, to set up a chance for Tyler Walker, but Walker fired wide with a disappointing shot. The Stags led after 26 minutes when Danny Rose flicked on Olejnik’s long kick, the Cambridge defence made a mess of clearing it in the area, and defender Jake Carroll headed across goal where Rose was the quickest to react and sweep the ball under keeper David Forde from 8 yards. A poacher’s goal from Rose, his first in the league this season, indeed his first in the league under David Flitcroft. Cambridge fans had already been on their players’ backs. This goal gave them plenty to moan about with atrocious defending. On 28 minutes, a good clearance from Pearce from Halliday’s cross. From the resulting corner, John headed well wide. On 30 minutes, a good tackle by Sweeney got Pearce out of trouble after an error. On 32 minutes, a free kick was quickly taken by Cambridge, and Reggie Lambe’s shot was half-saved by Bobby Olejnik and Ryan Sweeney cleared off the line. On 37 minutes, another free kick came out to Lambe, who fired wide of the left post. Pearce was fouled on 38 minutes. The home fans proceeded to boo both Pearce and the referee, despite it being a blatant foul. On 39 minutes, a great run from Hamilton, he crossed to Walker, who turned and won a corner. Khan’s corner was poor, for the third time in the half, not beating the first man. MacDonald was then booked for a deliberate foul. A great tackle by Bishop on Lambe as he was about to shoot in the area on 40 minutes. On 45+1 minutes, a free kick from Khan was straight to the keeper. His fourth wasted set piece of the half. The Stags were good value for the lead at the break against a poor Cambridge side, with the home fans on the back of the players, but then turning their ire towards the referee and Stags players who they felt were feigning injury. Half time 0-1 On 51 minutes, Neal Bishop pushed forward, and with the defence parting in front of him, fired just wide of the left post from 25 yards. On 54 minutes, Preston’s header from Khan’s corner was clawed away just inside the post by the keeper. A much better corner from Khan. Then on 55 minutes, Khan’s corner was headed across by Preston, and a superb acrobatic effort from Rose clipped the top of the bar. So unlucky for Rose, with the keeper beaten all ends up. A rare attack from Cambridge on 56 minutes as Jevani Brown fired wide from an impossible angle. Then a superb block by Sweeney from another shot from Brown. On 61 minutes, great play from Walker to win the ball on the right, he chipped the ball across and Bishop got up well but headed over the bar. Then on 64 minutes, Benning made a run into the box, it was cleared to MacDonald who fired just over the bar from 25 yards. A minute later, another shot from MacDonald from 25 yards was blocked. Cambridge fans wanted a penalty on 66 minutes when Brown went down under a challenge from Pearce, but it wasn’t a foul. A minute later, Brown’s shot was blocked by Preston. With Mansfield not having killed the game off, Cambridge started to get a foothold. On 70 minutes, Preston fouled Maris 27 yards from goal. Olejnik made a good catch from the free kick. Olejnik made a great save from sub Azeez on 76 minutes. Amoo had played the ball forward and Azeez muscled Sweeney off the ball too easily before shooting low from 8 yards, but Olejnik was equal to it. Poor from Sweeney, great stuff from Olejnik. Moments later, more poor defending and Jake Carroll fired over. Elsnik replaced Khan on 76 minutes. Khan’s set pieces had mostly been poor. A great run from Hamilton on 77 minutes, down the right to the byline, he pulled the ball back, but the defence snuffed out the cross with Rose lurking. Another good run from Hamilton two minutes later, to win a corner. He had the beating of left back Carroll but Mansfield hadn’t made the most of it. Olejnik caught a corner cleanly on 82 minutes. Stags fans chanted his name “Oh Bobby Bobby..” Moments later, Maris crossed from the left into the corridor of uncertainty and Sweeney did well to clear behind for a corner. Another good punch away from Olejnik soon after that. On 84 minutes, a high cross in from Maris and sub Lewis sent a soft header wide. Jordan Graham replaced Walker on 84 minutes. The Stags had not been keeping the ball, and Cambridge were putting the Stags under some pressure, albeit without giving Olejnik shots at goal to save. On 87 minutes, a heart-stopping moment as a shot from Maris from 25 yards deflected off Preston, leaving Olejnik wrong-footed but it went just wide of the post. It would have been a fluke but it looked like the Stags had got away with it. Unbelievably, a minute later, another shot from Maris, from 20 yards, which was going a couple of yards wide, was again deflected, again off Preston, and flew like a rocket into the very top corner of the net giving Olejnik no chance at all. The Abbey Stadium exploded, not able to believe their good fortune, as the shot should have ended up in the stand. By the way, because Maris’s shot was heading well wide, it is an own goal, not Maris’s goal as reported elsewhere. It could have got worse for the Stags as Lambe shot straight at Olejnik on 90+1 minutes, and sub O’Neill shot wide from 20 yards on 90+3 minutes with the home side’s tails up. Not good enough from the Stags against a poor side. The Stags need to bounce back against Northampton next week with an improved performance. Man of the match: Danny Rose/Bobby Olejnik |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the Abbey Stadium
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Line Up:
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(3-5-1)
Olejnik 8 Two super saves, and great handling. Had such a good game that he deserved a clean sheet which he would have had without a flukey deflection that gave him no chance. Preston 7 Got himself in the way of three shots, and was unlucky to deflect one of them into the net for an own goal. Pearce 5.5 Allowed Corr to get away from him and get in a header which Olejnik saved well. A couple of other errors. One fine ball to set Hamilton away. Sweeney 6 Poor play to allowed Azeez to muscle past him and get in a shot which Olejnik saved well. Some good tackles and blocks. Hamilton 6 Some good runs as he had left back Carroll on toast. Won a couple of corners but overall didn’t make the most of it, including one powderpuff shot. MacDonald 6 Three shots from 25 yards, 2 blocked and 1 over the bar. One good cross. Bishop 7 Some good tackles. Went close with one shot when the defence parted in front of him. Took a knock in the second half which might have made him less effective. Khan 5.5 Set pieces in the first half were poor. Improved in the second half. Benning 6 One good lay-off for a shot for MacDonald and one good run into the box. Did ok. Walker 6 Great play to set up a header for Bishop. One disappointing shot from a good position. Rose 8 Poacher’s goal after he won an initial header. Superb acrobatic effort that clipped the top of the bar. Super play to set up a chance for Walker. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Elsnik (for Khan, 68 mins) -
Graham (for Walker, 84 mins) - Subs not used: Logan, Gibbens, Atkinson, Butcher, Sterling-James. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-1-1) Forde; Halliday, Greg Taylor, John, Carroll; Deegan, Maris, Amoo (Lewis, 80), Lambe; Brown (O’Neil, 90+2); Corr (Azeez, 68). Subs not used: Iron, Osadebe, Taft, Davies.
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Referee:
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Nick Kinseley 7 Decent game.
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