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Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Bury  
2 - 2
 Mansfield Town
Maynard 55, 90+5.
 
 Rose 10, Preston 73
Attendance: 3880 (640 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 6 October 2018

STAGS DRAW AGAIN, CONCEDING ANOTHER LATE EQUALISER

Martin Shaw at Gigg Lane

For the third time this season, Mansfield Town conceded an equaliser in the dying stages of a game to come away with just a point. It had happened against Colchester and Cambridge. Today it was Bury who equalised on 90+5 minutes to leave the Stags crestfallen. This was a good game of football though, and Bury looked a good side. I expect them to be in and around the play-offs at the end of the season. Had it not been for the lateness of the goal conceded here, and the fact that the Stags have already drawn too many games, I think it would be viewed as a good result away to a decent side. In truth, a draw was a fair result.

This was Mansfield’s fifth consecutive away draw which equals the club record set twice previously: 04May1949 to 05Sep1949, and 01Oct2011 to 06Dec2011 (Conference). (stats from Paul Taylor).

Bury started the game superbly, with the hugely impressive Danny Mayor running at Stags several times. The Stags meanwhile had made a poor start, exemplified by both Pearce and Sweeney slipping over in the early stages.

Yet it was the Stags who took the lead, in bizarre fashion, on 10 minutes. Bury keeper Joe Murphy routinely caught a cross. He then dropped the ball, probably not realising Danny Rose was behind him. Before the keeper could retrieve the ball, Rose pounced on it, nicked it away from the keeper and tapped it into the empty net. Bury claimed a foul. The referee gave the goal. From the main camera footage, it looks inconclusive as to whether Rose nudges the keeper. But from our pitchside video footage, it is completely clear that there was no foul as the keeper simply drops the ball without any contact from Rose. While Bury complained, Rose did not celebrate the goal, out of respect to his former club, rather like Billy Kee for Accrington a couple of seasons ago.

The goal changed the momentum of the game, and the Stags had two glorious chances to increase the lead. On 15 minutes, Hamilton found Khan completely unmarked in the area, to the left of centre. Khan only had the keeper to beat but the keeper was out quickly to narrow the angle and Khan fired straight at him. Then on 31 minutes, an even better chance: a great run from Khan and he found Rose in space 25 yards from goal. Rose took one touch forward and with just the keeper to beat from the edge of the box Rose fired wide of the left post. It was a very similar chance to Tyler Walker’s chance against Oldham, and Rose really should have scored from there. From his reaction, he knew it too. In stoppage time at the end of the half, Bobby Olejnik made a fine save, diving bravely at the feet of Nicky Maynard.

Bury equalised on 55 minutes with a great goal. Callum McFazdean chipped to the edge of the area, Adam Thompson headed back across goal, and Maynard got in between Pearce and Preston to send a magnificent overhead kick past Olejnik. A wonderful goal by Maynard. However if either Pearce or Preston had got closer to Maynard and attempted to head away, then the Stags would have got a free kick for a high boot rather than conceding goal.

The Stags regained the lead on 73 minutes. Timi Elsnik’s corner from the right to the far post was headed down by Matt Preston and into the bottom left corner of the net. A great moment right in front of the travelling Stags fans. And a rare goal for the Stags from a set piece. We need plenty more of those this season.

With Bury looking dangerous going forward, the Stags needed to open up a two goal lead to seal the game. And the Stags had three chances in a minute to do so. On 77 minutes, Rose and Hamilton broke forward in a 2-on-1 situation. Rather than shooting, Rose laid off to Hamilton, but the pass wasn’t good enough and the defender cleared. But the clearance went straight to Elsnik, who fired over from a great position. Just a minute later, a wonderful run down the left from Hamilton, to the byline, he played the ball across and Rose seemed certain to score from close range, but under pressure from a defender he put it wide.

Bury thought they should have had a penalty on 81 minutes when sub Telford went down in the area. From our pitchside video footage, there was minimal contact from Benning from behind and a penalty would have been harsh. To the astonishment of everyone in the ground it seemed, the referee added on 7 minutes of stoppage time. This was easily 2 minutes more than it should have been in my opinion. There was a roar from the home fans, buoyed by this. On 90+2 minutes, substitute Callum Styles sent a free kick from just outside the area inches over the bar. On 90+4 minutes, brilliant play from the fabulous Mayor as he cut inside from the left, going past 5 Stags players, he laid the ball into the path of McFadzean, who seemed certain to score, but Olejnik pulled off a super save from close range, one-handed low to his right. The Stags cleared, but within 17 seconds of that save from Olejnik, the ball was in the Stags net for the equaliser. McFadzean made a good run forward, Pearce did not know whether to go towards McFadzean or to mark his man Maynard, and in the end he really did neither. McFadzean knocked the ball past Pearce, to Maynard, unmarked 16 yards from goal, Maynard turned and fired low past Olejnik into the bottom right corner of the net. A sickener for the Stags. At Cambridge two weeks ago, the Stags were undone by a complete fluke goal which was flying into the stand before a deflection took it into the top corner. Here the Stags just had themselves to blame as the defending wasn’t good enough.

On 90+7 minutes, the Stags should have had a penalty. Elsnik broke forward, he laid the ball forward to Mellis. Mellis turned his defender McFadzean in the area, and McFadzean pulled Mellis down by his shirt. The pitchside footage is crystal clear. Had we had VAR, no doubt that it would have been given as a penalty. But we don’t and it wasn’t. After the game, Stags manager Flitcroft thought that it had evened itself out with the Bury claim for a penalty on 81 minutes. I don’t agree with that. The Stags claim was nailed on, the Bury claim was for minimal contact.

So another two points go begging. This was a reasonable performance from the Stags away to a good side. Bury deserved their draw. However, the Stags could have defended both goals better, missed some golden chances, and were denied a clear penalty in the 97th minute.

The Stags are next in action on Tuesday against Wolves U21 in the Checkatrade Trophy. That is a good opportunity for players who are not getting much game time in the league to get competitive action and stake a claim for a place in the side in the league. A reminder that if the Stags beat Wolves U21 on Tuesday, we will qualify for the next round with a game to spare (this is because Wolves U21 and Scunthorpe drew their first game, with Scunthorpe winning the penalty shoot-out for an additional point, which would mean that only one other side in the group could reach 6 points after 3 games).


DETAILED REPORT:
The Stags were unchanged from the side that played so well against Oldham but could only draw. Craig Davies missed out from the squad with a flare-up of his ankle injury. He’ll be assessed early in the week to see how quickly he will be back. Jordan Graham came back into the 18.

David Flitcroft was back at his old club where he was previously manager, and got Bury promoted. I didn’t hear much reaction, positive or negative, to Flitcroft. Danny Rose was also returning to his former club, as was Jacob Mellis. Rose mostly got a good reception from home fans when he was substituted, though there were a few isolated boos.

Bury included former Stags midfielder Stephen Dawson on the bench, but he did not come on.

The game was played in sunshine. The weather forecast was for a wet day.

In the opening 60 seconds, both Pearce and Sweeney slipped over.

On 2 minutes, Danny Mayor made a great run inside from the left and set up Nicky Adams for a shot from the right. Adams sent his shot high and wide. On 4 minutes, Neil Danns got past Bishop too easily and fired in a low shot, which Olejnik saved easily, low to his left. Khan fouled Mayor, who had got away from him, on 6 minutes. A minute later, a mistake by Benning with a chance to clear but he didn’t, though Bury eventually wasted possession.

The Stags took the lead, in bizarre fashion, on 10 minutes. Bury keeper Joe Murphy routinely caught a cross. He then dropped the ball, probably not realising Danny Rose was behind him. Before the keeper could retrieve the ball, Rose pounced on it, nicked it away from the keeper and tapped it into the empty net. Bury claimed a foul. The referee gave the goal. From the main camera footage, it looks inconclusive as to whether Rose nudges the keeper. But from our pitchside video footage, it is completely clear that there was no foul as the keeper simply drops the ball without any contact from Rose. While Bury complained, Rose did not celebrate the goal, out of respect to his former club, rather like Billy Kee for Accrington a couple of seasons ago.

Rose was booked for a late challenge on Stokes on 13 minutes.

The goal changed the momentum of the game, and the Stags had two glorious chances to increase the lead. On 15 minutes, Hamilton found Khan completely unmarked in the area, to the left of centre. Khan only had the keeper to beat but the keeper was out quickly to narrow the angle and Khan fired straight at him.

Then on 31 minutes, an even better chance: a great run from Khan and he found Rose in space 25 yards from goal. Rose took one touch forward and with just the keeper to beat from the edge of the box Rose fired wide of the left post. It was a very similar chance to Tyler Walker’s chance against Oldham, and Rose really should have scored from there. From his reaction, he knew it too.

In between those two chances, on 17 minutes, a good move from the Stags, ended with Rose crossing from the right and Benning heading over the bar.
Bishop was booked for a foul on Mayor on 23 minutes. That looked harsh.
Then on 28 minutes, Hamilton did well to clear after Adams crossed in.

On 32 minutes, Olejnik caught well from Adams’ cross.

On 34 minutes, Benning won the ball from former Spireite O’Shea, pushed forward and had a shot blocked.

On 38 minutes, Hamilton got into the area on the right, pulled the ball back across and it was cleared. The ball was recycled to Bishop, who put in a high cross beyond the far post where Rose headed wide. Rose just couldn’t get an angle to head it back across goal as it was too tight an angle.

Sweeney was booked for a foul on Maynard on 39 minutes.

Then Walker was booked for a silly sliding challenge on 45+3 minutes.

4 minutes into stoppage time at the end of the half, Olejnik made a fine save, diving bravely at the feet of Nicky Maynard, after Khan had lost the ball.

A strange half. Bury had started superbly. The Stags got that bizarre goal. Then the Stags created some glorious chances, while Bury played some nice football without creating clearcut chances.

Half time 0-1

Great defending from Pearce on 47 minutes to hold off the ineffective Dagnell.

On 49 minutes, Khan curled a shot just wide from 30 yards.

Bury equalised on 55 minutes with a great goal. McFazdean chipped to the edge of the area, Thompson headed back across goal, and Maynard got in between Pearce and Preston to send a magnificent overhead kick past Olejnik. A wonderful goal by Maynard. However if either Pearce or Preston had got closer to Maynard and attempted to head away, then the Stags would have got a free kick for a high boot rather than conceding goal.

On 60 minutes, Mayor danced past Bishop for the umpteenth time, and was brought down by Pearce just outside the area. The referee waved play on as the ball fell loose to Danns who fired in a low shot that Olejnik saved easily.

Rose tried an ambitious shot from wide on the right on 61 minutes, over the bar.

Atkinson replaced Walker on 61 minutes. Atkinson went in at right wing-back. Hamilton moved forward.

Bishop fouled McFadzean on 64 minutes. He was walking a tightrope having been booked in the first half. Adams took the resulting free kick and Sweeney did well to head over his own bar.

Mellis replaced Khan on 67 minutes. I had expected Bishop to be replaced. He was having a difficult game against Mayor, and seemingly on last chance saloon having been booked and subsequently committed more fouls.

On 68 minutes, Atkinson crossed from the right, Rose attempted an overhead kick, but caught Aimson with his boot and so it was a free kick. This was what the Stags defenders should have done on 55 minutes.

The Stags regained the lead on 73 minutes. Good play from Atkinson to win a corner on the right. Elsnik’s corner to the far post was headed down by Preston and into the bottom left corner of the net. A great moment right in front of the travelling Stags fans. And a rare goal for the Stags from a set piece.

With Bury looking dangerous going forward, the Stags needed to open up a two goal lead to seal the game. And the Stags had three chances in a minute to do so. On 77 minutes, Rose and Hamilton broke forward in a 2-on-1 situation. Rather than shooting, Rose laid off to Hamilton, but the pass wasn’t good enough and the defender cleared. But the clearance went straight to Elsnik, who fired over from a great position.

Just a minute later, a wonderful run down the left from Hamilton, to the byline, he played the ball across and Rose seemed certain to score from close range, but under pressure from a defender he put it wide. Rose claimed it was the defender who put it wide, it’s hard to tell from the video, even slowing it down to frame by frame.

Maynard fired high and wide on 79 minutes.

Bury thought they should have had a penalty on 81 minutes when sub Telford went down in the area. From our pitchside video footage, there was minimal contact from Benning from behind and a penalty would have been harsh.

Great defending by Pearce on Maynard on 82 minutes.

Butcher replaced Rose on 83 minutes. Butcher and Hamilton were now up front.

To the astonishment of everyone in the ground it seemed, the referee added on 7 minutes of stoppage time. This was easily 2 minutes more than it should have been in my opinion. There was a roar from the home fans, buoyed by this.

On 90+2 minutes, substitute Styles sent a free kick from just outside the area inches over the bar.

On 90+4 minutes, brilliant play from the fabulous Mayor as he cut inside from the left, going past 5 Stags players, he laid the ball into the path of McFadzean, who seemed certain to score, but Olejnik pulled off a super save from close range, one-handed low to his right.

The Stags cleared, but within 17 seconds of that save from Olejnik, the ball was in the Stags net for the equaliser. McFadzean made a good run forward, Pearce did not know whether to go towards McFadzean or to mark his man Maynard, and in the end he really did neither. McFadzean knocked the ball past Pearce, to Maynard, unmarked 16 yards from goal, Maynard turned and fired low past Olejnik into the bottom right corner of the net. A sickener for the Stags. At Cambridge two weeks ago, the Stags were undone by a complete fluke goal which was flying into the stand before a deflection took it into the top corner. Here the Stags just had themselves to blame as the defending wasn’t good enough. Poor from Pearce. In the goal celebrations, Danny Mayor jumped on the back of the referee. Not sure I’ve ever seen that before and I’m not sure what the ref made of it!

On 90+7 minutes, the Stags should have had a penalty. Elsnik broke forward, he laid the ball forward to Mellis. Mellis turned his defender McFadzean in the area, and McFadzean pulled Mellis down by his shirt. The pitchside footage is crystal clear. Had we had VAR, no doubt that it would have been given as a penalty. But we don’t and it wasn’t. The referee’s view was probably obscured, but there was no excuse for the linesman not seeing it. After the game, Stags manager Flitcroft thought that it had evened itself out with the Bury claim for a penalty on 81 minutes. I don’t agree with that. The Stags claim was nailed on, the Bury claim was for minimal contact.

A few seconds later, the referee blew the final whistle. A bitterly disappointing finish to the game.

Man of the match: Olejnik/Hamilton


Report by: Martin Shaw at Gigg Lane



Line Up:
(3-4-1-2)
Olejnik 7.5 Fine save diving bravely at the feet of Maynard at the end of the first half. Super save from close range from McFadzean, just 17 seconds before Bury’s second goal. Olejnik deserved to be on the winning side for that save.
Preston 7 Scored his second goal of the season, with the header from a corner. Could have got closer to Maynard and prevented the first Bury goal.
Pearce 5 Poor defending for Bury’s second goal when he didn’t know whether to go towards McFadzean or to mark his man Maynard, and in the end did neither. Like Preston, could have got closer to Maynard and also prevented the first Bury goal. One or two pieces of good defending.
Sweeney 7 One good header away. Solid.
Hamilton 7.5 Laid off to Khan who fired straight at the keeper. Wonderful run down the left setting up a chance for Rose. One good piece of defending.
Bishop 5 Had a difficult game against Mayor who continually skipped past him. Was booked for fouling Mayor and had to be careful after that. His booking means he will be suspended for the next league game.
Elsnik 7.5 Great corner for Preston’s goal. Missed a sitter shortly after the Stags’ second goal. Good break to feed Mellis who was brought down for what should have been a penalty.
Benning 7 One mistake early on at the back. Otherwise did ok at the back. One good piece of play to win the ball and have a shot blocked.
Khan 7 Great run to set up a glorious chance for Rose. Fired straight at the keeper when he only had the keeper to bear. Rescued by Olejnik who made a good save at the end of the first half after Khan gave the ball away.
Walker 5.5 Didn’t contribute enough.
Rose 7 Alert and opportunistic for the first goal. Should have scored after 31 minutes when he fired wide after great play from Khan.
Sub Line Up:
Atkinson (for Walker, 61 mins) - Good play to win the corner that led to the second goal.
Mellis (for Khan, 67 mins) - Pulled down by his shirt for a stonewall penalty on 90+7 minutes that was turned down.
Butcher (for Rose, 83 mins) -
Subs not used: Logan, Gibbens, Sterling-James, Graham.
Opposition Line Up:
(3-5-2) Murphy; Aimson, Thompson, Stokes (Barjonas, 82); Adams, O'Shea, Danns (Styles, 75), Mayor, McFadzean; Dagnall (Telford, 69), Maynard. Subs not used: Hudson, Miller, Stephen Dawson, Cooney.
Referee:
Scott Oldham 5.5 Got the Rose goal correct. Correctly turned down a Bury appeal for penalty. With his linesman, missed a stonewall penalty when Mellis was tugged down by his shirt. 7 minutes of stoppage time was at least 2 too many. Some trivia from Paul Taylor: S.Oldham was the original referee for the home game vs Barnet on 3 February 2018. That was the first time he was allocated a Stags game, however, he went off injured after 20 minutes to be replaced by T.Bramall who was our referee against Oldham earlier this week!


Season 18/19 Reports