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Archived News from August 2003

DEVASTATING MANSFIELD MAUL THE IRON
27th August 2003 3:11


Mansfield Town 5 Scunthorpe United 0
Day 9, Mendes 18, Lawrence 65, 90+3, Christie 72.

Reports from various sources.
Stagsnet report to follow around midnight on Match Reports page.

STAGS HAVE 18 GOAL ATTEMPTS ON TARGET!!!

Att 5,142 (793 from Scunthorpe)


Match Stats: Stags / The Iron
Match Activity 49% (20%) 31%
24 Goal Attempts 10
18 On Target 7
5 Off Target 3
1 Hit Woodwork 0
5 Corners 5
5 Fouls 10
1 Offsides 2
1 Yellow 1
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Pilkington, Hassell, Day, Artell, Vaughan, Lawrence, Williamson, MacKenzie, Corden, Christie, Mendes.
Subs not used: J.White, John-Baptiste, A.White, Larkin, Disley.

Ref: A Penn
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Brian Laws post match comment - had Mansfield scored 9, we wouldn't have disagreed with it.
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Ananova report:

FT: Mansfield 5 Scunthorpe 0

Mansfield ripped Scunthorpe apart with a thrilling display to make it six points in four days for Keith Curle's side with a 5-0 demolition at Field Mill.

It could have been double figures for the home side after Rhys Day's ninth-minute header from a Liam Lawrence corner had put them in the driving seat.

A string of chances were wasted either side of Junior Mendes' 18th minute strike that made it 2-0 with home keeper Kevin Pilkington having just one real save to make in the first half, tipping over a swerving shot from Paul Hayes.

A delightful Lawrence free-kick off the underside of the crossbar made it 3-0 on 65 minutes and Iyseden Christie made it 4-0 from close range on 72 minutes after Tom Evans had parried a shot from Mendes.

Mendes then set up Lawrence for the fifth with a low shot under Evans in stoppage-time to complete Scunthorpe's misery.

Steven MacLean wasted United's best chance when he put a free header wide from six yards while Pilkington also saved well from Peter Beagrie late on.
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CHAD report:
Iron are flattened
MAGIC Mansfield made it six points in four days as they tore sorry Scunthorpe to shreds with a five star display of attacking football at Field Mill last night.
The Iron, expected to be among the stronger teams in the division, could not wait for the final whistle as Mansfield mauled them and could easily have hit double figures.
The early-season promise has now flourished into results and though Rhys Day was immense at the heart of defence, the tireless Lee Williamson stole man of the match as he showed he is back to his very best.
Manager Keith Curle made one change from the side that won 3-0 at Southend on Saturday with Junior Mendes in up front for the injury-troubled Colin Larkin who looked short of sharpness at Roots Hall and was relegated to the bench.
An early good, low Mendes cross from the right found Christie 10 yards from goal. He turned sharply and got in goalbound shot which must have taken the slightest of deflections the wrong side of the post.
From the corner by Lawrence, Day crashed a free header at goal which Evans only just managed to turn upwards from under his bar and then push over at the second attempt.
Christie was unlucky again on nine minutes when, after fine work by Neil MacKenzie and Lee Williamson's through ball, he got in another powerful goalbound shot which the over-worked Evans did well to turn aside.
But, from the resulting corner, the breakthrough deservedly came. Lawrence sent it over from the right and Day, offered another free header, obliged this time with an unstoppable finish into the top right hand corner.
Stags were suddenly on fire and Evans was well placed to keep out a low Mendes shot, a Christie header and a 30-yard shot from Lawrence, all within three minutes.
It was only a matter of time before the second goal arrived and it came on 18 minutes.
A cross field ball left to right from Vaughan picked out Lawrence to start the move. He fed Lawrence who squared to Christie and he slipped Mendes into the right of the box where the striker buried a low finish across the keeper.
Pilkington then produced a magnificent save to tip over a menacing curling shot from Hayes which came out the blue as he ran at Vaughan 25 yards from goal on 24 minutes.
It took a fine block by Day to stop a ferocious shot by Beagrie after Torpey had rolled the ball into his path as the Iron desperately looked for a way back into the contest.
Christie had a golden chance for number three for Stags on 34 minutes as Hassell whipped in a low cross from the right which Christie threw himself at on the far post. But it arrived too quickly and he could only touch it wide from three yards with the goal begging.
Mansfield continued to dominate and entertain in equal measures and Corden cut inside and beat two defenders to force another good stop from Evans as United were relieved to hear the half-time whistle without further damage!
Scunthorpe were fighting hard at the start of the second half but it was Stags who came close again as Vaughan found Mendes who backheeled back into Vaughan's path and his low finish was deflected narrowly wide.
Christie was guilty of wasting a gilt-edged chance on 55 minutes as a Lawrence cross picked him out seven yards from goal. It was a free header but he put the ball wide.
The third goal finally arrived on 65 minutes when Christie was hauled down by Jackson just outside the box.
Lawrence took one short step and curled the ball over the wall and in off the underside of the bar.
The crowd by now were cheering every pass as Stags tormented the visitors and it was 4-0 on 72 minutes.
A lengthy passing movement saw Hassell play a one-two with MacKenzie and romp to the by-line before pulling the ball back in Mendes' path. Evans did well to parry his vicious finish but was helpless as Christie picked up the pieces and turned the loose ball home from close range.
Iron wasted their best chance of the half on 76 when MacLean guided a free header wide from six yards from Beagrie's cross.
Mendes burst clean through nine minutes from time but saw his finish shave the outside of the post, while close to the end Beagrie forced a great save from Pilkington with an angled drive.
In stoppage time Mendes found Lawrence who drilled low under Evans to complete Scunthorpe's humiliation.
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thisisnottingham.co.uk report:
FIVE-STAR STAGS RUN RIOT

Mansfield 5 v 0 Scunthorpe
Mansfield produced a five-star display at Field Mill to destroy Scunthorpe in a hard fought encounter.

Mansfield hot shot Isyden Christie saw two early efforts beaten away for corners but inspired a set-piece after nine minutes that saw Rhys Day rise above the visiting defence to power home the Stags opener.

The visitors were reeling under a series of Stags attacks and they cracked again after 19 minutes when Junior Mendes latched onto a through ball from Christie to slide the ball goalbound.

Scunthorpe tried desparately to fight back and Stags keeper Kevin Pilkington had to leap acrobatically to tip Paul Hayes's effort over the bar.

As the first half came to a close Scunthorpe's misfortune continued with Cliff Byrnes' shot taking a deflection before rolling harmlessly into Pilkington's arms.

Scunthorpe started the second half in lively fashion in a bid to reduce the arrears. But it was Mansfield who came close with Mendes firing a bullet-like header wide of the post.

However, any hope of a comeback was destroyed after 63 minutes when Liam Lawrence crashed home a free kick from the edge of the area.

Ten minutes later Christie made in 4-0, knocking home from close range after Bobby Hassell's initial effort had been blocked on the line.

Mansfield completed the scoring in injury time - Lawrence hitting his second to complete the rout.
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