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Archived News from September 2003

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
29th September 2003 21:57


Bristol Rovers away has in the past been one of the worst places for the Stags to get anything from. But in the last two visites to Gasheads – or Pirates Country – Mansfield have gained four points – and the last away trip to Bristol Rovers gave the Stags their first-ever away win by the only goal of the game thanks to a second-half Liam Lawrence strike. And the home tie on April 6, 2002 – just fourteen days short of myself watching the promotion-clincher against Carlisle – made the Stags get back on the promotion trail by winning 2-0 – strikes from Adam Murray and Andy White after the interval did the essential job – after a poor spell with just one point from five games. The away win was midway through a spell of thirteen points out of fifteeen in November-December 2001 and the second back-to-back 1-0 away win in a row – the first was at Carlisle.
The teams also met in the Stags solitary season in the old 2nd division and a home game on April 24, 1978, was won 3-0 – in fact the last Mansfield win that season thanks to two goals from John Aston and one from Johnny Miller. Another memorable rout was the 5-0 on January 31, 1987 – the Keith Cassells show that figured on the Swedish pools coupons – of course I predicted a banker Stags win and was proved right.
Away trips to the Rovers haven't been that successful. Before the Lawrence clincher the Stags had only managed a couple of draws no matter what ground Bristol Rovers have played on. Most memorable are a 4-4 in 1966-67 in the old third with both teams finishing in the top half and a 1-1 in 1989-90 – on January 13, 1990 – gaining the Stags a valuable point then successfully fighting relegation. On the other hand, Bristol Rovers have more often than not left Field Mill emptyhanded – i.e. six games there without scoring a single goal in the mid-sixties – out of total twelve - when the teams were stalwarts in the old third. But on two occasions have the Stags been hit for six when Bristol Rovers played their home games at Eastville – a 0-6 rout in 1965-66 and a 2-6 in the Stags FA Cup QF season. Only once have the teams met in the FA Cup – and that was in the 3rd round in the 1957-58 season. The Stags were drawn away and were routed 5-0 on January 4, 1958. At that time, Bristol Rovers were a solid top-half team in the old second division finishing 10th while the Stags qualified for the then new nationwide old third ending up as 6th in the final season of the old div 3 (N). In all the four seasons the Stags did play in the old Southern section, Bristol Rovers were the opponents and more than half of the Bristol team's goal at Field Mill in league fixtures were scored during that period.
There have been some players who've figured for both sides. Among them are Adam Barrett, who played for the Stags in 2001-02. And the current Stags manager Keith Curle started his league career at Bristol Rovers way back in the 1981-82 season.

Played for both sides: Adam Barrett, Andy Beasley, Keith Curle, Stephen Foster, Phil Kite, Trevor Morgan, Nicky Platnauer, Noel Parkinson, Tom Stanton

Home games: P 19, W 13, D 3, L 3, GF 35, GA 11
Away games: P 19, W 1, D 6, L 12, GF 16, GA 44

1931-32 0-3 1932-01-30 1-1 1931-09-19 Div 3 (S)
1937-38 1-0 1938-01-15 0-0 1937-09-04 Div 3 (S)
1938-39 1-3 1938-12-24 0-3 1937-08-27 Div 3 (S)
1946-47 3-1 1946-09-21 0-1 1947-01-25 Div 3 (S)
1963-64 2-0 1964-04-11 2-3 1963-11-30 Div 3 (old)
1964-65 3-0 1964-12-12 1-4 1964-08-22 Div 3 (old)
1965-66 2-0 1965-09-04 0-6 1966-12-19 Div 3 (old)
1966-67 2-0 1967-03-04 4-4 1966-10-15 Div 3 (old)
1967-68 3-0 1968-03-11 0-2 1967-09-09 Div 3 (old)
1968-69 0-0 1968-10-26 2-6 1969-03-25 Div 3 (old)
1969-70 1-1 1969-09-20 1-4 1970-01-10 Div 3 (old)
1970-71 4-1 1971-01-16 0-2 1970-10-20 Div 3 (old)
1971-72 0-0 1971-10-09 1-2 1972-03-11 Div 3 (old)
1977-78 3-0 1978-04-24 1-3 1977-10-04 Div 2 (old)
1986-87 5-0 1987-01-31 0-0 1986-09-13 Div 3 (old)
1987-88 1-0 1988-02-27 1-2 1987-10-03 Div 3 (old)
1988-89 2-1 1988-10-08 0-0 1989-02-18 Div 3 (old)
1989-90 0-1 1989-08-26 1-1 1990-01-13 Div 3 (old)
2001-02 2-0 2002-04-06 1-0 2001-11-20 Div 3

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

 

Latest | September 2003