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Archived News from August 2004

YOUNG STAGS BEATEN 2-0 AT ALFRETON
3rd August 2004 14:07


Young Stags are beaten
CHAD website
A youthful Mansfield Town XI went down 2-0 at Conference North neighbours Alfreton Town tonight.
Stags, who fielded only Kevin Pilkington, Jake Buxton and Darren Barnard from the senior professionals, were sunk by two first half goals.
Chris Dolby beat Pilkington with a superb lob from just outside the area after three minutes and John Knapper then made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on 29 minutes.
But veteran home keeper Lee Butler made two superb saves inside a minute just before the break to keep out finishes from Danny Herron and then Nathan Arnold.
Stags made more of a fist of it in the second half, despite numerous substitutions.
A crowd of 509 watched the game - around double that which watched the first team at Bath on Saturday.
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Photos, courtesy of Keith Parnill here (cut and paste the address into your browser) --->

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/keith.parnill/teversal_2004-05/20040802/index.html
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YOUNG STAGS ARE BEATEN BY ALFRETON
Evening Post, 03 August 2004
A Youthful Mansfield Town side went down 2-0 at Alfreton Town last night in front of a crowd of 509.

With only skipper Kevin Pilkington, Jake Buxton and Darren Barnard with real senior experience, the Stags were under pressure from the off and were a goal behind after only three minutes.

A through-ball split the defence and Chris Dolby lobbed Kevin Pilkington perfectly, the ball dropping just under the bar.

Godber went close for the hosts on several occasions before a challenge in the Stags box resulted in John Knapper driving a penalty straight into Pilkington's bottom left corner on 31 minutes.

Both Danny Herron and Nathan Arnold missed chances when clean through. But, with the second half largely void of clear-cut chances, Alfreton held out for a confidence-boosting victory.

Stags have a final game to fit in before the start of the League Two campaign on Saturday.

They play a behind-closed-doors friendly this afternoon against unannounced opponents as manager Keith Curle makes his final preparations ahead of the big kick-off against Bristol Rovers.

Joe O'Neill, who enjoyed an excellent Stags debut at Bath on Saturday, is one of three strikers Keith Curle is considering adding to the squad.

Curle has spoken to Preston boss Craig Brown about the possibility of signing the 21-year-old striker.

Stags: Pilkington, Jones, Barnard, Buxton, Reynolds, Lloyd, Hurst, Parker, T Curle, Arnold, Herron.

 

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