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Archived News from March 2007

SUPER STAGS BEAT HIGH FLYERS AGAIN
4th March 2007 20:08


Lincoln City 1 – 2 Mansfield Town
Forrester 74. Conlon pen 14, Arnold 50.
Attendance: 5,316 (1040 from Mansfield)

Martin Shaw at Sincil Bank

Mansfield Town put in another excellent performance this afternoon to beat local rivals and high flyers Lincoln City. The Stags were on top throughout most of the game and deserved a 2-0 lead, but were made to sweat in the last 15 minutes to hold on after Jamie Forrester had pulled a goal back, and the Stags failed to kill off the game despite playing against 10 men. It was fitting revenge for the Stags who had been on the end of a 4-2 defeat at Field Mill earlier in the season when Forrester had netted 4 times. The entire Stags team was outstanding making Lincoln look worse than ordinary.

Stagsnet player ratings now in the Match Centre
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Observer report by Steve Hartshorn.

SUPER STAGS SLAM IMPS PROMOTION HOPES
Lincoln City 1 Mansfield Town 2

High-flying promotion favourites, Lincoln City were brushed aside as The Stags continued their excellent run. A 15th minute penalty by Conlon and a second on 51 by Nathan Arnold put Mansfield in full control, and despite a 71st minute replay from the hosts it was Stags who went onto record a first win over Lincoln City in 8 attempts.
The Stags, in buoyant mood following their win over play off hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers just seven days previous could have been thinking that they possibly faced an Imp back-lash following the home sides recent slump in fortunes but it was never the case as Mansfield controlled from start to finish and left the home side with serious thoughts of whether or not a league 2 automatic promotion place would be theirs.
With on-loan striker, Gritton not allowed to play, boss Billy Dearden chose to push Simon Brown up front to partner Conlon and gave young midfielder, Nathan Arnold his first league start of the season out wide right. It proved a masterstroke with both the pace of Brown and Arnold causing the home side all sorts of problems throughout the game.
City themselves were short of first team names, not noticeably Stallard who didn't even make the sixteen.
With over 1,000 Stags fans in good voice, Mansfield got off to a good tempo forcing the first corner of the game. However when the ball was cleared to last weeks goal hero, Jonathan D'Laryea his first time shot flew out for a throw in!
The game was being played at a vicious pace, City next to threaten but Amoo's free lick was deflected over the Stags crossbar.
Stags took the lead on 15 minutes when they were awarded a penalty kick. A fine through ball from D'Laryea found Simon Brown, the Stags front man got the right side of City defender, Beevers but then as he homed in on goal Beevers leaned and pushed Brown down to the ground giving the Referee no other option than to point to the spot.
Barry Conlon placed the ball down on the spot and fired straight and true to put Stags 1-0 in front.
On 22 minutes City's Hughes almost single-handedly got his side on level terms; but after a brilliant run where he beat off the challenges of three Stags defenders, he curled his effort wide of Jason Whites left hand upright.
The on-loan Hodge tested Marriott in the City goal but his 30 yard free kick did nothing but fly into the keepers grateful arms.
The Imps were crying out for a penalty when a perfectly good tackle by Buxton on Frecklington caused the City players to question the Referee. When nothing was given and play continued Moses was booked after hacking down Simon Brown who was in full flight heading towards the City area. Moses in obvious frustration at his side's penalty appeals being turned down.
On 42 minutes, good control by Conlon enabled the big striker to lay off the ball for Dawson, but The Stags midfielder's effort was pushed away to the right by Marriott.
On 47 minutes, Stags broke away from a City corner. Young, Nathan Arnold raced into the City half of the pitch and headed towards goal. City struggled to stop his run but instead of looking up to see an unmarked Dawson, Arnold shot towards goal and Marriott saved.
Arnold though was to make amends just four minutes later when he was in the right place at the right time to put Mansfield 2-0 up. This time Brown controlled a long ball before jinking in and looking up to find a perfect ball for Arnold who made no mistake from around the eight yards mark.
City tried to get a foothold in the game but White was equal and City wasteful.
Brown should have put the game out of City's reach but after great control and after beating Moses, he went for the near corner instead of shooting across the keeper and his effort smashed into the side netting.
Just a minute later Beevers tripped Brown and forced the Referee to issue him with his second yellow, then red. City down to ten men and Stags 2-0 up, the Mansfield fans were jigging with glee.
Stags were in total control and the home side looked well beaten. On 73 minutes there were massive cheers as Matty Hamshaw came on for Arnold.
Just 60 seconds later though, Forrester gave City a lifeline when he smashed home from 20 yards following a low cross in from the left. It was the City front man's 17th goal of a productive season.
The game was now going from end to end as Stags relied on breaking out with the home side leaving all sorts of gaps as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
With three minutes to go, Hjelde came on for the injured Mullins but the Stags were holding firm. The last minute saw Boulding on for Conlon as boss Dearden tried to eat up some of the added on five minutes. Hodge then exchanged passes with Jelleyman but shot straight at Marriott.
The last real chance of the game came to Boulding but his effort was saved easily.
The final whistle was greeted with loud cheers from the travelling Stags fans who had seen yet another hoodoo ended.
This weekend Stags travel to near neighbours, Notts County. The Pies are on the slip in League 2 and there is expected to be a large following of Stags fans at Meadow Lane.

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report from redimps.com:
City slipped to their second successive home reverse on Saturday with near neighbours Mansfield Town emerging as 2-1 victors at Sincil Bank Stadium.

The Imps, who had Lee Beevers sent off for a second bookable offence just after the hour mark, found chances at a premium throughout the 90 minutes

City had trailed to a 15th minute Barry Conlon penalty after Beevers had been harshly adjudged to have elled Nathan Arnold in the box - his good old fashioned shoulder charge seeing referee David Foster point to the spot before booking Beevers.

The Stags doubled their advantage six minutes into the second half when Arnold slotted in a Simon Brown centre and when Beevers saw red after upending Brown, City's task was made more difficult.

Substitute Owain Warlow set up Forrester for his 74th minute effort but despite pushing me forward, the leveller proved elusive.



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Match report by John Vickers at Sincil Bank Stadium:

Injuries, illness and suspension forced Head Coach John Schofield to make three changes to his side for this Coca-Cola League 2 game against Mansfield Town at Sincil Bank with Nat Brown, Paul Morgan and Mark Stallard all absent.

In came Adie Moses, Paul Green and Dany N'Guessan with Moses slotting into centre-back alongside Lee Beevers, Green in at left-back and N'Guessan up front alongside Jamie Forrester.

The playing surface looked soft under foot as the game got underway and the Imps were first to press, forcing a succession of throw-ins only for the Stags to respond by winning the game's first corner.

The clock was in its fourth minute when the flag-kick came in but when it fell to Jonathan D'Laryea 25 yards out he promptly fired out for a throw-in rather than get in a shot on target.

City's response saw Dany N'Guessan win a free-kick which led to a corner after Ryan Amoo's effort took a deflection but after Lee Frecklington was given a second chance to float the ball in after his initial effort had been nodded behind, a ball back in from Nicky Eaden went out for a goal kick.

At the other end Nathan Arnold fired over from the edge of the box but City quickly replied with Jamie Forrester forcing the third corner of the game; Frecklington's subsequent delivery being well claimed by Stags' goalkeeper Jason White though.

Play switched to the other end though with Arnold and Lee Beevers both sprinting for a loose ball forward. Good back tracking from Beevers saw him cat up with Arnold but when the pair went shoulder-to-shoulder the Mansfield man went to ground.

It was a good old-fashioned shoulder charge from Beevers which led to rnold hitting the deck but such is the nature of the game these days that rookie referee David Foster deemed the challenge to unfair and blew for a penalty.

Before the spot-kick could be taken, Beevers was shown a yellow card, and when Mr Foster was ready, up stepped BARRY CONLON to calmly slot the ball past Alan Marriott.

City looked for a quick response and, after good work from N'Guessan down the left, Hughes twisted and turned his way past a couple of defenders before firing wide with his right foot.

The game seemed to be littered with free-kicks as the half reached its midway point, the majority going in the favour of the Stags, whilst a knock to Scott Kerr saw him receive treatment from physio Michael Wait before he trudged off holding his side.

Kerr was straight back into things but it was his midfield colleague Frecklington who made a great break forward in the 33rd minute before being felled in the box as he prepared to pull the trigger from 15 yards. Play-on waved Mr Foster and as Mansfield cleared their lines, Adie Moses was booked for a foul on Simon Brown.

Two minutes later N'Guessan's name added to the Tyne & Wear official's notebook after the Frenchman was hashly punished for persistent fouling. A City break forward was then halted after the referee spotted a push by Hughes with the man in black quite rightly earning a chorus of boos as he carried on with his picky decision-making.

As the half-time whistle approached, an Amoo centre was deflected behind for a corner but the Stags' back line cleared when Frecklington played the ball in. Two minutes of added time was then indicated by the Fourth Official. These came and went without incident.

HT: IMPS 0 MANSFIELD 1

Both sides emerged unchanged for the start of the second period and it was the Imps who were first to press with Nicky Eaden winning a corner 90 seconds after the restart.

Frecklington whipped the flag-kick in but the loose ball wouldn't fall to a man in red and white and as Mansfield replied, Nathan Arnold was denied by Alan Marriott with the visiting striker going for goal rather than squaring to Barry Conlon who was in space to his left.

Five minutes later, ARNOLD found himself in the right place at the right time as Mansfield went on the counter-attack. The move forward came after the Stags had cleared a City free-kick and after Simon Brown had brought the ball forward, he slotted it into the path of Arnold who calmly beat Marriott to double the visitors' advantage.

City replied by winning another corner only for Frecklington's near post delivery to be intercepted whilst one on the other side was fired into the side-netting by the Imps' midfielder.

At the other end Brown fired into the side netting after wrong-footing Adie Moses but, just after the hour mark had passed, City's cause wasn't helped when they were reduced to 10 men for the second successive home game.

The sending off came after Brown came inside Beevers and whilst the challenge from the City man was clumsy, it was hardly a cautionable offence but referee Martin thought otherwise and, after a second yellow was brandished in his direction, out came the red.

Three minutes after this 61st minute dismissal, Spencer Weir-Daley replaced Dany N'Guessan up front for City and whilst the Imps regrouped Mansfield won a corner which was easily cleared.

Two more Stags corner gave them a chance to grab a third in the 70th minute but City kept them out well whilst a couple of minutes later Lee Frecklington made was for Owain Warlow.

Shortly after this switch Forrester won a corner after being set up by Warlow but Amoo's deep centre wasn't kept in by Weir-Daley. Matt Hamshaw then replaced Simon Brown for the visitors.

Hamshaw hadn't had chance to touch the ball before City attacked and, for the first time of the afternoon, they made it count. Tenacious play from Scott Kerr in midfield saw him win possession before spraying the ball out to Warlow on the left. Good vision from Warlow then saw him lay the ball back to JAMIE FORRESTER who planted a firm drive past White for his 17th of the season.

Hughes then tested White from range as City pushed for a leveller whilst treatment to John Mullins with nine minutes on the clock gave Mansfield a chance to calm things down.

Kerr then had a shot blocked by Jake Buxton before Weir-Daley went down in the box before Jon Olav Hjelde came on for Mullins for the visitors. The clock was now in its 87th minute.

A couple of minutes later Barry Conlon then made way for Michael Boulding asthe visitors ate a few more seconds up. Five minutes of added time was then indicated.

Ninety seconds into added time Ollie Ryan was thrown on for Paul Green as Head Coach John Schofield went all-out attack for an equaliser but the seconds quickly slipped away for the men in red and white.

FT: IMPS 1 MANSFIELD 2

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report from theimps.tk:
Imps wave white flag against Mansfield
By Nathan Jackson - March 3 2007

Lincoln City's 4 months run of playing crap continued with Mansfield Town comfortably winning at Sincil Bank. It was the 3rd game in a row where City have made a mediocre side look like world-beaters, and City wasted a great chance to go back up to 3rd place.

City started the game well but Mansfield won the game's first corner. It found it's way to D'Laryea, but he could only direct his shot out for a throw in. N'Guessan won a free kick for City, and after an Amoo shot went out for a corner, Frecklington's centre went out for a goal kick.



Arnold wasted a good chance for the visitors before Forrester won another corner, this one was caught by a completely unchallenged White in the Mansfield goal. The ball found it's way down the other end and it resulted in Beevers giving away a penalty after the defence had just stood there allowed Arnold to run through on goal. Marriott continued the common trend of him diving the wrong was as Conlon slotted the ball into Marriott's right hand side of the net. Beevers was booked for the challenge.



Kerr was injured in a challenge, but he was instrumental in Frecklington breaking forward, however the young midfielder seemed afraid to shoot when through one on one, and was easily tackled when looking for an unnessacery pass. Moses was then booked for a foul on Simon Brown. N'Guessan was booked for persistant fouling, that came just 10 seconds after the referee had ignored Arnold double-footed tackling Kerr from behind. It was a theme throughout the afternoon, a City player would be fouled, the ref would ignore it before giving Mansfield a free kick for the exact same thing just a few seconds later.



Early on in the second half, Simon Brown and Arnold burst forward 2 on 1 with Moses, Brown wasted the chance though as he selfishly tried to score, Marriott easily claimed. 2 minutes later and the exact same thing happened again, this time it was Arnold running forward and he did what his team-mate couldn't as he shot across goal and despite Marriott getting a touch, it trickled into the net.



Mansfield thought it was 3-0 from an identical situation again, fortunately this time Brown hit the side netting. Just as Brown was about to break though yet again, Beevers' leg caught the striker as he ran to get to the ball, the defender then received the marching orders for only the second time in his City career.



Weir-Daley replaced the disappointing N'Guessan just minutes before Frecklington was replaced by Warlow. All of a sudden City looked like they could actually be bothered. City won several corners, but in true Lincoln City style, they were wasted. Former City target Matt Hamshaw came on for Simon Brown.



Good work from Kerr saw him distribute the ball to Warlow, the youngster took the ball forward and crossed the ball to Forrester, he hit it first time to score only his second open-play goal this calendar year. Hughes almost equalised but White saved relatively easily. Kerr had a decent effort block, before Weir-Daley appeared to blatantly dive to win a penalty, the referee wasn't fouled. Boulding came on for Boulding, and Ryan replaced Green, but City couldn't find an equaliser.
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CHAD report:
Super Stags lay another bogey to rest!
LINCOLN CITY 1 MANSFIELD TOWN 2
MAGNIFICENT Mansfield continued their superb run by notching a rare win over free-scoring promotion-chasing neighbours Lincoln City at Sincil Bank this afternoon.
That means Stags had taken seven points from three successive games against top sides MK Dons, Wycombe and Lincoln.
Over 1,000 jubilant away fans saw Stags beat bogey side Lincoln for the first time in eight meetings in a pulsating, full-blooded 'derby'.
And that was after ending their 13 year league hoodoo against Wycombe Wanderers last week.
Barry Conlon put Stags ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes.
Nathan Arnold added a deserved second on 51 minutes and Mansfield looked to be coasting, particularly after Lee Beevers was sent off for a second bookable offence on 61 minutes for the home side.
But deadly Jamie Forrester, who sank Stags with four goals at Field Mill earlier in the season, brought the game back to life with a fine finish on 71 minutes for the League's top scorers.
And an end to end finish saw Stags always more likely to grab a third on the break than Lincoln get through a Mansfield defence which had done so well all afternoon.
Lincoln began the afternoon only a point off the three automatic promotion spots, but have suffered the jitters in recent weeks, now having only won three of their last 11 outings.
And it was Mansfield who mastered the dreadful Sincil Bank surface to serve up most of the first half football with Jason White only having two saves to make.
With Jon D'Laryea and Bryan Hodge running the midfield, Stags soaked up second half pressure and looked very dangerous on the counter and, despite Forrester's strike, were good value for the three points.
With on-loan Lincoln striker Martin Gritton not permitted to play against his parent club, Brown was pushed up front alongside Conlon with Arnold coming in for his first League start of the season on the right wing.
There was also a welcome return for Hamshaw who was named among the substitutes.
Lincoln were without Morgan and Stallard along with several other squad members due to an illness in the club. Also, they had Brown out serving a suspension.
The early action was predictably fast and furious.
Stags won an early corner which was cleared out to last week's goal hero D'Laryea who this time saw a dreadful shot fly out for a throw-in!
Amoo saw a 30 yard free kick deflect over the Mansfield bar on seven minutes for two successive corners which were cleared.
Marriott had to fist away a dangerous far post cross from Arnold with Conlon waiting and seconds later Arnold crashed a shot over the angle on 10 minutes.
White was fortunate that no one was ready to punish him for only collecting a Frecklington corner at the second attempt.
But Stags were ahead in the 15th minute from the penalty spot.
Brown wriggled goalside of Beevers after D'Laryea had hooked a long ball forwards and Beevers leaned on Brown from behind as he homed in on goal.
After Beevers was booked, Conlon took the responsibility of the kick and rolled the ball home to Marriott's right as the keeper guessed the wrong way.
The Imps almost levelled after a moment of individual brilliance from Hughes on 22 minutes. From the left of the box he beat three Mansfield defenders before curling the ball over the far angle.
Stags won a free kick over 30 yards from goal. But ambitious Hodge gave it a real thump and Marriott was thankful it was straight at him.
More neat football from the Stags saw Hodge roll a pass for Brown who was well over from 20 yards.
Lincoln were screaming for a penalty to even things up after a perfectly good tackle on Frecklington by Buxton in the box and, as Stags broke away, Moses was very lucky only to be shown yellow after scything down Brown in full flight in temper at the previous decision.
When N'Guessan wrestled Dawson down on 33 minutes he was finally booked for persistent fouling.
The tackles were now flying in and referee David Foster had it all on to keep control, twice giving drop balls as players battled.
Conlon brought down a high all on 42 minutes and cushioned a pass to Dawson whose shot from 25 yards was parried by Marriott diving to his right.
Then Amoo's effort from a tight angle took a deflection en route. But Stags cleared the corner and were ahead at the break.
Mansfield were lucky when a Frecklington corner bounced through everyone in a crowded box on 47 minutes. But Stags broke quickly from the eventual clearance and Arnold should have squared the ball to Dawson to his left, free in front of goal, but chose to go alone and forced Marriott to save at his near post.
However, Arnold was the hero four minutes later as Brown showed him what he should have done in the previous counter-attack.
Once again Stags broke well down the left with Brown initially doing well to control a high ball and then taking it on before spotting the better placed Arnold and crossing, the youngster bundling home the finish from eight yards.
White did well to grab an attempted chip by Kerr as City looked for a quick way back into the game.
Two more corners followed for the Imps, the second of which Frecklington inexplicably passed into the sidenetting.
Brown should have finished City off on the hour as he raced into the left of the box and cut inside Moses before drilling his finish into the side netting.
A minute later Brown looked set to race clear but was brought down by Beevers who was shown his second yellow card and sent off.
White was down well onto N'Guessan's dangerous low cross before Lincoln sent on Weir-Daley in place on N'Guessan on 65 minutes.
Stags were in full control by now and White a virtual spectator.
Mansfield forced three more corners, D'Laryea having a shot blocked from the second and Conlon heading wide from the third.
Warlow replaced Frecklington with 18 minutes to go.
An Amoo corner flew over everyone and out of play wide of the far post.
There were then huge cheers from the away fans on 73 minutes as Hamshaw joined the action in place of Arnold who was given a big hug by his manager for his contribution.
But the Imps were not finished and goal ace Forrester produced them a lifeline from nowhere with his 17th goal of the season on 74 minutes.
Substitute Warlow crossed low from the left and Forrester, from 20 yards, crashed home a superb finish.
Brown warmed Marriott's hands soon afterwards as the game swung from end to end.
On 80 minutes White was there to save Hughes' 25-yard on-target blast while Conlon's header from Hamshaw's free kick was tame and easy for Marriott.
Buxton blocked a Kerr shot as City poured forward, but Stags' defending was resolute.
Mullins had just been treated for an injury and he limped off three minutes from time with John-Baptiste moving to right back and Hjelde on in the centre to prepare for the final onslaught.
Michael Boulding then replaced Conlon in the last minute as Stags tried to kill the remaining time, playing keep-ball as much as possible.
Brilliant play from Hodge saw him hold the ball up, exchange passes with Jelleyman and get a shot straight at Marriott as we entered five nail biting minutes of stoppage time.
Lincoln's last throw of the dice saw them send on Ryan for Green.
Another Stags break saw Boulding shoot tamely at Marriott as Mansfield held on to their advantage against the frustrated 10-men of Lincoln.
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