Archived News from August 2007
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OLDHAM PREVIEWS
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Stags get serious in hunt for an upset
Evening Post, 14/08/2007 Skipper Jake Buxton insists Mansfield cannot afford to take tonight's Carling Cup tie at Oldham lightly - even though League Two remains their priority. The Stags travel to Boundary Park on the back of an encouraging opening day 1-1 draw at Brentford. Oldham will be strong favourites to progress to round two but Buxton wants Mansfield to put on another good show. "We have only had one game so far, but we don't want to ruin the morale by under-performing at Oldham," he said. "If we get a result up there we will be feeling good going into the Lincoln game on Saturday. "If we can nick a result and progress to the second round that would be great." Mansfield beat League One opposition in the first round of last year's competition with a 2-0 victory at Huddersfield. They then lost 2-1 at home to Premiership Portsmouth in the second round. Buxton said: "It was a hard first game but we did well and we deserved more because we created a lot of chances but didn't take them. "Sometimes in pre-season you can't really tell where you are because you play teams above you and those below you. "We were disappointing losing our final pre-season game to Huddersfield 4-0 but the way we played at Brentford gave the players a lift, as well as the fans." Alex John-Baptiste (back) and Matt Hamshaw (toes) are doubts ahead of the visit to Boundary Park. Arnold and Mullins on standby CHAD website, 13 Aug 2007 By John Lomas NATHAN Arnold and John Mullins are on standby for Mansfield Town's tough Carling Cup first round trip to League One Oldham Athletic tomorrow night (7.45pm). Alex John-Baptiste (tonsilitis) and Matt Hamshaw (infected toe) both struggled their way through Saturday's superb 1-1 opening day draw at Brentford. And, with one eye on Saturday's mouthwatering home clash with Lincoln City, manager Billy Dearden may decide to leave them both out tomorrow. "The Oldham game is a very important game for us, as is Saturday," he said. "But if I feel tomorrow that Alex and Matty are not right then I will leave them out. We have John Mullins and Nathan Arnold ready to come in if we need them. "Matty went through a lot of pain with his toe on Saturday and Bap has not been well for a few days now. I will decide on them tomorrow." Oldham began their new campaign with a last gasp 2-1 win over Swansea City and Dearden said: "We are going there very confident. "I thought we created enough chances on Saturday to win two or three matches. "Oldham are a league above us to start with and they have a very big squad. "But my lads were buzzing in training today and we will go up there confident without being over-confident. "We know what we have got to do and that it will be harder than Saturday. "But I always fancy us to create one or two chances. If we are capable of taking them we'll have to wait and see." Andy Liddell and Gary McDonald hope to return to the Latics' starting line-up after both came off the bench against Swansea while on loan Neil Kilkenny could also start against Stags after being given the all clear to play by parent club Birmingham City. |
Latest | August 2007