Archived News from September 2008
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McEWAN AND STEVE EVANS REACTION
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audio interview with Billy McEwan from BBC Radio Nottingham here
McEwan: Arnold was hopeless. audio interview with Steve Evans, with Crawley News and Crawley Observer here Evans: Billy should keep his trap shut. Photo of Evans interview : 
Photo of Gary Silk interview : 
Silk: Stags left it too late to stage recovery Evening Post, Monday, September 15, 2008 GARY Silk felt Mansfield started to find their feet just too late to pull out a positive result against Crawley. Full story here ---> http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Silk-Stags-left-late-stage-recovery/article-326092-detail/article.html The home side were undeniably on top for the first hour and could have been more than two goals to the good. But Aaron O'Connor's introduction seemed to spark Mansfield into life and right-back Silk netted his first goal for the club with 11 minutes to go. An equaliser was not forthcoming, though, as the Stags fell to their second defeat of the season and are still without an away win, despite five home victories. "We feel like we never really got going until we were 2-0 down, but we are still disappointed we didn't get something with the chances we had at the end," said Silk. "They passed it well in the first half and we never really got hold of the ball. We never really had any decent possession to start attacks. They played with three up front, which pinned us back and meant Frenchie [Alex Jeannin] and I struggled to get out. I think Aaron O'Connor's introduction did help us but I think the main thing was we started to get hold of the ball and get going forward. "I think it's just a shame that we only played well for the last half-hour when we were 2-0 down." Silk was not too concerned about opening his account for the Stags. "I suppose it is nice to score a goal, but I would have much preferred us getting something out of the game," he said. ----------------- CHAD : Stop the hari-kari, says Stags boss McEwan STAGS manager Billy McEwan saw his side continue to ship soft goals as they handed Crawley both their goals in a 2-1 defeat that saw the Sussex side leapfrog them at the top of the Blue Square Premier Saturday. "First half we were poor but second half we were the better side," he said. "But we are gutted and disappointed to lose and we have to stop committing hari-kari and we will be all right. "When we try to score we have to create chances - no one gives them to us. But we give too many goals away far too easily and both today came from basic errors and were soft to say the least. "You can't blame Paddy Gamble. It is not down to one individual as there are 10 players in front of him that should be protecting him. "We will take the positives and we created a lot of chances away from home against a good side today and their keeper made some good saves as did ours. "Our players were arguing among themselves after the second goal which was the right thing to do. I don't want choirboys. I don't want anyone raising a hand, but things were not right and had to be said and I certainly would have done if I had been out there. "After that we kicked on and our approach play was excellent." He added: "We should have been 1-0 up before they scored as Michael Blackwood tried to chip a 6ft 4ins keeper when he was clean through. "But we can't wait to go 2-0 down before we start playing. And certain players today were off the boil big time. We can't have that away from home. They have to stand up and be counted and they were told that in no uncertain terms in the dressing room. "If Nathan Arnold plays like he did today he won't get in that England C team - he was hopeless today. "I could have gone one up front today and been negative. But we came here to try to win the game. Maybe that is something I will have to look at if we can't keep a clean sheet." Crawley boss Steve Evans said: "On the first hour we should have won by five or six really. "We made a good side look a poor side and they are not a poor side. "Mansfield have an experienced manager and good players and their keeper made some wonderful saves. "But then their keeper had a 'Calamity Jane' straight away in the second half though Cookie (Jamie Cook) still had to tuck it away. "Then we missed two sitters to go 3-0 up and it could have been a rout. But that never happened. "When you play against the Stallards, the Moses and the Robinsons - who should have probably been sent off for smashing our player with his elbow - they have a bit of quality. "They managed to get a goal back from a mistake so the errors evened up and, although we have to say that was a very good afternoon's work, let's not kid ourselves it was anything other than tough. "We might be top and on the nine games we deserve to be p there though I am not sure about top. But we are three points nearer 54 which will mean staying in the Conference next season." -------------- Evening Post: Crawley reaction: McEwan defends Stags keeper Billy McEwan defended young goalkeeper Paddy Gamble after his two errors cost Mansfield the goals that saw then beaten 2-1 at Crawley. The Nottingham Forest loanee made two blinding saves in the first half to keep out goalbound shots with the Reds in control. But either side, Gamble missed a punch to allow Adam Quinn to score and then failed to make a routine clearance from which Jamie Cook put Crawley 2-0 ahead. The Stags rallied in the last half hour and pulled a goal match with Gary Silk netting his first goal for the club. But they could not salvage a point as Steve Evans' side leapfrogged Mansfield to go top. “Paddy needs protection in front of him. There are 10 players in front of him before the ball gets to him,” said McEwan. “For the ball over the top (the second goal) the defence should have dealt with it a lot better. “It is a combination of things and not just the individual's fault.” McEwan felt eh game was one of two halves, with Crawley on top in the first and Mansfield bossing the second. He said: “The first half was poor but the second half was a lot better apart from the goal we gave away after a matter of seconds. “But you can't go 2-0 down before you start playing. The positive thing was we created chances again at what is a tough place to come.” ------------- |
Latest | September 2008