Archived News from October 2008
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STAGS LOSE HOME RECORD TO POOR PENALTY DECISION
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Stags 0 - 1 Woking
Sole pen 57 ----------- Observer report by Steve Hartshorn: SOLE TAKES THE HEART OUT OF STAGS Mansfield Town 0 Woking 1. The Stags unbeaten home record came crashing down in controversial circumstances with the award of a 58th minute penalty. The decision mystified all but one inside Field Mill, that being match referee, Dean Mohareb who ruled that home defender, Alan O'Hare had fouled Wilfried Domoraud and had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Many would not have thought that Mansfield's unbeaten home run would have ended. The visitors, Woking not having the best of seasons, although they had won their last two under new manager, Phil Gilchrist, while The Stags were seemingly back on a roll following their impressive 3-2 at Salisbury seven days previous but it wasn't to be. Mansfield struggled to get going and at times were very average whilst the visitors tried every old away team trick in the book by wasting time on every opportunity and then had the luxury of a deluded penalty kick given in their favour, which was slotted away with ease by Guiseppe Sole. Stags gave a full debut to Frenchman, Maxime Chanot, who had joined the club on loan from Sheffield United late on Friday. He slotted into the centre of defence for the injured Moses and Stallard took up the Captains armband. The game was played throughout in swirling windy conditions that made good football a difficult task for both sides, but Stags got off to a flyer with a great chance in the opening two minutes. Hurren knocked the ball out wide on the left for Blackwood, O'Connor eventually having his shot blocked by Miles. From the resulting corner, Stallard glanced on a header that struck the post, Silk prodding the ball wide from the rebound. Woking's first chance at goal came following their first corner, but Domoraud over head kick was not the best and the ball went out harmlessly. With 15 minutes gone, Sole raced onto a through ball and beat Gamble to the chase, however as he rounded the Stags keeper, the ball ran away from him and went out for a goal kick. Mansfield in the meantime were only for fleeting moments passing the ball well enough to give concern to the visitors defence. On 23 minutes, Chanot found himself into the referee's notebook for a foul on Marum. The Cards almost took the lead when following their 2nd corner, Gamble made a hash of collecting the ball, but Domoraud could only fire a weak shot back towards the keeper. On 27 minutes, Hurren played the ball out wide to Arnold, who brilliantly kept the ball in and set off on a run that resulted in a good ball to O'Connor, his first time shot dragged just past the far post with the keeper well beaten. Pidgeley did though do well to hang onto a Blackwood free kick as Woking continued to frustrate. The referee gave a glimpse of what was to come when Domoraud went down in the box in what was clearly a dive. The referee rightly did not award a penalty kick, but neither did he book the diving Woking midfielder. O'Connor had a shot blocked but mainly the first 45 minutes had little goalmouth incident. Just on the stroke of half time, Stags were grateful to Silk for a goal line clearance from Lorraine after he had beaten Gamble to the ball with a decent header. The Stags started the 2nd half how they had started the first, but could still not find a breakthrough. The best chance coming to Somner who headed the ball over the crossbar following a cross from Hurren. However the deadlock was broken in the 58th minute and in controversial circumstances. O'Hare and Domoraud were challenging for the ball in the Mansfield area when the Stags defender slightly leaned on his opponent who slumped to the ground. The referee pointing straight to the spot bringing an angry response from quite a few Stags players. However the referee had made up his mind and the penalty stood. Sole stepped up and confidently beat Gamble to give Woking the lead. D'Laryea immediately replacing Hurren in the centre of the park. The home crowd's anger and frustration at the referee grew to fever pitch when after witnessing more time wasting tactics from the Woking goalkeeper, Pidgeley, Jeannin said something out of turn and found himself into the referee's notebook. On 72 minutes a timely tackle by Marum denied a racing Arnold who had got on the end of a flick on by O'Connor. The Woking defenders tackle timed to perfection inside his own area. Stags were desperate to get back into the game and on 77 minutes, Jeannin was replaced by Jason Lee, Blackwood moving into the left back position. It was Blackwood who had a perfect chance of levelling things for Mansfield but after finding himself unmarked, his header from an Arnold cross went straight into the arms of the Woking keeper. As the game neared its conclusion, Lee headed down an Arnold cross to Stallard, his attempt on goal was blocked by the chest of Hutchinson who dived in the path of the goal-bound effort bringing cries for a penalty by the now desperate home crowd. The referee caused more anger when only four minutes of added on time was announced. Woking's time wasting tactics had worked and despite two late corners for the Stags it just wasn't to be their day. Observer man of the match – Nathan Arnold – showed moments of great skill on a dreary day for the home side. ------------- Media comments on that penalty for Woking: David Jackson (BBC Radio Nottingham) - an outrageous decision. Tim Morriss (Mansfield CHAD) - a terrible decision from referee Dean Mohareb. Nigel Pinnick (Stagsworld) - a terrible decision. Phil Gittins (BBC SCR online commentary) - a fortuitious decision for Woking. Matt Halfpenny (Nottm Evening Post) - But the form book was ripped up as the Cards were handed a big break by referee Dean Mohareb – and they took advantage. There was little danger in the 58th minute when Alan O'Hare challenged Wilfried Domoraud for a free-kick in the box. But the lone striker went down and a penalty was awarded to Woking – to Mansfield's intense anger – that was converted with ease by Sole. --------------- report from wokingfc.co.uk 4 Oct 2008 MANSFIELD TOWN 0 WOKING 1 Andy Avery Blue Square Premier Woking came away from their first ever visit to Field Mill with a valuable three points after Gez Sole's penalty was enough to win a scrappy game on a cold and windy afternoon. Not many Woking fans would have been expecting a win and the statistics before the game would have backed them up. Mansfield were riding high at third in the table with the Cards still in the relegation zone despite recent victories. A look at the team's home and away records also pointed to a Mansfield victory with the home side yet to lose at Field Mill this season, whilst Woking had gained just a solitary point on their travels. Woking fashioned the first chance of the game early on but Domoraud failed to take it and the game became unsettled with both teams giving the ball away and failing to create many chances. Neither goalkeeper was particularly troubled apart from crosses and the crowd seemed strangely subdued. It was the Stags who had the best chance of the half in the twenty-sixth minute. Arnold found space down the right and played the ball back to O'Connor who fired across goal past Pidgeley but fortunately it went the right side of the far post and out for a goal kick. Woking created little until the final minute of the half when after a corner, Hutch played the ball goalwards and it hit the bar and dropped just in front of the goal but a defender was on hand to clear the ball when Domoraud just needed a touch to put it into the empty net but he did not react quickly enough. Half-time: Mansfield Town 0 Woking 0 Woking made a change at half time with Danny Bunce replacing Colin Miles. Once again, the wind played a huge part in ruining the game as both teams struggled to control the ball through the air especially at set pieces. It was somewhat surprising therefore that the goal came as a result of a high ball. Pidgeley pumped the ball forward and Domoraud jumped with a defender and both fell to the ground. To the Woking fan's amazement at the other end, the referee gave a penalty. I was informed after the game that it was given for a shirt pull. Mansfield's furious protests were waved away and Gez stepped up to beat the keeper and put Woking one up. Mansfield stepped up the tempo after the goal and dominated possession but despite their efforts were unable to find an equaliser due to some fantastic defending from the whole of the back four, supported by the midfield tracking back, and Pidgeley winning everything in the air. There were two moments that typified the defiance of the Woking defence late on. In the seventy-seventh minute, a ball over the top saw Stallard bearing down on goal with just Pidgeley to beat. Just as he was about to shoot, Conan slid in with a perfectly timed tackle to put the ball out for a corner. With just a few minutes to go, a cross in from the left caused hesitancy in the Woking defence and the ball again fell to Stallard who hit the ball goalwards only to see it blocked by the chest of a diving Tom Hutchinson who came from nowhere to prevent the goal. Woking held on through four minutes of stoppage time to claim all three points and move out of the relegation zone for the first time this season. The reaction of the players and management team showed how much it meant to them to have broken their duck away from home. In just a few games, Phil Gilchrist and his team have turned things around, and if Woking can follow it up with good results in their two home games this week, the fans can stop looking down and start aiming for a top half finish which on current form is well within reach. Woking: Pidgeley, Conan, Lorraine, Hutchinson, Miles (Bunce 46), Lambu, Quamina, Marum, Sole, Ledgister, Domoraud (Sam-Yorke 87). Subs Not Used: Warner, Williams, Moone. Booked: Ledgister, Marum, Conan. Goals: Sole 58 pen. Att: 2,563 Ref: D Mohareb My MOTM: Paul Lorraine It was a tough choice as a number of players were in contention. Lambu looked a threat whenever he had the ball whilst Hutch was close to his best. Danny Bunce looked like the defender of last year with a superb performance, but for me Paul Lorraine just shaded it with a fantastic performance snuffing out Mansfield attacks as well as winning most balls in the air, whilst his attitude and commitment are great to see. He is looking like another good addition to the list of quality central defenders at Woking and he can still get better as he is only young. ------------ |
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