Archived News from May 2009
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TOOTHLESS STAGS BEATEN AGAIN
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Burton Albion 1 - 0 Mansfield Town
McGrath 43 Att 2871 (714 from Mansfield) Mansfield Town's torrid time continued with defeat at Burton Albion on Tuesday night. It was the Stags first ever visit to Burton, but the 714 Stags fans were treated to a disappointing performance. Stagsnet player ratings now in the Match Centre --------------- report from http://www.burtonalbion.com BURTON ALBION 1 MANSFIELD TOWN 0 (13/10/08) John McGrath's first goal of the season helped boost the Brewers back up to third in the Blue Square Premier and kept up Burton's good run in front of the Setanta cameras. The match was a typical frantic local derby but the few glimpses of good football all came from the home side as the former league team were made to look very ordinary. Jake Buxton and Darren Stride dealt with the Mansfield forward line and heckling from the travelling contingent with ease, allowing Kevin Poole the easiest of nights on his return to the team. Lee Morris made his first league start and showed flashes of the skill that once prompted Derby County to pay £3m for his services, and his road back to full fitness will have been helped by 75 minutes of football tonight. McGrath's goal, a strike from the edge of the area, ended a flowing move that was instrumented by Marc Goodfellow. 'Freezer' continued his good run of form, and he might just be starting to prove some of his doubters wrong. ------------ report from thisisderbyshire.co.uk Brewers find moment of high quality to ruin the Stags' night A MOVE and a goal of the highest quality separated Burton Albion from Mansfield Town in front of the Setanta TV cameras last night. John McGrath's first goal of the season, driven in from 20 yards in the 43rd minute, earned the Brewers three points. They were forced to defend for long periods in the second half but, ultimately, Mansfield did not create much and their former captain, Jake Buxton, was marvellous at the heart of a Burton defence showing more resilience than has sometimes been the case this season. Ahead of them, McGrath again got through an enormous amount of work and the Irishman always looks more effective when he pushes forward as often as possible. Star billing would have been his but for an outstanding first half from Marc Goodfellow, looking more and more the player manager Nigel Clough is sure he can be as he enjoys his first extended run in the side. Mansfield closed him down better in the second half but, by then, Goodfellow had done the damage. The Stags saw plenty of the ball in the first half but it was the Brewers who created the chances. Goodfellow was not skinning his full-back but his ability to spot a pass and his willingness to have a shot when the opportunity presented itself kept defenders on the back foot. It was he who had the first chance, hitting a first-time shot from 18 yards which visiting keeper Paddy Gamble touched around his left-hand post after eight minutes. A nicely-judged long ball almost put McGrath through a couple of minutes later and, after a spell of Stags pressure, Goodfellow forced a low save from Gamble after playing a neat one-two with Lee Morris after 25 minutes. Burton appeared a little fortunate when Andy Corbett, having some trouble with Stags winger Nathan Arnold, seemed to trip the winger inside the box in the 29th minute, although TV replays later suggested little or no contact. Goodfellow twice more tested Gamble before beating him with a curling low shot which just passed the keeper's right-hand post after 37 minutes but he soon made his most telling contribution. A one-two with Greg Pearson saw him scamper down the right wing before squaring a beautiful pass which allowed McGrath to drill in his shot. At the other end, Kevin Poole had saved from Gavin Hurren and Aaron O'Connor but Mansfield produced nothing to match the incisiveness of the move that put Burton ahead. A second goal would have allowed Burton to cruise more comfortably to the end but McGrath had a fierce shot deflected just wide and Darren Stride, arriving at the far post to meet McGrath's free kick, saw a good header cleared off the line. Ultimately, a second goal was not necessary. Solid, tight wins like this characterised the Brewers' run to the play-offs last season. They have been in short supply so far this time and a few more like it will do nicely. -------------- report from BBC.co.uk: Burton 1-0 Mansfield John McGrath's goal secured Burton a win against Mansfield which moved them up to third in table. McGrath fired home with a left-foot effort from just outside the penalty area after a right-wing delivery from Marc Goodfellow. Burton should have added a second but Lee Morris's strike from 12 yards flew narrowly over. Mansfield's best chance came in injury time when Anthony Robinson dragged an effort wide of the post. --------------- |
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