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Archived News from September 2002

STAGSNET REPORT
28th September 2002 10:44


Stags 0-2 Cheltenham
Victory 71, McAuley 84

Attendance 4,116 (385 from Cheltenham)

Report by Mansfield_Smooth at Field Mill

Saturday at Field Mill saw the return of Cheltenham Town, who were the team Stags went past on the last day of last season to get promotion automatically, but this time round both teams were struggling to cope with the standards of Division 2 football.

The first half was a really poor showing but Mansfield had the best chances until striker Julian Alsop hit the bar from Naylor's knock down, this after Disley and Lawrence were off target.

The first half was pretty quiet with both teams battling hard for possession well but not really creating the chances the determination deserved but all in all it was a pretty scrappy first half.

Half-time 0-0

The second half saw Mansfield take off the unfit Colin Larkin and they introduced Andy White who had the best chance of the opening play of the second period with Sellars - who was the playmaker and creator of most of the chances for Mansfield - as he whipped the ball in and White was agonisingly inches away from a tap in and to start the scoring but unfortunately he didn't.

Then Cheltenham's turn came with Northern Ireland international Duff shooting over from a Cheltenham corner and the pressure was evident when finally Cheltenham's pressure broke the Mansfield resistance when a McAuley corner was turned in by Jamie Victory who celebrated his 300th match with the vital goal on 71 minutes. Stags then made a change bring Corden on for Jamie Clarke.

The game was all over on 84 minutes when Pilkington was struggling with his injured wrist he couldnt get down to keep out Hugh McAuley's low shot that crept inside the post. Then Pilkington went off with what was a wrist injury and later found out he will join a long running injury list and he will be there for 8 weeks with a fractured wrist.

My Man of the Match would have been Scott Sellars as he was the creator of Mansfield's best chances and never gave up.

Pilkington:7 A couple of good saves; it will be a massive blow and now be a bigger task to solve with his absense
JClarke:6 Okay performance today for Jamie still looked that little inexperienced but is looking better
Lever:6 Did welll with Alsop and generally looks alot fitter than before
Moore:6 Quiet today I thought, did what he had to but normally he is more in the game than today
Delaney:6 OK performance and suits the left back role better than centre half for me
MacKenzie:6 Battled hard but needs to be in the middle
Williamson:5 Poor again from Leeroy and is lucky to be in the team
Disley:5 Same as Leeroy, lucky to be in the side looked really poor for me and rubbed away the merit he won against Luton
Lawrence:7 Battled really hard and for me runner up to Sellars as M.O.M
Sellars:8 Really did well today and created our best chances
Larkin:6 Battled hard for the first half but looked no where near match fitness
Subs:
AWhite(for Larkin 46mins) 6 Battled hard but on his own most of time
Corden(for JClarke 73mins) 6 Hardly got into the match
JWhite(for Pilkington 86mins)- Had nothing to save really
Subs not used: Holyoak, Reddington.

 

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