Archived News from January 2009
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HOLDSWORTH, WOODHOUSE, MAYO AND KEEHAN REACTION
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David Holdsworth and Lewes manager Kevin Keehan are interviewed by Radio Nottm's David Jackson and BBC SCR's Kevin Anderson respecively after the game here
Paul Mayo video interview here To follow on Sunday: Curtis Woodhouse talks to StagsWorld's Martin Shaw, while Paul Mayo talks to StagsWorld's Steve Hartshorn, plus StagsWorld's Sunday Supplement. NOW HERE ... StagsWorld's Sunday Supplement, free-to-air, including previously unheard interviews with Curtis Woodhouse and Paul Mayo, here Woodhouse: "Duffy wants a bit more jam on them" Exclusive post match audio from StagsWorld as Paul Mayo talks to Steve Hartshorn and Curtis Woodhouse talks to Martin Shaw 
Full match commentary was provided by David Jackson and Martin Shaw from the Dripping Pan 
------------- The Argus (Sussex): Keehan: Losing Butters was a blow By Howard Griggs » Kevin Keehan admitted the loss of new signing Guy Butters before kick-off was a heavy blow to Lewes. Butters suffered a calf injury in training on Thursday and had to sit in the stand as Lewes went down 1-0 at home to Mansfield. Rooks boss Keehan said: “I was a bit nervous beforehand. We brought Butts in because we were worried about our aerial presence. To lose Butts when we were already without Andy Pearson and Danny Cullip was a real blow. Having to play Barny and Chris Breach in the middle of the back four with the two youngsters was a real worry. “But in the end they were hanging on and with a little bit of luck we might have got something out of the game. “It is about belief . I said to them at half-time if they believed in themselves we could win the game and I honestly believed that. “They scored a good goal but other than that they had a couple of free headers which I wasn't happy about but in the second half they didn't really cause us a problem other than from corners. “We frightened their back four an awful lot more than they did ours. “I was disappointed with the result again but the performance was all right, we just needed a goal.” ---------------------- Evening Post: Woodhouse: I have so much more to offer Stags Curtis Woodhouse feels he has a lot more to give to Mansfield after playing his first game for more than a month at Lewes.The midfielder impressed on his debut with his high work-rate, determination and ability to get forward. But the former Sheffield United and Birmingham player, who is set to face old club Rushden and Diamonds tomorrow, is confident he will improve. "That is my first game in five or six weeks and towards the end the red light was coming on to say my tank was empty," said Woodhouse. "There is a lot more to come. I would give myself six out of ten. "I was a little bit lucky not to get a yellow with one of my tackles in the first half and I put about three free-kicks on Rob Duffy's head. "It is just fantastic to get a victory in my first game. It is difficult for Lewes because they are down at the bottom and they looked like they are playing with a lack of confidence. "If we had got another goal we might have gone on to win three of four, like we did when we were down here with Rushden. But the gaffer will take 1-0 wins like that all day, especially away from home." Woodhouse heaped praise on his new team-mate Paul Mayo for his winning goal - which was just about the only set-piece the welterweight boxer did not take. And he was also impressed with the work of goalkeeper Alan Marriott - a former team-mate at Rushden. He said: "I didn't fancy him (Mayo) for it, but he curled it into the top corner, so it's happy days. "We had quite a few chances in the first half and I think overall they only had one shot and Mazza (Marriott) saved that. Mazza is a good goalkeeper and I think if he was three or four inches taller he would have played in the Premiership." ----------------- Evening Post: Holdsworth: I'll continue to make changes at stags David Holdsworth today pledged to continue to bring players to Mansfield Town who can make the club a Blue Square Premier force.The Stags secured a 1-0 victory at second-bottom Lewes on Saturday with the help of a superb strike from Paul Mayo on debut. That contribution came as no surprise to Mansfield manager Holdsworth, who says the talent now arriving at Field Mill is no accident. "Paul Mayo's goal was a tremendous strike - it could have been in the Premier League," said Holdsworth. "I'm pleased for him on his debut because he knows he needed that. "I have already told the chairman that I am not going to bring bad players to the club. "I will bring quality players in because there has been too much of a muchness at this club for a few years. "We have to have players who can perform in certain positions. Paul Mayo is a left-back and does what it says on the tin and he gives us balance. "There are a lot of hours going into bringing the right people in and now I have options." Although Mansfield might have won by several goals after dominating the first half, they were made to settle for just a one-goal margin. Holdsworth has urged the Stags supporters to back his side to see out games when in winning position - something rarely seen by a Mansfield team in the past. He said: "I thought we played some fantastic football and we had a number of goalscoring opportunities. "But we dealt with all that was thrown at us and it's now two clean sheets in two games. "The fans are eager for us to get goals because they have not had a defence to trust, but they can trust this defence. "I would have liked us to be more forceful with the counter-attack, but defensively we were good." Holdsworth picked out several players for praise, who responded positively to the late withdrawal of Nathan Arnold through a knee injury. "I thought Adie Moses and Scott Garner were enormous for us, Somner was a warrior, particularly in the first half," said Holdsworth. "Curtis Woodhouse needed that game because he was a little rusty, but he was dogged. Louis Briscoe played very well and got stronger and stronger. Jon D'Laryea played a different role. Normally he gets a nose bleed if he gets in the opposition half. "He broke forward a number of times today and he will start to score goals ---------------- CHAD: Stags' goal hero's delight at winner and playing football again 22 January 2009 By John Lomas MATCHWINNER Paul Mayo says he is 'delighted' he made the switch to Mansfield Town in midweek after scoring on his debut in the 1-0 win at Lewes on Saturday afternoon. Mayo decided to drop out of the Football League at Notts County when the Stags offered him the chance to play first team football, albeit in the Conference, until the end of the season. And his fantastic first half free kick in his first game for two months was enough to secure Holdsworth's second 1-0 win in his two matches in charge of the Stags. Mayo and fellow newboy Curtis Woodhouse excelled as the Stags dominated the first half - Woodhouse might have had an early hat-trick and Aaron O'Connor hit the woodwork - but were almost made to pay for wasting several chances to kill off the game. Late on keeper Alan Marriott was forced into a terrific save - diving to tip away Josh Klein-Davies' goalbound strike . . . underlining the importance of his recent signing. Afterwards Mayo, who struck from 20 yards in the 22nd minute with a curling left-footed free kick, said: "Curtis (Woodhouse) had been taking all the free kicks, but I fancied it. "It was in a position I like. Fortunately he left me to it and lucky enough it went over the wall and in. It was my first goal for a while. "It is just nice to be out playing again. Mansfield gave me the option, otherwise I would have been sat in stand watching Notts County. I am delighted I made the decision to come to Mansfield "It wasn't easy and we should have wrapped the game up earlier, but three points is the main thing. It was a tough debut and nice to get the win. "It has been two months since I played and there were a few cobwebs. I tired towards the end, but we ground it out. "The pitch wasn't good, it was awful, but we started the game well. If we had got a second goal it would have made life easier and at 1-0 it was always on a knife edge. "We need to take our chances against the better teams or we may pay for it. But we came here and did a job. "We are a new team, still getting to know one another. That is two wins out of two under the new manager. It is a good start, but it is only a start and we want to finish as high as we can." Fellow debutant Woodhouse added: "I could have had a hat-trick early on, but the promising thing for me is making runs off Duffy. That means I can get goals for this team, I am confident I can get a few. "The header I missed? I am only five foot and a peanut so I am not wonderful with anything in the air. But I thought their lad was going to get it, it just hit me on the head. "Then I shanked another chance wide. But I will definitely score in this league. There is a lot more to come from me. "I would give myself 6 out of 10 today. It will take me two or three more games befoe I am firing on all cylinders. "In the last 20 mins I was running on fumes, it was my first game in six weeks and I ran out of gas a bit. The red light was coming on - the tank was empty, so it was great to get 90 minutes under my belt. "It is a sign of a good team to come away and win 1-0, any 3 points away from home is a bonus. "In the first half we had a few chances, but Lewes had just one shot on target so we have got to be happy. "I liked what I saw. Everyone giving everything for everybody." Manager David Holdsworth, celebrating his second successive 1-0 win in his first two matches in charge at Field Mill, was full of praise for the travelling Stags fans after the long journey for some to the South Coast. He said: "I must thank the travelling fans, there was wonderful support. They really got behind boys and it made a difference . . . they were maginificent and I am sure they are enjoying this bit of revival. "I hope we can continue the form we are in into Tuesday night (Rushden at Field Mill). I am ready to go out for a battle again." Talking about Mayo's matchwinner, the boss added: "Paul scored a great goal - a tremendous strike that could have been in the Premiership. I was pleased for him, I won't bring bad players here -only quality players. "Players have been too much of a muchness in recent years, but I want players that can perform in certain area and do what it says on the tin. Paul Mayo is a left back. It's not rocket science. "But it takes everyone to make an imprint at the club - on goals, crosses, headers in the season "Today Adie Moses was immense and Scott Garner, they were rocks today and stood out for me. I am very pleased for them. And Matt Somner was a warrior. "Jon D'Laryea played a new role for me today, he normally gets nosebleeds over the halfway line but he got in the box a few times today and will get goals. I want to help him improve his game. "Curtis (Woodhouse) need the game, but he was dogged in there. "And Louis Briscoe was immense today. He was back in his right position and got stronger and stronger. He is so strong - he is a bully." Holdsworth, who has brought so many new faces to the club in his short spell in charge and a change in their style of play, went on: "I am trying to make slight adjustments quickly - I changed to 4-3-3 today and the work ethic from the players was phenomenal. "Defending is an art and we defended very skillfully. "Six points is a good return (from his first two matches) and I am very happy, but it was a tough encounter, especially in the secong half. "Lewes had a real good go at us, we should have got a second goal in the first half and put the game to bed. But then they through caution to the wind and had a good go." "We showed the traits of what I am about today - that is we were hard to beat. "In the first half we played some fantastic football, created a number of goalscoring opportunities and really should have put the game to bed. "When you are only winning 1-0 any slip or chance can be costly - but we really didn't give them that and they had only one shot that raised an eyebrow. "Lewes did come at us in the second half and turned it into a cup final and the second half was an intriguing game. "I shut the game down a bit in the second half and trusted my players to be in the right positions. I would have liked us to have been more forecful with the counter attacks, but on that pitch it became a real plod. It was like watching Nyjinsky doing four miles up a slope at Plumpton. "The pitch was a leveller, but all credit to Lewes for getting the game on. They made us very welcome and are very passionate people about football, the same as me. I wish them all the best for the rest of the season." Holdsworth concluded: "It is all about fitness levels and we have still got to improve ours. I am not interested in anything else this season apart from being hard to beat. "That's two games and two clean sheets and I can't ask for anymore. "The fans have now got a defence they can trust and everyone in the side played their part. The team structure was magnificent and we were hard to break down." ------------- |
Latest | January 2009