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Archived News from February 2009

PREVIEWS AND COMMENTARY LINK
17th February 2009 15:13


Commentary of Saturday's game at the the Abbey Stadium, Cambridge will be brought to you free-to-air by BBC Radio Nottingham online. Follow the link here or go bbc.co.uk/nottingham and click on Listen Live. Commentary will be by Dave Cribb and Martin Shaw (David Jackson has drawn the short straw and has been asked to commentate on Nottingham Forest as holiday cover).

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David Holdsworth interview from Radio Nottingham here

Cambridge Utd v Mansfield
Date: Saturday, 14 February
Kick-off: 1500 BST
Venue: The Abbey Stadium
Coverage: Full commentary on bbc.co.uk/nottingham

Cambridge team news to follow later.

Mansfield will be without defenders Scott Garner and Alex Jeannin.

Centre-half Garner serves a one-match ban while left-back Jeannin has not returned to training after injury.

Mansfield Town manager David Holdsworth told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"I believe in what I'm doing. There is a lot of optimism in the air at the moment and you don't get that by luck. Confidence is flying but it's not arrogance.

"We haven't been successful in the games under me so far because of luck - it's down to hard work and doing things correctly.

"I believe in doing things right and the players have bought into that.

"We have to keep pushing on now. We have to make sure that the work ethic increases."

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CHAD VIDEO here: Striker Duffy relives Saturday's crucial goal
12 February 2009
AS Stags head to Cambridge looking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches, striker Rob Duffy relives his winning goal last weekend in this video interview with Chad's John Lomas.
The striker also talks about his snow celebrations afterwards and gives his thoughts on Mansfield Town's prospects in this video, filmed at the JJB Sports Centre, Pride Park, Derby.

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Garner 'will learn from red card'
Evening Post, February 12, 2009

SCOTT Garner will learn from the first sending off of his senior career, insists Mansfield boss David Holdsworth.

Read here

The 19-year-old will miss this weekend's trip to Cambridge after being shown two yellow cards in last Saturday's home win over York.
The Stags boss knows the first of those cautions could have been avoided and has put the dismissal down to inexperience.
"Scott's first was for kicking the ball away, but I know why he did it," said Holdsworth.
"He was out of position and didn't want to get caught out. I have done it myself plenty of times.
"Next time he will learn to use his brain differently."
Holdsworth is delighted with the competition he now has down the right-hand side thanks to an impressive debut from Scott Gardner.
The 20-year-old former Leeds man replaced the suspended Gary Silk in the line-up against York, and could also challenge for the right midfield slot if he recovers from a gashed foot.
Holdsworth said: "I had to wait to get Scott. I wanted to make sure I got the right pedigree of player.
"I didn't just want to bring in someone who'd been at 500 clubs and who was just coming here to pick up a few quid.
"Scott has learned from some good players at Leeds and he showed his pace against York."
Mansfield's game at Histon, postponed on Tuesday, has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 31.

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Thursday press conference free video from mansfieldtown.net here and here

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Stags boss looking for a goal hero
CHAD, 12 February 2009
By John Lomas
DAVID Holdsworth would be delighted to get a fifth clean sheet in his sixth game in charge of Stags at promotion-chasing Cambridge United on Saturday.

Read here.

But he is aware his team need to start scoring more goals - and he admits he may need to delve into the loans market if some of his players don't step up to the mark and start finding the net.

"I love clean sheets," he said. "When I came here my mandate was to stop the leaks and we have done that without calling a plumber!

"We have shown we can be organised and play with passion and grit.
"But we can't keep relying on clean sheets, especially against the top 10 sides which is what we are faced with now.

"We have no one in the league's top goalscorer charts which concerns me. I am pleased that other players have chipped in with goals. But we need someone to get into that scoring chart.

"If no one in the club can do it then maybe I will have to look elsewhere. But that will all be down to finance."

He added: "What Steve Evans said after our game with Crawley about me still having a lot of hard work to do here has stuck in my mind. I know he was running about like a madman and he was not very respectful in what he said but I will still listen to what other managers have to say.

"He said there was hard work to be done - and we are doing that."

Cambridge have only lost once in eight BSP games and are currently third. But Holdsworth said: "I expect to go to Cambridge and win which will push us nearer to securing our status.

"I am delighted with what we have done so far. But I am not surprised as I believe in myself and what I am doing. There is a lot of optimism in the air right now and you don't get that by luck.

"We know it will be tough at Cambridge - you look at their home record and they have walloped a few teams. We go there as underdogs, but we might just surprise a few people. We are not expected to go there and win which is a good thing.

"I know and respect their manager Gary Brabin. He is a passionate man as well.

"But confidence here is flying. And it is an assured confidence, not an arrogance."

With Tuesday night's trip to Histon postponed due to the weather, injured players have had time to recover and names like Michael Blackwood, Rob Duffy, Scott Gardner and Nathan Arnold are fit again.

Gary Silk returns from a one game ban but Scott Garner will sit it out after last Saturday's red card earned him a one match ban.

"I may tweak things and surprise a few with the team this week," said Holdsworth."

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