Archived News from March 2009
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HOLDSWORTH, DUFFY, WILLIAMS AND EDINBURGH REACTION
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David Holdsworth interview with BBC Radio Nottingham's Dave Cribb here
David Holdsworth video interview here Justin Edinburgh audio from Radio Diamonds here StagsWorld Sunday Supplement, David Hodlsworth joins Mark Stevenson here Duffy and Williams video interviews here David Holdsworth post match interview 
Ryan Williams post match interview 
Ryan Williams post match interview 
Scorer Rob Duffy waits to be interviewed 
------------- Play-off dream alive says Stags boss after dramatic late win CHAD MANSFIELD Town's dramatic late 1-0 win at Rushden on Saturday earned the players a day off on Monday – and kept their dreams of the play-offs faintly alive. "At half-time today I told them if they won they could have Monday off as I didn't have any money on me," smiled boss David Holdsworth after Rob Duffy's 88th minute penalty clinched victory. "So I have a very happy dressing room in there. "Do we still mention the play-offs? Why not? I don't like saying it, but I want to encourage fans to come out and support us against Lewes on Saturday. "We must keep our standards high. "I can only thank the fans for their support today. There was 400 of them and they sounded more like 4,000! It was great support. "They've had some tough times and if I can help them have more better Saturdays than not, I am happy to remain here. "It was good to win after my first defeat last week. I can't stand defeat and my wife will tell you I am not great company when we've lost." That is three away wins in four trips for Holdsworth. "I am the non-League 'Special One'," he smiled. "The foundations are built on hard work. I expect standards and I still expect a lot more out of them. "We showed a bit of class today, going away and trying to win the game. I thought we always looked comfortable. "Credit to Rushden, they kept going as well and I really hope Justin Edinburgh gets the job here. "I set targets for my wingers today on the number of crosses I wanted them to put over and they were not far off it. "I thought Nathan Arnold was magnificent in the second half. He wanted to take the penalty and it was nice for me to have a queue of people wanting it. "But Rob has scored two out of two so I can't grumble at that. "Nathan's young lady gave birth to a baby girl this week so I am pleased for him. It has been a good week in his household. "I thought Paul Mayo was outstanding today and my centre halves were absolutely tremendous again. "Alan Marriott had nothing to do, but suddenly the linesman is asleep and their lad is through and Alan is there to save with his feet. "That is the mark of a great keeper and he could still do a good job in the League. "Jon D'Laryea got a seven out of 10 today but I want him to get eights and nines. I want him to be nastier – not hurting people, but being more aggressive. "Never in a million years was I going to play Curtis Woodhouse today. "I wouldn't have dreamed of going back on my word. But I wasn't going to tell Justin Edinburgh that! I wasn't going to reveal my hand – I am a good poker player. Rob Duffy said after his 88th minute winner from the penalty spot: "I didn't feel the pressure with the late penalty – it's the type of thing I like as a centre forward. "If you miss there is no time to redeem yourself so you just make extra sure it goes in. "Nathan tried to get it off me as he has just had a baby girl. So I said I would score it for her! "I couldn't see where a goal was coming from until then. It was just a battle." Ryan Williams, who made his debut as a substitute on his return to Field Mill, said: "It was a great victory – it was always a tight game but I always fancied we could nick a goal at the end. "I had one chance and it would have been nice to see it go in, but hopefully there will be more and one will fly in for me. "I am made up to be back. They are a great set of lads which helps you to settle in and everyone has made me very welcome. "The lads have had some great results recently and if you keep on picking up the points you never know what might happen. "The defence were superb today and when it is that solid behind you then you are always liable to nick a goal." -------------- Duffy is spot on for Stags Evening Post Mansfield's Rob Duffy admitted it brought him great satisfaction to score the penalty to sink ex-club Rushden and Diamonds.The Northants side was the striker's first club and so he was naturally delighted to settle a tight game with his third goal for the Stags. He stroked home an 89th minute penalty after Gary Silk had been cut down in the box by Chris Arthur. "It is always good to score against one of your olds sides, but if someone else scores and we win then great," said Duffy. "In the 89th minute if you miss a penalty then you have no time to redeem yourself, but I scored the last one and I will keep stepping up. Nathan Arnold tried to get the ball off me, but I said I would score." Duffy was honest enough to say he thought the best Mansfield were going to get was a point. He said: "I couldn't really see where a goal was going to come from. In the first half we had a few chances, but the second was just a battle. We had a point and we were fighting to keep it, but then we got the penalty and ended up with three." -------------------- Evening Post Holdsworth gives stags fans reason for cheer David Holdsworth is delighted Mansfield Town fans are now looking up the Blue Square table rather than down it - even if it has sparked play-off talk. All talk of the play-offs has been banned by the Stags boss, whose brief this season was to secure the club's status at this level. But Saturday's last-gasp 1-0 victory over Rushden and Diamonds was a fifth win in eight games under Holdsworth. And it is that kind of form that has supporters dreaming of a late push for the top five. "I don't like saying the word, but why shouldn't the fans be thinking of it?" said Holdsworth. "I want people to be positive and encourage us and cheer us on against Lewes this weekend, like they did at Rushden. "I can only thank the fans who went down on Saturday. There were 400-odd but it sounded more like 4,000. They gave us tremendous support. "They have had some tough times and if I can help them have better times more often than not while I am here then I will be happy. "There has never been any thoughts about relegation from me - another word I don't like to use because I have never experienced it in my life." After securing Mansfield's first win over Rushden, Holdsworth joked he had to touch of Jose Mourinho. But he says there is still much to be done at the club, despite a third away win in four attempts. He said "I'm the non-league special one! You dream of it when you come to a club, but you will find it's down to hard work. "I will be working my socks off to keep things improving because I expect standards. "I'm delighted with the victory and ecstatic for the players, although I know there is still a lot for me to do at the club. "But we are making progress and we are going out and earning our rewards." Mansfield won the game with an 89th-minute penalty from Rob Duffy - his third goal for the Stags. "The good thing was that there was a queue for the penalty - it's pleasing to see people wanting it," said Holdsworth. "Nathan Arnold wanted it because his young lady has given birth to a baby girl this week. But it is still a good end to a great week for him because he was magnificent in the second half. "Rob took it very calmly. He dropped the shoulder and waited for the keeper to go and then slotted it in." Holdsworth was impressed with the performances of a number of his players. He said: "Ryan Williams came on and could have sealed a dream debut. He has got good feet, but he will learn about the discipline we have from thrown-ins. "But he has only been here a couple of days and we are delighted to get him on board. "Paul Mayo was outstanding and the centre halves were tremendous again. "Alan Marriott had nothing to do for a lot of the game and then when he was called into action he did the job, which is the mark of a great keeper. "That's why he can still play in the Football League. There are plenty of league keepers who are not as good as him." ------------------- Holdsworth thrilled by Stags' win at Rushden DAVID Holdsworth revealed he told his Mansfield players at half-time he would give them a day off if they beat Rushden. And after seeing the Stags clinch a 1-0 success thanks to Rob Duffy's late penalty this afternoon, he intends to be as good as his word. “At half-time the incentive was Monday off if they won – I didn't have any money today like I did at Eastbourne. “Now they have got Monday off but they will come in Tuesday and they will do a double shift! “I was quite confident at half-time. Aaron O'Connor had the best first half chance and should have gone across the keeper but at least he got it in target. “I would have been happy with a point. You should always be happy if you come away and keep a clean sheet, but we ended up with all three. “But give credit to Rushden because they kept going as well. I wish Justin Edinburgh all the best and I hope he gets the job there.” Holdsworth felt his side were rewarded for another workmanlike performance. He said: “It shows a bit of class going away from home and sticking to your guns, being resilient and trying to win the game. “We battled, but my teams always battle. It's the hallmark of a good manager to come away and set up in the right way. “We went with a 4-4-2 and set out to attack and maintain our high standards of pressuring and I felt we were very comfortable.” Jonathan D'Laryea made it five wins from eight games since being made skipper, but Holdsworth is looking for more from the former Manchester City man. “Jon is captain and he has to be a bit more aggressive,” he said. “He put in a seven out of 10 performance, but I want that to be eights and nines “I want him to be the Bryan Robson of the side. It doesn't mean being nasty, but he has to channel his aggression.” ----------------- |
Latest | March 2009