Archived News from August 2010
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EASTWOOD 1 - 3 STAGS
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29 July 2010
Eastwood Town 1 - 3 Mansfield Town Rhead (pen saved by Collett) 32, Todd (pen) 36. Parker (pen) 24, Briscoe 55, Gregory 82. Att: 665 Mansfield: Collett; Leonard (Jordan Fairclough 46), Naylor (Foster 46), Chris Smith (Preece 46), Sandwith; Cain (Briscoe 52), Mills (Somner 78), Thompson (Nix 69), Adam Smith (Williams 73); Parker (Gregory 52), Connor (O'Rafferty 58). Absent injured: Duffy (appendicitis), Istead (hamstring). ------------------- Stagsnet player ratings by Dan Worthington: Collett 9 played very well and definitely will push Mazza for the number 1 spot. Can see him growing with confidence every game. Leonard 7 not the best. He did well on the ball, but he gave away a penalty (the one which they scored) after poor positioning and also could have been sent off for pushing their player in the face after an off the ball foul on Naylor. Naylor 6 his worst pre-season game in my opinion. Let the ball bounce too many times and gave away the first penalty which in the league he would have been sent off for. Decent on the ball though, and did reasonably well. C.Smith 7 again solid. Did well. Sandwith 8 his best game for us in my opinion. He got 90 mins. He did very well, always an outlet and read the game very well. Cain 7 a great threat with his running ability. He played well with both the right backs. I would love to see him get his crosses in earlier though. All in all he did very well. Thompson 8 seems to be a quality signing. Did not want the ball as much as a creative midfielder but read the game brilliantly and gave everything. Did very well and I think he will start the league campaign. Mills 7 played ok. Got better as the game went on. I still think Nix should start with Thompson though. A.Smith 9 did very well. So hard to defend against with him being able to use both feet. He runs 40 yards with the ball without a challenge coming in. Whipped some decent crosses in tonight and if he carries on like this, he could be a big player for us this season. Connor 7 did well to say he was up against Matt Bailey. Won a few headers and linked up very well. Got better as the game went on and so easily could have scored early on with a back flick. Parker 8 did well. Good movement which could have been used more effectively I felt. Looked sharp, showed a few glimses of skill well beyond the level we will be playing at next season. Very good and looks like he will score goals next season. Subs Jordan Fairclough 6 ex-Nottm Forest trialist. A spirited performance and he looks very fast, but in my opinion did not support Briscoe enoough and got turned on a few occasions. Foster 9 awesome. A really commanding centre back, won everything in the air and truly calmed the team down, and made us look more solid. Preece 7 again a bit rusty and really should use his height and weight to more of an advantage, but did well. I'm pleased with his performance. Briscoe 7 did well. Caused a threat. His goal could easily be given as an own goal as it was going off target, but got turned in by the opposition player. After a flick on by Connor, Gregory chased down, took it away from the keeper, who took Gregory out, and the ref was about to give a penalty, but Briscoe cooly hit it towards the goal with a low drive. Somner 8 did very well. Delivered the cross of his life for Gregory's goal. Did very well not just defensively but also as an attacking option. Nix 7 looked sharp. Did very well. Pure class. Williams 7 again came on and used his experience. Read the game well and also could have had a couple of goals. Gregory 8 looked sharp and I'm pleased with him. He was hungry for a goal and it was a real six-yard poachers goal which he scored. Should definitely score a few goals next season. O'Rafferty 7 again did well. I'm disappointed he is going out on loan. He looked sharp and did some nice movements. He's improving, performance-wise and confidence-wise every game. ------------------- Eastwood Town 1 Mansfield Town 3 Evening Post report GOALS from Keigan Parker, Louis Briscoe and Lee Gregory saw Mansfield Town run out winners in a keenly contested pre-season clash at Eastwood Town. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Eastwood-Town-Mansfield-Town/article-2472924-detail/article.html? The Stags' two goal winning margin was comfortable enough in the end against the Blue Square Bet North promotion hopefuls. But the Badgers, playing their first game on a newly-levelled Coronation Park pitch, gave as good as they got and had their fair share of chances. It was a decent work-out for both teams as the start of their respective campaigns on August 14 draws ever closer. Mansfield handed full debuts to new signing Paul Connor, along with Parker, Ashley Cain and Tyrone Thompson. Mansfield had the first serious sight of goal when Parker played an incisive ball down the right flank and Cain crossed from the byline for Connor to guide just wide of the far post from six yards. The home side responded with a thrust down the left from Sam Duncum, who cut into the box before firing straight at Neil Collett. Eastwood were then awarded a dangerous free-kick right on the edge of the box, but Lee Stevenson's powerful drive was straight into the defensive wall. The Badgers almost took the lead from the corner that followed when Connor headed off the line as Adrian Hawes rose highest from a left-wing corner. At the other end, following a quick break, Parker teed up Tyrone Thompson whose blast was blocked by an alert Eastwood rearguard. The Stags had the chance to go in front in the 24th minute when Hawes was adjudged to have pulled down Connor in the box. Parker stepped up confidently and slotted home his first goal for Mansfield, placing his kick in the right-hand corner while John Danby went the other way. Andy Todd almost put Matt Rhead in the clear as Eastwood fought back, only for Kevin Sandwith to nip the danger in the bud by heading back to Collett. The home side should have drawn level in the 32nd minute when Tom Naylor brought down his old Belper team-mate Stevenson in the box. Matt Rhead stepped up and went for the same side as Parker, but Collett guessed right and gathered in the shot. Incredibly, four minutes later, the referee, quite rightly, awarded a third spot kick of the match as John Leonard chopped down Eastwood's Duncum. Andy Todd this time took responsibility and smashed his kick into the roof of the net with Collett having no chance. Tempers flared as half-time approached when Todd reacted angrily to a sliding challenge from Leonard. Both men were given a talking to but escaped further action. On the stroke of the break, Parker broke wide to the right and put over an inviting centre that was just too far ahead of strike partner Connor. Soon after the restart, Adam Smith aimed a cross for Parker who missed his attempted flick. Parker was involved again when his measured centre picked out Gary Mills, but the midfielder headed over the top. A slick break from Eastwood saw Rhead set to score until a last-ditch tackle from substitute central defender Mark Preece saved the visitors. The Stags were back in front in the 55th minute when Lee Gregory chased a long ball through and nicked the ball past substitute keeper Ian Deakin. It left Louis Briscoe with the task of drilling in from a narrow angle, which he did despite a touch from an Eastwood defender. The Badgers hit back determinedly as Michael Simpson released Lindon Meikle through the inside right channel, only for the winger-cum-striker to drill wide of the left-hand upright. A smart save from Deakin prevented a Mansfield third after Briscoe had fired in a shot following Mills' neat pass. Next, Gregory let fly from 30 yards and was not too wide with his drive. But Eastwood were far from finished and Todd drew a decent save from Collett by the foot of his right-hand post. And Meikle might have done better when he headed over the bar from Markel Bailey's flighted ball in. Young striker Gregory was on target with eight minutes to go with a fine diving header from six yards out after Briscoe had swung in a pinpoint right-wing cross. Then, in the closing stages, another Briscoe cross bounced on top of the bar with Deakin caught in no man's land. Eastwood: Danby (Deakin 27), Cooke, Riley, Simpson, Mat Bailey, Hawes (Haggerty 78), D'Laryea (Foster 69), Stevenson (Meikle 59), Rhead 78 (Muller), Todd (Nightingale 78), Duncum (Markel Bailey 73). Subs not used: Hollis, Handbury. Mansfield: Collett, Leonard (Fairclough 46), Naylor (Foster 46), C. Smith (Preece 46), Sandwith, Cain (Briscoe 52), Mills (Somner 78), Thompson (Nix 69), A. Smith (Williams 73), Parker (Gregory 52), Connor (Mitchley - correction by Martin: O'Rafferty) 58). Attendance: 665. --------------------------- Eastwood 1-3 Stags mansfieldtown.net, Thu 29 Jul 2010 Keigan Parker, Louis Briscoe and Lee Gregory were on the scoresheet as Mansfield Town clinched a 3-1 victory away to Eastwood in a match which saw three penalties. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2105955,00.html Tempers flared on occasions in this pre-season encounter between two clubs separated by ten miles and one league division. The encounter was keenly-fought and Stags were made to work hard for their win by their Conference North hosts. Moments before kick off, both Eastwood and Mansfield observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect for former Stags' Chairman and long-serving director John Almond, whose death was announced today. Inside the opening five minutes, Keigan Parker, Stags' captain for the night, chipped a beautifully weighted ball to Ashley Cain on the right, and the winger's cross met Paul Connor in the box whose cheeky side-foot trickled across the face of goal. At the other end, Eastwood striker Sam Duncum cut infield before firing low at goalkeeper Neil Collett. Stags' new signing Paul Connor, known for his goalscoring prowess, showed his defensive abilities when he headed off the line following a home corner with 16 minutes played. Tyrone Thompson struck a hard shot a minute later, but his goalward effort was blocked. It was Connor who won Stags a spot kick on 25 minutes when he was man-handled in the box by giant home defender Ady Hawes. Up stepped Keigan Parker to send the 'keeper the wrong way from 12 yards. On 31 minutes, it was Eastwood's turn to score from the spot after Tom Naylor had fouled in the box. But Matt Rhead's low effort was well met by Neil Collett, diving to his left. Eastwood's Sam Duncum beat Jon Leonard for pace three minutes later, but was upended by the Stags trialist as he broke into the area. This time, Andy Todd showed how to take a spot kick, blasting the ball into the roof of the net to leave Collett with no chance. Then Keigan Parker delivered a sweeping right wing cross for Paul Connor, who went head to head with substitute goalkeeper Ian Deakin before the ball was scrambled to safety. The game almost descended into chaos five minutes before half time after a tackle from Jon Leonard on Andy Todd. A brief skirmish followed, but sensible refereeing ensured that both teams remained with 11 players apiece. In the second half, ex Forest trainee Jordan Fairclough, currently on trial, slotted in at right back, while Steve Foster and Mark Preece took their places in central defence. Louis Briscoe and Lee Gregory were soon to take the field in the second half, replacing Ashley Cain and Keigan Parker. Stags restored their one goal lead following a route ball from Collett ten minutes into the second period. His direct kick went into the path of Lee Gregory, who appeared to be brought down by the 'keeper - but Louis Briscoe was on hand to cooly finish. Paul Connor left the field to be replaced by 18 year old Niall O'Rafferty just three minutes later. Midway through the second period, Kyle Nix entered the field, on for Tyrone Thompson. Gary Mills lined up a good effort for Louis Briscoe minutes later, but his vicious drive was well saved by the home goalkeeper. Adam Smith then left the pitch to be replaced by club captain Ryan Williams. The substitution was soon followed by a Stags' effort on goal. Front man Lee Gregory, aiming to gain a starting place this season after spending last term on loan, sent a crashing shot goalwards which flashed past the post. Matt Somner saw the last 12 minutes of the contest, on for Gary Mills in midfield - and it was he who provided for the best goal of the match. The win was made certain on 82 minutes when Somner's pin point right wing cross found the head of a stooping Lee Gregory, who got the faintest of touches to head it into the net. Williams tried to cheekily chip the keeper from an acute angle moments before the end, but his miss mattered little, as Stags ran out worthy victors. Attendance: 665 Starting Line up: Collett, Leonard, Sandwith, Naylor, C.Smith, Cain, A. Smith, Mills, Thompson, Connor, Parker --------------- Stags win at Eastwood Town CHAD.co.uk, 30 July 2010 MANSFIELD Town won 3-1 at Eastwood Town on Thursday night thanks to goals from Keigan Parker, Louis Briscoe and Lee Gregory. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Stags-win-at-Eastwood-Town.6448543.jp Andy Todd was on target from the penalty spot in reply for the Blue Square Bet North side. Before the friendly clash at Coronation Park, players, officials and fans observed a minute's silence in memory of former Stags chairman and long-serving director John Almond, who died earlier this week. ---------------------- |
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