Archived News from September 2010
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STAGS BEATEN BY WONDER STRIKE IN BATTLE OF TWINS
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Blue Square Bet Premier
Newport County 1 - 0 Mansfield Town Rose 62. Sent off: Bignot 90+3. Sent off: Parker 70. Attendance: 2,713 (220 from Mansfield) Date: 18 September 2010 Martin Shaw at Spytty Park In the first ever match between two sides managed by twin brothers, it was Dean Holdsworth's Newport County that came out on top thanks a magnificent strike from the edge of the box on 62 minutes. Apart the goal, there was very little to choose between the two sides, even after Mansfield were reduced to ten men when Keigan Parker punched Chris Todd in the face with 20 minutes left. The Stags had two shots cleared off the line and were unfortunate not to claim a point. Stagsnet report in the Match Centre. ---------------------- ------------------------ Newport 1 Mansfield Town 0, Saturday 18th September 2010 CHAD report, by John Lomas DEAN Holdsworth won the battle of the twins at Newport on Saturday thanks to a wonder goal by Danny Rose in the 63rd minute of a tight, well-contested game. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/newport_1_mansfield_town_0_saturday_18th_september_2010_1_1552642 But Stags, who had two efforts cleared off the line, did themselves no favours when Keigan Parker got himself a needless automatic red card for striking out at Chris Todd on 71 minutes, just 26 minutes after coming on as an interval substitute. The game had made history as the first time twin brothers had squared up as opposing managers in the professional game. And there was little choose between the sides with few clear chances. Newport hit the post in the first half while Adam Smith had an effort cleared off the line. But the decisive moment on 63 minutes saw Rose scamper in late to receive a low pass from a corner that he buried with a venomous finish. Even after Parker's premature departure, Stags battled on gamely and Nix saw another effort cleared off the line near the end while Steve Foster headed just over. Referee Kevin Johnson, whose overly-fussy officiating saw six yellow cards and a stop-start afternoon, evened things up in stoppage time when he sent off Paul Bignot for a second bookable offence. But it was too late then for Mansfield whose hopes of a fourth successive away win had gone against a decent side who have not lost at home since March 2009. Stags made just one change from the side that won at Southport last week with Adam Smith returning in place of Luke Medley who was ruled out with a shin injury. The first 10 minutes were an even affair with Henry's first touch letting him down when he might have got free on the right for the Exiles and Adam Smith seeing a shot blocked and Gregory halted by a great challenge from Warren in Stags' early raids. Home keeper Thompson had the first save to make on 16 minutes as Nix tried to curl the ball beyond him from 18 yards from a low ball pulled back by Silk after good work by Connor on the right. Foley's team mates looked disgruntled when he lashed the ball well over the far angle on 19 minutes from Henry's through ball on the right when he had a wealth of better-placed orange shirts to his left. Collins was cautioned on 28 minutes for diving in on Nix in the middle of the park. On the half-hour mark the visitors had a let-off as Foster tried to head clear a high ball forward but it dropped for Reid who stabbed a low shot against the foot of the near post. Three minutes later Stags almost went ahead as Istead slipped the ball to Adam Smith in the bix and he controlled and neatly helped it over the keeper from seven yards only to see Bignot acrobatically clear off the line with an overhead kick. But two minutes later hero Bignot was also added to the book for his protests after he felt he had won the ball cleanly as Adam Smith tried to outstrip him down the left. The home crown were getting increasingly irate with the referee and Connor found himself in the notebook for what was little more than a clumsy challenge on Henry which brought ironic cheers from the Newport fans. The game's first corner came in the last minute of the first half but a foul by Gregory in the box saw the window of opportunity wasted. Stags ended the half under pressure, one long throw from the left cleared to Henry who lashed over from 20 yards. But a tight, hard-fought but largely uneventful half ended scoreless. Parker replaced Gregory up front for Mansfield for the second half. Henry caused immediate problems with a low cross in towards the near post which Marriott grabbed at the third attempt amid a huge scramble. The Stags keeper then cut out a low ball in from Reid seconds later. Istead lined up a cross for Mansfield but instead almost caught the home keeper by surprise with a swerving shot which he blocked. Adam Smith then brought a good save out of him as he cut in from the left and went inside three players before firing a powerful shot at goal that Thompson turned over on 49 minutes. On 58 minutes a swift break down the right by Newport saw the ball worked across the pitch, Morgan playing a quick square ball to Rose in space to his left whose first time shot had to be on target but sailed over the far angle, Silk catching him with a challenge as he shot which left Rose needing treatment. Istead did well to rob Foley in the box and leave the ball for Nix to fire low wide of the far post. Home boss Dean Holdsworth made a double change on 61 minutes as he withdrew Foley and Morgan and sent on Matthews and Knights. And two minutes later Newport went ahead with a spectacular finish from Rose. Winning their first corner on the left, Henry pulled in back low to Rose who was running in 20 yards form goal and he struck it with an unstoppable net-bursting finish that bulged high in the net before Marriott could react. Reid found the Stags sidenetting soon after as the home fans began to turn up the volume. David Holdsworth made another change as Adam Smith came off and Briscoe joined the action, Stags switching to 4-4-2. Henry was too high with a 20 yard free kick he curled over the Mansfield wall. But Stags' troubles increased on 71 minutes as Parker was needlessly red-carded. First he tried to win a free kick by a dive that was never going to con the referee. Then he clashed with defender Todd as he ran back past him and a hand was raised by the Stags man which gave the referee little option. Rose was the third Exile booked for his foul on Istead on 75 minutes and Henry followed him four minutes later for deliberately running into Silk. Briscoe wasn't far wide with an ambitious 35 yard effort on the turn with just 10 minutes to go as Stags' desperation increased. On 82 minutes Istead crossed to the far post where Connor headed back across goal and the ball bounced back out towards Nix who, from 18 yards, kept his shot down and on target and, although it beat Thompson, John was there to perform heroics on the goal line and preserve Newport's advantage. Former Newport man Duffy was sent on for the final five minutes in place of Istead. The 10 men battled on bravely and on 88 minutes Foster was just to high with a header from Nix's left wing corner. Five extra minutes were added and three minutes into that the sides were evened up when Bignot fouled Nix and saw his second yellow to earn a red. The final whistle brought a hug and a handshake for the Holdsworth twins at the end of an historic afternoon that, in the end, belonged to Dean. NEWPORT: Thompson, Bignot, Collins, Warren, Todd, Rose , Reid (Odhiambo 61), Foley (Matthews 61), Henry, John, Morgan (Knights 61). Subs not used: Rodgers, Garner. STAGS: Marriott; Silk, Foster, C. Smith, Sandwith; Mills, Nix, Istead (Duffy 85); Connor, Gregory ((Parker ht), A. Smith (Briscoe 66). Subs not used: Naylor, Collett. REFEREE: Kevin Johnson of Weston-Super-Mare. ATTENDANCE: 2,713. GOALS: Newport – Rose 63mins. CAUTIONS: Newport – Collins 28, Bignot 35, Rose 75, Henry 79. Stags – Connor 42. DISMISSALS: Newport - 90 (+3) Bignot (second bookable offence). Stags - Parker 71 (violent conduct). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Smith. ------------------ Newport County 1-0 Mansfield Town Evening Post report MANSFIELD Town's purple patch of away form came to an end as Newport's Dean got the better of the Stags' David in the battle of the Holdsworth brothers. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/sport/Newport-County-v-Mansfield-Town-team-news/article-2660512-detail/article.html? Much of the build-up to the game centred on the two managers, who became the first twins to line up in opposing dug-outs for a professional game. As the Stags went in search of their fourth away win on the bounce, the game itself was vey tight and evenly-contested affair with goalscoring opportunities few and far between. The one real moment of class proved decisive as Danny Rose crashed home an unstoppable shot to give the Exiles all three points and take then within two points of their visitors in the table. After a scrappy start, Mansfield breathed a sigh of relief in the sixth minute when Charlie Henry mis-controlled at the vital moment when he would have had a shooting opportunity had he taken a crossfield pass cleanly. County's Gary Warren then made a vital intervention as Lee Gregory looked to latch onto a long punt out of defence. Glyn Thompson used all of his penalty area to gather Steve Foster's long ball forward under pressure from Paul Connor. The Stags' central striker was involved again as he picked out Gary Silk after unselfishly running out wide. The right-back's pull back found Kyle Nix and he curled a shot on target that Thompson to saved comfortably. At the other end, Henry threaded in Sam Foley on the right-hand side of the box, only for the forward to blast well over. Newport were unlucky not to go in front on the half hour through top scorer Craig Reid. As Mansfield failed to clear a free-kick, he turned sharply before crashing a shot against the foot of the left-hand post from 12 yards. It was Mansfield's turn to go close moments later when Adam Smith nicked a right-wing Steven Istead cross past his marker and clipped the ball over Thompson, only for Paul Bignot to clear acrobatically off the line. On the stroke of half-time, the Stags won the game's first corner which came to nothing before Henry drilled too high from 30 yards. Mansfield made a switch at the start of the second period with Keigan Parker coming on for fellow forward Gregory, who had endured a largely ineffective first period. In the early moments of the second half, a low ball from Henry caused panic in the visiting rearguard before Alan Marriott claimed at the second attempt. Mansfield responded strongly and Thompson had to push over a rising shot from Adam Smith, who burst into the box from the left. Istead was very much off target with a snap-shot soon after that never threatened Thompson's goal. An excellent cross from Kevin Sandwith found Chris Smith in the box but he overran the ball and could not direct his header on goal. Just before the hour mark, Rose released Kerry Morgan into space but the winger could not keep his finish down. Kyle Nix might have done better when Istead won the ball for him on the edge of the box only for the midfielder to drag and angled shot well wide of the left-hand post. The hosts' response was to throw on Robbie Matthews and Darryl Knights for Sam Foley and Kerry Morgan. And almost immediately, the Exiles went ahead with a thumping goal from Rose. Henry pulled a short corner from the left back behind everyone and the midfielder arrived undetected to thump into the top left-hand corner from 25 yards. As County pushed on again, Reid took a flick on at the near post and whipped a shot into the side-netting. Mansfield then brought on Louis Briscoe for Adam Smith and went 4-4-2, with Istead asked to operate down the right. The Stags' task got a whole lot harder in the 71st minute when they were reduced to ten men. Parker went down chasing a long through ball and as he got to his feet, he struck Chris Todd in the face, leaving the referee no other choice but to show a red card. Briscoe won Mansfield a dangerous free-kick on the right byline, but Nix's delivery eluded everyone to go for a goal kick. The lively Briscoe was a whisker away from scoring a belting equaliser when he turned sharply before striking a left-foot shot from distance inches wide of the left-hand upright. With eight minutes to go, Newport were indebted to Martin John, who cleared off the line from Nix. He shot for goal after Connor's header from Istead's cross had been hacked away only as far as the edge of the box. Another chance came and went for Mansfield when Nix centred from the left for Foster who headed over at the near post. In stoppage time, Paul Bignot was sent off after a second booking for a foul on Nix, but it was too late to have an effect on the outcome of the game. ------------------------- Stags boss David loses bragging rights to twin brother Dean as Newport win Evening Post considered report THE similarity at close quarters is striking, In appearance, demeanour and the way they talk, it's hard to tell them apart. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-boss-David-loses-bragging-rights-twin-brother-Dean-Newport-win/article-2660978-detail/article.html? Come full-time on Saturday, though, there was one very obvious difference between the Holdsworth brothers after their sides had come head to head – their moods. Not surprisingly, as slender victors, Newport County boss Dean was elated, ecstatic and ebullient. But for every winner there has to be a loser and Mansfield Town's David was consequently left deflated, disappointed and downbeat. It was the first time twins had managed opposing teams in a game at this level and there was no doubting both were desperate to win. In the end, it was a piece of brilliance that tipped the balance in Dean's favour and enabled him to turn the tables after Mansfield won a 2-0 friendly at the same venue last summer. That was a rare defeat for County on home turf, having gone unbeaten at Spytty Park all last season en route to the Blue Square South Championship. There are not many sides likely to come out on top in South Wales this season, either, as Newport proved to be a well-organised, well-drilled side, capable of playing enterprising and attacking football. Like last season's Blue Square North title winners Fleetwood Town, the Exiles have hit the ground running and ensured that the Ryder Cup, just down the road at Celtic Manor, is not the only sporting success story in the area. So while this defeat came as a disappointment to the Stags and their supporters, who had hopes to make it four away wins on the bounce after victories at Kidderminster, Altrincham and Southport, it does give them cause for encouragement. And the reason for that is that they looked every bit the equal of a squad which has had more than a few quid chucked at it in the summer. Mansfield's pride may have been wounded, but they deserved a draw in a closely-contested game. Neither side were able to cut the other open regularly as defences dominated. The two keepers were rarely called into serious action. While Stags were unable to convert their openings, and lacked the slice of good fortune required, the hosts seized their moment when it came. That arrived in the 63rd minute when Charlie Henry won a corner on the left and went to take it himself. As the big men piled into the box, no Mansfield player picked up Danny Rose, who was loitering just inside the Stags' half. As Henry pulled the ball back to just outside the box, Rose arrived like a steam train to smash it first time into the top left-hand corner, leaving Alan Marriott rooted to the spot. Before that had come a compelling, if not free-flowing, first half in which some bizarre refereeing decisions did not help keep the action running. Having triumphed 2-1 in their previous week's road trip to Southport, it was hardly surprising that the Stags made the minimum of changes, sticking with their 4-3-3 formation and drafting in Adam Smith for shin injury victim Luke Medley. It was the former York City man who went closest for the visitors in the first 45 minutes as his lob over Glyn Thompson, from Steven Istead's right-wing cross was hooked off the line by Paul Bignot. At the other end, Newport were mightily close to an opener when top scorer Craig Reid's shot on the turn, from a half-cleared free-kick, came back off the left-hand post. Mansfield brought on Keigan Parker for Lee Gregory at the interval but any hopes he could transform the game quickly disappeared. Not long after Rose's strike, and after being on the pitch for only 25 minutes, the Scot was sent off for petulantly lashing out at Chris Todd after being denied a free-kick. The blow to the defender's face left the referee no choice but to show a red card and make Mansfield's task even harder. To their credit, the visitors, for whom Adam Smith had forced a good save out of Thompson early in the second period, fought on until the end and were the better side from that moment on. Three times they went close to drawing level. First, substitute Louis Briscoe turned instinctively into space and drilled a venomous shot inches past the left-hand upright. Then, when Istead's cross was headed back into the danger area by Paul Connor and hastily cleared to the edge of the box, Kyle Nix hit a shot that was goalbound until hoisted off the line by Martin John. And as Mansfield piled players forward with time running out, midfielder Nix played a pinpoint ball in from the left, only for captain Steve Foster to head over the top from the edge of the six-yard box. In stoppage time, Bignot was also dismissed as he caught Nix late and earned a second booking, but it was too late to affect the outcome. It's not until mid-February, weather-permitting, that the next Holdsworth face-off will take place. Rest assured, it will be every bit as competitive as this. Match facts: Newport County 1 Mansfield Town 0 Newport: Thompson, Bignot, Warren, Todd, John, Henry, Collins, Rose, Morgan (Knights 61), Foley (Matthews 61), Reid (Odhiambo 83). Subs not used: Rogers, Garner. Mansfield: Marriott, Silk, C. Smith, Foster, Sandwith, Nix, Mills, Istead (Duffy 85), A. Smith (Briscoe 66), Connor, Gregory (Parker, 46). Subs not used: Naylor, Collett. Referee: Kevin Johnson (Weston-super-Mare). Attendance: 2,713. Goals: Newport: Rose (63). Shots on target: Newport 2 Mansfield 4. Shots off target: Newport 6 Mansfield 4. Fouls: Newport 17 Mansfield 12. Corners: Newport 1 Mansfield 4. Offsides: Newport 2 Mansfield 3. Bookings: Newport 4 (Collins, 28, foul; Bignot, 35, dissent; Rose, 75, foul; Henry, 79, unsporting behaviour) Mansfield 1 (Connor, 43, foul). Sendings off: Newport 1 (Bignot, 90+3, second booking) Mansfield 1 (Parker, 71, violent conduct). Mansfield's man of the match: Kyle Nix. Unfortunate not to score and kept Mansfield moving with his neat and tidy passing. The former Bradford man also chased back well to help protect his back four and prevent Newport from having many clear sights of goal. ------------------------- |
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