Archived News from February 2011
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PREVIEWS+PARKER TO FLEETWOOD+PREECE TELFORD LOAN
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Parker joins Fleetwood for rest of the season mansfieldtown.net, Fri 18 Feb 2011 Striker Keigan Parker has joined BSBP rivals Fleetwood Town until the end of the season. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2296885,00.html? The Scotsman will head north to be closer to his home and family in Livingston. Parker arrived at Field Mill in July having been released by Oldham Athletic. Following productive spells at St Johnstone, Blackpool, Huddersfield and Hartlepool, the 28-year-old frontman has bagged seven goals for us this term in 13 starts and seven substitute appearances. Parker will be eligible to play in the BSBP new boys' home game against Grimsby tomorrow afternoon but will not be able to feature for The Cod Army should we meet them in the play offs ------------------- Preece goes out on loan mansfieldtown.net, Fri 18 Feb 2011 Defender Mark Preece has joined AFC Telford on loan until March 21st. http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~2296861,00.html The 23-year-old was snapped up from Forest Green by former manager David Holdsworth in August after turning down several other contract offers to join us. Preece enjoyed a loan spell at near-neighbours Eastwood Town earlier in the season and has recently been sidelined with a groin injury. He will now join up with Andy Sinton's side and Blue Square North high-fliers AFC Telford in a bid to regain some match fitness. He should be available for the Shropshire outfit's trip to Harrogate tomorrow -------------------- Stags expect tough Barrow test chad.co.uk, Thu Feb 17 2011 MANSFIELD Town boss Duncan Russell says his side must fight all the way if they are to seal all three points against relegation-threatened Barrow on Saturday. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/stags_expect_tough_barrow_test_1_3091582 Stags travel to Holker Street looking to re-ignite their fading play-off push and maintain confidence and momentum ahead of next weekend's exciting FA Trophy trip to Chasetown. But Russell, who goes into the game knowing he has the luxury of a vritually fully fit squad, with Louis Moult the only injury doubt, knows his side must not take lowly Barrow lightly. “We need to get a result against Barrow and we have prepared correctly for the fixture,”he said. “We are taking the positives out of the Newport game and will be going to Barrow looking for the win. “Barrow have some good players and are very dangerous on the counter-attack, and that is something we need to be aware of, We have got to be patient.” Central defender Rhys Day is also expecting a tough time against Barrow, who have picked up 22 of their 28 league points at home. “It is going to be a hard game, it is not a nice place to go and they will make things tough for us,”he said. “I know that if we play as we can do then we have got enough to get all three points. We will travel up the day before which will help matters and we are confident we can come away with the three points.” ------------------ Mansfield Town waiting on Moult ahead of Barrow trip Evening Post, Thu Feb 17 2011 MANSFIELD Town hope Louis Moult will win a fitness battle to retain his place for Saturday's trip at Barrow. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/mansfieldtownnews/Mansfield-Town-waiting-Moult-ahead-Barrow-trip/article-3236753-detail/article.html? The on-loan Stoke striker netted twice in last weekend's 3-3 draw at Newport County. But Moult has been suffering from a back problem which flared up in yesterday's 4-2 friendly victory at Notts County, meaning he was substituted. The 18-year-old will get treatment at Stoke today with a view to him travelling to Holker Street on Saturday. "Louis is a concern for the weekend and that's why he is getting the treatment at Stoke," said manager Duncan Russell. "He has done a tremendous job since coming in, but I could tell he was not right against Notts as soon as he went onto the pitch. "His body language was wrong, such much so that he wasn't showing his usual bright attitude and determination. "That's why I took him off. Stoke have chiropractors and things like that which we don't have, but we'll have to check his progress before we travel." Russell was delighted with the way his team performed against a Magpies XI, in which the returning Adam Smith (groin) scored and got an hour under his belt. The game also saw the likes of Ben Turner, Conor Higginson and Niall O' Rafferty chance to impress. Keigan Parker, Louis Briscoe and Kevin Sandwith bagged Mansfield's other goals. Russell said: "It was a very productive exercise. We tried to give every player at least 30 minutes. "I was very pleased with the outcome because we scored some good goals and there was some really good play." "Telford manager Andy Sinton (ex-England player) was at the game looking at our players with a view to taking one on loan and he was very impressed too." As a result, the Shropshire club have taken defender Mark Preece on a temporary spell. Russell is also looking to loan out O'Rafferty. -------------- Moult may miss Barrow tester chad.co.uk, Thu Feb 17 2011 LOAN striker Louis Moult could be absent from Stags away day at Barrow on Saturday after injuring his back in the friendly win at Notts County. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/moult_may_miss_barrow_tester_1_3091510 The Stoke City front man, who has netted twice in three games for Mansfield, injured his back during the 4-2 behind-closed doors victory on Wednesday and has since returned to his parent club for treatment. Moult has already become a Field Mill favourite during his brief spell at the club and would be a big loss to Stags' hopes of emerging from the North West victorious. Boss Duncan Russell said: “His contribution so far has been really good. He has scored good goals and has brought excellent movement to the team. I knew something was not right with him and I brought him off straight away. “He has given us some real competition up front and it is very frustrating that he is injured. “He has returned to Stoke to get treatment and I will speak to them later to assess his fitness for Saturday.” Russell also confirmed he is looking to extend the loan spell of the promising striker until the end of the season as part of his drive to strengthen his squad. “I hope to extend his loan further and will be speaking to them early next week about doing this,” said Russell. “I am always on the look out for players who will improve this club. Over the last week I have been given the names of players, but I do not think they will improve the club.” ---------------- Spotlight on Barrow v Mansfield Town Evening Post, Fri Feb 18 2011 Squad (from): Masters, Spender, Bolland, Jones, Edwards, Rutherford, Hulbert, Baker, Sheridan, Almond, Chadwick, Cook, Goodfellow, Blundell, Parson, Bayliss. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Spotlight-Barrow-v-Mansfield-Town/article-3238106-detail/article.html? Team news: Barrow have snapped up free agent and former Oxford midfielder Richie Baker – and he will go straight into the reckoning for a starting berth. Midfielder James Owen (hernia) is out and Simon Wiles (knee) is a long-term absentee, while Christian Smith has returned to Wrexham following the expiry of his loan. Wayne Curtis, on loan from Fleetwood, is serving a three-game ban after being sent off on his debut. Squad (from): Collett, Grof, Silk, Spence, Naylor, Day, Foster, Sandwith, Stonehouse, Cain, Murray, Thompson, Nix, Istead, Briscoe, Smith, Connor, Moult, Parker, Mitchley, Medley. Team news: All but Alan Marriott and Paul Connor of Mansfield's senior squad played in Wednesday's friendly with Notts County. That means Steve Foster (illness), Paul Stonehouse (thigh) and Adam Smith (groin) should be back after recovering from their respective problems. But Louis Moult is a doubt after picking up a back injury that forced him off at Meadow Lane and saw him receiving treatment at parent club Stoke yesterday. One to watch: Phil Bolland. The experienced central defender has served the likes of Oxford, Chester and Cambridge United and has the task of marshalling Stags' 15-goal top scorer Paul Connor. ------------------- Day call for Mansfield Town to work harder on set piece frailties Evening Post, Fri Feb 18 2011 HAVING seen the time and effort his brother Ryan has to devoted to reaching snooker's world top ten, Mansfield Town's Rhys Day knows only too well the value of practice. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Day-Mansfield-Town-work-harder-set-piece-frailties/article-3238103-detail/article.html? It was with a great sense of pride that the Stags defender went to see his sibling demolish legendary former World Championship finalist Jimmy White 4-0 in the Welsh Open on Monday. And he was even more pleased when a 4-2 beating of former World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan followed in Newport on Wednesday. Former Oxford man Day knows those successes have come as no fluke and are down to a steely determination from his brother to iron out any flaws in his game. He is hoping his Stags team-mates can now show the same kind of dedication to putting right their own shortcomings, namely an inability to defend set pieces. In their last two competitive games, against Alfreton and Newport, Mansfield have leaked from such situations. And it happened again in the 4-2 win over Notts County in a friendly game at Meadow Lane on Wednesday. Day knows that cannot continue and believes part of the problem is that Mansfield have not been putting in the requisite practice on their defensive routines. But he insists the issue is now being addressed in a bid to improve the team's poor defensive record – one which has undone much of the good work by their free-scoring attacking unit. "It is a lack of concentration and the fact players aren't doing their jobs that is costing us," said Day. "It's down to hard work and we need to do it on the training ground. If we don't, then the goals will keep going in. "Before the game on Saturday, we are given our jobs, but I don't think we are clear on those because through the week, for me, we don't work on them enough. "Because of the goals we have conceded, we are now starting to work on it enough. The fact is players should still be expected to do a job, whether they work on it or not. "If you keep not doing it then you are going to find yourself out of the team." After five successive Saturday's at home and the recent heavy rain, there is no wonder the Field Mill pitch has become a quagmire. But it has not stopped Day giving groundsman Michael Merriman some tongue-in-cheek stick over the condition of the pitch. After playing on such a heavy surface, though, the Welshman is hoping things will be better at Barrow tomorrow. He said: "It's not been good at all. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's the worst pitch I have played on. "I've been winding Mez up, but he says it's nothing to do with him and that it's down to the weather. "I said that we ought to bring back Spriggy! (Rob Sprigg, groundsman during Day's first spell at Mansfield). "It's been difficult, but it's been the same for both sides and if you're better, then you win the game. "Hopefully it will be better up at Barrow. I know it's not a nice place to go and I've only got one good result out of three or four matches. "But if we play like we can then we can win." Day is looking forward to locking horns with Nick Chadwick, an old acquaintance from his younger playing days. "He's the same kind of age as me and I came up against him as a kid," said Day. "He was playing for Everton and I was playing for Manchester City, so I know he's a tricky customer, but nothing I can't deal with." Mansfield's court case with landlord Keith Haslam was yesterday adjourned until mid-April. But it looks likely the Stags have secured their place at Field Mill until the end of the season following an interim agreement between Haslam and Mansfield chairman John Radford (see Page 8). That has come as a relief to Day, who did not want to contemplate playing games away from the club's home. He said: "It wouldn't have been nice at all. "Field Mill is our home as far as I'm concerned and It would be difficult to go anywhere else. "But I don't think it will come to that." ------------------- Sandwith: Crunch time for Mansfield Town's league campaign KEVIN Sandwith believes Mansfield Town's next three games will make or break their league season. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Sandwith-Crunch-time-Mansfield-Town-s-league-campaign/article-3238193-detail/article.html? With the midweek home game against Barrow postponed because of a heavy pitch while other teams completed matches, the Stags have slipped down to 12th in the Blue Square Bet Premier table. It means they are now nine points off the play-offs, albeit with games in hand on some of their rivals. Sandwith knows Mansfield must immediately ditch the inconsistency that has dogged their campaign if they are not to rely on the FA Trophy – where they visit Chasetown in the quarter-finals next week – for glory. The Stags travel to Cumbria to face Barrow tomorrow. "Maybe in the next two or three games we will be able to see our aims for the rest of the season," said left-back Sandwith. "I think the next few league games are massive to us. If we pick up a good few points then we will not be far away. "At the start of the season we were up there for quite a long time and have slipped down now. The pitch has definitely not helped in the last few weeks. "But if we pick up seven or nine points we can get back up there challenging, where we want to be." Mansfield have played ten different central defensive partnership this season, including Sandwith briefly playing alongside Steve Foster. He said: "That could be a factor in the number of goals we have let in. We've never really had a settled partnership or a settled back four. "You can't help the injuries and suspensions and the manager (Duncan Russell) has been forced to shuffle the pack, even when he has wanted it to stay the same." Mansfield have loaned out defender Mark Preece to AFC Telford. --------------------- Russell keen to help development of Mansfield Town's teenage duo Evening Post, Fri Feb 18 2011 DUNCAN Russell is keen to get Mansfield Town's promising striker Niall O'Rafferty a loan spell at a senior non-league club. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/mansfieldtown/Russell-keen-help-development-Mansfield-Town-s-teenage-duo/article-3238061-detail/article.html? The teenager has already had stints at Frickley Athletic and Grantham Town this season in the Evo-Stik League after signing his first professional deal in the summer. But after impressing in the 4-2 friendly win against Notts County on Wednesday, manager Russell wants the youngster to test himself against a better class of opposition. "He did really well when he came on against Notts and he made it difficult for experienced players like Sam Sodje," said the Mansfield boss. "He's been playing with injuries this season, but now we want to get him out playing at a higher level." Russell took a look at 16-year-old Jamie Dixon in Wednesday's 4-2 friendly win over Notts County at Meadow Lane. He said: "He first came in when Paul Hall was going to take over the youth set-up in the summer. "His father asked if he could train with us and I have not got a problem with that. It will do him good training with senior players. "He is a couple of years off yet, but we are monitoring him as he could be one for the future." ------------------- |
Latest | February 2011