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Archived News from April 2011

RUSSELL AND LIAM WATSON REACTION
13th April 2011 20:27


video interview with Duncan Russell

http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/FromTheBoss/0,,10325~2332012,00.html

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audio interview with Liam Watson

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southport/9445873.stm

Liam Watson - reckons he's seen Paul Connor penalties on youtube - err I dont think so!

Liam Watson BBC Radio Merseyside interview:

It was a great comeback, but in reality we shouldn't be making a comeback. The goals in the first half were an absolute joke.

[On the penalty save]: Well that's one thing with being a saddo who looks on youtube, I called the pen to Tony, so I'm taking a bit of credit before (keeper) Tony McMillan is. I've seen Connor take them before and Tony's gone the full length and saved it, great save.
We've pummelled them in the second half.


(Comment by Martin - Paul Connor hasn't taken a penalty for Mansfield before, and I can't find any taken by him in his career that are on youtube)

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Stags boss Russell slams players after throwing away two-goal lead
Evening Post

ANGRY Mansfield Town boss Duncan Russell urged his players to take a long, hard look at themselves after throwing away a two-goal lead against Southport at Field Mill last night.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-boss-Russell-slams-players-throwing-away-goal-lead/article-3414750-detail/article.html?

The Stags were coasting at the break after Conor Higginson's first goal in an amber and blue shirt and Louis Briscoe's 17th of the campaign.

But after Paul Connor had missed a penalty that would have made the game safe, Southport fought back to take a share of the spoils to boost their chances of avoiding relegation from the Blue Square Bet Premier.

"I said to the lads at half-time that they had to go out for the second half with the same tempo and keep the same shape and we would get the result we wanted," said Russell.

"I said not to give them a chance to get back into it because I have seen us capitulate sometimes, but we didn't keep our discipline and were punished for it.

"We played them off the park in the first half and the penalty miss from Paul Connor was the defining moment.

"But it shouldn't have been. Sometimes the players need to address it and change things out on the park.

"We were too gung-ho and players were getting caught out of position. When we conceded the first goal, it made us even worse.

"You can shout and bawl at the players as much as you want, but if they don't do what you ask, then that is what happens

"You can only tell them to get tight in the box and drill it with them so many times. If they don't learn, then we may have to look at doing something else."

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'We lost our shape and discipline' - Russell
CHAD.co.uk

DUNCAN Russell was once again left to rue his side's inability to close games out as he watched Stags blow a two goal cushion and two points against lowly Southport at Field Mill last night.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/we_lost_our_shape_and_discipline_russell_1_3257262

It could have all been so different for Mansfield, who had looked every bit a team bound for Wembley during a silky first half display in front of the lowest league crowd - just 1,467 - at Field Mill since 1982.

But Paul Connor failed to convert a 54th minute penalty, and it was downhill from that moment as Stags began to panic and look rather nervous against the battling visitors.

“The defining moment was that penalty miss. If that had gone in we would have killed them off,”said a disapppointed Russell after the game.

“Our penalty miss gave Southport new belief and, from that point, we went too gun-ho and lost our shape and our discipline. It was very disappointing.

“At half-time we spoke of the importance of not letting Southport back into the game and starting at the same tempo as that of the first half.

“But we did not start the second half right and I had a bad feeling on the touchline about what was going to happen.”

The stags boss has also demanded his players learn from their errors in future game and improve their concentration, marking and discipline.

Said Russell: “In the first half we played some good stuff and I just do not understand where it went wrong. After the game I asked what was different in the second half and why that happened. I have seen that happen too many times this season.

“I got the feeling that the players thought the game was won at 2-0 and I just cannot understand it.

“We just seemed to panic and we gave them far too much space in the box for their first goal. I can shout from the touchline about keeping shapes and discipline, but there is only so much I can do when the players are on the pitch.

“The players need to learn to keep their discipline and shape. If i make a mistake I hold my hands up and I am asking the same from the players. We should have won that game.”

Stags will now be looking to put Tuesday's disappointment behind them when they make the trip to Hayes and Yeading on Saturday

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Mansfield Town manager Duncan Russell told BBC Radio Nottingham:
"I said to the guys at half-time that you have to go out and start at the same sort of tempo, keeping the shape we played and you will get your result.

"I thought the defining moment was the penalty and I know Paul Connor didn't mean to miss but 3-0 would have killed the game.

"We played them off the park in the first half and it's really disappointing. When they got the goal we seemed to panic even more. That's where we need to be mentally strong."

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Liam Watson BBC Radio Merseyside interview:

It was a great comeback, but in reality we shouldn't be making a comeback. The goals in the first half were an absolute joke.

[On the penalty save]: Well that's one thing with being a saddo who looks on youtube, I called the pen to Tony, so I'm taking a bit of credit before (keeper) Tony McMillan is. I've seen Connor take them before and Tony's gone the full length and saved it, great save.
We've pummelled them in the second half.

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