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Archived News from January 2012

COX, MURRAY, GREEN, GARY MILLS REACTION
5th January 2012 14:09



post match audio interviews with Paul Cox and Matt Green from Mansfield 103.2
http://soundcloud.com/mansfield-103-2-sport/sets/01-01-2012-york-city-2


post match audio interviews with Paul Cox and Gary Mills from Radio Nottingham and Radio York
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16328600.stm

York City manager Gary Mills told BBC Radio York:

"We're going a goal down and we've gone two down today and we've had to work hard to come back. We can't keep doing that.

"We're working hard but it's just not happening for us the way we want it at the moment and we're having to dig in there to get a point.

"It's a point. We know we need to get threes. But the period we're going through at the moment, we're having to settle for a point."

Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"It feels like we've lost. I thought we came here and worked extremely hard and our shape was good.

"The two goals we scored were excellent and, with a two-goal lead with 20 minutes to go, I never felt York were going to break us down, even though they had a lot of possession.

"And then we give two of the softest goals away you can imagine."

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We need to be more ruthless, says boss after Stags let slip New Year two-goal lead at York
chad.co.uk

PAUL Cox bemoaned his side's continued lack of a ruthless streak as they threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at York City today.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/we_need_to_be_more_ruthless_says_boss_after_stags_let_slip_new_year_two_goal_lead_at_york_1_4106618

Two sloppy goals, the last in stoppage time, left Mansfield with their 12th league draw of a frustrating campaign and Cox said: “It feels like we've lost and I am gutted for the players.

“But we have conceded two very sloppy goals which York have not had to work for after scoring two great goals of our own.

“I am sick of saying it, but we should have won eight of the 12 games we have drawn and be sitting in the top two or three. We need to be more ruthless and see games out.

“Good sides would come here and go 2-0 up and the game would end up 2-0 or 2-1. It's down to mental toughness.

“We need to become more ruthless. I hope the feeling the players are feeling now will help them get that ruthless streak quickly. It feels like a defeat and the lads are really hurting.

“The supporters who have travelled up today have seen the lads gave everything today. But sometimes that's not enough.

“To be fair, the lads have looked after themselves very well over Christmas and New Year and they looked fit, hungry and strong so I can't blame that.

“And credit to York. They came out in the second half and pressed us hard. But we kept a good shape and when we scored our second goal I thought it was game over as I couldn't see York scoring.

“If we put our foot through it at the end, then we kill the two minutes and win. We have to make the right decisions.

On Gary Roberts' debut he added: “I thought he did well today.

“It was a heavy pitch and not the best to play on but I thought he showed glimpses of what he is all about.”

Cox is not about to give up the chase as the play-off gap remained at seven points for his side.

“We still have 60 points to play for and all the top sides have still go to play each other.

“I still believe but we have to start being ruthless.”

Matt Green bagged his 16th goal of the season, but said: “We have a great team spirit so I am not going to blame anyone.

“But we have run around for 90 minutes, dominated for spells and taken our chances, yet only come away with a point.

“There are 16 lads down there in that dressing room absolutely devastated and we need to figure out where we are going wrong.

“I don't think there is a team better than us when we are doing what we do best. But we have to see games out and grind out results and that's something we have not got the knack of yet.”

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Angry Stags boss Cox cannot hide his frustration
Nottingham Post

ANGRY Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox could not contain his frustration after his side surrendered a 2-0 lead to be held to their 12th draw of the campaign at York.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-14302845-detail/story.html

The Stags looked to be in full control when a 14th minute strike from Matt Green and a second from substitute Aman Verma looked to have killed off the Minstermen.

However, a Matty Blair tap-in 13 minutes from time gave York hope and they salvaged a point in stoppage time through Jamal Fyfield.

It left Cox baffled as to how his side continually give away leads through the concession of sloppy, late goals.

"We have said a few heated words in the dressing room about it because we should have killed off the game," he said.

"I'm fed up coming out and talking about ifs, buts and maybes. I should be talking about an excellent away win, but instead I'm talking about another draw because we keep on making the same mistakes.

"I'm gutted for the lads because they have made sure they had not had too much turkey and kept themselves fit over Christmas.

"They have worked hard and played pretty well for most of the game, but you aren't going to get the result you want if you aren't ruthless.

"Teams that win championships like Stevenage and Crawley would have come here and won 1-0 and 2-0 and seen it out.

"It's so frustrating because we have a side that is good enough to be in the top two or three with the ability, work ethic and shape we have.

"But if we keep defending like we did at the end, then it is going to be a long season."

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Green refusing to give up on play-off dream
Nottingham Post

MATT Green is refusing to set himself a goals target for the rest of 2011-12 – but believes Mansfield Town can still claim a play-off berth.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-14305492-detail/story.html

The Stags' top scorer celebrated signing an 18-month contract that secured his permanent transfer from Oxford late last week by scoring the opener in a 2-2 draw at York City on New Year's Day

That 16th goal of the season helped Mansfield into a 2-0 lead, only for the Minstermen to hit back and claim a 2-2 draw.

Green admits the team's inability to capitalise on leads – often thanks to his strikes – is proving frustrating.

Mansfield have only won once in their last 13 outings and are seven points outside the top five.

But Green insists the Stags are capable of starting to turn their draws – 12 so far this season – into wins.

"I've rediscovered my love of the game at Mansfield, definitely, and been given licence to express myself," he said.

"I'm never one to set targets. I just try to make the most of the chances I get but hopefully I can keep the goals coming.

"With the signings the gaffer is making then I think the club is really going places, which is why I signed the new contract.

"We just have to learn from our mistakes because there have been a lot of draws when we have been winning.

"There are still a lot of games to go and there is still enough time to put a run together.

"We have shown we are the best team in the league on our day by beating Wrexham at their place.

"If we can be more relentless and see games off then we can definitely put the run together we need to make the play-offs."

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Murray – We can't keep throwing points away
Nottingham Post

ADAM Murray insists Mansfield Town will never climb into the play-off spots while they throw points away as they did at York City.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-14302844-detail/story.html

The Stags looked destined to secure their first away win in seven matches at Bootham Crescent when they led 2-0 with a quarter of an hour left thanks to goals from Matt Green and Aman Verma.

But they were unable to see out the game as the hosts first pulled a goal back from Matty Blair and then struck again in stoppage time through Jamal Fyfield

"I don't know what to say – in fact, you might as well use one of the interviews I have done after so many other games this season," said skipper Murray.

"I'm just speechless really and most frustrating is that it is not the big things that are costing us, but the little ones.

"Now is the time for action because we have talked about it time and time again but we don't seem to learn.

"Now we have to learn or we are never going to move on and move up the league.

"There is a fine line between us being up in the top five and being where we are and it has happened to us enough times now to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"York is a tough place to come and they are not where they are for no reason.

"But for the first 75 minutes we were in control and it was only towards the end that we stopped making the right decisions.

"We just don't seem to have the concentration and ruthless streak to see it out and they were really sloppy goals to concede."

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twitter.com/LifeofRiley6 Martin Riley
Gave it everything I had in the tank today but we can't keep sitting back and inviting pressure as it costs us every game!

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twitter.com/Mazza_78 Alan Marriott
So frustrated!!! Any chance of a clean sheet or win this century!! #grrr #fuming #gutted

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