Archived News from September 2012
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NO GREEN APPEAL/BRAINTREE PREVIEWS
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Stags decide not to appeal against Green red card
chad.co.uk, Thursday 13 September 2012 MANSFIELD Town have decided not to risk an appeal against Matt Green's red card at Ebbsfleet last weekend. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/stags-decide-not-to-appeal-against-green-red-card-1-4924524?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed Stags boss Paul Cox watched the DVD of the incident and felt his star striker had been hard done to as there was no sign of the alleged elbow. The deadline to appeal against the three-game ban was last night and Cox said: “We decided not to appeal. “I still strongly believe it doesn't look like he threw an elbow. But reading the referee's report, and even the assessors have got in on it, I think it was taking too much of a chance regarding the finance we would have to pay and also the chance of them adding another game or two to the ban. “We felt after reading the report it wouldn't be feasible to appeal.” Cox was also sent to the stand by the referee near the end of a tempestuous game after kicking the ball angrily back onto the field from the dug-out. Amazingly he has since been admonished by the Conference who said via a letter that he should not have gone to the stand, as ordered by the referee, and gone to the dressing room as per their rules instead. However, a subsequent letter from the FA has said no further action will be taken against him. “I did exactly what I was told to do and then got that letter so I think people need to get their act together,” he said.” -------------------- video interview with Paul Cox ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/no-appeal-for-green-365926.aspx No appeal for Green 13th September 2012 Manager Paul Cox has confirmed that the club will not be appealing against the red card that striker Matt Green received at Ebbsfleet United last Saturday. The prolific marksman was dismissed midway through the first half by referee Chris Knowles, following an off-the-ball clash with Ebbsfleet skipper Paul Lorraine. Green, who has received a three-match suspension for his dismissal, will now be unavailable for selection until our clash with Hereford United in a fortnight's time. Cox said: “The actual deadline to appeal by was last night, but we have spoken about it and decided we are not going to appeal.” “Having seen the footage of the incident on the match DVD, it seemed like two lads just pulling each other to the ground and nothing much else. “But with the finance involved and the risk of an extra game being added on top of his suspension if it was unsuccessful, we decided not to appeal. “There were a few things in the referee's report that I didn't agree with, but we've got to close the door and move on from last Saturday now.” Speaking at his weekly press conference, our boss also revealed that midfielder Gary Roberts is set for a spell on the sidelines. The mercurial playmaker suffered an ankle injury during a training session earlier this week, but has yet to undergo a scan on the injury. Cox continued: “Robbo was in training and went down on his ankle with no-one near him.” “It doesn't look to be broken, but we've got to wait for the swelling to go down before he can have a CT scan. I think he'll probably be out of action for about a month.” Braintree Town arrive at One Call Stadium on the back of a narrow loss at Macclesfield Town last weekend. The Irons had led through a spot-kick from Bradley Quinton, before a strike from John Paul Kissock and a late penalty from Matthew Barnes-homer condemned Alan Devonshire's team to defeat. “It'll be another tough game,” admitted Cox. “I've been to see Braintree a couple of times already this season and they're a really good side. Alan's done a terrific job there and they'll make it very difficult for us. “One thing I have said all along is that it'll be a close league this year. No-one has a divine right to win football matches at any level.” Following Saturday's home clash, we hit the road for back-to-back away games at AFC Telford United and current table-toppers Macclesfield Town ---------------- Spotlight on Mansfield Town v Braintree Town Friday, September 14, 2012 Nottingham Post Stags (from): Marriott, Redmond, Sutton, Jones, Geohaghon, Murray, Daniel, Howell, Briscoe, Speight, Meikle, Stevenson, Rhead, Wright, Thompson, Clements, Pilkington. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-16902180-detail/story.html Team news: Matt Green will serve the first of a three-game ban following his red card at Ebbsfleet and it makes way for Jake Speight or Nick Wright to come in up front. Midfielder Gary Roberts is also out after damaging ankle ligaments in training on Monday but full-back Andy Owens is back in contention after injury, playing in and scoring during the reserves' 3-1 win at Wrexham in midweek. Lee Stevenson is also pushing for a place on the bench after finding the net in that victory. If Owens was to start, Colin Daniel could be pushed into midfield to play a more attacking role. Braintree (from): Naisbitt, Wells, Bailey-Dennis, Habergham, Quinton, O'Connor, J Mulley, Marks, Sparkes, Dawkin, Symons, Holman, Peters, Paine, McDonald. Team news: Michael Gash has returned to Cambridge United from his loan spell and it has since been discovered he had suffered a broken wrist, after complaining of pain when he returned to his parent club this week. Sean Marks could be the man who comes in to replace him, partnering Dan Holman up front. Danger man: Dan Holman. The 22-year-old striker made the step up from Histon after bagging 29 goals last season. He believes he can fulfil his ambition of playing in the Football League and already since moving to Braintree in the summer, he has scored four times in four matches to get his career at Blue Square Bet Premier level off to a perfect start ------------- Mansfield Town 's Adam Murray to carry mantle following Gary Roberts injury Friday, September 14, 2012 Nottingham Post PAUL Cox believes his skipper Adam Murray will ensure the Mansfield Town midfield does not suffer after injury to Gary Roberts. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-16901939-detail/story.html Roberts started the first five matches, only to be sent off at Grimsby and had to settle for the bench in the last two games after serving a one-match ban. During that time, Murray came back from a summer ankle operation to play three games in a week, after coming through a reserve match. His performances have been solid but any chance to give him a breather has now gone after Roberts suffered ankle ligament damage in training at the start of the week. But Murray, who is also assistant to Cox after a summer change to the coaching staff, is set to continue alongside Anthony Howell for tomorrow's home game against Braintree. Cox said: "Muzza has not had a pre-season but he has come in and put his body on the line for the club. "And he will continue to do so, because that is the kind of player he is." Cox is still smarting from last Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Ebbsfleet, but he hopes to put that right against Braintree, adding: "It will be a difficult game because they have had a good start. "However, we had won four from five before that so there is no panic. We are only six points off the top and we will look to secure three more points." --------------------- video interview with Jake Speight ---> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/speight-targets-starting-berth-366300.aspx?pageView=full SPEIGHT TARGETS STARTING BERTH 13th September 2012 Striker Jake Speight has stated his desire to earn a first team place in the coming weeks. The 26-year-old has already struck on three occasions so far this term, averaging a goal every 86 minutes, but has only been named in the starting line-up on one occasion. With strike-partner Matt Green set to miss the next three games through suspension following his red card at Ebbsfleet United in our last fixture, Speight is hoping to be prolific in the absence of the popular marksman. He said: “I've scored a few goals when I've come off the bench this season, but my main aim is to be starting games on a regular basis.” “I had a groin injury in pre-season and I've been playing catch up ever since. I hope to get in the team first team soon though, and keep the shirt by scoring goals.” Speight quit Blue Square Bet Premier rivals Wrexham in order to re-join us during the summer, and grabbed 21 goals for the North Wales outfit to finish as top scorer last term. Under the stewardship of Andy Morrell, the Red Dragons were noted for being a team that liked to play fluent, passing football at a fast-tempo pace. However, now playing for a team who adopt a more direct approach to creating chances, the striker says doesn't mind what style we use, so long as we win football matches. He continued: ““We've got players in this squad like Chris Clements, Gary Roberts and Adam Murray, who can play total football and others who like to play more direct.” “In some games you need to go direct, and in others you maybe need a different approach to get a good result. But I don't mind which we play. As long as the team is doing well, then that is all what matters.” Speight has netted 43 goals from 90 appearances at this level, since scoring on his debut for Scarborough against Dagenham & Redbridge in August 2005 ----------------------- New-dad Sutton out to get Mansfield back to winning ways Friday, September 14, 2012 Nottingham Post IT'S fair to say Ritchie Sutton's preparation was far from ideal last weekend, when it came to the defeat to Ebbsfleet. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-16902153-detail/story.html He had rushed down the M1 and around the M25 on the morning of the game, instead of travelling with his team-mates the day before. But he had good reason. His girlfriend had given birth to his first child on the Friday and it was a life-changing moment he was never going to miss. That game ended in a 3-1 defeat, the Stags reduced to ten-men in the first-half when striker Matt Green was sent off, before manager Paul Cox was sent to the stands after Sutton gave away a controversial penalty. But all that is behind Sutton and his team-mates now and after a week of getting used to the daily duties of being a father, the defender will be looking forward to taking a break from changing nappies and getting the Stags back to winning ways. Sutton missed the first game of the campaign against Newport through suspension and was left out of the second match at Gateshead, both which ended in defeat. But since coming in at Kidderminster, he played every game at right-back as Mansfield won four out of five before stumbling in Kent last Saturday. And after a smile on his face all week following the birth of his baby girl, Sutton is hoping that will prove perfect preparation and motivation when it comes to making it a fourth win in five on home soil this season against Braintree tomorrow. The 26-year-old said: "Becoming a dad was the best feeling in the world. It has been good for me. "My girlfriend understood I had a job to do and I have a good family around me, so I didn't travel down on the Friday but went down on the Saturday morning. "Everyone congratulated me when I got there and it was one of the hottest games I have played in, it was red hot. "When we went down to ten men, it got even harder and it was one of those where a few decisions went against us from the referee. "I was disappointed with the penalty but it has gone now, we have to dust it off and go again. "It is massive that we get off to a good start against Braintree and we are at home, so we need to get things back on track." Despite going down to ten men last week, the Stags still took the lead through a Louis Briscoe penalty just before the break. And Sutton said they have to learn from the situation for other games. "We need to learn because even when we had ten men, we went ahead and we have to learn to ride those games out," he said. "At 11 v 11, it looked like it was going to be a 0-0 and I never thought we were going to concede. So it was disappointing to concede two quick goals and then it was always going to be difficult. But we must learn from it." The Stags have won four and lost four so far in this Blue Square Bet Premier season, with no games ending in a draw. They are a point ahead of Braintree in the table and just six off top team Macclesfield. And Sutton believes it shows how tight the division will be this season. "No teams are running away with it so if we get three points tomorrow, we are right back in there," said the former Port Vale man. "We have to take that as motivation because nobody is getting away and we are still right within the chasing group. "Even the team at the top have lost two, so there is not a lot in it and we have just to concentrate on getting back-to-back victories. "There are rumours of teams throwing big money about but there is not going to be a runaway team like Fleetwood last season so it is just important to stay in touch with the pack for around Christmas and then push on from there. "We start with Braintree and it helped in the last home game having the fans with us. We need the fans behind us, to stick with us and if they do, I am sure we will come good." ------------------- Stags are not a one-trick pony Saturday, September 15, 2012 Nottingham Post JAKE Speight is quick to bat off any suggestions that Mansfield Town are a one-dimensional side, a one-trick pony, a team of brawn and no brains. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Stags-trick-pony/story-16909917-detail/story.html After a shaky start to the campaign, Stags boss Paul Cox was quick to demand his side got back to being hard-to-beat, to win ugly if need be. He wanted them back to the force that looked unstoppable last season, as they surged up to finish third in the Blue Square Premier. But after a mixed start, with four wins and four defeats, fingers have been pointed about how Mansfield look to rely too much on being a direct side, with the imposing figure of Matt Rhead leading the line. Add to that bringing back Exodus Geohaghon and his long throw-ins that cause all sorts of trouble, it has added fuel to the fire. But there is also a feeling that had Mansfield turned a couple of those defeats into wins, there would have been few complaints. So as Stags prepare to take on Braintree on their home patch this afternoon, Speight is in no doubt about the quality of winning football Mansfield are capable of. With Matt Green suspended, he could line-up alongside Rhead for only his second start since rejoining the club in a summer move from Wrexham. He has netted three goals in six substitute appearances but believes with a run in the side, he can be prolific in front of goal, no matter who he plays alongside. "I played in a team last season where we used the long throw a lot and it is effective at this level if used properly," said Speight. "We have players in this squad that allows us to go direct and players, like Chris Clements, Gary Roberts, Adam Murray, who are total football players. "It is not a case of being direct. Against some teams, you have to be and against others, you play football and pass it. "We have the players to do both, which is good to have. Personally, I don't mind how we play. I am here to score goals so as long as I get chances, I am happy." Green was sent off in the first half of last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Ebbsfleet for an alleged elbow. Speight felt sympathy but is now determined to make the most of the opportunity. And when Green does return, Speight feels he is more than capable of forming a lethal partnership with him or any other striker at the club. "It is a long season and that is football," said the striker. "You have injuries and suspensions and it sets you back. That is how it works out. "Greeny was unlucky and that is not in his make-up. Their defender was throwing his arms into him and Rheady. "Rheady is a strong boy and people will try to get under his skin but he is so effective for us, he can handle it. "I can play off him and I have played in games with Greeny too, so we have the players to do whatever scenario the manager wants to go with. "Me and Greeny have enough about us to play together and link up well." As for the start to the season, Speight added: "You look at the games and goals we conceded and we should have had more points. But there is a long way to go. "I have settled in well since coming back so I am happy but we are still not far away from the top. It is a funny league and every team on their day can beat anybody." -------------- |
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