Archived News from December 2012
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GRIMSBY GAME POSTPONED
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10.00am Saturday morning
The game against Grimsby is off due to a waterlogged pitch. --------- video interview with groundsman Mez and boss Paul Cox: http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/match-off-565845.aspx The pitch is waterlogged following heavy rain in Mansfield. Head Groundsman Michael Merriman said: "We have had so much rain in recent weeks and have had no let off since the Alfreton game. The pitch is absolutely soddened." -------------- twitter.com/mezski michael merriman (groundsman) its like a farmers field ! Boxing day has killed it! --------------------- Boss Cox believes backlog could be a boon for Stags as rain washes out Grimsby game chad.co.uk Saturday 29 December 2012 MANSFIELD Town's backlog of games grew larger today with the postponement of the visit of Grimsby Town due to a waterlogged pitch. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/boss-cox-believes-backlog-could-be-a-boon-for-stags-as-rain-washes-out-grimsby-game-1-5263550 But manager Paul Cox said that, if his players are winning games, playing Saturday and Tuesday every week could yet be a boon. He said: “We are getting a massive backlog of games to be played. But sometimes that can be a positive. “We did that at Eastwood a couple of years back and did well. Sometimes these boys prefer playing games, as long as we don't get a spate of injuries as our squad is not as big as it probably should be at the moment.” Cox was left a disappointed man today as the Stags wanted to get the Boxing Day 2-1 home defeat by Alfreton Town out of their system quickly. “On Friday we thought the game was in doubt,” said Cox. “But there were strong overnight winds and no more rain, so when I left my house this morning for the pitch inspection I was quite optimistic about us playing. “But the water is just not draining away. If you throw a ball up it just won't bounce. The forecast for later was torrential rain so there was little option. “All we can do now is hope for New Year's Day but the forecast isn't brilliant. The newspaper front page this morning said New Year is set to be a wash-out and beyond so you start to worry about the Liverpool game too. “I just have to try to keep the lads switched on and get rid of some of that rustiness we showed on Boxing Day which was our first game for a while. “We can run as much as we want, but it is nothing like playing a competitive game. Against Alfreton I thought we looked fit but lacked that sharpness you can only get from playing. “This happened the same time last year when we had two or three weeks off and then went to Newport and were awful. “I have started ringing round clubs this morning and asking them if they want to play some competitive games on plastic pitches over the next couple of weeks to try to get us sharp. “Playing against each other when Hyde was off last week did us no good really. We need it to be more competitive without any silly tackling.” Now the Stags ground staff face a race against time and the elements to get the pitch ready for the Liverpool visit on 6th January. “The pitch did take a lot of stick against Alfreton on Boxing Day and it is hard for it to recover with all the rain,” said Cox. “The assessor in the stand said to me he was surprised the game actually finished as the ball wasn't moving in some places. “Players like Louis Briscoe and Lindon Meikle just couldn't run with it. “We want to have a full squad, all looking sharp, and a decent surface for the Liverpool game. We want to be be able to give the best account of ourselves that we can in front of a worldwide TV audience.” Cox added: “We are still in a fabulous position for success in the league and we also have the big cup game coming up. So we have got make sure we are geared up and sharp.” -------------- EARLIER STORY: Pitch inspection planned mansfieldtown.net, 11:55 28th December 2012 There will be a pitch inspection at One Call Stadium at 10.30am tomorrow morning ahead our match against Grimsby Town (3pm kick off). We will let you know of the outcome as soon as a decision has been made [on mansfieldtown.net] http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/pitch-inspection-planned-564564.aspx ---------------- Mansfield Pitch Inspection gtfc.co.uk, 11:58 28th December 2012 THERE will be a precautionary pitch inspection at 10.30am on Saturday ahead of the Blue Square Bet Premier League clash between Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town. http://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/article/mansfield-pitch-inspection-564530.aspx There has been some heavy rain in the Mansfield area but the pitch is currently in good condition and there is no surface water. The forecast for the Mansfield area is for outbreaks of heavy rain on Saturday but becoming drier from the west later in the afternoon. Check on gtfc.co.uk before travelling ------------------ |
Latest | December 2012