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Archived News from December 2002

STAGS OUT OF CUP
8th December 2002 9:35


The Stags lost 3-0 in a 2nd Round FA Cup tie at Crewe this afternoon. Reports from the BBC & Teamtalk & CHAD.

Crewe Alexandra 3 - 0 Mansfield Town
Rix 6
Brammer pen 63
Ashton 78

Crewe Alexandra
Ince , Wright , Walton , Foster , Vaughan , Lunt , Brammer , Sorvel , Rix , Ashton , Jack. Subs: Bankole , Sodje , Walker , Jones , Miles

Mansfield Town
Pilkington , Clarke , Lever , Day , Gadsby , Corden , MacKenzie , Disley , Larkin , Christie , Bacon, Subs: White , Moore , Jervis , Scott , Beardsley

Ref: G Salisbury (Lancashire)

BBC: Keith Curle's first taste of football management ended in defeat as Crewe sent Mansfield crashing out of the FA Cup.
Kenny Lunt split the visitors' defence wide open with an inch-perfect pass for birthday-boy Ben Rix to run through and fire home after just six minutes.
The lead was doubled after 63 minutes when Lunt was brought down inside the area by Mansfield's Dave Jervis and skipper Dave Brammer scored from the resulting penalty.
Dean Ashton made sure with a third 15 minutes later, curling a superb 25-yard strike past Kevin Pilkington.
It was the 12th goal the former Manchester United goalkeeper has conceded to Crewe this season.
For Mansfield, Neil MacKenzie brought a fine acrobatic save from Alex goalkeeper Clayton Ince, but the visitors were well beaten by an impressive Crewe side.

Teamtalk: Crewe sent Mansfield crashing out of the FA Cup to ruin Keith Curle's first taste of football management as the Alex ran out 3-0 winners.
Kenny Lunt split the visitors' defence wide open with an inch-perfect pass for birthday-boy Ben Rix to run through and fire home after just six minutes.
The lead was doubled after 63 minutes when Lunt was brought down inside the area by Mansfield substitute Dave Jervis and skipper Dave Brammer scored from the resulting penalty.
Dean Ashton made sure with a third 15 minutes later, curling a superb 25-yard strike past Kevin Pilkington - the 12th goal the former Manchester United goalkeeper has conceded to Crewe this season.
For Mansfield, Neil MacKenzie brought a fine acrobatic save from Alex goalkeeper Clayton Ince but they were well beaten by an impressive Crewe side.
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CHAD:
stags cup dreams ended by bogey team crewe


THERE was to be no fairytale start in management for Keith Curle as Stags crashed 3-0 at this season's bogey club Crewe in the FA Cup second round at Gresty Road.

THERE was to be no fairytale start in management for Keith Curle as Stags crashed 3-0 at this season's bogey club Crewe in the FA Cup second round at Gresty Road.

In his first game in charge, Curle saw his side go behind to a sixth minute strike from Ben Rix.

They then rallied well for 25 minutes and Danny Bacon had a header cleared off the line.

But Crewe, who had already won 5-0 and 4-0 at Field Mill this season, began to take a stranglehold.

And it was all over when Dave Brammer made it 2-0 from the penalty spot on 62 minutes with Stags comprehensively outplayed throughout the second half, Dean Ashton adding a third on 78 minutes.

Curle made three changes in his first game with Liam Lawrence ill, Lee Williamson suspended and loanee Colin Little returning to Crewe injured.

Bobby Hassell was also unavailable with a groin strain.

New boss Curle went 4-4-2 with Colin Larkin operating on the right of midfield, Neil MacKenzie back in the centre and Bacon up front with Iyseden Christie.

Matt Gadsby and Jamie Clarke were the full backs with Rhys Day and Mark Lever in the middle of defence.

Mansfield had a big pre-match boost when Crewe hot shot Rob Hulse was ruled out with a training injury picked up on Friday.

Christie and Wayne Corden had early pots at goal as Stags started brightly.

But Lunt conjured up a sixth minute goal for Crewe with a superbly weighted through ball which split the defence down the centre and Rix slid in to nick past the advancing Kevin Pilkington.

Crewe did create other chances and Rodney Jack had a 38th minute effort disallowed for offside.

But Stags more than matched them with MacKenzie in good form and Larkin's pace causing problems down the right.

Bacon thought he had levelled two minutes after Crewe's opener but saw his downward header shoot up off the turf towards the top right corner where David Vaughan cleared off the line.

Keeper Clayton Ince also did well to dive full length to keep out a MacKenzie shot.

But the Railwaymen stepped up a gear in the second half and it was all over when Jervis tripped Lunt in the box and Brammer sent Pilkington the wrong way from the spot.

Goal of the game came from Ashton 12 minutes from time as Crewe dominated possession.

With defenders standing off him 20 yards from goal he was allowed to pick his spot and found the top right hand corner.

Another superb move in stoppage time ended with Ashton striking the base of the post as Stags' FA Cup dream was abruptly halted, leaving only a season-long relegation battle to be fought.


 

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