Archived News from August 2013
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TRIALISTS MITCHELL AND MCSWEENEY PLAY FOR RESERVES
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Report: Doncaster 1-2 Stags
mansfieldtown.net 13th August 2013 by Andrew Webb Mansfield Town kicked off their Central League (East Division) campaign with a thoroughly deserved 2-1 win at Doncaster Rovers this afternoon. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/report-doncaster-1-2-stags-990077.aspx#W5ZH6HXzDDRw5tJ8.99 The Stags dominated throughout and went ahead through Chris Clements' close-range on 52 minutes, though Rovers quickly drew level through Sanchez Payne. However, Lindon Meikle’s sublime right-footed strike on the hour-mark sealed a fantastic win. The Stags created numerous chances during a first period which they dominated at a sun-drenched Keepmoat Stadium in South Yorkshire. Striker Calvin Andrew enjoyed our first opportunity, but his close-range stab-shot was diverted wide by Liam Wakefield. Meikle hooked an effort onto the roof of the target from Clements' resulting corner, as Mansfield continued to impress. On 13 minutes, Ben Hutchinson linked up well with strike-partner Andrew, who was only able to fire into the side-netting from a tight angle. Doncaster soon caught a rare glimpse of The Stags' goal as A. Trilaist found Billy Paynter unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. However, despite being in acres of space, a poor touch by the Rovers frontman allowed John McCombe to get back and clear the danger. Rovers' Dave Syers also fired over after capitalising on an error by Leon McSweeney, but it was Mansfield who continued to look the more dominant. On 26 minutes, Andrew saw another powerful drive blocked, before Hutchinson’s pin-point cross towards the back-post, reached Meikle, who headed just over. Moments later, Meikle was again at the thick of the action as he cut inside with a beautiful slalom run, and saw his 20-yard shot deflected wide by Middleton. Clements found McCombe lurking at the back-post from the subsequent corner, but Middleton was again in the right place to clear the danger. Louis Briscoe blazed over with the follow-up, and prior to the half-time interval, Ryan Tafazolli was also off-target with a set-piece header. Both keepers were tested during the one additional minute at the end of the first period. Andrew had a swerving low strike beaten away by a full-stretch Jon Maxted, whilst Syers' low shot forced Mitchell into a routine stop at the opposite end. Ollie Palmer replaced Andrew at half-time, whilst Doncaster made a double substitution with Sanchez Payne and Alex Peterson both introduced. The duo made a near-immediate impact as within three minutes of the re-start, Payne saw an ambitious long-range effort spilled by Mitchell. Peterson was quickest to react, but his powerful follow-up rattled the underside of the crossbar, which allowed The Stags to clear. And moments later, the visitors took full advantage of Peterson’s close-range miss as they broke the deadlock. Hutchinson battled to keep the ball on the left by-line and found Clements with a low pull-back, who duly fired beyond a grounded Maxted at close-range. Mansfield's lead was thoroughly deserved, however, it lasted short of three minutes as Rovers quickly hit back. Peterson brought the ball forward down the left flank and played a neat inside-pass to Payne, who finished with a cute 20-yard drive. Despite the equaliser, Mansfield continued to look dominant and re-established their lead on the hour-mark. Hutchinson released Meikle on the inside-right, who weaved past two men, before curling a simply sumptuous strike into the top left-hand corner. Hutchinson almost registered his name on the score-sheet on 69 minutes, but his bullet drive caught a fortuitous deflection off Middleton, which diverted the ball wide. The impressive Meikle also rattled the woodwork late on, before Kyle Bennett wasted a gilt-edge chance to draw Rovers level on the brink of added time. Bennett was played clean through, but in a one-on-one with Mitchell, the winger lacked composure as he screwed a woeful shot horribly wide. The Stags came through two minutes of added time unscathed and held on to record a thoroughly-deserved victory. Team: Mitchell, Sutton (c), McSweeney, Gnahore, McCombe, Tafazolli, Briscoe, Clements, Andrew (Palmer (Flint)), Hutchinson, Meikle. Unused Subs: M.Jones, Lamb, J.Thomas. EARLIER STORY Manager Paul Cox has named three trialists in his starting XI for this afternoon's Central League (East Division) fixture at Doncaster Rovers. Liam Mitchell, Eddy Gnahore and Leon McSweeney, who played for Leyton Orient in League One last term, are those trialists. Our side is as follows: Mitchell, Sutton (c), McSweeney, Gnahore, McCombe, Tafazolli, Briscoe, Clements, Andrew, Hutchinson, Meikle. Subs: Palmer, M.Jones, Lamb, Flint, J.Thomas. ----------------- Three trialists turn out as Stags reserves win opener at Doncaster with Meikle strike chad.co.uk 13 August 2013 Stags reserves included three trialists in their side for their opening Central League (East Division) game at Doncaster Rovers this afternoon, which they won 2-1 with goals by Chris Clements and Lindon Meikle. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/three-trialists-turn-out-as-stags-reserves-win-opener-at-doncaster-with-meikle-strike-1-5948323 Keeper Liam Mitchell (Notts County) returned after a previous spell on loan, while also playing were midfielder Eddy Gnahore (Birmingham) and utility player Leon McSweeney (ex-Leyton Orient). Ritchie Sutton, Calvin Amdrew and Ollie Palmer. From the side that drew 0-0 in Saturday’s League Two clash with Exeter also took part. Clements’s 51st minute opeer was wiped out by Payne’s equaliser within three minutes before Ben Huthcinson et up Meikle for the winner on the hour. Meikle also hit the woodwork a minute from time before Rovers’ Bennett failed to put away a one-on-one with Mitchellin stoppage time. Tonight the club will send a Mansfield Town XI away to face Carlton Town in a friendly. ------------------- Doncaster Rovers 1 Mansfield Town 2 Tue 13 Aug 2013 Rovers' Development squad lost the opening game of the 2013/14 Central League campaign 2-1 to Mansfield Town. Read more at http://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/article/doncaster-rovers-1-mansfield-town-2-990277.aspx?#VYQ7Of8uBppZFwzc.99 Central League East Division Referee - Mr Dean Bradshaw The Development squad played their first game in the Central League for nearly a decade at home to Mansfield Town. The visitors made the early running but didn’t trouble Maxted in the Rovers goal. In the 10th minute, Mansfield won a corner, which came out of the home defence to Meikle, who chipped on to the roof of the net. Minutes later, good work by a trialist (no 21) on the Rovers right resulted in a great cross to the middle for Paynter, on his own, but his ball control let him down and the gift chance went begging. Another corner to Mansfield came to nothing but in the 19th minute, a mistake by a Mansfield defender let in Syers, to the right of goal about 15 yards out but he fired over. Three minutes later, good football on the Rovers right involving no 21 trialist, Syers and Paynter gave Middleton a chance of a shot from 20yards but it was blocked and cleared. At the other end Binns got in the way of a shot by Andrew. The rebound came out to Hutchinson, on the visiting right and his cross was headed over by Meikle. Just before the half hour, Meikle had a strike from 18yards deflected for a corner. McCombe got his header on target but Binns was there to head away but Briscoe collected the ball and from the edge of the penalty area drove the ball just over the bar. Past the half hour the Rovers won their first corner and the visitors won two but nothing came from any of them. As time ran down to the break Harper gave Paynter chance of a shot from 25yards but Mitchell made the save. In the 45th minute Andrew, for the Stags, hit a cracking shot from 15yards that brought a great save from Maxted, diving to his right and parrying the ball well away. Rovers got the second half underway, with each side making substitutions. One of them, Payne, for the Rovers, got in a cracker of a shot from 25yards in the 48th minute, which Mitchell could only parry back into play to the waiting Peterson. Peterson’s left footed blast from 6yards hit the underside of the bar and bounced away. Four minutes later and Mansfield made the home team pay for that miss when a build-up on their right resulted in Sutton hitting a low cross to CLEMENTS to shoot into the net. Immediately Mansfield attacked again, with Hutchinson firing just wide of a post from 20yards. Then, in the 54th minute, a poor back pass let in Peterson, who passed inside to PAYNE for him to hit a good low shot past the diving keeper. On the hour, Bennett hit a twenty-five yarder that Mitchell could only beat away. A minute later and the Stags took the lead when MEIKLE hit a cracker into the bottom corner. The Rovers tried to hit back but, following some good play, Middleton fired over from 25yards. Minutes later and Meikle had a go that Maxted had to put out for a corner. The visitors continued to have the better of the play but the best was left to the last minute when Meikle hit a terrific drive against the bar and then Bennett, for the Rovers, was played through on goal with only the keeper to beat but fired low past the post. Result - Doncaster Rovers 1 (Payne 54) Mansfield Town 2 (Clements 52 Meikle 61) Teams - Rovers - Jon Maxted; Trialist, Liam Wakefield, Trialist, Jordan Binns; Trialist, Harry Middleton, James Harper, Kyle Bennett; David Syers, Billy Paynter Subs used - Alex Peterson for Paynter 46 mins; Sanchez Payne for Syers 46 mins; Chris Whincop for Trialist; Subs not used - Josh Meade, Jacob Dawson, Jack McLaren gk Mansfield Town - Liam Mitchell; Ritchie Sutton, John McCombe, Ryan Tafazolli, Leon McSweeney; Lois Briscoe, Chris Clements, Eddie Ganhdre, Lindon Meikle; Calvin Andrew, Ben Hutchinson Subs used - Oliver Palmer for Andrew 46 mins; Subs not used- Ross Lamb, Joe Flint, Jack Thomas, Matthew Jones --------------------- According to http://www.skysports.com/football/player/0,,11768_460703,00.html Liam Mitchell was released by Notts Co in July 2013 --------------------- Leon McSweeney blog from May 2013 sweeneymc83's Blog Ramblings of a Footballer http://sweeneymc83blog.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/loyalty-and-the-rat-race/ Talent is only half the story… Loyalty and the “rat race”… Posted on May 1, 2013 by sweeneymc83 The end of another season has arrived and so the rat race begins trying to find a new club. Being released at the end of a contract is one of those things that every player apart from the lucky few will have to endure at some stage throughout a career. The feelings of anxiety and worry are unavoidable for a player as you enter into a phase of the season where clubs are adjusting budgets and looking to recruit players as best as is possible to fit in with club finances. As a player, you just hope the reputation you’ve built up and the previous seasons performances haven’t gone unnoticed by potential suitors, but it’s a time where the waiting game begins and the phone is a constant companion. Will it ring, if at all and who will ring, if anyone? It makes you wonder, as a player, about the question of loyalty in football and the realisation that it simply doesn’t exist, but that is simply the reality of the industry in which we ply our trade. You often hear of managers and fans questioning player’s loyalty when players move clubs, citing the usual cliche of ‘money grabber’ but the fact is players are in the game to achieve success, be it to win trophies or promotions, and to earn the best deal financially available. Take the contrasting fortunes of Orient keepers Ryan Alsopp and Lee Butcher and perhaps you’ll understand what I’m getting at. Ryan was criticised heavily when he departed to Bournemouth earlier in the season for the security of a long term contract and I presume a more lucrative salary. He took the risk of a short term deal at Orient where he was signed as nothing more than a number two, but after getting his opportunity to play, as a result of injury, he went on to have a phenomenal stay between the sticks therefore attracting interest from all that saw him in action. Yes, people will say that Orient gave him an opportunity and he perhaps should have stayed loyal, but he earned his move, risked injury for a fragile short term deal and performed fantastically for the club when called upon so he should have been thanked and wished well. Hypothetically speaking, if he never got the opportunity to perform or if Lee recovered from injury in January to challenge Jamie Jones for the position of goalkeeper then would Ryan’s contract have even been renewed? Probably not, but I guess we’ll never know. Contrast this to Lee’s situation, who amongst all the lads in the dressing room was undoubtedly a shoe in for player of the year in 2011/2012 before doing his cruciate ligament in March of that year. He was a stand out performer and won us points on his own with his performances which ultimately kept us up but where one has gone onto promotion to the championship, the other has been released on a free. In this instance, I think it’s safe to say that football can be a cruel mistress at times. As a player, you give everything on the football pitch or should do as a minimum requirement anyway. You put your body on the line and play through injury for the love of playing and helping the team, but when it comes down to contracts and loyalty it seems the only thing that matters, especially in the current economic climate, is where the player fits in with the budget, but hey, that’s football. For me, in a season of more highs than lows culminating in us finishing seventh, I fell one league start short from getting an automatic one year contract extension. So close yet so far. Similarly, players will have fought relegation up and down the country and given everything to avoid the blot of relegation on their CV, only to have the ecstasy of survival soured by their release from their club. Like me, released with nothing more than a thank you and goodbye but that isn’t a criticism, just simply the nature of the industry in which we work. For me personally, I would like to thank Leyton Orient for a great two years, a truly fantastic club in every sense of the word. As a footballer, you play with a lot of players throughout a career but only a handful you can truly call friends so it’s an added bonus to have met some top guys during my stay that I’ll be sorry to leave behind. I’d like to thank the fans for the support they’ve given me every time I crossed the white line and for recognising my efforts by singing ‘The Sweeney’ theme tune. Without question I will be very sorry to leave it all behind, but again, that as they say, is football. Like every club I’ve played for I take great satisfaction that I’ve left them in the same or better state that when I arrived. I arrived at Brisbane Road with the team seventh in league one and I leave with the team seventh in league one. Let’s hope the club can go one step further in the near future. Thanks for the memories. -------------------------- Teenage goalkeeper Hill snapped up by Mansfield By Colin Thompson Published Aug 13, 2013 http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20130813/SPORT01/130819936 It’s not often that a footballer gets signed up for a club on the same day they are due to have trials with another. But that’s exactly what happened to 16-year old goalkeeper Jahquil Hill who agreed to the terms of a two-year deal with League Two Mansfield Town the same day he was supposed to start trials with Premier side Fulham. “I was sitting down with my cousin in an office registering for this school and I ended up getting a call from a scout,” Hill recalled. “He told me Mansfield is offering a scholarship and a two-year contract to get paid to play football. “This happened the same day I was supposed to start trials with Fulham and at first I was a bit confused. I was thinking Mansfield offered me a scholarship for two years so I can either stick to that or I can turn them down and go to Fulham |
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