Archived News from September 2013
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STAGS THUMP DAGGERS FOR FIRST HOME WIN
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 3 - 0 Dagenham & Redbridge Clucas 35, McGuire 47, Rhead 72. Attendance: 3015 (111 from Dagenham) Date: 31 August 2013 Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town convincingly saw off Dagenham & Redbridge this afternoon to record the first home win back in the Football League. After a dire opening 30 minutes from both sides, the Stags took the lead with a fine goal as Dempster headed across goal for Sam Clucas to head his first Stags goal. Two minutes into the second half, it was 2-0 when Jamie McGuire’s speculative effort from 30 yards somehow bounced over the keeper and into the net, an extraordinary howler from the Dagenham keeper. After Mansfield had chances to extend the lead, the game was finally sealed on 72 minutes as sub Calvin Andrew superbly back-heeled across the face of goal for other sub Matt Rhead to thump into the empty net from two yards, for his first football league goal. Some fine performances from the Stags with Rhead outstanding in the second half, Hutchinson impressive throughout, and the defence looking very solid. Dagenham failed to get a shot on target and looked every inch bottom six material. With 8 points from 5 games, the Stags are off to a decent start, with away games to Newport and York coming up. Stagsnet player ratings here Man of the match: Matt Rhead ----------------------------- Saturday, 31st August 2013: Mansfield Town 3 Dagenham and Redbridge 0 chad.co.uk report by John Lomas A second half super show saw Mansfield Town cruise to their first home win back in the Football League as they shot down Dagenham and Redbridge 3-0 this afternoon. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/saturday-31st-august-2013-mansfield-town-3-dagenham-and-redbridge-0-1-6003168 A poor first half saw little football played in a strong wind and Stags narrowly ahead through Sam Clucas’ first goal for the club on 35 minutes. But a switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 with giant striker Matt Rhead thrown on for the second half saw Mansfield finally take a grip on proceedings and a first goal for the club for Jamie McGuire plus a close range finish by Rhead sewed up the points. However, both Ollie Palmer (blow to head) and James Jennings (ankle) ended the afternoon on the treatment table. The last time these sides faced each other it was five years ago and Stags had just been relegated to the Conference before losing their final game in the League at Dagenham. Now Mansfield have taken eight points from five tough games to make their mark back in the League. Stags made one change with Palmer replacing Andrew up front. Assistant manager Adam Murray was reported to be heading out on loan to get games yesterday but was on the Stags bench alongside Paul Cox in his capacity as assistant. He and Jake Speight may yet go out on loan on Monday to get games under their belts, having dropped down the pecking order in the current squad. After an uneventful first seven minutes, the visitors won a corner on the right which first Hutchinson, then Riley made clearances from. On 12 minutes the best passing move so far saw the ball worked out to Elito on the right, and his far post cross was headed wide by Woodall. Lewington comfortably caught a Jennings free kick on 19 minutes as both sides continued to disappoint with Stags playing too many long balls from the back and the midfield completely unemployed. The game so far was summed up by Woodall’s awful 30-yard free kick on 28 minutes which hit the roof of the Quarry Lane stand. A menacing Daggers attack ended with Riley stretching out a leg to clear Ogogo’s low ball in front of goal from the left by-line. Stags finally had a shy at goal on 31 minutes - and it was a cracking effort. Riley played the ball inside from the left to Clements, 30 yards from goal, who controlled and then sent a rasping effort inches wide. Ogogo was booked on 34 minutes for a late tackle on Jennings. And, from the free kick, midway in the Mansfield half, the home side took the lead. Riley sent the ball long into the box, Dempster headed it in front of goal and Clucas stooped to direct his header out of the reach of Lewington and into the net. There were shouts for a penalty when Beevers right wing cross was cut out, but the home side were given only a corner. So Stags went in with the slender one-goal advantage at the end of a poor quality first half. Beevers was withdrawn at half-time to allow the introduction of Rhead in a new-look 4-4-2 formation which paid immediate dividends. Stags had three quick chances and netted the third of them. First Hutchinson helped on a Jennings cross and Rhead’s first touch saw him head over from a great position with less than 30 seconds of the half gone. Then Clucas was inches wide with a superb 30 yard half-volley. But when McGuire tried his luck with an innocuous shot from 25 yards as we entered the 48th minute, the keeper failed to block the effort and it bounced through his grasp and into the net. Ilesanmi tore down the left soon after, holding off the challenge of Sutton before poking into the sidenetting. It was almost 3-0 on 55 minutes as Rhead headed a long Hutchinson cross back into the mix where Palmer took a knock to the face as he bravely headed inches over. Soon after Palmer was calling for a penalty as he went down with Wilkinson leaning on him, but again nothing was given. Clements was unlucky when his low drive took a slight deflection and just passed the wrong wide of the post for a corner as Stags completely dominated. Hines sliced a half-chance over for the desperate visitors from the right of the box, and then Ogogo headed a free kick well over. Andrew had twice been treated for bangs to the head and it was no surprise when he went off on 65 minutes to be replaced by Andrew. Sub Rhead sealed the points with 18 minutes to go. Rhead was being manhandled and having his shirt pulled as he tried to head on a Jennings throw at the near post. But the ball ran to Andrew who, from the byline, backheeled the ball in front of goal where Rhead was able to slam it home from close range. The visitors almost clawed one back when Obafemi headed against the bar from a left wing corner. Andrew was booked on 77 minutes for stopping the Daggers’ keeper taking a quick free kick and a minute later added Rhead for his challenge on Wilkinson. Scott fired a couple of late chances wide as Mansfield clung onto their clean sheet. Doe was booked two minutes into stoppage time for a clattering challenge on Jennings that saw him helped off and Stags ending the game with 10 men. Clements was booked for time wasting with 94 minutes on the clock. MANSFIELD: Marriott; Sutton, Dempster, Riley; Beevers (Rhead HT), Clements, McGuire, Hutchinson (Meikle 80), Jennings; Clucas, Palmer (Andrew 65). Subs not used: Mitchell, Stevenson, Tafazolli, A. Howell.?DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE: Lewington; Doe, Wilkinson, Saah, Ilesanmi; L. Howell, Ogogo, Bingham (Scott 52); Hines, Woodall (Obafemi 70), Elito. Subs not used: Seabright, Dennis, Hoyte, Shields, Connors. REFEREE: Richard Clark of Northumberland. ATTENDANCE: 3, 015 (111 away). STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Sam Clucas ------------------- Victorious Stags not giving boss Cox sleepless nights Nottingham Post report by Matt Halfpenny IT turns out it wasn't Adam Murray's request for a loan move that was giving Paul Cox sleepless nights at all . . . it was, in fact, his weeks-old daughter Millie. Read more: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-19739135-detail/story.html?#ixzz2diqXV313 The Mansfield manager had encountered his fair share of problems coming into a third home game of the season against Dagenham and Redbridge, none more so than last season's Conference Championship-winning skipper intimating he was ready to quit the One Call Stadium on loan in search of first-team football. And while admitting to a lack of shut-eye prior to match, it was a third bottle feed in a matter of hours that kept him up until light was seeping through the curtains at 4.30am, not pondering how to explain to media and fans why his player-assistant manager may soon plying his trade elsewhere. It's doubtful Cox will be any less bleary eyed in the foreseeable future either. He was back on baby watch straight after the Daggers game with the prospect of more high-pitched crying into the wee, small hours. What he can draw plenty of solace from, though, is a first home victory of the season that emphasised Mansfield's growing confidence at League Two level - and a display that banished widespread pre-match conjecture about Murray's future to the back of most onlookers' minds. Whether or not the former Oxford man does return in amber and blue is obviously an issue to keep an eye on moving forward, but the far more pressing concern for Cox and supporters is that the Stags continue to build on their newly-won status. And on the evidence of the weekend, where they were at their most convincing yet since returning to English football's elite 92, they are well on their way to doing just that after extending their unbeaten run to four matches. Mansfield's opening games - at Scunthorpe and Wycombe and at home to Exeter and Portsmouth - always looked a tough baptism. This was the first game where the fans expected a Stags victory, bringing a different kind of pressure for the players, but one they eventually handled very well. It's true it took the hosts over half an hour to get going in what was an insipid first half and they only really clicked into top gear after the restart, being slightly fortunate to go in at the break a goal ahead. But there was no denying they were worthy winners come full time, and much of the reason for their second half excellence was a sublime performance from Matt Rhead, who galvanised his team-mates with a first-class demonstration of target-man play. Granted, Rhead missed an easy headed chance with virtually his first touch, but from then on he hardly put a foot wrong, winning the ball in the air, holding up play with his strength and bringing others into the game with his passing and clever flicks. While using the former Eastwood man from the start has never really worked, either last season or this, there are few more dangerous players to have on the bench - and few who strike greater fear into opposition defenders. Rhead's half-time introduction coincided with a switch from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 for Mansfield as right wing-back Lee Beevers made way, Ben Hutchinson moved to the right, Sam Clucas to the left and James Jennings to left back. That in itself seemed to settle the players, appearing more at home with the new system and playing with the kind of attacking conviction that had been lacking. In the end, it could have been more than three goals, but it was still a good win against a team who had provided the opposition when the Stags were Conference-bound on the final day of 2007-08. With just one change from the draw with Portsmouth, as Ollie Palmer came in for Calvin Andrew, Mansfield went route one far too often in the early exchanges, and were relieved to see Brian Woodall head wide from Medy Elito's centre. It was not until the 31st minute that Chris Clements fired in the Stags' first shot on goal, but their second, just four minutes later, resulted in the breakthrough. Martin Riley lifted a free-kick towards the far post, John Dempster headed back into the danger zone and Clucas stooped to glance home. A second goal was what Mansfield needed to take a stranglehold and they got it just three minutes into the second period after Rhead's missed opportunity. If you don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery, so while most were admonishing Jamie McGuire for letting fly from way out, the bounce of his dipping drive deceived Chris Lewington and found the net. From then on there was only one winner, even though substitute Affy Obafemi glanced against the bar late on. Rhead's game-sealing third could hardly have been easier - he side-footed home from close in after Andrew had flummoxed the visiting defence with a back heel. And so to Newport next weekend for the battle of the two promoted teams. It's a place where the Stags have lost and not scored in any of their three previous visits. Three points there, and not even an unabridged 24 hours of baby duty would wipe the smile of Cox's face. ----------------------- Mansfield Town 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 0 Read more at http://www.daggers.co.uk/news/article/daggers-mansfield-1026584.aspx?#XApCmP9WRFQlyfiD.99 It proved to be a bad day at the office for the Daggers as they were on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline at MansfieldTown. Sam Clucas headed the hosts in front 10 minutes before half time and a slow start to the second for Wayne Burnett’s side effectively ended their chances as first Jamie McGuire and then substitute Matt Rhead condemned the visitors to defeat. Luke Wilkinson returned for his first start of the season, while Zavon Hines and Billy Bingham were also brought in at the expense of Gavin Hoyte, Josh Scott and the injured Rhys Murphy. Daggers got off to a promising start as they played most of the opening exchanges in the Mansfieldhalf, though had nothing to show for it. Luke Howell headed over Medy Elito’s inswinging cross after 11 minutes in the first real attempt of the match, while later on Hines saw his cross cleared by Martin Riley with Elito ready to pounce. Chris Clements drilled an effort just wide of the target just past the half hour mark and the hosts did open the afternoon’s scoring. And it was another set piece which proved the Daggers undoing as a free-kick from within the Mansfieldhalf was pumped forward and Clucas headed past goalkeeper Chris Lewington. Daggers would have been after a response early in the second half but that never materialised and they were made to pay by the Stags. Just two minutes had passed when they doubled their lead as a long range shot from Jamie McGuire bounced just in front of Lewington and though he got the faintest of touches, he couldn’t keep the effort out. Minutes later Femi Ilesanmi almost pulled one back for the Daggers as he drifted in off the left and got to byline where his effort struck the post. But the game was out of their reach after 72 minutes when substitute Calvin Andrew’s ball in was tapped home by an unmarked Rhead. After that the Daggers did improve but it proved too little too late and the best chance fell to sub Affy Obafemi as his effort struck the bar. The result means drop down to 19th in the League Two table ahead of Tuesday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy encounter at Victoria Roadagainst League One side Colchester United. MansfieldTown:Marriott, Sutton, Dempster, Riley, Clucas, Jennings, Beevers (Rhead 46), Hutchinson (Meikle 80), Clements, McGuire, Palmer (Andrew 65). Unused substitutes: Mitchell, Stevenson, Tafazolli, Howell, Dagenham & Redbridge:Lewington, Wilkinson, Doe, Saah, Ilesanmi, Bingham (Scott 52), Ogogo, Howell, Hines, Elito, Woodall (Obafemi 70). Unused substitutes: Seabright, Dennis, Hoyte, Shields, Connors Attendance:3,015, (111 Daggers fans) --------------------- |
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