{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from April 2014

COX, SPEIGHT AND JAMES BEATTIE REACTION
24th April 2014 10:49



video interviews with Cox and Speight
http://www.player.mansfieldtown.net/latest-news/article/3776130

--------------

Draw is difficult to take - Cox
mansfieldtown.net

Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox admits today’s 1-1 draw away to Accrington Stanley feels like a defeat - as Kai Naismith’s spot-kick in the fifth minute of added time denied us a fifth straight win.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/draw-is-difficult-to-take-cox-1496218.aspx#cUVJGM3m3CeA4oYs.99

Our team were firmly on course to climb further up the Sky Bet League Two table, when Jake Speight broke the deadlock with just 15 minutes remaining.

However, James Beattie’s team fought back and earned a share of the soils when Naismith slotted home from 12 yards, after Martin Riley was judged to have fouled James Gray inside the area.

“It was a strange end to the game,” said our boss.

“We tweaked things in the second half and I thought we really came out of the blocks. We scored two good goals, although one of them was called offside, so it feels like we’ve lost to be honest.”

He continued: “The lads are claiming that their lad [James Gray] was three or four yards offside, before the penalty.

“But after we scored, we seemed to panic a little bit and drop deeper. We know from our first game with Accrington [earlier in the season] that they’re going to come at you all the way through stoppage-time, so it feels like a loss.”

Our boss has also conceded that it will be exceptionally difficult for our team to reach the Play-Offs.

Results elsewhere today mean that we have dropped to 12th position - seven points adrift of seventh-placed York City, who won at Oxford United, with just three matches remaining.

“It’s a tough place to come and we’re still in there, although other results went against us, but this is a league where there is always going to be come twists and turns,” said Cox.

“In our last three games, there have been some massive twists and turns and all we can do is get nine points from our last three games and push the teams above us all the way.”

He added: “We want to finish the season as high as possible - especially for the supporters as they came out in force again today.”

----------------

Stags boss Cox down but not out after play-off blow at Accrington
chad.co.uk

Paul Cox was down but not out as a late Accrington Stanley equaliser saw Mansfield Town held 1-1 at the Storefirst Stadium and the Stags’ play-off hopes begin to dwindle.

With other scores going against them today, they now sit 12th and seven points off the play-off zone with only three games to go.

Jake Speight had put them ahead 15 minutes from time, but Stanley levelled with a controversial penalty five minutes into added time.

However, the Stags boss refused to concede the dream is over, saying: “It does make it harder, but we will keep going until it is mathematically certain we can’t make it.

“It feels like we lost today, to be honest. Other results seem to have gone against us and. But there will be some massive twists and turns over the last three games still and all we can do is try to win the last three.

“We want to finish the season on a high.

“I feel gutted for the supporters today who turned out in force again.

“It was a strange end to the game. We tweaked it second half and I thought we came out of the blocks well and scored a good goal.”

He added: “The boys claimed their lad was three or four yards offside when the penalty was given, but I couldn’t see from where I was.

“It seemed like after we scored we panicked a bit and went deeper and deeper. We seemed to go to sleep for a bit. We knew from the last game how Accrington come at you all the way in injury time.

“We seemed to lose our focus and we lost our shape a bit.

“But it is hard when they are throwing the kitchen sink at you. We should have rode it out as we have been doing of late.

“There were some tired legs out there near the end.

“The surface was horrendous for both sides and there wasn’t much football played on it. It is a tough place to come.”

Stags now host a visit from Cheltenham Town on Easter Monday (3pm).

----------------------

Accrington draw felt like a loss, says Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox
Nottingham Post by Sarah Clapson

A STOPPAGE time equaliser meant Mansfield Town's 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley felt like "a loss" for boss Paul Cox.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Accrington-draw-felt-like-loss-says-Mansfield/story-20983147-detail/story.html#ixzz2zMjXNcT8

Jake Speight had come off the bench to give the Stags the lead in the second half, with his first goal of the season for the club.

But defender Martin Riley's foul on James Gray gave Kai Naismith the chance to fire home from the penalty spot just before the final whistle for the hosts.

That brought an end to Mansfield Town's four-match winning run and also saw them drop down to 12th position in League Two, seven points off the play-off positions.

Following a quiet first half, Cox switched to a 4-4-2 formation after the break with the introductions of Sam Clucas and Lindon Meikle - a change which sparked a bright period for the visitors as Speight had a strike ruled out for offside shortly before his opener for the visitors.

"It was a strange end to the game," said the Mansfield manager (pictured), whose team lost 3-2 to the Reds earlier in the season, courtesy of two late strikes.

"We tweaked it second half and felt we really came out of the blocks and scored a good goal - well two good goals, but one of them was offside.

"It feels like we've lost it, if I'm totally honest.

"When we scored, we seemed to panic a little bit and drop deeper.

"You know with Accrington, after our first game against them, that they're going to come at you all the way through injury time.

"It's hard when teams throw the kitchen sink at you but you have to be disciplined.

"We've rode out those sort of games of late and I expected us to do that.

"I thought we'd come through it.

"I thought the changes we made in the second half were effective.

" I thought we played on the front foot.

"But we seemed to go to sleep a little bit after we scored."

--------------------

Mixed emotions for Speight as Stags are held
chad.co.uk

Jake Speight ended yesterday’s 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley with mixed emotions.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mixed-emotions-for-speight-as-stags-are-held-1-6570138

The sub striker came on to bag his first Mansfield Town goal of the season, but a controversial late Stanley penalty saw two precious points disappear as Stags’ play-off dream took a massive blow.

“It was good to get a goal, but we really needed the three points here today,” he said.

“Unfortunately we conceded a penalty late on.

“There was definitely a coming together. It was a tough one, but they do get given.”

He paid tribute to fellow sub Sam Clucas for carving out the goal for him after he got inside two defenders wide on the right.

“It was great feet from Sam and he is a class player, he put it on a plate for me really,” he said.

Stags are now 12th and seven points from the play-offs with just three games left and Speight added: “It is not looking as good as it was before the game. We have just got to concentrate on ourselves, starting Monday against Cheltenham.

“We must make sure we win every game and see where we are at the end.”

---------------------

Paul Cox BBC Radio Nottingham interview:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26983429


Accrington manager James Beattie told BBC Radio Lancashire:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26983429

"I'm delighted with the result in the end. It just epitomises what the players are all about, the team spirit they've created and their fitness levels as well.
"The lads never lie down and they never know when they're beaten. It's a great characteristic to have."

-----------------

Beattie vows to battle on
http://www.football365.com/league-two/9272140/-?

Accrington boss James Beattie will keep his side focused as they edge closer towards Football League survival.

Stanley stay four points clear of the relegation zone after a 1-1 home draw with Mansfield.

Jake Speight put the Stags ahead in the 75th minute and they looked on course for a win until Kal Naismith converted a penalty deep into injury time.

"We have got to keep working hard as we are not mathematically safe yet," said Beattie, whose side were bottom of the table in October.

"We are all battling to keep this side in League Two and I am 100 per cent confident we will do it.

"The lads have been tremendous and they have a real never-say-die attitude. We have picked up a lot of points with late goals and it shows our character. They never know when they are beaten and they make me smile."

----------------

Beattie: “Job is Not Done” 20/04/2014
by Dan Jewell
http://accringtonstanley.co.uk/2014/04/beattie-job-done/

Stanley manager James Beattie is urging anyone considering his side safe from relegation from League Two to have a rethink.

The Reds are 17th in League Two with a four point cushion to the relegation places ahead of tomorrow’s trip to high-flying Southend.

But Beattie insists that nobody in the camp is thinking further ahead than the next game.

“Until we are mathematically safe then I’d urge anyone who thinks that the job is done to have a rethink,” he explained. “Until it’s mathematically impossible for us to go down then nothing changes.

“We’re still coming in and working hard, from Naz the kit man to the Chairman, we have to keep working hard to keep this club in the league.

“I have 100% faith that we will do it.”

Beattie’s team have taken late points in their last two games thanks to stoppage time goals to maintain their advantage over the teams below them in the table and the manager thinks that’s exactly the kind of mental strength they’ll need to bring all three points back from Roots Hall.

“The late goals show what great character the boys have got,” he said. “They never say die, as it says on the sign over the pitch when you walk out at the Store First Stadium. This is the club that wouldn’t die and the lads are taking that out into the games.

“When we played them at home Southend were one of the best sides we’ve played. Phil Brown’s done a great job there but I’ve got every faith that our boys can go there and get a result.

“We’ve done our due dilligence on Southend and looked at the ways we can hurt them and get at them and we’ve touched on the ways they can hurt us too.

“As far as I’m concerned everything is positive going forward because I have total faith in the players in that dressing room.”

---------------------

Martin Riley @LifeofRiley6
Absolutely fuming! Dying to give them that all game!

Martin Shaw @shawma1
Just had another look at the Accrington penalty on the match DVD. Just as it looked to me in real time, it doesn't look a penalty to me.

Martin Riley @LifeofRiley6
@shawma1 could you tell if it was offside?

Martin Shaw @shawma1
Onside, I think, @LifeofRiley6 pic.twitter.com/kNJBeS1Ni8
... though it's not the perfect angle of course. In real time, I thought it was onside too.

James Jennings @JamesJennings03
@shawma1 @LifeofRiley6 a good few yards offside I had the line! Picture doesn't justify it

James Jennings @JamesJennings03
Gutted we never won yesterday! Seems like he couldn't wait to blow the whistle...Special shout to all the fans that made the trip #stags

--------------------

 

Latest | April 2014