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Archived News from October 2015

MURRAY AND DARRELL CLARKE REACTION
21st October 2015 20:46


Murray: We showed great fight and great spirit
mansfieldtown.net, 17th October 2015

Stags’ boss Adam Murray says he was proud of the fight and spirit of his nine-man side that were defeated 2-1 by Bristol Rovers in dramatic fashion this afternoon.

Jermaine Easter put the away side ahead before being shown the first red card of the day for an alleged head-butt on Jamie McGuire just before half-time. The second half saw a red card for Krystian Pearce and a second yellow for Nicky Hunt before Ryan Tafazolli volleyed the Stags level with ten minutes remaining.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/murray-we-showed-great-fight-and-great-spirit-2748381.aspx#e7ij8YYZeDPm8E3Q.99

In the eighth minute of injury time, Matty Taylor cruelly headed home to ensure the Bristol side went home with all three points.

Murray was disappointed to lose the game, but says he was proud with the fight and spirit which his side showed.

“We did more than enough to win that game, we didn’t deserve to lose. They’ve had one entry into our box before they scored. It was a poor goal for us to concede but we should have been out of sight by then.

"We showed great fight and great spirit," Murray was proud to add.

“Credit to the players, credit to the fans- they stuck with us all the way through and they epitomise what we’re about at the minute, everybody’s in it together.”

Stags ended the game with a makeshift-looking side which included forward Craig Westcarr being required to play at right-back, and Murray was pleased with how the Stags adapted to playing with nine men.

“If you’re going to lose - that’s the way to lose because I couldn’t have asked for anymore from my team. To go down to nine men, we couldn’t do anymore. I had my two centre-forwards playing right-back and right midfield in the end. We’re still fourth in the league so I’m proud of my lads tonight.”

The gaffer revealed that both defender Malvind Benning and goalkeeper Brian Jensen, who clashed towards the end of the game whilst trying to clear a Rovers’ attack, are both struggling with their respective knocks.

“Mal’s struggling and Brian’s [almost] knocked out. If we hadn’t have made our [three] substitutions to try and win the game, then I would’ve taken him [Jensen] off. He took a bang to his knee and he was all over the place to be honest.”

After losing at home for the first time this season, Murray believes his side deserved something from the game, but will be looking to bounce back straight away against Yeovil on Tuesday night.

“I don’t think we deserved to get beat today, even with nine men. Everything was against them (the Stags’ players) today and we’ve kept going, even at the end.

“[I’m] very frustrated but proud of my team and that’s the fight and spirit that will bring us success, ultimately,” Murray added.

“We’ll patch up the wounds and move on, we’ve got a big game on Tuesday.”

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Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray calls for Krystian Pearce red card to be rescinded
chad.co.uk, by John Lomas

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray is hoping referee Mark Haywood will rescind Krystian Pearce’s red card after today’s 2-1 home defeat by Bristol Rovers, which saw three sendings-off and a late heartbreak winner for Rovers.

Murray was furious with the Pearce red card, though skipper Nicky Hunt followed for a second bookable offence, Rovers having had Jermaine Easter sent off in first half stoppage time.

Murray will now be without Pearce and Hunt for Tuesday’s long trip to Yeovil while Mal Benning and Brian Jensen could also miss out with injury.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-news/mansfield-town-manager-adam-murray-calls-for-krystian-pearce-red-card-to-be-rescinded-1-7521290

So Murray is hoping Haywood will change his mind after Pearce went for an off-the-ball tussle with Tom Lockyer at a corner.

“I am very angry and frustrated, but not at my team’s performance,” said Murray.

“We did more than enough to win the game and didn’t deserve to lose.

“They had one entry into our box before they scored. Then they scored and it was a poor goal to concede. But we should have been out of sight by then.

“We dominated the game in the first half and gave them nothing.

“Second half I thought we started well and then the incident that saw Pearce sent off was laughable.”

Murray continued: “It was never a corner and when you see the footage, how the linesman can give that from the other side of the pitch I don’t know.

“I said to the lads at half-time the way this ref is going, he wants to equal it up as he didn’t have control of it. He did that.

“The two lads were tussling and I think a word to both of them to calm them down would have been sufficient. But it looked like the stage was too big today and he sent him off for something.

“If you are going to lose, then that’s the way to lose as I couldn’t have asked any more of my team. We’ve gone down to nine men and we couldn’t have done any more.

“I had my two centre forwards playing right back and right midfield, we had Mel Benning who couldn’t walk at the end and he’s in the treatment room now, and Brian Jensen was knocked out.

“But we showed great fight and great spirit and we are still fourth in the league. So I am proud of my lads tonight - the fight and the endeavour they showed.”

After Jensen had got back up after lengthy treatment for a brave save at the flying feet of Ellis Harrison, Murray had already used all three substitutes and had to leave the big Dane on the field.

“If we hadn’t have made our substitutions to try to win the game we would have had to bring Brian off,” said Murray.

“He’s took a bang to the head and a bang to his knee and he was all over the place to be honest. If Brian is okay he probably saves the effort.

“Credit to the players and the fans, they stuck with us all the way through and that epitomised what we are about - everybody in it together. We did our best to win today, but for me we’ve been beaten by an outside source.”

On referee Haywood, he added: “If you are going to come and take care of big games - get it right.

“I will have a chat with the referee - he is a good guy and hopefully he will see a little bit of common sense and we will get it withdraw.

“It’s two lads tussling and it could have gone either way.

“There’s nothing malicious in it. I think a word to stop the pulling from both players would have been sufficient.”

Murray concluded: “We showed so much spirit to get back into it today when everything was against us, they kept going and going, even at the end with nine men we deserved something.

“That’s the fighting spirit that will bring us success ultimately. We forget it, we patch up the wounds, we move on, we have a big game on Tuesday and we’ll be in tomorrow.”

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MATCH REACTION: Mansfield 1 Bristol Rovers 2
By Rob Perkins, bristolpost.co.uk

BRISTOL Rovers manager didn't know whether to laugh or cry as his side secured their third straight away win at Mansfield.

The Mansfield-born boss admitted to going through the wringer during a 90 minutes which saw Rovers take the lead, go down to ten men before finding themselves a man up with two Mansfield red cards, relinquishing the lead to the home side's depleted team and finally seeing Matty Taylor grab an injury time winner.

Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/MATCH-REACTION-Mansfield-1-Bristol-Rovers-2/story-28003296-detail/story.html#ixzz3orPm1BEo

Clarke said: "It was a strange game from the first minute to the last. It certainly wasn't the performance I was looking for but it was certainly the result.

"Sometimes in this game you have to win ugly and I had a word with the players before to say to be wary of Mansfield coming out fast and we didn't take those words to heart.

"We are certainly better than what we showed today. With them down to nine men I just thorught we were waiting for them to equalise. We play our best when we play at a high tempo and use the ball well.

"I thought we were lacklustre at times, but credit to the players I don't want to come down too hard on them but I want to be honest as well. It was a scruffy three points but I'm happy with that.

"We aren't going to come away from home and play free-flowing footballl all the time and credit to Mansfield who pressued us high up the pitch and had a right go at us.

" The pleasing thing about today was that when they did equalise we had a response which was key. It was great header by Matty Taylor and that's his fifth of the season and a great ball in from James Clarke. It's nice to send the fans home happy.

"We've come to a team that has been unbeaten at home and we've won 2-1 so I'm delighted with the three points and it would have felt like a defeat if we hadn't scored that winner.

"That's four wins on the bounce and the run goes on. Personally, it's just three points and I don't want to be disrespectful to my home town. It just sets up nicely for Tuesday's game at the Memorial Stadium."

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Credit to nine-men Mansfield Town for their fightback says Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke
chad.co.uk, by John Lomas

Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke had some words of consolation for his old club after Rovers stole a stoppage time 2-1 win in yesterday’s bad-tempered clash at the One Call Stadium.

Stags had Krystian Pearce and Nicky Hunt sent off in a torrid second half as they chased a response to Jermaine Easter’s 16th minute opener, Easter then sent off in first half stoppage time.

The nine men pressed hard and bravely and looked to have been rewarded with a point with Ryan Tafazolli’s 81st minute leveller until Matty Taylor won it in the last of eight added minutes.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-news/credit-to-nine-men-mansfield-town-for-their-fightback-says-bristol-rovers-boss-darrell-clarke-1-7521436?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

“Give Mansfield credit, they pressed us high up the pitch but we kept going and had a response when they equalised, which is key,” said Clarke.

“It was a great header by Matty (Taylor) and a great ball back by James Clarke for the winner.”

“It was a strange game. We were lacklustre from the first minute to the last if I am honest.

“It wasn’t the performance I was looking for, but it was certainly the result I wanted. Sometimes in this game you have got to win ugly.

“I had a moan at the players when we lost five games that we hadn’t lost by big margins and that we hadn’t won ugly. Today we did that, but we are certainly better than what we showed.

“When Mansfield went down to nine men it seemed as though we were waiting for them to equalise.

“It was a great strike for their goal, but we play our best when we have got a high tempo and have got the ball and are using it.

“We were lacklustre and sloppy at times, but credit to my players. I don’t want to come across too harsh, but I want to be honest as well. It was a scruffy three points and I am pleased with that.”

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twitter
Nathan Thomas @Naththomas19
Didn't deserve to lose today but when you have 9 men it's always going to be hard... We learn from it and go again Tuesday #stags #mtfc

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