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Archived News from February 2016

MURRAY, BEARDSLEY, BENNING, MARK YATES REACTION
4th February 2016 18:53


Boss praises players’ work ethic after Crawley win
mansfieldtown.net, 30th January 2016

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray paid credit to his players for the way they carried out his gameplan against Crawley Town this afternoon.

Stags emerged with a 1-0 win from the Checkatrade.com Stadium thanks to Chris Beardsley’s second-half header, despite Matt Green’s late red card for a second bookable offence.

The gaffer says that his players have worked hard to understand the respective gameplans which have been carried out against Morecambe on Tuesday night and Crawley this afternoon.

“It’s been a good week, credit to the boys - they’ve took new things on this week and for them to carry it out was top drawer, so all the credit goes to them.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/boss-praises-players-work-ethic-after-crawley-win-2929052.aspx#hWd0pMMl6hf6Ibdq.99

“They’ve took all the information on, two different gameplans for two different games, and they’ve carried it out,” Murray continued.

“It should’ve been dead by half-time, but we had a gameplan today and it worked to a tee.”

After seeing his side create a number of chances in the first 45 minutes without breaking the deadlock, the manager says his half-time team talk was a case of making sure his players kept believing in their ability.

“At half-time, we should’ve gone in at a minimum of two, maybe even three [-nil up], so it was a case of making sure the boys kept their focus, stuck to the gameplan and didn’t get bored of the gameplan, because that can happen.

“We had to tweak a couple of things - nothing major - but it was about keeping the belief in how good they are.”

Various questions were asked of Murray and his side after last week’s defeat against Luton Town and the gaffer says that his players thrive on proving people wrong.

“We got questioned last weekend. You’ve noticed with my teams and as I am as a person, if you question us then we’ll come out fighting.

“We’re over-achieving for what we are but the boys are a strong-knit group and they like proving people wrong. We like going into games where we’re not expected to win. We probably weren’t expected to win today so it gave us that fire to prove people wrong.”

A particular highlight of this afternoon’s game was the return of left-back Malvind Benning after three months out with a knee injury and Murray revealed that he’s had to hold him back from returning before he was ready.

“What a machine he is! [He’s] not played for three months and he didn’t stop running! I was happy with him getting cramp and not pulling his hamstring so we got him off as quick as we could.

“Credit to him, the physios have had to hold him back. I found out that he was practising block tackles at home to make sure he was okay in his living room!”

The Stags had to play the final few minutes with ten men after Matt Green received a red card for a second bookable offence and the gaffer says it’s something that the striker will have to learn from.

“Matt’s distraught in there. For the time he was on the pitch, he was unbelievable. He could’ve had a few goals but his work-rate was top-drawer.

“He’ll feel like he’s let the team down because them decisions can cost you. As old as he is, he’s got to learn from that.”

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Manager Adam Murray delighted as Mansfield Town hit back at their critics with second away win in five days
chad.co.uk, by John Lomas

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray was delighted to see his players answer their critics with a second away win in five days as Chris Beardsley’s goal saw them win 1-0 at Crawley Town today.

Despite it only being the first time all season they had lost back-to-back League Two games last Saturday, the players were booed off after a disappointing 2-0 home loss to Luton with Murray taking some vicious personal abuse.

However, Stags have now won eight games on the road this season and made it six points out of six this week.

“I was pleased with the character we showed,” said Murray.

“Some of these players were questioned last weekend - how I don’t know. How they can question us at the minute I don’t know. But the comeback from the boys has been incredible.

Read more: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/manager-adam-murray-delighted-as-mansfield-town-hit-back-at-their-critics-with-second-away-win-in-five-days-1-7706290#ixzz3ylNP5jf6

“To show that character and desire not to give up, even in the last six or seven minutes here when we were on our last legs and we were physically gone. But we mentally stuck in there.”

Stags were left clutching on at the end after striker Matt Green was red-carded for a second bookable offence.

“We were hanging on for the last five or six minutes and down to 10 men, but I think by half-time the game should have been out of sight,” said Murray.

“It was down to our lack of ruthlessness as we created some really good chances.

“I think I would probably call that a League Two performance, we were solid, we did the scrappy bits, we made them defend, we were organised and disciplined and we deserved the win.

“We had a few one-on-ones with Greeny and Blairy (Matty Blair), and we’ve had shots blocked on the line. So overall it was a really pleasing performance and another building block from Tuesday night.”

On the red card, he said: “I was frustrated as it could have cost us if we are being totally honest.

“The biggest disappointment is for his team mates as they are not going to have him in the team next week. He has to learn from it. It doesn’t matter how old you are.

“We all get frustrated but sometimes you’ve got to keep your calm and kick the cat when you get home, so to speak. But we have a small squad and it gives someone an opportunity.”

The game saw a return from injury for left back Mal Benning, who lasted 85 minutes before coming off with cramp.

“It’s a real emotional rollercoaster for me with Mal as I see how hard he’s worked in his rehab,” said Murray.

“He did his injury yet carried on playing in the Bristol game, how I don’t know. The next day his knee was all over the place and the physio said to me off the record, this is not good gaffer.

“Mal was saying he’d be fit for Tuesday, we got the scan results back and he was in bits. All the way through his rehab it’s been ‘can I do more?’, and I’ve heard he has been practicing block tackling in his living room - no joking.

“I asked him yesterday how confident are you of starting and he said put me in. I will give you everything I’ve got though I don’t know how long I am going to last.

“I spoke to the physios and they are not going to be happy as they told me 60 minutes as we were risking other injuries, so when he pulled up with cramp (after 85) I was thinking please, no, let it be cramp. So we got him off as quick as we could.

“It summed up the man and for him to get an assist as well - what a guy.”

On match winner Beardsley, he added: “I think it was the first header he’d won all game.

“I gave him a bit of stick at half-time, but he is another proper bloke that’s come into the side. He brings a different dimension to us.

“He brings a lot to the team with his personality and character and his know-how in League Two and I thought he was immense today.

“I thought his work rate - his intelligence in the shape and helping others around him.”

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Training ground hours paying off for Beardsley
mansfieldtown.net, 30th January 2016

Goalscorer Chris Beardsley believes the hard work of both the players and the management during the week was key to today’s victory over Crawley Town.

Beardsley netted a second-half header to hand Mansfield all three points at the Checkatrade.com Stadium, which sealed a superb week for the Stags following Tuesday night’s excellent comeback at Morecambe.

And the frontman believes the preparation on the training ground was integral to being successful in West Sussex this afternoon.

“[It’s] brilliant, [it’s a] second win in a week away from home - a good three points on the board, a clean sheet and a solid team performance.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/hard-work-paying-off-for-beardsley-2929331.aspx#pGEDlFE6HqFAfdHz.99

“I think we carried the game planout that we set out all week, we knew it was going to be a battle. We knew their strengths and weaknesses, and we knew the pitch wouldn’t be conductive to free-flowing, attacking football.”

In addition, Beardsley was keen to point out that it was Adam Murray’s training ground work which was another key facet to getting the goal that would be the difference between the sides.

“We’d won a lot of corners and the big lads weren’t getting the joy they have done - Ryan (Tafazolli), Krsytian (Pearce) and Collo (Lee Collins). Mal (Benning) gave us the signal that he was going to whip one and I’ve just made sure I’ve got across the front post and [I was] glad to see it hit the back of the net.

“You know the gaffer loves to chuck a huge amount of set-piece work at us - at times like that, the delivery’s key and he’s put it just where I wanted it. At all levels, set plays are key.”

Beardsley, who now has his first goal of the 2015-16 campaign under his belt, has had a frustrating season which has been blighted by injuries - but he’s started in the last two Sky Bet League Two fixtures alongside Matt Green, who he was eager to praise for his attacking endeavours.

“I’m nowhere near match-fit in terms of regular 90 minutes on the pitch. My timing’s out, but I’m just plugging away and trying to give what I can for as long as I can and bring something a bit different to the team.

“Greeny’s black and white - you know his strengths and today proved when we get our gameplan right, we can create a lot of chances for Matt.

“At League Two, Greeny’s a menace; he plays on the shoulder and he’s as quick as anyone I’ve played with. He looked a threat throughout and that does give you a bit more space and time to work in. As a team, we’re slowly learning each other’s strengths.”

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Chris Beardsley savours winning goal for Mansfield Town at Crawley Town
CHAD.CO.UK, BY John Lomas

Chris Beardsley savoured his first Mansfield Town goal for over nine years as it proved enough to see the Stags home 1-0 at Crawley Town at the weekend.

The 31-year-old is back with the club for a third spell this season, but has spent much of it out with injury.

However, two starts this week have seen him play a big part in two away wins in five days and he said: “It’s been a long time out with injury.

Read more: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-news/chris-beardsley-savours-winning-goal-for-mansfield-town-at-crawley-town-1-7708495#ixzz3yw26vqZ1

“It’s been a frustrating time, sat on the periphery of it all. I’ve had to bide my time and get myself fit - though maybe not match fit.

“But it’s just been nice to get back out there on the pitch in a competitive game, and we’ve come out with six points this week which is always nice.

“Early doors this season I felt pretty good, I felt sharp but I knew I needed a run of games and the injury just held me back.”

He continued: “I couldn’t train flat out which is never a good thing.

“We had to pull me out of training twice for a long period and I remember sitting down with the gaffer prior to Barnet and he said - look we’re just going to have to manage you.

“Over the last two months, that’s what we’ve done. We have gradually built me back up and hopefully that’s the end of it and we can just concentrate on the football.

“There were days when I’d go home and I’d be pulling my hair out. But you do whatever you can to get fit. You try some really crazy things.

“But it’s football and I’ve been there before. That’s the one thing I can say - I have experienced bigger lows than this.

“The gaffer just said get yourself right or fit enough to get on the pitch and you have got a big part to play. It’s took a long time coming but it’s nice to get out there in competitive games and to win them.”

Beardsley got himself free of a marker on Saturday to head home a Mal Benning corner on the hour and said: “It’s always nice to get a goal.

“Personally it’s a great feeling, but then three points always tastes a bit sweeter than anything else and I think we’ve bounced back well this week with two very solid, disciplined and professional performances.”

The win was marred by a red card for a second bookable offence for fellow striker Matt Green, but Beardsley had nothing but praise for the club’s top scorer.

“He is a constant threat as you saw again today,” he said. “Defenders at this level can’t deal with him. It’s down to us as a team to try to give him some service and play to his strengths.

“He has took a battering so far this season. He has played a lot of football and played up there on his own for quite a bit, and physically he has been kicked from pillar to post.

“Again today I didn’t feel like we got much protection as a pair, similar to Tuesday night. But we are trying to give as good as we get and we know what it’s like at this level.

“Greeny will get chances and score goals and as a team it’s down to us to create them.”

He added: “My strength is probably to give the team a base to play off.

“Whether it be Greeny or anyone else, if I can give them a solid base and the footballers who are runners can play and get the timing off me, I feel we will be a force to be reckoned with.

“I’ve only played two games. There’s a lot of work still to be done.

“I constantly try to improve. We are a brand new squad that’s been together for six months, but we are gradually stepping in the right direction.

“We will always take one on the chin, but I think it’s how we bounce back.”

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Benning delighted to be back in action
mansfieldtown.net, 30th January 2016

Defender Malvind Benning says he’s feeling as fit as he was before sustaining a knee injury that has kept him out since mid-October after returning to action in today’s victory over Crawley Town.

The left-back’s return lasted 86 minutes before being replaced by Sean Kavanagh during the Stags’ slender 1-0 victory over Crawley Town at the Checkatrade.com Stadium this afternoon.

Benning performed admirably after being drafted straight into the starting line-up by boss Adam Murray, and although he admitted slight apprehension before the contest, Benning believes he has more in the tank going into future Sky Bet League Two fixtures.

“Surprisingly, I felt quite strong during the game, obviously I was a bit anxious having three months out with a serious cruciate injury.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/benning-delighted-to-be-back-in-action-2929389.aspx#KjkHLvHDwTcp6Y1f.99

“I don’t think I pushed up as much but that was instructed by the gaffer so I wouldn’t say I clocked miles during the game. I felt strong, when I needed to run I could run. I’d say I am as fit now as I was before [I got injured].”

Manager Murray revealed after the game that one of Benning’s coping mechanisms was practising drills in his house, which the full-back believes has helped his absence go quicker in his mind.

“That’s what I felt I needed to get my confidence up; just getting a ball against the wall and smashing the ball as hard as I could against the wall. It’s a detached house so they (the neighbours) didn’t hear anything,” Benning said.

“Surprisingly it’s [the injury period] gone very fast, I look back and it was ages ago but it’s gone rapid. It’s been repetitive doing leg weights but it’s needed to be done. I’ve just got to maintain my leg weights and strengthening my knee.”

Looking ahead to the future, Benning is cautiously excited about getting back into regular habits that he previously enjoyed earlier in the season, while he also acknowledges that he has to improve in the future to sustain his position.

“[I’m going to] take it steady personally, get back to the routine of getting games on Saturdays, back into a normal routine of training every day and eating right and everything like that.

“I thought I did alright [today], I’m the biggest critic of myself and I just feel in little certain areas I could’ve done better but I want to look at that and steadily bring my way back in.”

After making the shortlist for the Mitre Goal of the Year in 2015, Benning wants to find his feet in front of goal again to help the Stags maintain their place in the upper echelons of the divsion.

“I’d like to say so because I see myself as an attacking full-back so hopefully if I do start getting in those areas I can put some crosses in.

“It’s good getting credit for that (the Goal of the Year), it’s a big achievement. It’s gone now, I’ve come through a tough patch with injury, I just need to get myself back and hopefully score more goals soon.”

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Mansfield and Yeovil players take unusual approaches to rehab

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35491455

Mal Benning joined Mansfield on a free transfer at the start of the season

Players from League Two rivals Mansfield and Yeovil have taken unconventional approaches to the rehabilitation of injured players.

Stags defender Mal Benning has revealed he was so keen to make a swift return from a cruciate knee ligament injury, he tested it by tackling a brick wall.

It paid off as the 22-year-old made his comeback at Crawley Town last Saturday.

Benning hits the wall

Benning, who joined Mansfield from Walsall in the summer, scored three goals from left-back in 14 League Two appearances before suffering his injury in October.

"It was just that last little bit where my confidence wasn't there tackling-wise," he told BBC Radio Nottingham "So I thought 'why not do a bit of that at home?'"

The former Walsall trainee said his imaginative rehabilitation had helped him gain both belief and strength as he seeks to rediscover his form.

"I just put a ball against the wall and smashed the ball as hard as I could," explained Benning. "It was just against the wall to make sure my knee got used to it.

"I had three months of doing leg weights but my knee wasn't used to that movement, so I needed to get that back. Even when I started running I still had twinges in it.

"I have got back in my routine now after two weeks of training. It's great to be back."

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"We got what we deserved" admits Crawley Town boss after Mansfield Town defeat
by Steve Hollis, theargus.co.uk

Boss Mark Yates admitted Crawley Town "got what they deserved" as they slipped to a 1-0 home defeat against Mansfield Town.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/crawleynews/14242431._We_got_what_we_deserved__admits_Crawley_Town_boss/?

Reds were kept in the game by goalkeeper Callum Preston but were left empty-handed after Chris Beardsley headed the winner on the hour mark.

Mansfield were reduced to ten-men in the 90th minute when Matt Green saw red but Crawley were unable to find an equaliser in stoppage time.

Yates said: "There was nothing really in the game apart from them hitting us on the break a couple of times.

"They had a couple of chances in the first half and Callum made a couple of good saves but otherwise it was a tight game.

"We got done by a set-piece. We were a little bit sluggish and you can see the lads are low on confidence but we are just making mistakes at the moment that are costing us."

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Crawley Town are 'low on confidence' after Mansfield defeat, admits Yates
Crawley News

MARK YATES admitted his Crawley Town players are “low on confidence” after falling to a third consecutive defeat, a 1-0 home loss to Mansfield Town.

The Reds never looked like beating Mansfield on Saturday and could have lost by more than one goal had it not been for three superb one-on-one saves by young goalkeeper Callum Preston.

And while Yates considered it a “tight game” he did admit that his team got what they deserved from the League Two encounter.

Read more: http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Crawley-Town-low-confidence-Mansfield-defeat/story-28641111-detail/story.html#ixzz3yppB6SFG

“It was a tight game,” Yates said. “They had a couple of chances in the first half where they have hit us on the break with one ball. Callum has made a couple of good saves and we have had one cleared off the line, but we probably got what we deserved. It’s been a frustrating end to a frustrating couple of weeks.

“Our lads are a little bit low on confidence and obviously Mansfield’s late winner the other night gave them a little bit of a boost. We were a little bit sluggish but there wasn’t anything really in the game apart from them hitting us on the break a couple of times.

“In the second half, they just got a couple of set-pieces and we are making mistakes at the moment that are costing us.

“We got done by a set-piece. We don’t seem to draw too many. It’s a disappointing Saturday.”

After being understudy to first Freddie Woodman and then Darry Flahavan, Preston proved what a great young keeper he is on Saturday with a man of the match performance.

And Yates insisted he had “no qualms” about making the former Birmingham City player his first choice since Flahavan’s departure.

“He’s a good keeper. We knew that and knew what we had,” the manager said.

“When we did what we did a couple of weeks ago [let Flahavan leave], I had no qualms about putting Callum straight in.

“He was a bit unlucky that he lost his place away at Portsmouth. He’s a good keeper and one for the future, definitely.”

After going on a four game losing streak earlier in the season, Yates is keen not match that again but believes “fresh faces” will be key to better form in the remainder of the campaign.

“I don’t want to lose one in a row but we are where we are,” he said. “The group needs some fresh faces and the sooner we get them in the better.”

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twitter
JAMIE MCGUIRE @JAMIEMCGUIRE23
Another tough trip even better with 3 points time to enjoy the weekend @mansfieldtownfc
Shout out to @Mal_1993 like you've never bin away mate great to have him back with the boys

Mal Benning @Mal_1993
First game back and a win for the team!, thanks to ..., also thanks for the support!

Matty Blair @MattyBlair17
Before @clemmo14 starts I have to score which would have ended a brilliant week. Lads were immense again today. #greatresult #greatweek

chris clements @clemmo14
@MattyBlair17 I wasn't going to say anything...don't be insecure about it buddy. Well played Matty

Nathan Thomas @Naththomas19
Buzzing to see your back mate @Mal_1993

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