Archived News from April 2016
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STAGS AND BARNET DRAW AS MANI NETS HIS FIRST
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 1 - 1 Barnet Dieseruvwe 30. Akinde 6. Attendance: 2573 (139 from Barnet) Date: 23 April 2016 Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town and Barnet drew 1-1 in a tight game at Field Mill this afternoon that will mostly be remembered for a first goal in a Stags shirt for on-loan striker Mani Dieseruvwe. It was a goal Dieseruvwe deserved for his unselfish support work during his loan spell so far. The Stags were behind on 6 minutes as Michael Gash lobbed a high ball forward into the Stags box, Tafazolli and Collins between them allowed the ball to bounce, Shearer came out of his goal, and as the ball bounced up John Akinde was in between all three of them to head over Shearer and into the net. An absolute horror show for the defence. The Stags struggled with balls lobbed forward to Akinde in the game at The Hive when fortunately injury restricted him to just being a substitute, and this was a terrible start. It could have been 2-0 two minutes later as Sam Muggleton (son of former Stags keeper Carl Muggleton) had a shot inside the box that was well-blocked by Mal Benning. The Stags were level on 30 minutes as Matty Blair pulled the ball back to Dieseruvwe who took a touch to steady himself and then curled a nice finish into the top right of the net from 15 yards. Two minutes later, the Stags should have been in front, Dieseruvwe’s shot from the edge of the box was blocked to Blair on the right, Blair curled a terrific cross to Jack Thomas beyond the far post, who headed back across goal into the path of Matt Green who headed over from 3 yards. Green held his head in his hands. Before half time, Lee Collins crossed from the right and Adam Chapman headed just wide of the right post from 12 yards. Barnet could have retaken the lead when impressive sub Luke Gambin, who scored an own goal in the game at The Hive, cut inside from the left and brought a good save with his legs from Shearer. At the other end, Green had a chance to lob the ball over the keeper from a tight angle but could only find the side netting. Bondz N’Gala headed a whisker wide from a corner for Barnet on 74 minutes, and two minutes later at the other end, Chapman thundered a free kick from 22 yards towards the roof of the net and keeper Stephens superbly tipped it over. Honours even then, and honours just about even in terms of good goalscoring chances. Both managers thought their teams should have won it, but in my opinion a draw was a fair result. A difficult game for Mansfield against the immense physical presence of John Akinde who was superb. Barnet played for set pieces, and Mansfield did well not to concede many free kicks, but Barnet launched long throw after long throw into the Stags box, using not one, not two, but three long throw specialists. The Stags generally stood up to that well with the defence having a good game apart from the goal and N’Gala’s second half header from the corner. Akinde is the sort of player who could really benefit the Stags next season to play alongside Matt Green. There is no better big striker in League Two than Akinde. The final play-off place is now virtually certain to be taken by AFC Wimbledon after their fifth straight win. The Stags moved up a place to 11th, and could finish 8th with good results in the final two games of the season - that has to be the aim now. Mansfield came into the game chasing a fourth straight win, a feat they last achieved two years ago. After the pulsating 5-0 win over Notts County and impressive 3-2 win at Exeter, the number of home fans was down by nearly a half today compared to last Saturday (4616 home fans last week, 2434 home fans this week, albeit a very small number of those home fans last week were probably Notts County fans). It was the third lowest attendance of the season at the One Call Stadium. ------------------------------------- MATCH REPORT: Mansfield Town 1, Barnet 1 chad.co.uk, by John Lomas, Saturday 23 April 2016 Despite a first goal for the club by loanee Mani Dieseruvwe, Mansfield Town’s faint play-off hopes were finally ended in a 1-1 home draw with visiting Barnet this afternoon. Stags made a decent start but were rocked when big John Akinde took advantage of hesitation by Scott Shearer to head Barnet into a sixth minute lead. Read more: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-news/match-report-mansfield-town-1-barnet-1-1-7871696#ixzz46h07zDfz However, Stags finally levelled after half-an-hour through Mani Dieseruvwe and should have gone into half-time ahead after Matt Green and Adam Chapman headed great chances wide. Mansfield came close to a winner after the break with keeper Jamie Stephens turning Mal Bennning and Adam Chapman free kicks and Matt Green twice close. At the other end Shearer had to use his legs to deny sub Luke Gambin while Bondz N’gala somehow headed a corner wide from five yards. But, with AFC Wimbledon winning and stretching their lead over Stags to eight points, the play-off bid was over with Stags having just two matches to go. Dieseruvwe returned to partner Matt Green up front while James Baxendale came into the midfield. Out from the side went Reggie Lambe and Mitch Rose, who were both on the bench. Also on the bench was Krystian Pearce, back from a three game ban but made to wait for a return. After playing a more experimental side against Notts County in midweek Martin Allen restored his side back to its usual full strength. Stags began the game brightly enough winning two corners in the first two minutes. However, the visitors pounced on poor defending to grab a sixth minute lead. Gash put the ball over the top for Akinde to chase into the box with Tafazolli trying to stay with him. Shearer hesitated before leaving his line and Akinde was able to nod the ball over him into the empty net. Within a minute they almost grabbed another as Muggleton got free into the box on the left and saw Benning come across to make a vital block for a corner before he could shoot. Stags responded with a corner which, when cleared to Thomas, saw him curl a hopeful effort over the far angle from the left. When Stags failed to dispossess Akinde 20 yards out he swung a lazy-looking boot at the ball and saw a low shot pass just wide of the target. Stags began to build again and Barnet were lucky when Baxendale was unable to get a shot away at the empty net from 40 yards after a poor kick out by keeper Stephens. But the home side were level on 30 minutes. Stags attacked the Barnet box on the left and Blair pulled a low ball back from the by-line where Dieseruvwe kept his calm to bury a superb finish high into the right of the goal from 12 yards. With the home crowd now behind them, two minutes later Stags should have been in front. Blair crossed from the right, Thomas headed it back into the centre from the far post and Green was too high with his headed finish from four yards. Yiadom was too high with a stabbed effort from 18 yards on 35 minutes. For Stags Daniel cut inside onto his favoured left peg and lashed a low shot just wide. Mansfield stoked up the pressure and on 40 minutes Collins dinked a lovely cross to the far post where Chapman sent a firm header across goal and inches wide with Stephens beaten. But the sides went in all square at half-time. Referee Andy Haines, who had looked unhappy with a slight injury in the first half, did not reappear, his senior assistant, Karl Evans, taking over. Stags created the first danger as they won a corner wide on the right and Benning curled it powerfully at goal, Stephens forced to turn it away. Mansfield sent on Pearce for Baxendale on 54 minutes with Barnet making a double change a minute later, Stags happy to see the back of long throw expert Muggleton as he and Randall were replaced by Gambin and Taylor. On 62 minutes sub Gambin showed great trickery and pace to get down the centre and he was able to drill in a low shot that Shearer had to save with his legs. Green might have done better on 65 minutes as he pulled away from his marker at the far post to meet Benning’s cross from the left only to nod a tame header well wide. Soon after Green tried to lob Stephens from the left but found the sidenetting. But this was much better from Mansfield. Lambe was sent on for Dieseruvwe on 69 minutes. Barnet should have restored their lead on 74 minutes, but N’gala somehow headed powerfully wide from a left wing corner from just five yards. Two minutes later Stags came close as Chapman’s powerful free kick from a central position just outside the box was tipped over by Stephens. Then Daniel was too far over from Lambe’s pass at the end of a neat Stags move. Yussuf was sent on for one last push with six minutes left, replacing Daniel. With two minutes to go Lambe saw a shot take a deflection and Stephens had to scramble across goal to turn it wide. Yiadom wasn’t too far away with an attempt to chip Shearer into the far corner soon after as both sides went for victory. In the four added minutes Shearer had to tip away a vicious Gambin shot at his near post as the whistle finally ended Stags’ play-off dream. STAGS: Shearer, Daniel (Yussuf 84), Collins, Tafazolli, Benning, Chapman, Blair, Thomas, Baxendale (Pearce 54), Green, Dieseruvwe (Lambe 69). Subs not used: Jensen, Rose, Beardsley, McGuire. BARNET: Stephens, Pearson, N’Gala, Dembele, Johnson, Yiadom, Togwell, Randall (Taylor 55), Muggleton (Gambin 55), Gash, Akinde. Subs not used: Nelson, Batt, Alie, Fonguck, Kyei. REFEREE: Andy Haines of Tyne & Wear. ATTENDANCE: 2,573 (139 away). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Adam Chapman. ------------------- Match Report: Mansfield Town 1 - 1 Barnet barnetfc.com, 23rd April 2016 Barnet take home a point from their trip to Field Mill. An early goal from John Akinde helped Barnet to a 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town this afternoon. The striker leapt above the Stags’ defence to head home his 20th goal of the season on five minutes, but the home side found their way back into the match as the first half progressed. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe equalised with a powerful drive on the half hour mark, as both sides played out a pulsating encounter at Field Mill. Barnet took the lead with the first clear chance of the match - Akinde latching onto a lofted pass from Michael Gash, before heading past the advancing Scott Shearer and into the net. Sam Muggleton shot from the edge of the six yard box two minutes later, but his effort was deflected behind for a corner by Malvind Benning. A long range drive from Akinde flew narrowly wide of the left post with a quarter of an hour played, as Barnet had the better of the game’s opening exchanges. Mansfield levelled things up when Dieseruvwe skipped in the area and powered a shot into the top right corner on 30 minutes. The home side could have taken the lead a minute later when Matt Green headed over the bar from just three yards out. Adam Chapman then headed narrowly wide of the right post with five minutes of the half to play, as Mansfield looked much improved following their equaliser. The early stages of the second half was short of clear cut chances, with the first real effort on goal arriving in the 61st minute. Substitute Luke Gambin played a one-two with Akinde, before darting into the box and forcing Shearer into a low save with his feet. Green responded by heading Benning’s pinpoint cross wide of the right post on 65 minutes. The former Birmingham City forward then attempted to lob Stephens, but his shot missed the target and nestled into the side netting. Bondz N’Gala headed Gambin’s 74th minute corner agonisingly wide of the right post, with both side’s going in search of a winner. Stephens had to be at his best a minute later - tipping Chapman’s powerful free kick over the crossbar. Barnet’s keeper saved Reggie Lambe’s deflected shot in the 87th minute, ensuring that the Bees headed back to North London with a share of the points. Next up for Martin Allen’s men is the final home match of the season versus Yeovil Town on Saturday. BARNET: Stephens, Pearson, N’Gala, Dembele, Johnson, Yiadom, Togwell, Randall (Taylor 55’), Muggleton (Gambin 55’), Akinde, Gash. Subs Not Used: Nelson, Fonguck, Batt, Sesay, Kyei. Read more at http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/match-report-mansfield-town-1-1-barnet-3076434.aspx#FWyEp55GTrlxDWJF.99 ------------------- John Akinde scores 20th goal of the season as Barnet draw at Mansfield Town http://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/barnet_fc/14448475.Deserved_point_for_Bees/? Barnet were worthy of their 1-1 draw against at Field Mill, although they did have a number of close shaves when the Mansfield Town forwards should have done better when well placed. Barnet made five changes from the side that had convincingly seen off Notts County at The Hive in midweek as manager Martin Allen chose a more experienced starting XI for this clash where the home side still harboured ambitions of making the play-offs. Mansfield’s usually prolific forward Matt Green forced Barnet keeper Jamie Stephens into conceding a corner with less than a minute gone, but it would be the visitors who would take the lead with only six minutes on the clock. Michael Gash superbly controlled a high ball before lofting a pass into the path of John Akinde who headed the ball over Scott Shearer, the Mansfield keeper, who had reacted slowly to the situation. Akinde has now scored 20 goals in all competitions for the Bees this season. Sam Muggleton then nearly doubled Barnet’s advantage two minutes later but his effort was parried for a corner. Barnet had enough chances to establish a two-goal lead but on the half-hour mark, against the run-of-play, the Stags levelled when Manny Dieseruvwe fired a shot high into the net from ten yards after being set up by Matty Blair. The equaliser roused the home crowd and both Green and Adam Chapman spurned excellent opportunities for Mansfield as the game swung in favour of the home side with half-time approaching. Early in the second half Mansfield put the Barnet goal under intense pressure, winning a series of corners. But with just ten minutes of the half gone the Bees made a double substitution, a move that would revitalise the fortunes of the visitors. Forward Luke Gambin and teenage midfielder Harry Taylor replaced Muggleton and Mark Randall, their influence on the game having begun to fade. Gambin soon proved to be a thorn in the side for Mansfield as he constantly raided down the left flank to set-up chances for others and have the occasional pot-shot himself. Midway through the half a free-kick from Chapman from 25 yards was pushed over the bar by Stephens as both sides had opportunities to forge a lead. In the second half Green again had chances to give the home side the points but in the closing moments it was Andy Yiadom and Gambin who went close to giving the Bees would have been their fourth away victory of the season. With both sides being unable to add to their single goal apiece scored in the first half it was no surprise that they could not be separated come the final whistle. Mansfield Town: Shearer, Daniel (Yussuf 84), Tafazolli, Collins, Benning, Baxendale (Pearce 54), Chapman, J Thomas, Blair, Green, Dieseruvwe (Lambe 69). Subs not used: Rose, Beardsley, Jensen, McGuire. Barnet: Stephens, Pearson, N'Gala, Dembele, Johnson, Yiadom, Togwell, Randall (Taylor 55), Muggleton (Gambin 55), Akinde, Gash. Subs not used: Nelson, Batt, Sesay, Fonguck, Kyei. ------------------- |
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