Archived News from August 2016
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STAGS BEATEN BY CAREY CLASS AT PLYMOUTH
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Plymouth Argyle 2 - 0 Mansfield Town Carey 19, 24. Attendance: 6935 (209 from Mansfield) Date: 20 August 2016 STAGS BEATEN BY CAREY CLASS AT PLYMOUTH Martin Shaw at Home Park Mansfield were beaten 2-0 at Plymouth this afternoon thanks to two goals in the opening 24 minutes by Graham Carey. There was no doubt whatsoever that Carey was the difference between the two sides, as Mansfield had no answer to his quality and he could have had another in the first half as Brian Jensen produced a good save to push a shot wide. This was the best performance I have seen by a League Two player against the Stags since Mansfield returned to the Football League. Plymouth fans chatting in the loo at half time all agreed he’d been gone by the end of August and Adam Murray conceded afterwards that Carey is too good a player for this level. He opened the scoring on 19 minutes with a free kick from wide on the right, about 5 yards diagonally in from the corner flag, that went over the two man wall and straight in. If I’m critical I would say that keeper Brian Jensen might have done better with it, though my angle from the stand and that of our video footage does not show it from the best angle, and he may have been partially unsighted. Carey’s second goal was brilliant. Cutting in from the right touchline, he bamboozled Mal Benning, gliding past him, and firing over Jensen from a tight angle from 6 yards. Carey had other runs during that first half and the Stags were unable to handle him. The opening 40 minutes were a disaster for the Stags, who looked out of sorts and outplayed. After that, Mansfield got a foothold in the game, creating three chances at the end of the first half, and then put in a much better performance in the second half, and indeed were the better side but not able to put the ball in the net. If the Stags could have got one goal, things could then have been very different. Mansfield were without the suspended Danny Rose and the injured Pat Hoban, and with Darius Henderson not match fit enough for more than half a game, Murray played one up front in the first half, bringing on Henderson at half time. It was clear that two up front in the second half looked much more effective, but the absence of Danny Rose and Hoban is a big problem. Henderson and CJ Hamilton, another second half substitute, freshened the Stags up hugely and both impressed. Hopefully Henderson can play a longer part in the game at Leyton Orient next Saturday. After just 4 games, Mansfield are handily placed in the play-off places. Adam Murray revealed after the game that the club have turned a bid down from a higher division for Matt Green. Mansfield’s chances of building a promotion bid this season rest squarely on keeping Green in my opinion, and the chances of finding a suitable replacement at this stage would be next to nil. Mansfield came in to the game having played for 93 minutes with ten men on Tuesday in a heroic performance and I was concerned that that would have taken too much out of the players just four days later. How the Stags could have done with a week between games after that one. The Stags made the longest journey of the season yesterday in terrible traffic and were forced into one change with Kevan Hurst replacing the suspended Danny Rose. Hurst slotted in on the right in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Mitch Rose and Clements in central midfield, and Hemmings on the left. Green was on his own up front. Scott Shearer was still absent after the concussion he suffered last weekend, so Brian Jensen continued in goal, and an U21 keeper (whose name I didn’t find out) travelled with the squad to warm Jensen up before the game, but was not named in the 18. Young strikers Jason Law and Zayn Hakeem were named on the bench. At half time, Henderson replaced Hemmings as Mansfield reverted to their usual 4-1-3-2 formation. In the final 15 minutes, the Stags switched to three at the back with Benning and Bennett pushing forward down the wings. Plymouth have made a few changes from the side that made the play-offs last season, but they’ve managed to hang on to Graham Carey who terrorised the Stags in both games last season. It was a day of heavy rain, then sunshine, alternately, and strong winds in Devon. The Home Park pitch has been reduced in size by a few yards from last season. The Stags record at Home Park is terrible having one just once in 17 attempts before today, that in 1978. FULL REPORT ON SUNDAY -------------------------------------- chad.co.uk MATCH REPORT: Jinx goes on as Stags lose at Plymouth report by Agency Mansfield Town’s promising start to the season came to an abrupt halt as they failed to shake their Home Park jinx with a 2-0 defeat at Plymouth Argyle this afternoon. The Stags’ winless run at Home Park stretched to 12 games as Graham Carey’s quickfire first-half double proved the difference. The last time Mansfield triumphed at Home Park was in 1978 and they never looked like being able to lift the curse. Stags recorded seven points from their opening three games to join a cluster of teams at the top on seven points. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-news/match-report-jinx-goes-on-as-stags-lose-at-plymouth-1-8080116#comments-area Yet they paid the penalty at Plymouth for a lacklustre first-half showing. Plymouth set the tone for a dominant first-half display on six minutes when Carey wriggled his way into the box and hit a low shot which was brilliantly pushed around the post by veteran keeper Brian Jensen. The Pilgrims took the lead after 19 minutes thanks to a rather fortuitous free-kick by Carey. Chris Clements tripped Carey and the midfield playmaker’s set-piece evaded everyone and flashed past a static Jensen and into the far corner. If the first goal had a touch of luck about it, Carey’s second was a touch of the sublime. He gathered Jimmy Spencer’s pass, turned full-back Mal Benning inside out before planting the ball past Jensen. Plymouth were not content to sit on their lead and poured forward in search of a third. Sonny Bradley headed Carey’s corner narrowly wide and Spencer brought a smart save out of Jensen at his near post. Mansfield’s best chance in the first half came in the 43rd minute after Matt Green laid the ball back for Mitchell Rose to fire over the crossbar. And when Benning’s curling free-kick looked to be on target, Bradley came to the rescue with a crucial headed clearance. The visitors finally registered a shot on target on 50 minutes, Matt Green rolling a tame effort straight at Luke McCormick. But the second half lacked goalmouth action and Mansfield were left to reflect on the first-half damage. PLYMOUTH: (4-2-3-1): McCormick 7, Threlkeld 7, Bulvitis 7, Bradley 7, Sawyer 7, Donaldson 7, Smith 7 (Purrington 90 N/A), Songo’o 7, Jervis 7 (Goodwillie 70 6), Carey 8, Spencer 7 (Slew 86 N/A). Subs not used: Dorel, Ijaha, Fox, Tanner. STAGS: ( 4-1-4-1): Jensen 5, Bennett 5, Howkins 6, Collins, Benning 5, Chapman 6, Hurst 5 (Hamilton 63 6), Rose 5 (Taft 77 6), Clements 6, Hemmings 5 (Henderson 46 6), Green 6. Subs not used: Baxendale, McGuire, Law, Hakeem. REFEREE: Brendan Malone of Wiltshire. ATTENDANCE: 6,935 (209 away). --------------------- Plymouth Argyle v Mansfield Town: Player ratings and stats By Andy_Phillips, August 20, 2016, plymouthherald.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276351/Article/images/29639086/15289479-large.jpg Plymouth Argyle's Graham Carey's two goals earned him a well-deserved man-of-the-match against Mansfield Town on Saturday, but there were also good displays from a number of other members of Derek Adams' team. Here's how Sports Editor Andy Phillips saw things. Plymouth Argyle (4-3-3) Luke McCormick 6 Was rarely tested, but collected several crosses comfortably and kicked well. Oscar Threlkeld 7 Came in for the suspended Gary Miller and did very well. Pushed forward on numerous occasions and swung in dangerous crosses, while also looking neat and tidy at the back. Read more at http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/plymouth-argyle-v-mansfield-town-player-ratings-and-stats/story-29639086-detail/story.html?#uk44ugEHiAePcI3m.99 Nauris Bulvitis 7 Solid if not spectacular, Bulvitis is forming a good partnership with Sonny Bradley that will stand Argyle in good stead in the coming months. Sonny Bradley 8 The outstanding member of Argyle's defence, marshalled the team superbly in both halves, and also came close to scoring himself with a diving header in the first half. Gary Sawyer 7 Made several key interventions when Mansfield Town were pushing forward, proving himself reliable when called upon, even if he didn't have the athleticism to drive down the wing like Threlkeld. Yann Songo'o 7 Played the defensive midfield role very well, spraying passes around when required but also making some key tackles when required. Carl McWho? Connor Smith 6 If he hadn't been playing alongside Graham Carey he might have got a higher mark, but did the hard graft in the midfield. Did concede possession cheaply once or twice. Ryan Donaldson 6 Unspectacular but solid display which helped Argyle see off the threat of Mansfield. Had few moments which stand out, but was neat and tidy when called upon. Graham Carey 9 Simply brilliant. Found space and exploited it, beat players and scored twice. Faded slightly in the second half, but the game was already won thanks to his efforts. Jake Jervis 7 Worked well with Carey and Threlkeld to build a triangle down the right which was crucial to much of Argyle's success in the first half, though was unable to threaten goal himself. Jimmy Spencer 6 Worked hard often as the lone man upfront, although he was unable to make the ball stick as often as I'm sure he would like. Made Jensen pull off a decent save with the score at 2-0. Substitutes David Goodwillie (for Jervis 62), Jordan Slew (for Spencer 85), Ben Purrington (for Smith 90), David Fox, Vincent Dorel, David Ijaha. Mansfield Town (4-1-4-1) Brian Jensen, Rhys Bennett, Mal Benning, Lee Collins (c), Adam Chapman, Chris Clements, Matt Green, Kevan Hurst (CJ Hamilton 62), Kyle Howkins, Mitchell Rose, Ashley Hemmings (Darius Henderson h-t). Subs (unused): George Taft, James Baxendale, Jamie McGuire, Jason Law, Zayn Hakeem. Attendance: 6,935 (209 away) Referee: Brendan Malone 6 Star man Do you really need to ask? Whether GC10 can sustain his sparkling form is the real question on Argyle fans' lips. ----------------------- |
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