Archived News from October 2016
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MURRAY, COLLINS, NATHAN JONES REACTION
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Boss praises 'great' away performance mansfieldtown.net, 22nd October 2016 Stags’ boss Adam Murray applauded his players' endeavours for ‘another great away performance’ after securing a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Luton Town this afternoon. Striker Matt Green scored for the fourth consecutive game to give Murray’s side an early lead, before Hatters’ midfielder Cameron McGeehan hit a late equaliser from 25 yards to ensure the points were shared at Kenilworth Road. The result marked a sixth unbeaten match in a row for the Stags and manager Murray was full of pride for his players after they battled for a point at the high-flying Hatters. “I’m proud of my boys today, I thought they were outstanding and with a little bit better decision-making we could've taken all three points there. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/gaffer-post-luton-3377280.aspx#I8EDVDkbVYudgYlP.99 “I know as a player it’s tough when you have got your backs to the wall like that, it’s tough to get out and I think if we would have played on that front foot a little bit more, we probably could have took three points but there’s not many teams that will come here and take results, so we take it and it’s another point and another great away performance.” The gaffer, 35, said his side executed their game plan well this afternoon against a club who he believes are one of ‘the big-hitters’ in Sky Bet League Two. “It’s not as if you’re coming to a bottom of the table team - these are top boys in the league, they’re up there in the top three of the big-hitters in the league so it’s always going to happen (Luton having a lot of possession). “They’re a possession side so you can’t dictate the game with the ball all the time. With all due respect to our football club, this is a huge football club, they’ve got four times the resources of us so we can’t expect to go toe-to-toe with them, as much as we’d like to. “We knew they’d have a lot of the ball but I felt we controlled the game without the ball, at times, very, very well and we knew we’d have to counter well." Our former captain says he was forced in to making a couple of early changes due to slight injuries and also praised the travelling Stags’ support of 295 who made the trip from Mansfield. “We had a couple of, nothing major, but a couple of things tightening up, especially at half-time, and obviously we don’t want to risk it so we made a couple of early changes to keep the minds and the body fresh. “Our support today, it was outstanding. I think in the second half the boys needed them at times because you look at some of the quality they’ve got in their team; it’s top end of League One, not League Two.” Supporters will be able to watch Adam Murray’s post-match interview on Stags PlayerHD later today. ----------------- Stags boss Murray delighted with point at Luton chad.co.uk Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray was delighted with an away point in today’s 1-1 draw at high-flying Luton Town and said his players were disappointed not to take all three. Murray also promised Stags would soon get the rub of the green at home and end up ‘smashing someone’. Stags led through Matt Green’s early strike only to see Luton earn a point with a 77th minute equaliser. “Obviously we are happy with a point away at one of the biggest clubs in the league,” said Murray. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-boss-murray-delighted-with-point-at-luton-1-8195550 “We fulfilled the game plan, but with that extra five per cent, that last decision, that last pass, the quality of the last pass, we felt we could have took all three points. “We knew with the quality of players they had we were going to have to defend at times and were going to have to control the game without the ball, and I thought we dealt with that superbly. “It was probably just that cutting edge in the last 20 minutes where, because we didn’t execute that final pass, we had to defend a little bit more than we wanted to. “There is an air of disappointment in the changing room as we felt, especially first half, we were the batter team. They had a lot of possession, which we knew they’d have. “But we were in control, we never felt threatened. We felt when we won it back we were going to create an opportunity. “In that first half we could have probably done a little better with a couple of the half-chances we created. “But we knew as the game wore on, if we were in a leading position, they were going to throw the kitchen sink at us - they made two subs and had five up front at one time. “We had to live with that, but I still felt on the counter-attack, if that final pass was right, we could have got in. We did get in a couple of times, but that final shot, that final pass or the final decision wasn’t right.” Murray continued: “But we are six unbeaten and a point off the play-offs, we just need to get this home form right and I fully believe we’ll be in that mix.” Stags have still to get a run of success going at home and the manager added: “The old adage in football is if you pick points up on the road, win or draw, and you win the majority of your home games, you get promoted - that’s the rule of thumb. “It’s marginal things at the minute. At home we are trying everything, we just need that rub of the green. “If it’s one of those games when you score and then you score 10 minutes after, I do believe at home if that happens the floodgates are going to open and we’ll end up smashing someone three or four.” --------------- Skipper commends ‘man’s performance’ at Luton mansfieldtown.net, 22nd October 2016 Mansfield Town captain Lee Collins praised his team mates' discipline as Stags stretched their unbeaten run to six matches with an impressive 1-1 draw at Luton Town. Inside the ninth minute, Stags’ frontman Matt Green headed home to net his eighth goal of the season, but Luton responded in the second half with Cameron McGeehan’s 25-yard effort. And captain Collins said he would have 'taken a point before the game if offered'. “We came out the blocks and Greeny (Matt Green) can’t do anything wrong at the minute - I’m buzzing for him," said Collins, who started in a defensive midfield role at Kenilworth Road today. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/skipper-commends-mans-performance-at-luton-3377990.aspx#01LSqbPPHhRAIQj7.99 “They (Luton) only had one really good chance and it’s ended up in the back of the net. “We were starving for that second goal to kill them off a bit. We tried to chuck bodies forward and exploit them with our counter attack tactic but unfortunately we didn’t get a second and they’ve stuck one in. “They [Luton] have this great crowd behind them and have no other option but to bomb forward, but we dealt with it well to nullify a lot of their attacks." Praising the work of his team-mates, Collins said: “The back four was really solid today. I thought it was really disciplined from the midfield, especially the two on the outside. It was a real man’s performance I thought. “If you had offered me a point before the game I would have taken it." Mansfield can boast of the second best defensive record in Sky Bet League Two, bettered only by leaders Plymouth Argyle. After conceding just 13 goals in 14 league matches, Collins said: “It’s something we pride ourselves on, we did it last year. It starts in training really." The Stags’ captain spoke highly of a mid-week team-building exercise in Nottingham, where players had to work together in groups to escape from cryptic rooms. “It gives lads that aren’t normally ‘a voice’ on the pitch the chance to show that they can lead in different ways. CJ (Hamilton) in particular really impressed me. He came out of his shell and took charge of our group.” Stags PlayerHD subscribers can view Lee Collins' interview in full later tonight (Saturday). ----------------- Annoyed Jones lambasts Town’s defending for Stags opener lutontoday.co.uk, by MIKE SIMMONDS, Saturday 22 October 2016 Hatters boss Nathan Jones was left to rue his side’s defending once more as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mansfield at Kenilworth Road this afternoon. With just nine minutes gone and Luton completely dominating possession, they fell behind to a soft goal, as Matt Green converted from close range, with the hosts once again failing to deal with a corner kick. It’s not like a great, whipped ball in, it’s a clipped ball in, that gives everyone enough time to see their man, to see the ball, to go and attack it, but we’ve switched off and it’s just basic. Nathan Jones That then gave Mansfield something to hold on to, which they did until Cameron McGeehan’s equaliser on 77 minutes, as Jones said: “I thought we totally dominated the game, it’s just when we give away a goal from a set-play and you don’t keep a clean sheet, then sides will just come here and shut up shop and not show any ambition whatsoever and just literally try to get a lock down and that’s what Mansfield did. Read more at: http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/annoyed-jones-lambasts-town-s-defending-for-stags-opener-1-7642018? “It’s annoying and it’s stuff we work on and it’s simple. It’s not like a great, whipped ball in, it’s a clipped ball in, that gives everyone enough time to see their man, to see the ball, to go and attack it, but we’ve switched off and it’s just basic, it’s really basic from our point of view. “Then no matter how much we do in our structure, in breaking lines, in playing through people, in getting it wide, in combination play, runs and crosses, playing out from the back, rotation, it doesn’t make a difference, because all that just comes down to then we’re having to chase the game. “We must have 70 per cent of possession and the frustrating thing for us is that we had possession for the first six minutes, but then on nine minutes they scored and it gave them something. “They picked the biggest side they could and just tried to play for those set-plays, but we just can’t give sides something to cling to as when we give sides something to cling to, they’ll show even less ambition than they do when they come here anyway. “It would have been a travesty if we did lose the game, but I’m disappointed because we have to learn these things, because sides can’t just throw a ball into our box and nick something, because we don’t do that to other teams. “We craft teams open, we look to create, look to score good goals and if sides just come and shut up shop and play on set-plays, and we allow them to do that, without punishing them, then we’re not going go to get the points we need.” Jones was pleased with the way his side went about fashioning they way back into the game after the break, as he added: “Second half I thought we were excellent, first half we were a little bit lacklustre, so we changed stuff and second half we did everything we could to win the game. “We got the goal, had chances, blocked on the line, we must have had 20 corners and the way we went about our work second half was really, really pleasing. “That’s how I want us to play and we didn’t resort to lumping it, didn’t resort to just putting it in people’s boxes, we kept possession, we were inventive, played through people, the keeper’s made one or two good saves, we had enough chances to win the game again, but I would just like one to be enough.” -------------- Hatters boss left infuriated by Mansfield’s time-wasting tactics dunstabletoday.co.uk, by MIKE SIMMONDS Hatters boss Nathan Jones admitted that Mansfield’s cynical time-wasting tactics employed during their 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road yesterday afternoon ‘frustrated the hell’ out of him. The Stags took an early lead through Matt Green yesterday afternoon, but then blatantly slowed the tempo of the game down at every single opportunity, with keeper Scott Shearer one of the worst culprits. Although referee Graham Salisbury booked Mitchell Rose for leaving the field at a snail’s pace when substituted, the official failed to seriously do enough to clamp down on the tactics, as Jones said: “It’s difficult as every side has done it. I think Doncaster are the only side who haven’t done it and when we come here, every side slows the play down. Read more at: http://www.dunstabletoday.co.uk/sport/football/hatters/hatters-boss-left-infuriated-by-mansfield-s-time-wasting-tactics-1-7642104? “They don’t want to play and referees allow them to do it. I find it baffling as I spoke to the referee and he said ‘we tried everything we could’ - and I don’t understand it. “The linesman said so too but I can’t get involved in that as they frustrate the hell out of me. “Credit to Mansfield, they came, set up to stifle us, stifled us for long periods, got the goal from a set-play and that’s really disappointing. I think Doncaster are the only side who haven’t done it and when we come here, every side slows the play down. - Nathan Jones When asked about his side’s display, Stags chief Adam Murray, who spent a brief time at Luton as a player during his career, said: “That was the gameplan, they’re a possession-based side, you can’t dictate the game with the ball all the time. “With all due respect to our football club, this is a huge football club, they’ve got four times the resources of us, so we can’t expect to go toe-to-toe with them as much as we’d like to. “We knew they’d have a lot of the ball, but I thought we controlled the game without the ball at times, very, very well. “We knew we’d have to counter well and I think if we had done that a little bit better, we probably didn’t exploit that as we could, then we might have got a little bit more out of the game Meanwhile, midfielder Cameron McGeehan felt that Mansfield’s spoiling tactics was nothing new and his team should take it as a complement, adding: “It’s a sign of respect for the club, for the players, for the fans, because it’s a tough place to come. “You moan about it to the ref, want them to hurry up, but it’s been happening for years. Since I’ve been here, it’s always been the case, so I’m used to it. “When they score it makes it even worse, it’s not a massive deal though, you’ve just got to keep the tempo high and keep on them. “When they’re playing like that you’re smelling a goal as you know they’re just happy to sit in and when we got that first one you think we’re going to go again. So it was a bit unlucky in the end, it is a little bit frustrating, but we are used to it.” -------------------- Luton Town: Shooting master class pays off for Cameron McGeehan Luton On Sunday, by James Cunliffe Cameron McGeehan nailed a wonderful for strike to rescue a point against Mansfield in a 1-1 League Two draw and then revealed the tip that former Hatters hitman Andre Gray gave him for scoring more goals. The 21-year-old says private shooting lessons with Superior Striker Coaching head honcho Alan Russell have been helping as he registered his second in two weeks and took his season's tally level with Town's top marksman Danny Hylton, both now on eight goals. The coaching consultancy firm, run by a former Scottish league striker Russell, has helped a series of high profile goalscorers to hone their skills including the current Burnley man, who made his name at Kenilworth Road in Luton's 2014 Conference-winning season. "Andre gave me the number because he does a hell of a lot of work with him," said McGeehan of Russell, adding: "He's on [Gray] a slightly better wage so he can enjoy a few more sessions, but I got in contact with him and did a few sessions last year. It makes you think about different ball strikes. He films it and it's detailed. Read more at http://www.luton-dunstable.co.uk/luton-town-shooting-master-class-pays-off-for-cameron-mcgeehan/story-29832963-detail/story.html#rM02qeVfbyC8gK8X.99 "Sometimes I have to come away from it and not do too many sessions because it makes me overthink it sometimes, but it helps me with all parts of my game. We do touches, shooting and it helps because I'm hitting the back of the net and it gives me a positive mindset going into the game." McGeehan revealed earlier this term that he also regularly pays for sports psychology stints to help with the mental side of the game and he added: "I do look at other avenues. "I do a bit of work with Alan Russell. I don't see him all the time because it's quite expensive, but I try to see him when I can. That type of shot that I hit [against Mansfield] is something that we do work on quite a lot. Sometimes I do get annoyed because we work on that long range stuff and it ends up being tap-ins. "It was worth it today, but I think I've always had that knack of getting in the right areas at the right time, but I try to look at other things. I do a lot of work with Joacquim [Gomez - Luton first team coach], the gaffer [Nathan Jones] and Kev [Dearden] the goalie coach about different finishing drills, which all help. I do stuff with Hylts [Hylton] and Jack [Marriott] as well, so I'm always working on that side of my game and it's good at the minute. "The gaffer and that all know I work with him and they're happy with it as long as I don't do it too much." -------------------- @alexiacovitti Great point on the road against a good team, thought the lads were class, on to the next one @mansfieldtownfc #stags ------------------- |
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