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Archived News from November 2016

STAGS GET NEW ERA UNDER EVANS OFF TO WINNING START
24th November 2016 21:26


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 3 - 1 Crawley Town
Clements 50, 60, Hoban 54. Bennett OG 82
Attendance: 2984 (72 from Crawley)

Date: 19 November 2016

Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town registered an emphatic 3-1 victory over Crawley Town to get a new era under manager Steve Evans off to a winning start. There was a real buzz around the ground with the arrival of Evans and assistant Paul Raynor and a sense of anticipation and excitement. Mansfield shaded the first half but were unable to break Crawley down before 3 goals in 10 minutes early in the second half decided the game. The Stags took a deserved lead on 50 minutes. A great crossfield pass from Chris Clements out to Matt Green on the left. Green cut inside Young onto his right foot, crossed to the right, Hoban headed back, defender Garnett could only head the ball up to Clements who volleyed into the net from 8 yards. Clements starting and finishing the move. Mansfield increased the lead on 54 minutes, good use of the advantage by the referee as Ashley Hemmings was fouled coming forward, but the referee played on, Green broke down the right wing, and his cross was perfect for Pat Hoban at the far post who volleyed in from 7 yards. And the Stags made it 3-0 on 60 minutes. Hemmings swept a ball down the left wing for Green to run onto, Green knocked the ball over the keeper who was a long way out of his area on the touchline, Green steadied himself and played a lovely ball with the outside of his right foot to Clements unmarked on the edge of the box, who smashed into the top right corner of the unguarded net. Crawley had been swept away. Crawley pulled a goal back on 82 minutes when Bobson Bawling got past Mal Benning to the byline and fired in a powerful cross that flicked off Rhys Bennett’s head into his own net under pressure from Matt Harrold. It was a very good team performance from Mansfield, typified by tremendous workrate, getting the ball forward fast into the box, and fighting for every loose ball. Several candidates for the man of the match award on a day when no-one had a poor game, with Chris Clements just shading it for us, from Jamie McGuire, Matt Green and several others. The defence was also generally solid with Mitch Rose filling in well at right back. A great day for the Stags with the promise of more to come.

The appointment of Steve Evans during the week was a rare appointment of a manager with a proven record of guiding a team to promotions in the Football League, not seen since the likes of Ian Greaves and to a lesser extent Billy McEwan. It is a real coup for the club to get a manager with such credentials. John Radford had talked about wanting to get the club to the Championship, and appointing a manager who had done exactly that with Rotherham was a huge statement of intent from John and Carolyn. The arrival of Evans came after the departure of Adam Murray on Monday. Murray had been a fantastic servant to the club in several spells as a player and then manager. As a player he was in my all-time best Mansfield Town XI, joining Gordon Hodgson, Liam Lawrence and Jim McCaffrey in a mouth-watering midfield. As a manager, he had the Stags safely in mid-table last season after being in and around the play-offs for three-quarters of the season, and again in mid-table this season before last week’s defeat to Portsmouth brought an end to his reign. Murray gave his heart and soul to Mansfield Town over many years and we wish him well.

It was a cold but fine day in Mansfield.

The home attendance was 296 up (from approx 2600 to 2900) from the Stevenage game. Going in the right direction and hopefully more to come back soon.

Evans made two changes from the Mansfield side that lost at Portsmouth. Mansfield were without Howkins and Iacovitti, recklessly sent off at Portsmouth. Also absent were the injured defenders Collins and Taft, plus Hurst.
Mitch Rose came in for Howkins, and slotted in out of position at right back, with Bennett moving to centre half. The other change saw Hoban return to the side in place of Baxendale. Hoban and Green were up front. McGuire was in midfield behind Clements, Gobern and Hemmings in a 4-1-3-2 formation, where the midfield was fluid. Clements retained the captaincy. Young Zayn Hakeem warmed up with the team before the game but was not in the 18 man squad. Crawley came into the game in a poor run of form. Adi Yussuf, on loan at Crawley from Mansfield, was not allowed to play under the terms of the loan.

There was a very welcome return to “On the Ball” to welcome the teams onto the pitch. Evans and Raynor were given a great reception from the home fans with everyone on their feet.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

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MATCH REPORT: Winning start for Evans as Stags crush Crawley 3-1
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 19 November 2016

Three goals in 10 second half minutes saw Mansfield Town finally shatter Crawley Town’s resistance and make it a winning home debut for new Stags boss Steve Evans as they coasted home 3-1.

Stags created a wealth of first half chances without scoring and when Krystian Pearce saw a header cleared off the line early in the second half you wondered if Stags’ home woes were about to continue.

But skipper Chris Clements opened the floodgates on 50 minutes with a seven yard volley and Pat Hoban hammered in a second within four minutes before Clements bagged his second on the hour before a Rhys Bennett own goal gave the visitors an 82nd minute consolation.

It was only Stags’ third home win of the campaign and also their biggest. With only one fit and available centre half in Pearce, Evans was forced to use right back Rhys Bennett in the centre and draft Mitch Rose in at right back. Joining Matt Green in a two-pronged attack was Pat Hoban with James Baxendale left out.

Also missing from the side that lost 4-0 in Adam Murray’s final game in charge at Portsmouth last weekend was Kyle Howkins who, along with sub Alex Iacovitti, was sent off at Fratton Park and is suspended.

Lee Collins and Kevan Hurst missed out with injury.

Hemmings played at the top of a midfield diamond with McGuire the holding player.

Crawley arrived without a win in eight games in all competitions while Stags were looking to improve on just one win in 11 League games and a poor home record of just two wins all season.

Stags were given a great reception as they came out onto the pitch and new boss Evans an even louder one as the afternoon began amid an electric atmosphere.

The home side immediately won a central free kick 35 yards out, but Crawley were able to clear.

Then Green put pressure on keeper Morris and his poor clearance reached Hoban who crashed a quick shot over the bar from distance.

Crawley’s first raid ended with Clifford firing well over with a first time shot from 20 yards. On seven minutes Green got down the right and pulled back a low cross which Hemmings turned on target but without any power and straight to the keeper.

Three minutes later Green saw a low 25-yard shot deflect wide for Mansfield’s first corner which was taken short and wasted after the ball was given away.

On 15 minutes McGuire almost broke through out of the blue with a firm header from 20 yards that sailed just over the angle.

Collins headed over from a Young cross from the right on 19 minutes.

Good pressure from Mansfield on 25 minutes saw Hemmings have a powerful shot blocked and Hoban slip when he shaped up to try a follow-up.

Then McGuire set up Clements just outside the box for a low snapshot that he pulled wide.

Crawley’s first corner came on 32 minutes, but was easily cleared.

Poor defending on 33 minutes saw Hoban in space on the right, but he skied his hurried finish well over the bar.

A minute later a superb crossfield pass by Clements found Gobern, whose low shot skidded wide of the far post.

Connolly, feeling the effects of an earlier knock, finally made way for Davey on 35 minutes.

Stags were angry with the referee as McGuire was fouled by Clifford on 38 minutes, but he whistled quickly with McGuire’s pass finding Bennett is a promising position and the chance was gone as the Crawley man was booked.

A minute later Gobern was narrowly wide with a first time from Benning’s low, curling ball in from the left.

Then Clements was too high with a free kick from almost 30 yards as the home side remained solidly on top. On 43 minutes Morris made a great save to deny Hemmings.

Pearce had nodded on a long Rose ball and Hemmings directed a looping header on target that the keeper had to tip over. In the second minute of added time Young was booked for bodychecking Benning. But Crawley held firm until the break.

Hoban had a shot deflect wide for a corner in the opening minute of the half. When that came in, Pearce headed goalwards and Young cleared off the line.

However, on 50 minutes the home side were finally ahead. Clements began and ended the move as he found Green in full flight to his left. His cross was headed down by Hoban and a poor attempted defensive header fell to Clements who bundled home a half-volley from seven yards.

Benning was booked for a foul soon after the restart. But on 54 minutes it was 2-0 to the home side.

Hemmings was poleaxed in the middle of the park, but play was allowed to continue and Green sped down the right before picking out Hoban at the far post where he buried an unstoppable volley from six yards.

On 57 minutes Morris had to save with his legs when a Green free kick from 20 yards went through the wall and took a deflection.

But Stags were three up on the hour. Green beat keeper Morris to a ball down the left and spotted Clements to his right in space. His pass found him perfectly and, with the keeper well out of his goal, the skipper did well to guide his half-volley into the gaping net. Stags celebrated with a ‘mannequin challenge’ pose.

Baxendale replaced Hemmings to big applause on 72 minutes. On 75 minutes Morris got in the way of a powerful shot by Baxendale. He then had to get behind a powerful Hoban header as Stags went for a fourth.

Instead Crawley pulled one back on 82 minutes as Bawling crossed from the right and it appeared that defender Bennett glanced a header past his own keeper.

Danny Rose took over from Green up front with six minutes to go, with Henderson on for Hoban in the last minute.

McGuire was furious in stoppage time as a challenge saw him suffer a cut head and he had to be restrained by team mates.

He came back on to huge applause with a heavily bandaged head.

STAGS: Shearer, M. Rose, Bennett, Pearce, Benning; Clements, McGuire, Gobern, Hemmings (Baxendale 72); Hoban (Henderson 90), Green (Danny Rose 84). Subs: Thomas, Law, Jensen, Hamilton.

CRAWLEY: Morris, Young, Connolly (Davey 35, Djalo 65), Boldewijn (Bawling 57), Smith, Harrold, Roberts, Blackman, Garnett, Clifford, Collins. Subs: Beeney, Payne, Tajbakhsh, Henderson.?REFEREE: Carl Boyeson of East Yorkshire. ATTENDANCE: 2,984 (72 away).?CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Clements.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/match-report-winning-start-for-evans-as-stags-crush-crawley-3-1-1-8248030

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Report: Mansfield 3 Reds 1
by Bruce Talbot, crawleytownfc.com
Crawley floored by three goals in ten minutes

Reds conceded three goals in ten minutes at the start of the second half on a bleak afternoon at the One Call Stadium.
Ex-Reds boss Steve Evans’ reign in charge of the Stags got off to a dream start, although Crawley made it easy for the hosts with some generous defending.
Chris Clements capitalised on a mistake by Addison Garnett to volley the hosts into a 50th-minute lead and four minutes later Pat Hoban was left unmarked to double Mansfield’s lead.
Clements got his third on the hour and although Matt Harrold scored for the second successive game it was a mere consolation for Reds, who have slipped down to 17th in the League Two table ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Yeovil.

Read more at http://www.crawleytownfc.com/news/article/2016-17/crawley-town-mansfield-town-3422417.aspx#EP8ek59bLADKQd9S.99

To make matters worse, Reds lost two defenders to injury. Mark Connolly had to come off in the 35th minute and his replacement, Alex Davey, suffered a shoulder injury and was replaced in the 64th minute. It meant Reds finished the game with Lewis Young in central defence and Bobson Bawling at right back. With Joe McNerney recovering from knee surgery, Head Coach Dermot Drummy is running out of defensive options but there is little he could do to legislate for the mistakes Reds made at the back on a bitterly cold afternoon.
With Evans in the Mansfield dug-out for the first time a high-tempo, no-frills approach by his side was guaranteed and the Stags dominated large parts of the first half, although Glenn Morris was hardly over-worked.
His best work of the opening half came when he clawed a header from Ashley Hemmings over the bar in the 43rd minute. There was a more routine stop from Hemmings’ early half-volley while Hoban and Matt Green wasted excellent opportunities which both came after Garnett had given the ball away.
Connolly needed extensive treatment after a 12th minute clash of heads but carried on until the 35th minute, when he was replaced by Davey.
It was a blow for Reds who created little in attack in the first half, although Collins and Harrold linked up well on occasion, without ever testing ex-Reds keeper Scott Shearer.
Still, Drummy would have been content at half-time but there was a portent of what was to come when Young had to head Krystian Pearce’s header off the line a minute in to the second half. Sadly, it was a warning Reds failed to heed.
The hosts broke through in the 50th minute - and it was a gift for Clements. Garnett went to head away Rose’s right-wing cross but gave the ball straight to the Mansfield skipper, who had the simple task of volleying past a helpless Morris.
Mansfield had their tails up and four minutes later doubled their lead. Referee Boyeson waved play on after Davey had brought down Hemmings in the centre circle and Green’s cross to the far post found Hoban, as Clements had been for the first goal, with time and space to volley past Morris and make it 2-0.
Morris prevented a third when he blocked a free kick from Green but the keeper was at fault on the hour when Mansfield went 3-0 in front.
He came out of his area to try and clear when Green broke down the left but Green rounded him easily then played an intelligent ball into the box to Clements, who volleyed into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
Two-thirds into the contest and it was now damage limitation for Reds. Morris prevented a fourth when he blocked James Baxendale’s shot but the visitors did get a consolation with their first effort on target nine minutes from time. Bawling did well down the right and his driven cross was glanced home by Harrold for his second goal in two games.
But by then Evans had his first win as Mansfield boss in the bag while his former club need to regroup ahead of another testing away game on Tuesday.

Reds: Morris; Young, Connolly (sub: Davey 35 (sub: Djalo 65), Garnett, Blackman; Boldewijn (Bawling 56), Clifford, Smith, Roberts; Collins; Harrold. Unused subs: Payne, Tajbakhsh, Henderson, Beeney.

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