{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from December 2016

STAGS DRAW 0-0 WITH COLCHESTER
14th December 2016 18:27


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 0 - 0 Colchester United
Attendance: 3398 (237 from Colchester)

Date: 10 December 2016

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

Mansfield Town and Colchester United drew 0-0 in the last home game before Christmas in a disappointing game which lacked quality in the final third from both sides. The best chance of the entire game fell to Matt Green after just 12 minutes when a free kick ricocheted off two defenders into the path Green, unmarked and with only the keeper to beat from 9 yards, but he surprisingly shot wide of the left post. Scott Shearer made a couple of regulation saves, and there was panic in the Stags box on 90 minutes when the ball bounced on top of the bar and then ran loose before Mansfield cleared. A bit of controversy with almost the last kick of the game as Stags sub Danny Rose played a one-two with Green and went down on the edge of the box. The referee gave a free kick against Rose and booked him for diving. From review of the video footage, the referee got the decision right, it was a dive (just outside the area). Overall Mansfield were marginally the better side but the draw was probably a fair result. So Mansfield’s very poor run of not having scored at home in the first half of a game this season continues, and is now at 14 home league and cup games. The Stags are four points outside the play-offs and move on to Exeter next Saturday, a team who bizarrely have just two points from nine home games and without a win, yet have 21 points from 11 away games.

After the game Stags boss Steve Evans confirmed that he’s looking to bring in “three or four” players in the January transfer window though wouldn’t elaborate on which positions.

It was Mansfield’s first game against Colchester for 12 years. Colchester had won their previous two games 3-0 and 4-0, away to Cheltenham and at home to Crewe respectively, after 13 games without a win.

Mansfield were unchanged from the side that won at Carlisle in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday. So no place in the starting XI for Danny Rose who scored his 3rd goal in 3 games from the bench in that game. Steve Evans explained before the game that Danny Rose was not fit enough to play more than 50 to 60 minutes. Mitch Rose and Darius Henderson were back from injury into the 18 on the bench in place of Gobern and Hakeem. The Stags started with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Collins continued at right back with Bennett at centre half. Clements and McGuire were behind Baxendale (right), Hemmings (centre) and Hamilton (left), who were behind Green.

The attendance was boosted by a superb offer for families of £11 for parent and child in the Lower Tier. The number of home fans was 250 up on the Crawley game and nearly 600 up on the midweek Blackpool game. The Crawley attendance itself of course was increased by being the first game under Steve Evans. So all in all and given that the last home game before Christmas traditionally has a lower crowd, the attendance wasn’t bad. Well done to John and Carolyn Radford for the offer.

It was a mild day, dry and not windy. Good conditions for the game.

The big scoreboard, purchased from Wembley a couple of years ago, finally made its debut, showing the time, occasionally the score, and the teams before the game with photos of the players. By the end of each half, the time was 30 seconds out (eg registering 44 minutes 30 seconds when it should have been registering 45 minutes), a problem which has to be ironed out before the next game, or the time not shown at all. It even caused confusion for the 4th official who waited until the scoreboard reached 45 minutes before putting the board up for stoppage time.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

------------------------------------------

MATCH REPORT: Stags held 0-0 at home by Colchester
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 10 December 2016

Mansfield Town’s hopes of breaking into the League Two play-off spots were dashed when they were held 0-0 at home to Colchester United this afternoon.

In a game that lacked real quality, there were few chances at either end as United chalked up a third clean sheet on the bounce, soaking up a lot of second half pressure from the home side.

The game marked the first time the impressive new Stags scoreboard had been used, but sadly neither side was able to move it off the 0-0 setting over 90 dour minutes of sweat and toil. The club’s ticket offer brought in a bigger-than-usual crowd.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/match-report-stags-held-0-0-at-home-by-colchester-1-8283794

But Stags were unable to chalk up a third home win on the bounce and were in the end relieved to see a Tom Eastman header hit the top of their bar in the final minute. Mansfield named an unchanged side for the first visit of Colchester in over 14 years.

Steve Evans decided to resist the temptation to bring in striker Danny Rose, who has notched three goals off the bench in the last three games, and stick with the side that won 3-2 at Carlisle United in the Checkatrade Trophy in midweek.

Darius Henderson was declared fit enough to take a place on the bench where he replaced young striker Zayn Hakeem.

Visiting Colchester have struggled since their relegation last season but had just won two on the bounce, 3-0 and 4-0, so arrived in fine fettle.

Mansfield had the first shy at goal in the second minute as a deflected clearance by the visitors dropped to Hemmings, who curled the ball wide of the far post.

Kent was booked for a bodycheck on Hamilton as he tried to break clear from United’s first corner on 12 minutes.

From the free kick Stags should have been ahead as Colchester failed to clear their lines and the ball ran to Green eight yards out who pulled a disappointing low finish wide.

A 23rd minutes scramble saw Clements have a shot blocked and Benning send a low follow-up wide as the home side tried to step up the pressure in a game so far low on entertainment. A minute later the game and the visitors had its first effort on target as Guthrie nodded a Garvan free kick at Shearer. Guthrie brought down Bennett on 35 minutes and was then booked for his protests. Skipper Lapslie was then warned for carrying on the argument, but the card did not come back out for him. Then Lapslie was lectured again along with Hemmings after a clash off the ball. On 41 minutes we had another rare chance as Garvan fired low at goal from 25 yards and Shearer dived to his right to turn the ball round for a corner. On 44 minutes Elokobi was added to the book for a high boot that caught Hemmings in the chest, but keeper Walker easily caught Clements’ free kick as a tight half ended goalless. Mansfield immediately forced a corner on the restart, their first of the game, kicked clear by Johnstone. Johnstone then nodded the ball at Shearer from a long Dickenson cross, but the effort lacked venom and was an easy catch. Brindley caused a few home hearts to flutter when he sent in a low, skidding ball across the face of goal from the right but too far in front of any team mates for them to be able to turn it home. On 58 minutes Stags made their first change as ‘supersub’ Danny Rose replaced Baxendale. On 62 minutes Green turned well just outside the box to warm Walker’s hands with a low drive after McGuire had won a superb 50-50 tackle. Danny Rose was so unlucky with a low ball he sent in front of goal after a neat pass from Collins. Then on 66 minutes Collins crossed to the far post where Green was unable to get over his header, which sailed over. Johnstone was too high with a flicked header from a 70th minute Colchester corner as we continued to await the breakthrough. In the final minute Eastman’s header from the right by-line dropped onto the top of the home bar in a real late let-off. Then three minutes into added time Danny Rose was booked for a dive in the box as Stags looked in vain for a late penalty kick.

STAGS: Shearer, Bennett, Pearce, Collins, Benning, McGuire, Baxendale (D. Rose 58), Clements, Hamilton, Hemmings, Green. Subs not used: Jensen, Hurst, Thomas, Iacovitti, M. Rose, Henderson.

COLCHESTER: Walker, Elokobi, Kent, Eastman, Dickenson, Garvan, Lapslie, Brindley, Slater (Wright 87), Guthrie, Johnstone (Szmodics 77). Subs not used: Barnes, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Doyley, Fosu.

REFEREE: Darren Deadman of Cambridgeshire.

ATTENDANCE: 3,398 (237 away).

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jamie McGuire.

-----------------

Colchester United draw a blank at Mansfield
Mansfield Town 0 Colchester United 0
greenun24.co.uk

Chances were at a premium as Colchester United shared a disappointing goalless draw with Mansfield at Field Mill this afternoon.

It was a very drab encounter, with neither side really deserving to take all three points from a lower mid-table duel.

Mansfield had the better of the very few scoring opportunities in the first period, although the U’s improved as an attacking force after the break.

http://www.greenun24.co.uk/colchester-united/colchester_united_draw_a_blank_at_mansfield_1_4812256

The Stags should have taken the lead from a free-kick on 12 minutes.

The delivery ricocheted off two U’s players into the path of striker Matt Green, who had just keeper Sam Walker to beat from a mere eight yards out.

But an unmarked Green somehow managed to drag his shot wide of target, much to Walker’s relief. That was a huge let-off for the visitors.

The U’s best chance of the first half arrived as late as the 40th minute, Owen Garvan’s well-struck 25-yard drive being diverted around the post by the outstretched hand of keeper Scott Shearer.

Into the second half and Mansfield were close to an opener in the 67th minute, only for Green’s deft header, from Lee Collins’ pinpoint cross, to balloon narrowly over the bar from six yards out.

Garvan delivered a dangerous free-kick into the box in the 83rd minute, but Dickenson’s header struck his team-mate George Elokobi and dropped to safety.

Squads

MANSFIELD: Shearer, Collins, Pearce, Bennett, Benning, McGuire, Hamilton, Clements, Hemmings, Baxendale (sub D Rose, 58), Green. Unused subs: Jensen, Hurst, M Rose, Thomas, Iacovitti, Henderson.

COLCHESTER: Walker, Eastman, Kent, Elokobi, Brindley, Lapslie, Garvan, Slater (sub Wright, 87), Dickenson, Guthrie, Johnstone (sub Szmodics, 77). Unused subs: Barnes, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Doyley, Fosu.

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambs)

Attendance: 3,398 (237 away fans)

--------------------

 

Latest | December 2016