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Archived News from March 2017

EVANS, DANNY ROSE, KEITH CURLE REACTION
27th March 2017 0:06


Front foot approach pays dividends
mansfieldtown.net, 18th March 2017

Stags’ boss Steve Evans was pleased to see his side reap the rewards of his offensive team selection as they eased to a 2-0 win over Carlisle United this afternoon.

Second half-goals from strikers Matt Green and Shaq Coulthirst secured a well-deserved 2-0 victory for the Stags after another high quality display.

And the boss was full of praise for his front two of Shaq Coulthirst and Danny Rose, as well as opening scorer Green, who was deployed in a less familiar left-wing position.

“I thought Matt Green did an unusual role for us today but we wanted to be very offensive today. I wanted as many [attacking players] on the pitch to give us a shape and a balance that can score a goal," the gaffer said.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/front-foot-approach-pays-dividends-3633104.aspx#Qs3DBzmxH6R53ai8.99

“It takes us a long time to get the goal but sometimes as a manager you get decisions right and decisions wrong and it was right to obviously give Matt Green that role where he can come from a little bit deeper.

“It’s just a fantastic header and the boy Coulthirst has got the ability to do that. I’ve seen him do that at higher levels on a very regular basis - none more so than when I watched him as a very promising kid at Tottenham.

“I think his performance from start to finish was what Danny Rose can give you and we miss Danny Rose when he’s not available to us. That doesn’t mean he’s the best striker we’ve got and he starts but he’s invaluable if he’s not starting and he comes off the bench.”

The former Leeds United commended his side’s never-say-die attitude after they went in at half-time arguably unlucky not to be in front.

“I think the supporters at half-time would have been shaking their head again [as to] why we’re not in front.

“There’s ricochets across the goal, the goalkeeper’s blocked one from Danny Rose - it’s a great volley, an instinctive volley - it hits the goalkeeper on the shoulder when he’s going the other way and it bounces to safety.

“I thought we were really inventive. I thought we needed to get the first goal to give us a bit of confidence and I said to the boys at half-time, I don’t really care if it comes in the 90th minute, let’s be dominant in both boxes and take a chance if it comes and win a header defensively or a block if we have to.”

After recent results haven’t reflected the quality of the Stags’ performances, the manager says players and supporters alike should ‘enjoy their evenings’ after today’s excellent victory.

“I’m really pleased for them; I just said to the players ‘go and enjoy your evening’. We’ve all had some long journeys and some difficult days and difficult nights.

“To the supporters that turned up today: go and enjoy your weekend. We’ve let you down recently; not by performance, not by effort, not by attitude, but we’ve let you down by not putting the ball in the net and maybe getting a bit sloppy as well at the other end.”

Finally, the gaffer provided an update on the injury sustained by defender Krystian Pearce, who was forced off in the first half after landing awkwardly following a header.

“We think it’s a sprain. He’s gone up and won a header, the boy jumps into him and he rolls his ankle a little bit. We’re hoping - you never know for 24-48 hours - we’re hoping, the medical team are hoping, it’s a sprain and anyone who’s sprained an ankle knows that’s probably a week or 10 days.”

Supporters can login to Stags PlayerHD to view the manager’s post-match interview in full.

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Evans delighted as Stags finally get their reward
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 18 March 2017

Manager Steve Evans was delighted to see his Mansfield Town side finally get their just reward for recent displays with a crucial 2-0 home win over promotion rivals Carlisle United.

Stags had failed to win or score in four games and again today they missed a host of chances until strikes from Matt Green and Shaq Coulthirst finally saw off former Stags boss Keith Curle’s fading Cumbrians.

“I was really pleased again with the performance. In the last three or four games our football has been absolutely outstanding,” beamed Evans.

“I picked a very offensive team today and if I could have got another striker on the pitch I’d have put one on, but it wouldn’t have given us a balance and a shape.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-delighted-as-stags-finally-get-their-reward-1-8446121

“I’m really pleased for the dressing room. We’ve worked on that type of shape for a couple of days and they’ve embraced it.

“We have put a good team to the sword today and the only disappointment was that it was only two and not five.”

Green’s goal on 63 minutes was Mansfield’s first in 438 minutes of football and Evans said: “As a manger you have to believe the goals will come. We have got players that can score at this level, but they were going through a spell when they were missing the simplest of chances.

“In the first half Danny Rose hits a great instinctive volley, it hit the goalkeeper on the shoulder when he’s going the other way and you think here we go again.

“I think the supporters would have been shaking their heads again at half-time that we weren’t in front.

“I thought we needed to get the first goal today to get a bit of confidence. I said to them at half-time I don’t care if it comes in the 90th minute, let’s be dominant in both boxes and take our chance if it comes.”

On the two goals, he said: “I’m pleased for Matt Green today as he missed a couple of big chances at Colchester and took a lot of criticism. But I stuck with him today and it was a fantastic header.

“Shaq Coulthirst has got that in his locker every day to do. He cut in and the goalkeeper didn’t move. It was a wonderful finish.

“I am also pleased we kept a clean sheet. Jake Kean came back in and I thought he looked very assured and like the keeper who first walked in here.”

The only downside to the game was the sight of skipper Krystian Pearce limping off in the first half.

“Krystian twisted his ankle so he may be a week,” said Evans.

“We think it’s a sprain but you don’t know for 24-48 hours. The medical staff are confident. He just rolled it and as he rolled it the guy landed on it accidentally. He could have played on but he was just feeling it.

“So we brought on Keyle Howkins, who has been waiting to come in, and we’ve got George Taft, who the most unfortunate man in the world not to be on the bench today.”

Mansfield are now two places and three points off the play-offs and Evans concluded: “If we can take a number of points out of our next two games suddenly with six games to go we’ll be in the mix and that’s incredible from when we first walked in.

“The credit goes not only to us but to the players that were here and those that have joined us. They deserve all the accolades.”

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Team performance deserved of Carlisle victory
mansfieldtown.net, 18th March 2017

After winning the sponsors’ Man-of-the-Match award, frontman Danny Rose deflected the praise on to his team-mates following today’s 2-0 victory over Carlisle United.

Despite not being able to cap off his performance with a goal, the former Bury striker was a constant thorn in the Cumbrians’ side and left the field to a standing ovation when he was replaced by Yoann Arquin after 80 minutes.

And Rose showered his team-mates with praise after an excellent performance moved Stags to within three points of the play-off places.

“I think every man on the pitch was brilliant. The 14 players that played when the subs came on, it was a team performance to get the three points," Rose said.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/team-performance-deserved-of-carlisle-victory-3633460.aspx#itICASKYKLQbI6y0.99

“It’s (the standing ovation) brilliant but I think the lads deserve just as much praise if I’m honest with you. The clean sheet from the back five, including Keano (Jake Kean), the midfield and the top two, I thought every man was good today. It’s a very good 2-0 win.”

The Barnsley-born frontman says hard work in training paid off today as Stags found the back of the net for the first time in five games.

“We’ve had chances in a lot of games and we’ve had chances today but we were much more clinical today. Shaq [Coulthirst] and Greeny (Matt Green) took their chances really well.

“The lads have been confident, chances have been coming, we’ve been working hard in training on finishing and luckily it’s come off today.

“He gets chances, Greeny, and that’s the main thing. He’s stuck one in today so that’s good for him.

“He’s a very good finisher, Shaq. He’s come from a higher level and he’s showing his quality now in League Two.”

With eight games remaining in Sky Bet League Two, Rose says the Stags are full of confidence ahead of the trip to Morecambe next week.

“It’s League Two; it’s a battle every week. We’ve got Morecambe next week and that’s going be the exact same but we’ll go there full of confidence hoping to pick three points up.

“Everyone’s in and around us. We’ve still got each other to play. We’ve got Exeter, Luton, Stevenage, Donny to play, so we’ve got to beat them to get in and around the play-offs.

“We’ve got a very tough run-in but we’re full of confidence now and we’ll go in to Morecambe bouncing and hoping to pick three points up.”

Supporters can view Danny Rose’s full post-match interview by logging in to Stags PlayerHD.
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All action Rose hopes he has cemented regular start
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 18 March 2017

Action man Danny Rose will be hoping his man of the match display in today’s 2-0 home win over rivals Carlisle United can help cement him a regular start in the side.

On his return to the starting line-up striker Rose was everywhere, despite a gashed head early on which saw him bandaged up

But he admitted: “There is competition with five very good strikers in this squad who train very well day in day out.

“No one is nailed on to have a place so we’ll all go into training next week full of confidence.

Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/all-action-rose-hopes-he-has-cemented-regular-start-1-8446158

“It was a good performance from the lads today and a very much- needed win that put us right up there.

“We have had chances in a lot of games recently, but wee were much more clinical today and Shaq and Greeny took their chances very well.

“We have been working hard on finishing in training and it came off today.”

Rose added: “We still have to play everyone in and around us, so we need to beat them to get in and around the play-offs. It’s a very tough run-in, but we are full of confidence now.”

He was given a rousing reception when subbed near the end and Rose said: “It was brilliant, but I think the rest of the lads deserved as much praise. I thought every man was good today.

“The fans have been absolutely brilliant all season and we are hoping to pay them back by getting into the play-offs.” Rose twice saw his bandage fly off as he raced around the field, gamely sticking his wounded head out to win almost every header he contested.

“It’s League Two so it’s a battle every week,” he smiled.

“The strapping came off twice, I will get onto the physios for that. But a couple of stitches and it should be all right.”

Opponent Tom Miller had to leave the game with blood streaming out his nose and Rose said: “To be honest I didn’t see him coming at all.

“I had just gone for the flick-on like I normally do and I think he’s come ff the worst to be fair which was sad to see. I think his nose was broken which is not nice to see but hopefully he will be all right.”

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MANAGER: It’s a very simple game but only if you do the simple things well
carlisleunited.co.uk, by Andy Hall

United manager Keith Curle gave us his reaction to the Mansfield away game shortly after full time on Saturday.

“We didn’t do the simple things well,” he said. “We failed to consistently cause them problems due to a lack of willingness to keep getting the ball into dangerous areas. I didn’t think there was anything in it through the first 45 minutes and all we needed to do was keep doing the simple things and the rewards would come.

“If you don’t do that then all that happens is you give the opposition the opportunity to score. Another disappointment was that we didn’t stop crosses from getting into our box and one of the first deliveries from them in the second half ended up as a goal.

Read more at http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/keith-curle-with-his-reaction-to-the-mansfield-away-game-3634665.aspx#5oR7cpOMCHKsZde2.99

“The second came from us getting done on the break when we were up at the other end and expecting to put the ball into a good area ourselves. The really disappointing thing from the whole game, as I say, was our failure to do the simple things.

“If you don’t do the things which should be the foundation to everything else in your game, you don’t progress. We don’t look like scoring goals at the moment because we aren’t putting the ball into dangerous areas or retaining possession in the final third. With that comes hesitancy and you lose the freedom of expression in the way you play your game. At the moment we’re getting punished for that.”

On the growing feelings of frustration and nervousness, he said: “It’s squeaky bum time now and it’s pure and simple, we need to start winning games. Ability wise there is more than enough in that changing room, I haven’t got a problem with that.

“We’re being battered at the moment but you’ve got to take all of the punches and show you’ve got fighting spirit. What you can’t afford to do is turn your back and run away. We’ve got some big characters coming back and they’ve all got to play their part. With a period like this you can’t allow weaknesses to develop. You have to turn them into strengths.

“The run we’re on at the moment is shocking and disappointing. There was a fabric and a fibre that was growing at the beginning of the season and that has been lost. You can say that if you sell players and you miss players through injury and suspension it will have an impact, but the unity still has to be there.

“We need to get back to doing the basics and we need to take pride in it. Come the end of the season it’s games like this that we remember because the more we can learn from them and get rid of them the more successful we will be. I don’t bury my head in the sand and say this result hasn’t happened. It has and it needs to become the springboard for us to go forward because we need to be better than this.”

Mansfield pounced twice in the second half to take the points and the manager explained that, again, the goals had come from not doing the simple things well enough on the day.

“How many times do we say that we have to stop crosses coming into our box?” he asked. “It’s a simple methodology that gets you results. If you cut out the supply the likelihood is that you don’t concede as many goals. The manner of the ball getting into our box for the first goal was far too easy.

“Confidence is taking a knock with the way things are going. Sometimes when you realise the group is being battered you’ve got to simplify the instructions. We’ve just told them that they’ve been beaten today by a team which did the very simple things over and over again.

“All they did consistently was put the ball in behind us. They then got after it so they could put it into the danger area. We did exactly the same for ten or twelve minutes at the start of the game and we did it quite well. Unfortunately we stopped doing it and we allowed them to get on the front foot.”

Talking about the hunt for goals, he told us: “The ball needs to go into the right areas consistently. The creative and forward thinking players then need to be in there and getting on the end of them. We’re lacking quality and conviction at crucial times and you can see that with how many times we hit the first man with our crosses.

“It’s a very simple game, but only if you do the simple things well. We’ll come again. We’re getting slapped, and rightly so, because you can’t expect to stop doing the simple things in this game and get away with it.

“The game plan was there today and we looked very comfortable with it for 45 minutes. It was a case of making sure we didn’t change what we were doing but we went out there for the second half and we didn’t do the simple things well.”

Speaking about the latest addition to the injury list with a facial injury picked up by defender Tom Miller, he said: “It’s disappointing when you see your right back come off with eight or nine stitches across his face. We asked the coaching staff to have a word with the referee about both of their forwards leading with their elbows because that’s all we could do about it.

“We’ll have to see how that settles but it was a bad one for the lad. I know he’ll want to get back because he wants to do his bit for the team and the club.”

And on a first appearance for the club for French forward Junior Joachim, he said: “The kid will score goals. He’s a threat and he has good dynamics. A lot of his work now will be on his fitness to get him up to speed, but he’s a very willing worker.

“Some of the funding for it came from the fans and that’s a fantastic gesture. I’m sure the supporters will appreciate that it’s been used in exactly the way they wanted it to be used. It’s helping to keep us competitive through the latter stages of the season and we’re looking at what the figures are to see if we can bring in a few more players who can help us as well.”

We’ll have more from the manager on the official website on Monday morning.

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twitter and Instagram

Matt Green Instagram
Important win yesterday... well done to all the lads 8 games left... all to play for

Shaq Coulthirst @ShaqCoulthirst
Back With A Bang... https://www.instagram.com/p/BRyw-MnA1s8/
Good To Get The 3 Points Today, Happy To Be Back On The Scoresheet. Buzzing For @Matt10Green It Was Coming Bro... #Stags

Ben Whiteman @BenWhiteman17
@ShaqCoulthirst make sure you get to the dentist you

Danny Rose @dannyrose_32
Back in the mix! Massive 3 points for us. Onto the next one

Rhys Bennett @RhysBeno91
Nice to finally get what we deserved today ! Great finishes from @ShaqCoulthirst and @Matt10Green , fans were great !! Onto next week now!

Hayden White @HaydenWhite7
Back to winning ways @ShaqCoulthirst @Matt10Green special mention for Liz and Dan fantastic work by them. Hope he makes a full recovery
Hayden White Retweeted Jack Richardson the physio's are heros and have saved my Dads life, I can't thank them enough!

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Latest | March 2017