Archived News from March 2017
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EVANS ON INJURY TO PEARCE/COLLINS, PLUS U21 NEWS
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Strong Stags’ side to face Chesterfield
mansfieldtown.net, 20th March 2017 Tomorrow’s Central League fixture away to Chesterfield will be used for first team members to stake their claim for a place against Morecambe on Saturday, boss Steve Evans said today. We face the Spireites in our penultimate Central League fixture at the Proact Stadium tomorrow (21 March, 2.00pm kick-off), and the match is free for spectators to attend. And with the Sky Bet League Two clash against Morecambe to prepare for on Saturday, the boss has challenged the players involved tomorrow to put themselves in contention for a first team spot. “The whole lot are going; everyone that needs game time is going tomorrow,” the manager said. “It’s getting played at Chesterfield’s stadium, so that’s nice and it’s good, the same as we’d do now maybe with the odd reserve game towards the end [of the season]. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/strong-stags-side-to-face-chesterfield-3635907.aspx#6jACurlhkVDQLXRJ.99 “I know what Gary Caldwell (Chesterfield manager) will be about; he’ll want to look at players as well. I know Gary, I’m on my pro licence with him so we’ll get the opportunity to go over to Chesterfield and hopefully I’ll see a number of players put themselves in contention for Morecambe. “We’re going to need all our players; we have to trust them all and the team that started on Saturday is unlikely to be the one that starts at Morecambe, it’s a different game.” The gaffer and his first team staff will all be in attendance at the Proact Stadium to assess which players perform well enough to be included against the Shrimps at the weekend. “You want players to play in these reserve games and you go away as a group of staff and you speak to each other. “The only way they’ll get in the first team, of course, is by producing a good performance. They won’t get in the first team by going and messing about in the reserves - we’ve got no time for that.” Defender Krystian Pearce limped out of Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Carlisle United but Stags' chief is confident that the centre-half has merely suffered an ankle sprain. “We’re pretty confident it’s a sprain so that’s just quickly down to the healing process in the body. Some people can come back from a sprain in four or five days, some people are nine or 10. “It’ll be about Wednesday or Thursday before we really know as to how much movement Krystian’s got on it. “I thought Krystian was playing really well but we’ve got an opportunity to get Kyle [Howkins] on the pitch. I thought he was outstanding in spells; he won a lot of headers, and we’ve got George Taft who’s been the most unfortunate man in the football club not to have worked his way on to the bench, because he’s been excellent in training. “We’ve always said they would be like two new players and thankfully we’ve got them because it would be a problem if we didn’t, especially with Lee [Collins] out with a minor [hamstring] strain as well.” Collins is likely to be sidelined for 'a week or two', the manager added. Supporters can login to Stags PlayerHD to view Steve Evans’ news conference, in full. ------------------- Battle on for places as Stags send strong side to Chesterfield for reserves derby chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 20 March 2017 Mansfield Town will send a very strong team up to Chesterfield for tomorrow’s Central League reserves clash (2pm) as competition for places hots up for the League Two play-off race finale. The Stags have eight games left to make the top seven and boss Steve Evans today hinted at tweaking his side for Saturday’s trip to Morecambe. So all his fringe players will have a big chance to impress in tomorrow’s reserve derby, which is being played at the Proact Stadium. “The whole lot are going - everyone who needs game time is going tomorrow,” he said. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/battle-on-for-places-as-stags-send-strong-side-to-chesterfield-for-reserves-derby-1-8448475 “It’s being played at Chesterfield’s stadium, which is nice, the same as we’ll maybe do with the odd reserve game here as you get to the end. “I know what Gary Caldwell will be about. He’ll want to have a look at players as well. I know Gary, I am doing my Pro licence with him. “So we’ll get the opportunity to go over to Chesterfield and hopefully I’ll see a number of players put themselves in contention for Morecambe.” He added: “We have to trust them all and the team that started on Saturday is unlikely to be the one that starts at Morecambe. It’s a different game. “The only way they will get into the first team is by producing a good performance. They won’t get in by messing about in the reserves. We’ve no time for that.” ------------------- Stags booster as Pearce injury is not deemed serious chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Monday 20 March 2017 Mansfield Town were today boosted by the news that injured defender Krystian Pearce should be back in action in the next week or two. Pearce, so consistent this season, limped off the pitch during the first half of Saturday’s 2-0 win over Carlisle with some crucial games looming as Stags try to finish in the play-offs. However, today boss Steve Evans said: “We are pretty confident it’s a sprain, so it’s just down to the healing process of the body. “Some people can come back from a strain in four or five days and some people are nine or 10. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-booster-as-pearce-injury-is-not-deemed-serious-1-8448496 “It will be Wednesday or Thursday before we know how much movement Krystian has got in it. “It was an innocuous challenge. The boy was probably a little bit late, they fell into each other and he rolled on him.” Thankfully the Stags have just welcomed giant centre halves Kyle Howkins and George Taft back into the squad after injuries and Howkins impressed on Saturday after taking over Pearce’s role. “I thought Krystian was playing really well,” said Evans. “But we had an opportunity to get Kyle on the pitch and I thought he was outstanding in spells. He won a lot of headers. “We’ve also got George Taft, who has been the most unfortunate man in the football club not to have worked his way onto the bench because he has been excellent in training. “We have always said they would be like two new players and thankfully we’ve got them as it would be a problem if we didn’t, especially with Lee Collins out with a minor hamstring strain as well. “I thought Kyle was excellent to come into the heat of the battle with how tough that game was going to be. “People forget the boy (Jamie) Proctor up front on loan from Bolton, he is a real handful, He is a talent. I’ve tried to sign him a couple of times. “But I think Kyle and Benno (Rhys Bennett) took the awards as they nullified their front two and that gives you a great chance to go forward and beat what I still say is a talented Carlisle team.” ----------------- Stags boss enjoys view from the directors’ box chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Steve Evans watched Saturday’s win over Carlisle from the directors’ box as he served his one-game FA ban - and the Mansfield Town boss admitted he enjoyed the view. Evans and assistant Paul Raynor are well known for their noisy, enthusiastic showings from the dug-out. But, forced to watch the game from a higher position as punishment for his argument with officials at Grimsby, Evans said: “Obviously there is a big advantage being up there as you can see the game in a very strategic way. “Then, tactically, you can communicate back with the bench. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/stags-boss-enjoys-view-from-the-directors-box-1-8449950 “It is something that I, and all managers, wish they had it in them to say that’s where I am going to sit. But I suppose the passion and the heat of the battle gets you down. “But it’s been good as you do see a game that’s quite different. I will learn from being up there. “I can remember Steve McClaren in his first spell at Derby used to watch an hour and come down. He told me how it worked for him. “There will certainly be games in the future when it would be right to move myself or Paul up there. But we obviously want to do that through choice rather than being told to sit up there like naughty schoolboys.” He added: “It is something that worked on Saturday. Communication is always a problem as there are always delays. “But in respect of what you see, you do see a much better game and a much better tactical spectacle. It’s what I have always said about supporters, who are in higher vantage points - if they make opinions, you should always listen. “We would all agree it’s not a great vantage point on the sidelines, seeing a level pitch as opposed to looking down on it. “So it is something we might adopt. I did it at Rotherham once or twice and I might do it here.” Stags fans in the Ian Greaves Stand were treated to the full volume of Evans shouting instructions at Matt Green. “I think he heard me,” he smiled. “Saying that, my Aunty Mary, who lives in Inverness, said ‘Steve - who’s Greeny’?” -------------------- Evans angry over elbow in Coulthirst’s face chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Mansfield Town striker Shaq Coulthirst will have two front teeth in place for Saturday’s trip to Morecambe after a trip to the dentist this week to put back in the one that was knocked out in last weekend’s 2-0 home win over Carlisle. Stags boss Steve Evans was incensed by the challenge that caused it, but as Evans was already serving a one game ban for abuse of the officials at Grimsby, he ended up having to bite his lip. He said: “It was a red card. You know that and I know that - but the referee’s missed it. That disappoints us. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-angry-over-elbow-in-coulthirst-s-face-1-8452771 “The other referee missed one at Grimsby and I ended up getting into trouble for that one, so I thought I’d better not mention this one to the referee or I might be in trouble again. “They were both elbows, both off the ball and both late and dangerous in the face, both on the same player. “Shaq’s got his tooth and he will see a dentist tomorrow he tells me. “Some players would buckle under that. They’d have a tooth out and their game would go to pieces. But Coulthirst’s response was fantastic. “I am so pleased with his attitude. A lot of strikers go missing when centre halves kick them. He showed them if they kick him he will come back stronger.” ------------------- Morecambe trip could be toughest game left for Stags chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS Manager Steve Evans described this weekend’s potential banana skin match at Morecambe as potentially the toughest of the eight games left for his play-off chasing Mansfield Town side. The Stags saw off Carlisle United 2-0 last weekend to stay in the hunt for a top seven place and now sit ninth, three points outside the play-offs. They have some huge games looming against sides around and above them, but boss Evans is more worried by the prospect of Saturday’s tough trip to a mid-table side with no pressure on them and nothing but pride to play for. “It will be the toughest on Saturday,” he said. “ I don’t fear the Lutons, Doncasters and Exeters, they will take care of themselves. They are full of quality. “What Jim Bentley does at Morecambe is he works miracles. I think he went to Lourdes a couple of times. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/morecambe-trip-could-be-toughest-game-left-for-stags-1-8452236 “He is a man I have a great relationship with. I know a lot of his players personally, like Kevin Ellison. They are wonderful footballers. “Morecambe are up for every game, especially at home, and the higher up the table they are the better they can be. “So, for me, this is going to be one of our toughest of the season, if not certainly one of the toughest away games.” Evans watched Morecambe’s 2-1 home defeat by Accrington Stanley last night, which dropped them to 16th, and said: “We know what they are about and Jim has mixed it up for different opposition and different types as well “We will watch their Tuesday night game, but it won’t be a direct link to Saturday against us though it will be most of it. “We have to prepare the group mentally and physically to be ready for a tough challenge. “We have eight games left and after we come out of Morecambe, it’s seven and squeaky bum time.” After four games without a goal or victory, Saturday’s win over Carlisle was crucial. “The important thing was to score a goal. That’s what the team shape was put together for to ensure,” he said. “We knew if we could remain strong at the back and defend properly, we needed as many players on the pitch with a shape that we could score as many goals as possible. “That worked for us. We scored two but could have had three or four. “But we’d have taken 1-0 off the backside, so to speak. It was just important we got back to winning and got the points and it was thoroughly deserved.” He added: “They are a fantastic group. It takes a lot mentally to be having the run of luck we’ve had. “But it’s not just about luck, it’s also about ability and we have to put the ball in the net and also keep it out and defend properly. “We have given ourselves a platform to go to Morecambe to see if we can get a positive result. “The next two or three games after that are fantastic. Exeter, Luton, Doncaster - they are great games to be involved in.” --------------------- |
Latest | March 2017