Archived News from November 2017
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FOUR GOAL STAGS STUN PORT VALE
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Port Vale 0 - 4 Mansfield Town Diamond 43, 52, Rose 54, Hemmings 63 Attendance: 3878 (537 from Mansfield) Date: 21 November 2017 Martin Shaw at Vale Park Mansfield Town won 4-0 at in-form Port Vale thanks to a stunning second half attacking display, which built on a superb first half defensive display. Vale had a terrible start to the season, but under new manager Neil Aspin were equal top of the “form table” based on the last 6 games, with 13 points, added to an impressive FA Cup win over Oxford United. That makes Mansfield’s win here even more impressive, to extend the Stags unbeaten run to 9 games in all competitions, with 5 wins on the trot, including 3 league wins on the trot with 3 clean sheets. The Stags are up into the play-off zone, and 6 points outside the top 3. It was the first time Mansfield have scored 4 goals away since a 4-3 win at Dagenham two years ago, and the biggest away win since the Conference winning season in a 4-0 win at Barrow. The 4 goal margin equalled the biggest margin of victory away in a Football League game, though we did win by 5 goals in the Conference (at Histon). The Stags took the lead on 43 minutes when Zander Diamond headed over the keeper from 6 yards following a quick free kick by Joel Byrom and Hayden White’s cross into the middle was flicked on by Paul Anderson and it took a kind bounce up into the air for Diamond. The Stags didn’t deserve to be ahead at the break, but it was a good time to score and followed some fantastic defending, none more so than Rhys Bennett’s wonderful goal-saving tackle on Anton Forrester as he was about to shoot and then another great tackle from Bennett. There was some commanding goalkeeping by Conrad Logan, while Kane Hemmings was in the right place to clear a header from a corner off the line, much as he did at Coventry ten days ago. Paul Anderson also put in a great tackle on the impressive Tom Pope just as he was about to shoot. There was huge controversy in the first half too. Anton Forrester had been booked for deliberately punching the ball past the onrushing Logan on the edge of the area. Later in the half Forrester elbowed Diamond. The referee gave a free kick, and so saw the incident but astonishingly didn’t pull out a second yellow or indeed a straight red. Steve Evans told me afterwards that the referee Trevor Kettle admitted it was an elbow, but whilst he thought it was a foul, he thought it was not deliberate and didn’t warrant a yellow card. Poor refereeing. The second half was stunning from the Stags. It was 2-0 on 52 minutes. Alex MacDonald’s low corner from the left was not dealt with by the Vale defence and Diamond knocked in at the far post. Just 2 minutes later it was 3-0 and a stunning goal it was. Hayden White made a great run forward from well inside his own half, and found Rose who got to the edge of the area and smacked a wonderful left footed shot into the top right corner off the underside of the bar. Before the 4th goal, more brilliant defending as Paul Anderson cleared another header off the line superbly. It was 4-0 on 63 minutes, as Kane Hemmings broke the offside trap after a good turn and long ball forward from MacDonald, and Hemmings finished clinically into the bottom left corner of the net despite the ball initially getting stuck under his feet on the boggy surface. It could have been 5-0 on 81 minutes when Hemmings laid the ball inside to CJ Hamilton who cut inside onto his right foot and fired just over the bar, trying to notch his first league goal for the Stags. Vale never looked like getting back into the game, though Logan had to make a wonderful save from Pope, Vale’s best player by a country mile, near the end. The 537 Stags fans were left to celebrate a stunning away win, with many of the home fans having exited early. Mansfield couldn’t have had better preparation for the huge local derby with Chesterfield on Saturday. However we all know that anything can happen in local derby games like that. Bring it on! Come on Mansfield! FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ----------------------------------- MATCH REPORT: Rampant Stags hit four past Vale as run goes on chad.co.uk, by Agency, Tuesday 21 November 2017 ‘Captain Fantastic’ Zander Diamond scored twice as Mansfield Town extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a thumping 4-0 victory away to Port Vale tonight. With his first League goals for the club, Diamond netted his opener moments before half-time with a glancing header, before doubling his and the Stags’ tally after the break. Top scorer Danny Rose, back in after a one-game ban, added a third just minutes later with a display of delightful skill, with Kane Hemmings also getting his name on the scoresheet after going one-on-one with Valiants’ goalkeeper Ryan Boot as Stags made it three League Two wins and three clean sheets on the trot ahead of Saturday’s big local derby. It was Vale who had the first chance to opening the scoring just before the half hour mark, Anton Forrester denied by a superb tackle from Rhys Bennett. Forrester was the first man in the book, and was lucky to stay on the field just moments after his effort on goal following an apparent elbow to Diamond’s face. Gavin Gunning looked to have opened the scoring for the hosts only to see his header cleared off the line, but it was Mansfield who finally broke the deadlock just before half-time. Hayden White received the ball from a quick free-kick before whipping a cross into the centre of box, Diamond getting the all-important touch to put his side ahead. Two more goals followed in quick succession after the break, Diamond getting his second of the game with a half-volley from Alex MacDonald’s corner. Just two minutes later, Rose added a third with a stunning effort, bringing White’s pass down onto his chest before firing home with a left-footed half-volley. The Valiants almost pulled one back through Pope on the hour mark, Paul Anderson heading his effort off the line. But a fourth was always coming for Steve Evans’ men, and it came courtesy of Hemmings who beat the offside trap before placing the ball past Boot into the hosts’ net. VALE: Boot, Gibbons, Smith, Anderson, Gunning, Worrall, Myers-Harness, Pugh (Tonge 72), Denton (Montaño 56), Forrester (Pyke 69), Pope. Subs not used: Hornby, Yates, Reeves, Turner. STAGS: Logan, White, Diamond, Bennett, Hunt, Anderson, MacDonald, Byrom (Atkinson 70), Hamilton, Rose (Spencer 77), Hemmings (Butcher 86). Subs not used: Pearce, Mellis, Olejnik, Sterling-James. REFEREE: Trevor Kettle. ATTENDANCE: 3,878 (537 away). Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/match-report-rampant-stags-hit-four-past-vale-as-run-goes-on-1-8870052 ------------------ MATCH REPORT: Port Vale 0-4 Mansfield Town https://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/2017/november/match-report-port-vale-v-mansfield-town/ Port Vale fell to their first defeat in five games as Mansfield ran out comfortable victors at Vale Park on Tuesday evening. Despite a positive first-half display from Neil Aspin’s men, a brace from Zander Diamond, plus goals from Danny Rose and Kane Hemmings, ensured it was the Stags who left Burslem with all three points. It was a David Worrall free-kick from a wide position that created Vale’s first opening of the evening on two minutes, but after the ball found its way to Tom Pope, the striker’s low shot was blocked and Mansfield managed to clear. Seven minutes later, the Valiants almost found the opener as Anton Forrester latched onto a through ball before firing a powerful effort just beyond the far post. Up the other end on 19 minutes, the visitors squandered a chance of their own as Rose headed just off target from a Joel Byrom corner. Vale continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides going forward and a swift counter-attack led to a golden opportunity with 27 minutes played. Danny Pugh’s initial challenge saw the ball fall to Pope, he then slid a pass through to Forrester, but Rhys Bennett came to the Stags’ rescue with a last-ditch sliding tackle. Pugh went inches away from finding the net himself with a deflected free-kick on 34 minutes that forced Conrad Logan to tip the ball around the post. Worrall’s resulting corner was then met by the head of Gavin Gunning, but his downwards effort was hooked off the line. Against the run of play on 43 minutes, Mansfield broke the deadlock following a quickly taken free-kick. Hayden White’s cross was flicked on by Paul Anderson and Diamond got in front of his marker to divert the ball beyond the reach of Ryan Boot. Following the restart Vale came out positively as they searched for a route back into the game, but with 51 minutes on the clock, Pope could only direct a Tyler Denton cross into the hands of Logan. One minute later, the Stags doubled their advantage as Diamond turned home an Alex MacDonald corner. Just two minutes after scoring their second of the evening, Mansfield then added a third as Danny Rose chested down a lofted ball from White before arrowing a half-volley into the top corner from range. Vale went agonisingly close to pulling a goal back in the 61st minute as Worrall floated a corner into the Mansfield area. Pope then rose the highest to send a powerful header on target, but Logan somehow managed to get across and tip the ball over the bar. Up the other end, the Stags broke away with speed three minutes later to find the net again. It was MacDonald who provided the assist again with a perfectly weighted pass that found Hemmings, the striker making no mistakes with subsequent finish. Marcus Harness called Logan into a low save from 20 yards on 71 minutes as Vale continued to mount attacks, with Worrall then sending a distant effort just off target two minutes later. With ten minutes left to play, James Gibbons tried his luck from 25 yards and it flew narrowly over the bar as Logan back-pedalled. Team Line-Ups Port Vale: Boot, Gibbons, Anderson, Smith, Gunning, Denton (Montano 56), Pugh © (Tonge 72), Harness, Worrall, Forrester (Pyke 69), Pope. Unused Substitutes: Hornby, Yates, Reeves, Turner. Mansfield Town: Logan, Hunt, Bennett, Diamond ©, White, Hamilton, Byrom (Atkinson 70), MacDonald, Anderson, Hemmings (Butcher 86), Rose (Spencer 77). Unused Substitutes: Olejnik, Pearce, Mellis, Sterling-James. Attendance: 3,878 (537 away). ------------------- |
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