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Archived News from December 2017

LATE ROSE WINNER FOR STAGS OVER MORECAMBE
27th December 2017 17:49


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 2 - 1 Morecambe
Hemmings 8, Rose 88. Lang 50
Attendance: 3058 (63 from Morecambe)

Date: 23 December 2017

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town got back to winning ways in the league with an 88th minute header from Danny Rose at the back post from a magnificent cross from the right by substitute Paul Anderson. It was harsh on Morecambe who belied their lowly status with a fine performance that deserved a point as a minimum. The Stags have of course been in the reverse position several times this season, unable to win games they deserved to win, so will know how Morecambe feel. Mansfield could have been ahead after 5 minutes when CJ Hamilton volleyed into the side netting from a good position. But in an exciting start to the game, Morecambe could then have been ahead in the 7th minute when the excellent Adam Campbell, formerly of Notts County, set up Luke Conlan, unmarked, for a shot which was excellently saved by the advancing Conrad Logan. From the resulting corner from the right, Hayden White appeared to be fouled off the ball, ignored by the referee, allowing Sam Lavelle a free header at the left post. His downward header was brilliantly scooped away by Logan. The Stags were ahead within seconds. Logan’s long goal-kick was flicked on by Danny Rose, Kane Hemmings, returning from injury, controlled the ball superbly with one touch, took one more touch, then fired clinically into the left corner of the net from the edge of the D. Great finishing from Hemmings, and he was straight back into the form he was showing when he got injured. The rest of the half saw Morecambe play some good football, especially down the left with Campbell, Conlon and Michael Rose impressing, but without creating any further clearcut chances. Morecambe were deservedly level on 50 minutes, with clever play on the right involving Campbell and right wing-back McGowan who played a fine ball inside for Callum Lang who fired past Logan from an angle on the right. Campbell fired against the outside of the left post on 66 minutes, and Michael Rose fired just wide from 25 yards on 73 minutes. Mansfield could have gone in front when Mal Benning launched a terrific ball down the line for CJ Hamilton, who cut inside and sent a great shot just over the bar. That Danny Rose goal came on 88 minutes. Mansfield could have had a penalty on 90+4 minutes when Danny Rose knocked the ball past the keeper in the area and went down. From the pitchside footage and main camera footage I have, I can’t tell if the keeper clipped Rose or not. Rose was booked for diving by the referee. On 90+6 minutes, Morecambe could have got a late equaliser, which they would have deserved. Michael Rose’s shot was deflected into the side netting. From the resulting corner, Morecambe’s goalkeeper Barry Roche came up for the corner, and managed to get his head onto the ball, sending it goalwards where it was very well saved on the line by Logan, scooping it away. And with that the referee blew the final whistle and bring relief to the Stags. An important win and it’s very tight at the top now. The Stags are one point outside the play-offs and just three points outside the top 3. On to Grimsby on Boxing Day in what is likely to be a tight game. In the meantime, Merry Christmas everyone!

Steve Evans made four changes from the side that drew with Yeovil. He also reverted to 4 at the back from 3 at the back. In came a new midfield pairing of Paul Digby and Calum Butcher, who had just started together in central midfield in one game, away to Lincoln. Evans explained that Butcher played well at Blackpool and deserved his goal there, and he would be encouraging him to push forward again. Digby meanwhile has been good in training. Kane Hemmings returned to the side after injury, before which he was playing very well. CJ Hamilton started on the left wing after impressing as sub last week. Out went Pearce, Atkinson, Mellis, Angol. Once again for a bit of fun, I had a go at naming the team before Steve Evans announced it, but he told me, with a big grin, before I started, that I had no chance, and he was right. I didn’t get Digby and Butcher, I also thought that Pearce would replace Bennett, so I got 8 out of 11.

Morecambe included former Stags striker Vadaine Oliver up front. Kevin Ellison, so often a scourge of the Stags in the past, including as long as a decade ago for Chester, started on the bench, as he was returning from injury.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

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REPORT: Mansfield Town 2-1 Morecambe
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 23 December 2017

Danny Rose was once again the Mansfield Town hero with a late goal to secure a 2-1 home win in a thrilling game with Morecambe. The visitors fought back from Kane Hemming's early goal to level and hit the woodwork as home anxiety grew. Even after Rose had sent the stadium wild with his 12th goal of the season, the home side were forced into backs to the wall defending in the five added minutes. This was a real Christmas cracker of a match with a host of chances at both ends and Morecambe heading north wondering how they didn't get a point as relieved Stags won a League Two game for the first time in four and also scored for the first time in three. Stags should have been out of sight by half-time but then had to weather a superb Morecambe fightback in which they scored and hit the post. But Stags got the win they so desperately needed at the death. There was a big boost for Mansfield as striker Hemmings was passed fit to play after shaking off his calf injury. His return was one of four changes as boss Steve Evans reverted to a 4-4-2. Joining Hemmings in the side were midfielders Butcher, Digby and Hamilton. Out went Angol, Pearce, Atkinson and Mellis - all dropping down to the bench. Mansfield began the game well, but it was Morecambe who had the first goal attempt on three minutes after Digby gave the ball away. Campbell ran on and saw Benning block his first shot before pulling his follow-up low and wide. A minute later Hamilton volleyed into the Morecambe sidenetting at the far post after a long White cross reached him from the right. Stags had a double let-off on 16 minutes. Campbell fed the overlapping Conlan in space to his left and his finish was superbly saved by Logan. From the corner Lavelle was left unmarked in acres of space, but Logan was down well to block his header. Stags went straight upfield to snatch a eighth minute lead. Rose got the flick-on from a long, high forward ball and Hemmings raced on down the middle, confidently beating the advancing Roche inside the left post. Kenyon was well over from a speculative 25 yard snapshot for the visitors on 13 minutes. Stags might have done better on a 26th minute breakaway. Rose fed Hemmings who delayed a shot and instead set up Hamilton. But he took too long getting a shot away and his eventual finish was woefully wide. A minute from the break another chance went begging for the home side as Diamond threw himself at a MacDonald free kick from the left but sent his diving header wide. Less than a minute after the restart Morecambe skipper Rose let fly from 25 yards and wasn't too far wide. But the visitors were level on 50 minutes. From a throw on the right, Campbell gave the ball to Lang in the box and, given too much time, he was able to drill a low shot from a tight angle across goal and inside the far post. Stung, the home side made a double change on 54 minutes. Mellis and Anderson were sent on in place of Hemmings and the ineffective Butcher. The home fans were furious to see Hemmings go, having had an excellent first half, with the manager roundly booed from the stands. The decision may also have been down to his fitness levels, with Hemmings only just coming back from injury, but the boos rang out just the same. Hamilton saw the game's first booking on 59 minutes for sliding into a late challenge on Muller. Rose again tried from distance for the visitors and again it wasn't far off in the 61stminute. Morecambe were growing in confidence and the home crowd more impatient and on 66 minutes only the post saved the Stags as Campbell shot from 25 yards and the ball clipped the woodwork. Shortly after MacDonald crossed from the left and Rose flicked a header wide at the far post. Mansfield's final change came on 70 minutes as Digby, who had created little, was replaced by Atkinson. Morecambe continued to shoot on sight as Rose whistled another just wide from distance. Mellis tried the same for Stags and was also wide. On 77 minutes Rose floated a cross in from the left and McGurk's on-target header required a save from Logan. It then took a crucial block by White to prevent sub Ellison volleying in a far post cross. Hamilton drew applause for a good run down the left which ended with a powerful shot inches over with 10 minutes remaining. Ellison drew his customary booking at Stags on 87 minutes for bringing down White. The stadium then exploded into joy and relief as Rose restored Mansfield's lead with two minutes to go. Anderson floated in a superb far post cross from the right and Rose jumped well to head home at the far post. Home fans were hoping Ellison may be shown a red after a clash with White on the touchline, but it ended only with a yellow for White. In the last of five added minutes Rose went down as he tried to go past Roche. The striker was booked for the dive and the keeper booked for his continued dissent. In a thrilling grandstand finish Lavelle twice came close to levelling as Bennett headed off the line and seconds later Logan was down to make a save from his second attempt.

STAGS: Logan; White, Bennett, Diamond, Benning; MacDonald, Butcher (Mellis 54), Digby (Atkinson 70), Hamilton; Rose, Hemmings (Anderson 54). Subs: Olejnik, Pearce, Angol, Spencer.

MORECAMBE: Roche, McGowan, Kenyon, Old, Oliver (Ellison 72), Campbell (Thompson 81), Conlan, Lavelle, Muller, Rose, Lang (McGurk 72). Subs: Nizic, Fleming, Lund, Osbourne.

REFEREE: Ross Joyce of Teeside. ATTENDANCE: 3,058 (63 away). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Conrad Logan.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/report-mansfield-town-2-1-morecambe-1-8925559

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Mansfield Town 2-1 Morecambe: Late Danny Rose winner sinks Shrimps
by DEREK QUINN, Saturday 23 December 2017

Morecambe's frustrating season continued when they somehow managed to lose a game they were in charge of for long periods. Jim Bentley’s side dominated the game against the big-spending pre-season promotion favourites for long periods but were undone by a shock winner for Danny Rose two minutes from time. Adam McGurk looks for an opening. Picture: B&O PRESS PHOTO It was the latest in a series of cruel blows for the Shrimps this season as they missed a string of chances, hit the woodwork and had two late efforts superbly blocked before they were undone by Rose’s late goal. The Shrimps made five changes to the side that lost at Barnet but they started well with Luke Conlan and Sam Lavelle both going close. Conlan was neatly played in by Vadaine Oliver on six minutes but saw his effort saved by the legs of the on-rushing Conrad Logan. Lavelle then failed to put the finishing touch to the resulting corner when he stabbed an effort goalwards but failed to produce the power to beat Logan. To add to the Shrimps’ frustrations the home side scored straight after. A long clearance was flicked on and Kane Hemmings got the better of Lavelle on the edge of the box and turned the young central defender before firing past Barry Roche from 12 yards out Morecambe continued to enjoy a greater share of possession but it was the home side who went close to adding a second with C J Hamilton volleying an effort into the side netting from Hayden White’s deep cross before the same player made a mess of a golden opportunity when he miscued his shot wide after being well found by Hemmings. The Shrimps started the second half on the front foot and levelled through Callum Lang who drilled a low shot past Logan from a tight angle for his second goal for the Shrimps. The on-loan Wigan man worked a good opening for himself after linking up with Aaron McGowan before producing a great finish. Morecambe then went on to control the game with Michael Rose going close from long range on two occasions, substitute Kevin Ellison seeing two shots superbly blocked by Hayden White and Zander Diamond and Adam Campbell hitting the post from 25 yards with a superb effort that beat Logan. The Shrimps’ display was undone though by some shocking late defending when Alex MacDonald was given the freedom of the right-hand side to fire in a cross for the unmarked Rose to head past Roche from close range. Even then Morecambe could have pinched a dramatic late leveller as they piled bodies forward. Lavelle saw an effort cleared off the line and Roche was denied a second league goal by a stunning Logan save as the Shrimps did all they could to get something from the game. It wasn’t to be though on another hugely frustrating day for Bentley's side who sit 21st in the League Two table and just points clear of the bottom two.

Mansfield: Logan, White, Bennett, Diamond, Benning, McDonald, Digby (Atkinson 71), Butcher (Mellis 54), Hamilton, Hemmings (Anderson 54) , Rose. Subs not used: Olejnik, Pearce, Angol, Spencer.

Morecambe: Roche, Old, Lavelle, Muller, McGowan, Conlan, Rose, Kenyon, Campbell (Thompson 81), Oliver (Ellison 72), Lang (McGurk 72). Subs not used: Nizic, Fleming, Lund, Osborne.

Referee: Ross Joyce Attendance: 3,058

Read more at: https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/mansfield-town-2-1-morecambe-late-danny-rose-winner-sinks-shrimps-1-8925684

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Roses for Xmas? Not for Big Jim...
Mansfield Town 2 - 1 Morecambe
http://www.morecambe.vitalfootball.co.uk/matchrep.asp?a=515736

Writer: Roger Fitton
Date: Saturday December 23 2017

Attendance: 3058 (63 from Morecambe)

Morecambe visited tenth in the table Mansfield today hoping to tip the balance against the Derbyshire club as far as previous encounters are concerned. So far, this had been completely even with both sides having won four of the eight fixtures which preceded this one. Before the game, just two points separated rock bottom club Forest Green Rovers and the Shrimps, who were a mere four places above them in League Two. Nobody wants to be sitting at the bottom of the EFL pile at Christmas if only because of all the superstition and actual facts which attend being relegated after this unwanted distinction at this time of the year. But results elsewhere could see Morecambe propping-up everybody else if they failed to get at least a draw against Steve Evans' men today.

Manager Jim Bentley made four changes to the starting lineup which played so poorly against Barnet last week during the first half. The loss in this game could prove to be pivotal to both clubs' chances of survival in the Football League next June. Patrick Brough, Adam McGurk, Andy Fleming and Garry Thompson were all dropped to be replaced by Sam Lavelle, Alex Kenyon, Callum Lang and Adam Campbell. For the opposition, their Scottish Manager also introduced four changes into the team which drew 0-0 with Yeovil Town last time out.

Morecambe had the first chance of the game when Adam Campbell took a shot from about twenty yards out which was blocked by Malvind Benning only for the Shrimps' player to scuff the rebound wide of the target. This was after three minutes. With just three more minutes on the clock, Campbell then wove his way down the right wing and played-in Luke Conlan whose shot was very well saved by Conrad Logan in the Stags' goal. But almost immediately after this, Mansfield took the lead. Returnee Kane Hemmings controlled the ball well from Danny Rose's flick, turned inside marker Sam Lavelle and placed a well-aimed shot past Barry Roche into the Shrimps' net with eight minutes played. The diminutive Campbell was instrumental again in Morecambe's first attempt to equalise, rolling the ball to Kenyon whose long-range shot went over the bar after almost a quarter of an hour. Twenty-one minutes had elapsed when Vadaine Oliver set himself up for a long-range volley but made a mess of his effort, allowing the Stags to clear. The home team had an excellent chance to extend their lead after twenty-six minutes when Danny Rose pounced on a defensive mistake and fed the ball to Hemmings who in turn squared it to CJ Hamilton to side-foot the ball wide from just eight yards out when it was probably easier to at least hit the target. Logan was the next goalkeeper to be called into action though when he initially struggled to deal with an acrobatic cross from Oliver after 33 minutes before finally gratefully gathering the ball at his far post. The match remained fairly even after that but Mansfield returned to the dressing rooms at half time a goal to the good and with the final chance of the game in their favour. After 41 minutes, MacDonald's free-kick reached Zander Diamond as the static Shrimps defence looked on. Fortunately for them, the Stags' man plonked his free header wide of the goal.

Morecambe started the second half on the front foot and Michael Rose only narrowly missed with a shot from outside the box within the first minute. Three minutes later, Oliver flicked the ball on for Callum Lang but the young striker was caught off-side. But he got his team's just deserts with fifty-one minutes on the clock when he darted into the Stags' box and belted a tremendous shot from Aaron McGowan's cross low past Logan into the bottom corner of the net to equalise for the Shrimps. As the visitors continued to dominate play and Rhys Bennett did well to clear the ball for a corner before it reached a goal-bound Oliver, Manager Evans decided to shuffle his pack after 54 minutes. The double change had little initial effect however and Morecambe came close to taking the lead when Michael Rose again narrowly missed Logan's left-hand post with a characteristic piledriver from 25 yards after an hour. They came even closer after 66 minutes when another screamer from Campbell this time beat Logan all ends up but crashed harmlessly back off his post. Michael Rose then unleashed another tremendous shot which again only just missed after 73 minutes only for Stags' substitute Jacob Mellis to try his luck from a similar distance at the other end with an identical result just two minutes later. But Morecambe continued to look for a winner and Campbell headed straight at Logan from Luke Conlan's cross after 76 minutes when he might have hoped to do a bit better. There were further half chances at both ends after this but the nearest either team came to a break-through was in the eighty-third minute when substitute Kevin Ellison volleyed fellow sub Adam McGurk's cross goalwards only to provoke a superb block from Diamond to keep the game level. Kev then did what he also does by reacting to assistant manager Paul Raynor's constant shouting from the side lines and getting himself booked. Morecambe hearts were broken however when - having battered the home team for all of the second half - they fell behind to a sucker punch right at the death. Mellis won a free kick on the Mansfield left after 88 minutes; Paul Anderson floated the ball over and with the Shrimps defence again Absent Without Leave, Danny Rose wrapped-up all three points for the home team with an unchallenged header past Roche in the visitors' goal. Morecambe tried their best to retrieve a losing situation even after this last-minute disappointment and might have done so had not Malind Benning cleared a header which had beaten his own keeper off the line in extra time. Barry Roche came up from the other goal to reach the ball before anyone else even after this but his opposite number managed to save his effort with four minutes of extra time already played. Baz had just been booked for pushing-over Danny Rose who had been yellow-carded himself for an obvious dive in the big Dubliner's penalty area a few moments earlier. But sometimes, you just don't get what you deserve and today was such an occasion for the Shrimps and their frustrated supporters.

Season's Greetings were not exchanged at the end of the game when Evans lived-down to his reputation as a loud-mouthed wind-up merchant by gloating at the visitors' misfortune. This was not appreciated by the Morecambe bench - and who can blame them? Even ignoring the idiotic behaviour by the other management team, Jim Bentley must feel either murderous or suicidal - or perhaps both - at times like these. His team had most of the possession during the whole of this game and could - and probably should - have taken home all three points. But momentary lapses of concentration at the back have yet again cost his team any return for their never-say-die performance. They will play worse than this and win in the coming months. The only solace the team from Lancashire can take from today is that key rivals Barnet, FGR, Crewe and Chesterfield also all lost, the latter badly in a 5-1 mauling at Stevenage. So Morecambe will spend Xmas two places above the relegation positions in twenty-first place.

Good luck to Jim Bentley and his men in the New Year although they must be already sick of the sight of at least one version of Roses before the festivities actually start. I might eat a few though. And I hope that whatever you do over Christmas is more enjoyable than what happened at Field Mill today as far as Morecambe fans at least are concerned.

Mansfield Town: 1 Conrad Logan; 16 Hayden White (Y); 2 Rhys Bennett; 6 Zander Diamond (C); 3 Malind Benning; 7 Alex MacDonald; 24 Calum Butcher (8 Jacob Mellis 54 mins); 4 Paul Digby (11 Will Atkinson 70 mins); 22 CJ Hamilton (Y); 32 Danny Rose (Y); 23 Kane Hemmings (10 Paul Anderson 54 mins).

Subs not used: 12 Bobby Olejnik; 5 Krystian Pearce; 9 Lee Angol; 15 Jimmy Spencer.

Morecambe: 1 Barry Roche (Y); 2 Aaron McGowan; 22 Max Muller; 5 Steven Old; 16 Sam Lavelle; 24 Michael Rose (C); 4 Alex Kenyon; 14 Luke Conlan; 9 Vadaine Oliver (28 Adam McGurk 72 mins); 29 Callum Lang (11 Kevin Ellison (Y) 72 mins); 10 Adam Campbell (7 Garry Thompson 81 mins).

Subs Not Used: 12 Danijel Nizic; 17 Mitchell Lund; 8 Andy Fleming; 21 Elliot Osborne.

Ref: Ross Joyce

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