Archived News from March 2018
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LINCOLN PREVIEWS / RHYS BENNETT ON STEVE EVANS
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Sunday 4 March 2018
Rhys Bennett told the Football League paper: “I have to give Steve a lot of credit. When I signed, it was as a right back, but we had four injuries at centre half in his first game and I played there. He transformed me into a centre back. It’s testament to him to recognise my best position as a player and have faith in me. I grew up in academy football predominantly as a centre half, but I had the physical and technical attributes to play in midfield. I played as a holding midfielder and at right back for three or four years, but I thought centre half was my best position and he recognised that.” Bennett accepted Evans’ decision leave with good grace. “As a playing staff, we were disappointed. We were second in the form table, but you can’t begrudge someone taking a job in a higher division. We can’t be too bitter about it, we are all trying to get to the top and would do the same in his shoes.” “Managers come and go but the backroom staff and fans deserve promotion. We have to try our best to achieve that.” Bennett is out of contract in the summer but insists his focus is clear. “I want to help the team and the goal is to get promotion. What will be will be in the future.” -------------- Mansfield Town fans rally around to clear One Call Stadium of snow chad.co.uk, by JESSICA DALLISON, Monday 05 March 2018 Mansfield Town fans gathered in numbers on Sunday morning to help clear the One Call Stadium pitch of snow. The supporters were joined by first team players and club ground staff and took around 40 minutes to clear the pitch ahead of Tuesday night’s match with Lincoln City. Head groundsman Michael Merriman described the fans turn out as magnificent. He said: “I put a call out Friday, you usually expect a few turning up. 20 -30 you’d be thankful for that, but there is over 100 here. Its a great turn out. “We wouldn’t be able to do it on our own, there is two of us groundstaff. We would never got it done on our own. “It will be fine for Tuesday, they are actually going to train on it,” Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-fans-rally-around-to-clear-one-call-stadium-of-snow-1-9048168 He also spoke about what the fans had to do to clear the pitch. “There was three inches of snow over the frost covers and then obviously pull the frost covers back which anyone who has will know that when they are wet and sloppy they weigh an absolute tone,” he added. “I couldn’t be more thankful, if I could I would buy them all a drink, but I don’t get paid enough to do that.” ----------------- Captain Waterfall left frustrated by postponement The defender is raring to go for Tuesday lincolnshirelive.co.uk, By Alan Johnson, 3 MAR 2018 City captain Luke Waterfall revealed his disappointment after the Imps’ League Two clash at playoff rivals Coventry City was postponed earlier today, but is already looking ahead to Tuesday’s crunch tie at Mansfield. The defender felt his side had a point to prove after their 4-1 home drubbing at the hands of Crewe Alexandra last Saturday. A decision was made to postpone the fixture at 9:50am in the interests of public safety, however, due to conditions around the Ricoh Arena caused by overnight snow and freezing temperatures. Lincoln City fans react after Coventry City fixture cancelled “You always want to see a reaction after a defeat and in an ideal world we would have had a Tuesday game because we wanted to get back out there as soon as possible after such a bad performance and result,” explained Waterfall. https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/sport/football/captain-waterfall-left-frustrated-postponement-1293931 “The lads had all trained really well this week - it was very competitive - and we were all looking forward to the game. “I was about ten minutes from setting off when I heard it had been called off, which was disappointing with it being such short notice.” There was no rest for the City squad though as manager Danny Cowley used the time to prepare for Tuesday’s clash at Mansfield Town - incidentally the Stags’ trip to Stevenage also fell foul to the wintery conditions. “Instead of the game though we went in for training and had another good session ahead of the next game on Tuesday night, which is another big one,” added Waterfall. “It’s another away game so the focus is much the same - obviously it’s a different opponent, but similar in preparation.” A new date for the trip to Coventry is yet to be pencilled in, but it will present the Imps with an additional Tuesday night game against a side with similar aspirations, along with further midweek ties against Mansfield Town and Wycombe Wanderers still to come. This bodes well for City who boast an excellent midweek record so far this season having won seven of their eight Tuesday fixtures, with the one reverse coming in November’s 1-0 defeat at Colchester United. In the meantime City face that aforementioned short trip to the Stags’ One Call Stadium on Tuesday and Waterfall is relishing the tie. “The lads are raring to go and get back out there after the disappointment of last week and I’m sure we’ll put that right,” he said. “As always we’ll take a lot of fans with us and it’ll be a good derby atmosphere. “We’re just looking for performances now - we have 12 massive games to go and hopefully we’ll get the right results to put us where we want to be.” The game will be David Flitcroft’s first in charge of Mansfield after he left fellow League Two side Swindon Town earlier in the week, and Waterfall anticipates that could lift their opponents. “They’re a squad full of very good players to be fair to them,” he said. “They can be a really good team on their day and obviously with a new manager coming in you usually see players giving that little bit more, so it’ll be interesting to see how they do. “He’s a good manager who has done well at Swindon and I’m sure we will see the best of them, but it’s another game we look forward to.” --------------------- |
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