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Archived News from August 2018

FLITCROFT, DAVIES, DARREN WAY REACTION
17th August 2018 0:12


Stags' boss pleased with character in hard-fought draw
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 11 August 2018

Stags’ boss David Flitcroft has said that his side showed great ‘character’ to come back from behind twice to earn a hard-earned point away to Yeovil Town this afternoon.

Goals from Craig Davies and Matt Preston saw the Stags recover from losing positions twice in a game that saw all of its scoring occur before the 30-minute mark.

The manager was quick to praise his players for the ‘spirit’ they showed during the match.

“At times it was a basketball game. It was very open,” he said. “It was a game of many chances. Certainly in that second-half the clear-cut chances, we didn’t really take full advantage of.

“On another day Davo [Davies] finishes the game with three goals. He had a chance which was well saved and then he’s hit the bar. We created some really good chances in the second-half to go and win the game. We’re probably disappointed in that aspect.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/flitcroft-post-yeovil/

“The two goals we conceded we looked a bit nervy. But we certainly attacked Yeovil enough to go and win the game.

“We’ve not really gone behind in pre-season or this season, so to go down twice and show the character to come back was something that was important.

“[We have to] make sure that the spirit is galvanised and the character in the team is there is a DNA that you want in any successful team. The team showed good characteristics today that will serve us well this season and beyond.”

The Stags’ boss also highlighted the importance of having players that can add to the scoresheet from all over the pitch, after striker Davies and centre-back Preston both found the back of the net.

“I feel that with crosses that’s where our best opportunities come from,” he added. “We worked a lot in the week on getting the ball wide and getting good quality crosses in.

“We put in three or four crosses in the first-half and got two goals from it. Davo has come across him [the defender] and it was an accomplished finish.

“Matt Preston’s [goal] was just about heart, desire and a great connection. He’ll score goals this season, he’s a player that is good in both boxes.

“A lot of the aspects were good today but just that nervy opening, and not allowing a team to take the advantage on us is certainly something we will take back to Mansfield.

“You can’t rely on a successful or consistent campaign if you only have one person scoring. On the training ground we’re getting players in the box, we’re getting depth in the box.

“There are different ways to score and I do want to score from set pieces. We have Otis in there to get his delivery right.

“It’s important in a team that all of your team are scoring and you’re not reliant on certain players at times.

“I felt we were definitely overloaded by one striker. We did our business early and got three really good attacking options in for the football club. We were very proactive in that bringing Craig Davies, Tyler Walker and Otis Khan to the club.”

Following the close of the transfer window on Thursday, the manager spoke of striker Lee Angol who was a late deadline day deal to Shrewsbury Town, and also explained that potential loan moves still may happen.

“The bid [for Angol] came in and as we’ve maintained right through, it is a business,” said the gaffer. “We’ve protected ourselves on the contract so that if Lee lights up Shrewsbury we’re protected with the back-end of the contract with the sell-on.

“We have a couple of weeks now to keep watching if any of our players move out. If you can improve or better the squad, that’s something I’ll always put to the chairman and Carolyn.

“Improving the players is a given. That’s something that we do daily. But improving the squad, from an external point of view, again that is something we work continuously hard on.

“Until it is definitive and the [loan] window has shut, then we’re open for business.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch David Flitcroft’s post-match interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Flitcroft praises Mansfield Town’s character after battling draw
chad.co.uk, Saturday 11 August 2018

Mansfield Town manager David Flitcroft praised his side’s character as they twice came from behind to earn a battling 2-2 draw at Yeovil Town this afternoon. “We showed fantastic character today,” he said.

“Last week we scored two goals that would probably grace the Championship level. But there are going to be times when we have to go away from home and be resolute.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/flitcroft-praises-mansfield-town-s-character-after-battling-draw-1-9296359

“One million per cent we are going to makes mistakes over the season. “But it’s how you respond and, with a galvanised squad, it’s how players get you out of that. Certainly that’s what I’ve seen today.

“We’ve gone down a couple of times and the boys have fought really hard to get back into the game and then given it everything they’ve got to try to go on and win it.

“Some of the chances we carved out second half were clear cut and just needed that final touch.” He added: “We only came here with a view to winning the game.

“But Yeovil have hungry players down here. They are an awkward team to play and they carry a threat. “They are very brave and play with four players high up the pitch. We have subdued that at times quite well.

“On balance, to come here and not just take Yeovil on but at times to create gilt-edged opportunities, we’ve done everything we could today to win a football match and that’s what we’ve got to be doing going forward.”

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Mansfield Town manager angry at destabalising of striker Danny Rose
chad.co.uk, Saturday 11 August 2018

Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft has hit out over striker Danny Rose’s transfer request and potential move to Peterborough United that appears to have fallen through. Former Stags boss Steve Evans tried to sign Rose for the Posh but failed to meet Mansfield’s valuation before the transfer window closed on Thursday. But after the Stags drew 2-2 at Yeovil on Saturday, Flitcroft hit out at people behind the scenes destabalising and manipulating the striker.

Flitcroft said: “All that week Danny was told he was going to be a Peterborough player by people behind the scenes.

“He has been directed in a certain way and manipulated into then putting a transfer request in. “That really isn’t Danny Rose and it was a surprise when it did come in.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-manager-angry-at-destabalising-of-striker-danny-rose-1-9296438

“Everybody was gearing up to losing Danny, but our chairman and (chief executive) Carolyn stood firm. They made sure he could only go if the valuation was met and it wasn’t - even though Danny was told it had. “A lot of work went on behind the scenes to destabalise and upset Danny.

“When the Ivan Toney deal went through (to Peterborough from Newcastle on transfer deadline day) it was one they had been chasing all summer. I think Danny realised that maybe handing in the transfer request was not the right thing to do.

“He was in the right frame of mind to come down here (to Yeovil). “We will sit down with Danny and his representatives and see what the future is.”

Talking about the decision to allow Lee Angol to join Shrewsbury last week, the manager said he thought the Stags perhaps had one too many strikers.

“It coincides with the business we did earlier in the (transfer) window. We brought Otis Khan in and I believe there are goals in him. We got Tyler Walker in and Craig Davies. So I felt with (also) having Danny (Rose) and Lee (Angol) we were always one over and there was the potential for movement,” Flitcroft said.

“After the season Danny had we knew people would be interested (in him). “We accepted a bid off Grimsby (for Angol) and I think that alerted Shrewsbury to the fact that Lee was available and could go.

“He is going to League One and if he produces the football and lights it up, which he has got the potential to, then we have protected ourselves on the back end of the contract with sell-ons applicable to his development. “It is a good bit of business for the football club. It gives us one less option, but with four main strikers at the club I am not too sure how many times we would have used that option.”

Flitcroft said the closure of the transfer window did not necessarily mean the end of players movement because loan deals could still be arranged until the end of the month. He said: “We are being pro-active in looking and making sure we have got bases covered. We are still speaking to players as part of an ongoing process.

“I promised the chairman and Carolyn that when I came to the club I would make players better working with them day in day out on the training ground. “There are signs of that but if there are players who will improve the squad and give us a different balance and cover, then I will bring that opportunity to the football club.

“If something happens from our side (losing players) at least then we are proactive rather than reactive.”

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Stags will grow stronger and stronger - Davies
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 11 August 2018

Craig Davies believes the Stags squad will only get ‘stronger and stronger’ after they twice fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against Yeovil Town.

The striker scored his side’s first equaliser of the afternoon and his first competitive goal in a Mansfield Town jersey.

Showing character, guile and fight to earn a battling point at Huish Park, the 32-year-old thinks the squad has gelled well which has shown throughout the season so far.

“If you’ve watched the pre-season games and how we’ve actually started the season I think we’ve done really well together,” said Davies.

“It doesn’t feel like a new squad gelling; it feels like we’ve been together for a while even though it’s only been six weeks or so. We’re only going to get stronger and stronger.”

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/davies-post-yeovil/

Davies then alluded to his goal in the ninth minute that drew Mansfield level on the first of two occasions - stating that he was happy to get off the mark, but also disappointed on a personal level not have scored again.

“It’s always nice to score and I’m happy to get off the mark - I’m just a little disappointed we didn’t get all three points.

“My goal happened quite fast to be honest. The ball came across the box and the defender actually missed the ball, so I just anticipated him doing so to be able to get a good connection to beat the ‘keeper.

“The goalkeeper’s made a good save from me and the ball that was headed onto the crossbar I thought had gone in but it’s a good point in the end.

“It’s a hard place to come to and this point could be massive at the end of the season.”

The striker also has plenty of experience in his locker, commenting on the fact that he tries to help out his fellow teammates wherever possible - especially his strike-partner, Tyler Walker.

“Tyler’s a great a player, you know, he’s played a few games at Nottingham Forest and you don’t do that as a young player unless you’ve got something about you.

“He’s got really good movement and he’s a finisher, so hopefully I can help him go back to Forest as a better player.

“I’ll help him [Walker] on the pitch if I see certain things, but that’s the same with anyone. It could be a right-back, somewhere I’ve never even played before.

“I just want to help my fellow teammates whether it be Tyler, CJ, Mal or anyone to be honest.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Davies' interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Mansfield Town striker Craig Davies happy to get first Stags goal
chad.co.uk, Saturday 11 August 2018

Summer signing Craig Davies got off the mark for Mansfield Town in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Yeovil. Davies’ strike was something of a gift as Alefe Santos’ blocked clearance fell kindly to the striker, who had time and space to find the bottom corner for his ninth minute equaliser.

Davies, signed from Oldham Athletic, said: “It is always nice to score and I was happy to get off the mark. “I am just a little bit disappointed we didn’t get the three points.”

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-striker-craig-davies-happy-to-get-first-stags-goal-1-9296449

Talking about his goal, Davies said: “It all happened fast. The ball came across the box, the defender missed it and I just anticipated him missing it and managed to get a good connection and beat the keeper.”

Davies might have had more goals in the second half as the Stags twice came from behind in their first away match of the League Two season. “The keeper pulled off one good save and I was disappointed with a header that went (was cleared) on to the bar. I am disappointed but I was happy to get the chances. As long as I keep on getting them I will be happy.

“But it is a tough place to come and that point could be massive at the end of the season.”

Davies admitted Yeovil started well, but said the Stags created the better and more chances to win the game. The striker was one of five new faces to start the match after manager David Flicroft reshaped his squad over the summer.

“We have done well together. It doesn’t feel like a new group gelling. It feels like we have been together for quite a while,” said Davies. “We are just going to get stronger and stronger.” Talking about his new strike partner, Nottingham Forest loanee Tyler Walker, Davies added: “Tyler is a very god player. He has played quite few games at Nottingham Forest and you don’t do that as a young player unless you have got something about you. “He has got really good movement and he is a good finisher. “Hopefully I can help him go back to Forest a better player. “I will always try to help one of my fellow players.”

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11 August 2018 : Darren Way Sees A Side Growing In Their Performances After Mansfield Draw
http://www.ciderspace.co.uk/ASP/news/news.asp?NewsItemId=28821

Yeovil Town manager Darren Way believes that his team are 'growing' into what he expects to see this season in League Two. The Glovers boss praised his side's performance and hunger after their 2-2 draw against Mansfield Town at Huish Park that saw Diallang Jaiyesimi and Yoann Arquin score their first goals for the club since signing over the summer.

Way felt that his team had played well against a team that had had seen a lot of money ploughed into their first team squad, with one of those examples being the sight of Otis Khan lining up against his old club, shortly after having completed a summer transfer move unofficially believed to have cost them £150,000. The manager told BBC Somerset he was pleased with his team's quality of play:

"I feel this team at the moment are growing. It's probably the first time as a manager where I've seen a real good hunger. I thought the quality of the football within our play matched that. I think that's the first time. I thought the supporters were excellent throughout and I thought they appreciated that performance. We've got very good players, but we knew that coming up against Mansfield today, you could look at their team from back to front, and it's got experience. The owner has ploughed a lot of money into that football club. They were expected to get promotion last season and probably with the amount of money that they've spent, with Otis Khan being one of them, which was a signficant fee, they've probably got to get promoted this year."

Both Mansfield goals came shortly after throw-ins and free-kicks resulted in secondary balls into the box that saw Craig Davies and Matt Preston capitalise. Way admited that he wasn't happy with the source from those goals, saying that his team needed to make sure that they were switched on when set pieces were taken:

"I was very disappointed. I'm looking at the set plays. We talked about NFL the other day. Actually at what point do you switch on. It's cost us today, no matter how much you look at it. It's cost us and it cost us against Bury, and the players have got to share responsibility and be accountable for that. To go 1-0 up in the manner that we did, and then 1-1 leaves you deflated. But they bounced back for 2-1, and then it was a weak goal to concede. Having said that, there were some amazing performances."

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Latest | August 2018