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Archived News from August 2018

STAGS CONCEDE EQUALISER WITH LAST KICK OF THE GAME
26th August 2018 20:15


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 1 - 1 Colchester United
Davies 82. Szmodics 90+5
Attendance: 3909 (196 from Colchester)

Date: 18 August 2018

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town conceded an equaliser to Colchester United with virtually the last kick of the game this afternoon at the One Call Stadium. In a very tight game, the Stags had taken the lead on 82 minutes with a fabulous strike by substitute Craig Davies from 20 yards, left footed into the left corner of the net after his first shot had been blocked straight back to him. It was Mansfield’s first effort on target. It seemed that the Stags would hang on for an important three points. Four minutes of stoppage time was added on. With the four minutes played, a shot from substitute Mandron from the edge of the box was pushed away by Conrad Logan for a throw-in, level with the edge of the six-yard box. Ryan Jackson’s throw-in was hurled towards the net. Logan came for the ball, but it sailed over him and Sammie Szmodics diverted the ball into the empty net from virtually on the goal-line. A bad mistake from Logan which was very costly. No argument from Stags manager David Flitcroft after the game about the referee playing more than 4 minutes, and he was right, as it was only about 30 seconds over time, during which time Tyler Walker had been booked for kicking the ball away to waste time. It was a gut-wrenching end to the game. However a draw was a fair result. Colchester are much-fancied this season, and whilst they created little going forward, they were extremely effective at stopping Mansfield from playing the excellent flowing and attacking football that we saw against Accrington on Tuesday night. Colchester manager John McGreal noted after the game that he came with a game-plan to nullify Mansfield. In a game of few chances, Colchester keeper Dillon Barnes had a very quiet afternoon, picking the ball out of the net from Davies’ wonder-strike, and just have one other save to make, a Danny Rose shot straight at him on 84 minutes. Conrad Logan made a good save in the first half, clawing away a header from Luke Prosser on 19 minutes following a corner, and then didn’t have another save to make until that shot from Eastman, immediately followed by his mistake that was so costly. The Stags were generally solid at the back, with Ryan Sweeney having a good game, while going forward it wasn’t until Craig Davies came on after 58 minutes that the Stags had a real presence up front, as he held the ball, won several free kicks and scored that fabulous goal. Too many quiet performances from the Stags in midfield, including Otis Khan, Calum Butcher and Jacob Mellis, along with both wing-backs CJ Hamilton and Mal Benning who had very little joy. Alex MacDonald was probably the pick of the midfield for a hard-working performance and some good tackling. Both Mansfield and Colchester remain unbeaten, and on 5 points from 3 games. The Stags go to Tranmere on Tuesday night (*).

(*) If you are not going to Tranmere on Tuesday, you can watch the full match live, with full commentary, on iFollow Stags, for £10. This will be the case for all midweek league games this season, home and away.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

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Match report: Mansfield Town 1-1 Colchester United - Stags cruelly denied late on
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 18 August 2018

Mansfield Town were cruelly denied all three points when they conceded a 95th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 home draw with Colchester United this afternoon. Stags looked to be home and dry thanks to Craig Davies’s 81st-minute strike. But a long Jackson throw from the right at the death saw Sammy Szmodics get a slight touch and the ball sailed through Conrad Logan’s hands into the net. After scoring 11 goals in their previous three games, the visitors had shut up shop at the back superbly, Stags’ goal being their first on-target effort of the afternoon. The Girls' Night Out Style Challenge with eBay Celebrity friends Angela Griffin and Lisa Faulkner dressed each other for a night out - but did they love the results? Sponsored by eBay Davies’ initial shot was blocked, but his 18-yard follow-up zipped into the net. But the afternoon ended in late disappointment as two points slipped away. Mansfield boss David Flitcroft rewarded almost the entire side that beat Accrington Stanley 6-1 in midweek with a place for today’s visit of the U’s. The only change was in goal where first choice keeper Conrad Logan, rested on Tuesday, returned in place of Bobby Olejnik. Neil Bishop and Craig Davies, rested on Tuesday, had to make do with a place on the bench, while Matt Preston was again left out due to the concussion suffered at Yeovil last Saturday. After a slow, scrappy start, Stags were first to get a goal attempt away as Hamilton was given room on five minutes after cutting inside and drilled a 20-yard shot just over the angle. Sweeney was a fraction too late in trying to get his head to Stags’ first corner on 10 minutes after the home side had finally started to string some good passing sequences together. Logan had to make a save on 18 minutes from the visitors’ first corner as Dickenson floated the ball to the far post where Prosser was allowed to rise and power a header that was heading under the angle until the keeper made the block. Pearce was booked for a trip on 36 minutes as United broke from what looked to be a foul on MacDonald that had gone unpunished. Sweeney was added to the book in the minute of added time for a shoulder that halted Noubel’s charge down the right as a dull half ended goalless. Prosser and White were lectured just before United took the first corner of the second half after wrestling for the ball before the kick could be taken. But not cards were shown as players from both sides joined in a pushing match. Sweeney then did well to get almost straight back up after blocking a powerful shot with the side of his face. As United began to warm to their task, Stags elected to go two up top and sent on Davies for Butcher on 58 minutes. Walker was inches away from turning home an inviting forward ball by Khan as Stags continued to probe hard. On 75 minutes Pell fouled MacDonald then rolled around like he’d been shot before he finally stood up and was rightly booked. On 77 minutes Mansfield gave it their last roll of the dice as Bishop and Rose replaced Mellis and Khan. Prosser was booked on 80 minutes as he brought down Rose as the striker tried to burst clear. But Mansfield continued to press and were rewarded on 81 minutes. Davies made space on the edge of the box and saw his first shot blocked, but he met the follow-up with real venom from his left foot and Barnes was left helpless as the ball shot past him into the net, possibly with a slight deflection. The stadium was now rocking and Rose cut inside the shoot straight at Barnes a minute later. Four nervy minutes were added on and Walker was booked for a foul. But right at the death Szmodics’ touch past Logan saw the visiting team and supporters go wild with celebrations as Stags were pegged back.

STAGS: Logan, Hamilton. White, Pearce, Sweeney, Benning; MacDonald, Mellis (Bishop 77), Khan (Rose 77), Butcher (Davies 58), Walker. Subs not used: Olejnik, Atkinson, Sterling-James, Gibbens.

COLCHESTER: Barnes, Jackson, Kent, Prosser, Vincent-Young (Eastman 86), Lapslie, Pell, Dickenson, Szmodics, Senior (Norris 72), Nouble (Mandron 87). Subs not used: Ross, Wright, Comley, Collins. REFEREE: Michael Salisbury of Preston. ATTENDANCE: 3,909 (196 away). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ryan Sweeney.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/match-report-mansfield-town-1-1-colchester-united-stags-cruelly-denied-late-on-1-9308391

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U’s maintain unbeaten record thanks to Szmodics’ late equaliser
greenun24.co.uk, 18 August 2018, by Carl Marston
http://www.greenun24.co.uk/colchester-united/sammie-szmodics-bags-a-point-with-a-late-strike-for-colchester-united-at-mansfield-town-1-5657847

Mansfield Town 1 Colchester United 1

Colchester United rescued a point at the death as Sammie Szmodics celebrated an injury-time equaliser at Mansfield Town this afternoon.

The U’s seemed to be heading for a narrow defeat, undone by a great strike by Craig Davies late on.

On as a substitute, in the 58th minute, Davies found the back of the net with a cracking strike from a central position in the 81st minute. His left-footed shot flew into the top corner of the net.

But with time running out, Szmodics drilled home the equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time, to help preserve the U’s unbeaten start to the season in League Two.

The first half was almost bereft of chances, although club captain Luke Prosser did have a header well saved from an 16th minute corner.

Mansfield had a couple of opportunities before Prosser’s effort. CJ Hamilton scooped a shot over the top on six minutes, and Malvind Benning had a drive blocked on 14 minutes.

Into the second half and Tom Lapslie, who missed the midweek League Cup tie at Cheltenham due to a combination of illness and injury, had a goalbound shot blocked in the 55th minute.

But the game seemed to be drifting towards a draw until Davies came up trumps on 81 minutes, only for Szmodicss to deny their hosts at the death.

COLCHESTER: Barnes, Jackson, Kent, Prosser, Vincent-Young (sub Eastman, 87), Lapslie, Pell, Dickenson, Szmodics, Senior (sub Norris, 72), Nouble (sub Mandron, 87). Unused subs: Ross, Wright, Comley, Collins.

Attendance: 3,909

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