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Archived News from October 2018

FLITCROFT, ELSNIK, PHIL BROWN REACTION
25th October 2018 14:39


Stags lauded by boss after new record
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 20 October 2018

Stags’ boss David Flitcroft has praised the ‘commitment’ shown by ten-man Mansfield after they set a club record of nine successive unbeaten away games against Swindon Town this afternoon.

Midfielder Will Atkinson was sent off just minutes prior to half-time for a highly-debatable second bookable offence, yet the Stags battled for a 0-0 draw. The undefeated sequence in away games stretches back to last season and sees Mansfield amassing two wins and seven draws in that time.

The manager says that the nature of the contest against Swindon, with Mansfield playing the entire second half with a man less, was a ‘good experience’ for the younger players in the side.

“Once we had Will [Atkinson] sent off, the crowd sensed it might be an easy afternoon for Swindon,” said the gaffer.

“We look at the new generation of players coming through, and I said to them after the game that it’s one for the memory bank. It’s a good experience for further down the line.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/october/gaffer-post-swindon/

“When it was 11 versus 11, I never felt any threat. I don’t think they had one chance at 11 versus 11, on their own patch.

“CJ [Hamilton] with that first opportunity just needed that bit of composure, which will come. That’s something we’re working with him all the time and it will keep improving.

“With the sending off, the first one [yellow card] was reckless and was a justified yellow. But the second one in the corner, maybe a more experienced referee just talks to him and lets him know.

“Phil [Brown] was pulling his hair out after a few of the decisions, which the referee could have played on.

“It was a really inconsistent match from the referee and I think he’s just not trusted his judgment in sending Will off, and that escalated.

“You look at the effort and the commitment to keep the clean sheet, and I’m delighted. We’re unbeaten again away from home.

“We desperately wanted three points. In the first half we had no problem, but the referee gave them a leg up [with the red card].”

After a game that was littered with controversy, the Stags’ boss stated his beliefs on the pressures that referees face, and further commended his side for the way they held out for a valuable point at the County Ground.

“With the assessors in the stand, these young referees are under pressure,” he added. “We saw it a few weeks ago at Bury with the players jumping on his back after we scored.

“I think they’re under a lot of pressure these referees, so I don’t want to put any more on them.

“One thing that experienced referees do, they know how to speak to you. They know how to communicate and I think it’s really important.

“It takes unbelievable discipline [playing with ten men]. Swindon got frustrated with it and were playing the ball out, rushing their passes.

“Bobby has had a few shots that have come in but none had any real pace on them. I’m absolutely delighted with the way we shut them down.

“We’ll take that point. They’ve shown real character and they’re a young group. This next generation of the game have to learn the other side of the game, that focus, concentration, and a willingness to run for someone else.

“Will Atkinson must have apologised 50 times in there. He was absolutely on the floor at half-time. If that cost us, it would be a long week for Will, so the lads have dug him out. That’s the part of any good team.”

Stags are back in Sky Bet League Two action on Tuesday night against Morecambe, and David Flitcroft says that his side will be as committed in Lancashire as they were against Swindon this afternoon.

“We’ll have to look at the stats and the distances [ahead of the Morecambe game]. Danny Rose’s shift today was phenomenal as a lone striker at times.

“We have to make sure that we are analysing and understanding the data. Then we’ll go up to Morecambe after getting the preparation right for that and be committed as we have been down here.

“Again, the Mansfield supporters have committed and it was great for me to hear them get behind the team and I can only thank them for that. It meant a lot.

“They’ve had to put a shift in [against Swindon], but I think a mental shift as well. When you have a player less for so long, it’s a mental shift as well.

“They have earned a point tonight, so full credit to the players and the staff.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Flitcroft checks on his record-breakers before Mansfield Town head for Morecambe
chad.co.uk

Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft will today check on his players for physical and mental tiredness before naming his side to play at injury-hit Morecambe tomorrow. The Stags set a new club record of nine unbeaten away League games in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Flitcroft’s former club Swindon Town - but it had to be achieved the hard way after Will Atkinson was sent off before half-time.

“They’ve had to put a shift at Swindon - but I think a mental shift as well,” said Flitcroft. “When you have a player less for so long, it’s a mental shift as well. They earned that point.

“The Cambridge trip home was a quiet one - a subdued one. It felt like a defeat and you are on the coach for two and a half hours. But full credit to the players and staff at Swindon - they really earned that point.”

He added: “I don’t think we are carrying many knocks. So we’ll have to look at the stats and the distances ahead of the Morecambe game.

“Danny Rose’s shift at Swindon was phenomenal as a lone striker at times with not much support. “We have to make sure that we are analysing and understanding the data. We have fantastic support staff.

“Then we’ll go up to Morecambe after getting the preparation right for that and be committed as we have been down at Swindon. I am fully expecting us to be that.

“Again, the Mansfield supporters have committed and it was great for me to hear them get behind the team and I can only thank them for that. It meant a lot.”

Mansfield will be without the suspended Atkinson and striker Craig Davies remains a doubt with an ankle injury. But midfield veteran Neal Bishop is available again after a one-game ban.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/flitcroft-checks-on-his-record-breakers-before-mansfield-town-head-for-morecambe-1-9407910

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We coped with well with ten men, says midfielder
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 20 October 2018

Midfielder Timi Elsnik believes Mansfield Town dealt well with the challenge of playing with ten men after drawing 0-0 with Swindon Town.

Will Atkinson was initially booked just after the half-hour mark before referee Antony Coggins brandished a second yellow on 42 minutes for the Stags’ right wing-back.

It initially looked as though Atkinson would just receive a talking-to, before he was soon shown his marching orders.

Elsnik, who subsequently had to work tirelessly in the middle of the park, concluded that his side performed well after having to cope with one less player on the field.

“You have to reposition yourself for having ten men,” he began. “It’s a different shape and they’re going to have a spare man so you’ve got to focus on how you’re going to deal with it.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/october/elsnik-post-swindon/

“I think we’ve done well. We went to a back four and Matty Preston’s a centre-back that had to play full-back so that’s never nice but I think he’s done well, too.

“It’s a different challenge when you have ten men - we’ve got some fast lads so we tried to get them on the break which almost paid off right at the end with CJ, it just didn’t come through.”

“With two men in midfield against their three, or sometimes four, you have to put an extra a shift in and we’ve done that.”

The 20-year-old also reiterated that the significance of both the clean sheet and point earned against the Robins, as they look ahead to Morecambe.

“I think everyone feels happy about the point and the clean sheet,” he admitted.

“Everyone is ready for the Morecambe game. As a footballer it’s part of your job to have a couple of days to recover then you have to ready for Tuesday’s game, which I’m looking forward to.

“Overall I think we had the better of the chances. You could also argue it the other way though but we’ve got to take the point and look forward from here.”

As Mansfield made it nine consecutive away league games unbeaten, there were plenty of positives to take from Wiltshire, as highlighted by Elsnik.

“Swindon are a big club, good team and with ten men for more than half of the game we can be happy with a point.

“The way the team stuck together as well as the clean sheet [was positive]. It’s just that the lads showed the character to not go under.

“They [Swindon] were throwing long balls into the box because they had big lads up front, but I thought we’ve done well to defend against them.

“It’s a clean sheet and point so we can go home happy.”

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

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Phil Brown told BBC Wiltshire:
"Did he (Atkinson) deserve the second yellow card? I didn't think so myself."

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Swindon Town boss Phil Brown rues the lack of cutting edge after goalless draw at home to Mansfield Town
swindonadvertiser.co.uk, By Harry Abbott @harryabbott

SWINDON Town manager Phil Brown conceded his side needed to show “more guile in the final third” after being held to a goalless draw at home by 10-man Mansfield Town today.

The hosts played the entire second half with a numerical advantage following the dismissal of Stags midfielder Will Atkinson for a second bookable offence just before the break.

Swindon were in the ascendancy from then until the final whistle but a lack of a ruthless edge in attacking positions meant a winning goal eluded them.

Although frustrated by his side’s failure to claim victory, Brown admitted his side simply did not do enough to claim all three points at the Energy Check County Ground.

“I am disappointed, first and foremost,” said Brown.

“When a side goes down to 10 men as early as that, you always expect to go on and win the game, but you have got no divine right to win a game just because you are 10 against 11, as we have proved on a number of occasions this season.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/16996981.swindon-town-boss-phil-brown-rues-the-lack-of-cutting-edge-after-goalless-draw-at-home-to-mansfield-town/

“Mansfield were organised, they were well-drilled, and in the second half in the first 10 or 15 minutes, they showed what they were about - they were trying to nick the game on a set-piece.

“At the same time, when it is one-way traffic for the last 10 to 15 minutes, you are just hoping something is going to drop to you in the penalty box and we put it away.

“We have done enough in terms of energy and certainly with where the changes were made, I thought they were positive.

“We huffed and puffed in the final third and the chances that came along fell to the players that you’d want them to.

“Kaiyne Woolery had a half-chance, Marc Richards had a header, Keshi Anderson had a one-on-one in the first half where the keeper made a good save.

“We didn’t quite do enough, but I can’t ask the players for any more effort, I just need probably a bit more guile and a little bit more thought process in the final third.”

The result means Town are now without a victory in five League Two fixtures and they will hope to end that barren spell on Tuesday night when they play host to Cambridge United.

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BROWN: WE DIDN'T QUITE DO ENOUGH
https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/brown-we-didnt-quite-do-enough/

Phil Brown said his team were just short in the final third but said he couldn’t have asked for more from his players in terms of energy after they drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town at the Energy Check County Ground.

Will Atkinson saw red for the Stags who defended for long periods in the second half but limited to Town to only a handful of chances.

Brown was frustrated with the fact that his side couldn’t break down the visitors’ ten men.

“I am disappointed, first and foremost. When a side goes down to 10 men as early as that, you always expect to go on and win the game, but you have got no divine right to win a game just because you are 10 against 11, as we have proved on a number of occasions this season.

“Mansfield were organised, they were well-drilled, and in the second half in the first 10 or 15 minutes, they showed what they were about - they were trying to nick the game on a set-piece. At the same time, when it is one-way traffic for the last 10 to 15 minutes, you are just hoping something is going to drop to you in the penalty box and we put it away.

“We have done enough in terms of energy and certainly with where the changes were made, I thought they were positive.

“We huffed and puffed in the final third and the chances that came along fell to the players that you’d want them to. Kaiyne Woolery had a half-chance, Marc Richards had a header, Keshi Anderson had a one-on-one in the first half where the keeper made a good save.

“We didn’t quite do enough, but I can’t ask the players for any more effort, I just need probably a bit more guile and a little bit more thought process in the final third.”

One positive note was the return of Michael Doughty who managed a full 90 minutes after a longer-than-expected spell on the sidelines, but whether he will be able to do again on Tuesday is something to ponder for Brown.

“The downside to it is that he worked so hard today that we have got a game on Tuesday and I have got to study that one hard. Will he affect the game from the bench, will he affect the game from the start?

“A lot of supporters will be thinking ‘just let him play’. I get that part but just letting him play and him breaking down again is something that I have got to try to second guess. Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday, can he do that? I don’t know yet.

“Let’s see what Michael brings to the party on Monday and then we will make a decision on Tuesday morning.”

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Lawrence Vigouroux disappointed to settle for draw after making Swindon Town comeback against Mansfield Town
swindonadvertiser.co.uk, By Harry Abbott @harryabbott

LAWRENCE Vigouroux admits his return to the Swindon Town side would have tasted much sweeter had it coincided with three points against Mansfield Town following Saturday’s goalless draw.

Vigouroux was named in goal for Swindon for the first time since September 1, with Luke McCormick dropping to the bench after a run of nine starts in succession.

A red card for Mansfield’s Will Atkinson just before half-time at the Energy Check County Ground put Swindon in the ascendancy against the Stags but the lack of a cutting edge in attack meant they could not muster a winning goal.

Vigouroux had produced a stunning save when it was still 11 against 11 and made another in stoppage time at the end of the game when running from his line to deny CJ Hamilton as the visitors looked to snatch an unlikely winner.

Although pleased to reclaim his place after a lengthy absence, which has included unavailability due to international involvement with Chile, victory would have been a much more enjoyable reward for Vigouroux.

“We are a bit disappointed because they had 10 men for the majority of the game and we didn’t create enough clear-cut opportunities to score,” said Vigouroux.

“Overall, I am really disappointed that we didn’t get the three points.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/16997515.lawrence-vigouroux-disappointed-to-settle-for-draw-after-making-swindon-town-comeback-against-mansfield-town/

“We have got to score more goals. I think up until the final third, we have been OK. We will work on that over the weekend and on Monday for the game on Tuesday (against Cambridge United).

“I always see myself as a sweeper keeper, so when he (Hamilton) took the touch and went past Olly (Lancashire), I thought I had a chance.

“I got a good contact on the ball and although we got a bit lucky there, I think we should have been in front way before that.”

Vigouroux’s comeback coincided with former Swindon boss David Flitcroft’s first return to Wiltshire following his decision to leave the club for Mansfield back in March.

The 24-year-old fell out of favour under the previous regime at SN1, with Flitcroft even sending him out on loan to League of Ireland side Waterford.

However, Vigouroux said the chance to prove a point against his former manager provided no added motivation for the game.

“It wasn’t extra pleasing because it was against the old manager, I am just pleased in general to get back out there,” said Vigouroux.

“It has been a while so I thought I would be a bit rusty but that is normal in football when you don’t play for a while. I have got to keep my head down and go again.

“There were no extra emotions, I think that is the calmest I have been up to the final whistle.

“I don’t think he affected me in any way, I just went out there to try to play football as best I could and that is all that matters.”

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Latest | October 2018