{ match reports }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 19/20 Stagsnet Match Report
Carabao Cup (English Football League Cup) - Round 1
Mansfield Town  
2 - 2
 Morecambe
Morecambe win 6-5 on penalties. Pearce 57, Sterling-James 68.
 
 Old 18, 59. Conlon sent off 22.
Attendance: 1884 (66 from Morecambe)
 
Date: 13 August 2019

STAGS LOSE ON PENALTIES TO TEN-MAN MORECAMBE

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Morecambe last night after yet another 2-2 draw, the third in three games this season. And also for the third time this season, there was a red card, but this time it wasn’t for Mansfield, it was for the opposition. However, despite playing for three-quarters of the game against ten men, the Stags were unable to force victory.
Morecambe were visiting the One Call Stadium for the second time in three days, and took the lead after 18 minutes from a corner when defender Steven Old was allowed a free header by Ryan Sweeney, who lost his man, to head unchallenged into the net from 6 yards. Poor defending from Sweeney. Young Alistair Smith, who had a fine game, had a chance to head it away off the line, but strangely ducked underneath it presumably getting his angles all wrong.
Morecambe were reduced to ten men after 22 minutes when Luke Conlon lunged in with an over-the-top challenge on Gordon and rightly was shown a straight red card. A ridiculous challenge from Conlon just outside the Stags penalty area on the byline.
Mansfield were unlucky after 25 minutes when Andy Cook swept a fine effort against the underside of the bar from 8 yards from a good low cross from Mal Benning. Good play from Cook to get in the shot despite being under pressure from defender Old.
After having loads of possession but not creating many chances, the Stags were level after 57 minutes. From Otis Khan’s corner from the left, Sweeney escaped his marker to head goalwards, keeper Halstead parried it up in the air, and fox-in-the-box Krystian Pearce headed home from 2 yards.
But Morecambe were allowed to regain the lead after 59 minutes from another set piece. Cranston’s free kick from the left was met by a crisp header from Old, again, and his header from 12 yards crept just underneath the bar. Poor defending again from Sweeney who simply allowed Old a free header, as he appealed in vain for offside. Should Logan have saved it? It dipped just a fraction under the bar, so it certainly would have been an outstanding save to tip it over the bar, and I don’t think it was a goalkeeping error. As Morecambe celebrated their goal, Hayden White squared up to Conrad Logan and captain Pearce had to pull White away. Of course you don’t expect players to be happy when they’re conceding goals and not winning, but this incident might just give a hint that all is not well in the camp.
Omari Sterling-James came on as sub for a rare appearance after 66 minutes and within two minutes had his first Stags goal. Smith fed a ball forward to Sterling-James who turned nicely away from Brewitt just outside the area and fired from the edge of the area into the bottom right corner of the net. A really fine goal from Sterling-James, which made it 2-2.
Despite having lots more possession, the Stags rarely looked finding a winner until almost the last kick in stoppage time, when Alistair Smith picked up a loose clearance and smashed a fabulous shot from 25 yards that whistled inches wide of the left post. It would have been a spectacular winner.
So it went straight to a penalty shoot out (no extra-time in the League Cup). Miller fired over the bar for Morecambe, Khan then had his penalty saved. Cranston scored for Morecambe, then Sterling-James hit the underside of the bar. O’Sullivan scored for Morecambe and so did Benning. 2-1 to Morecambe after 3 penalties each. Lavelle fired miles over the bar for Morecambe, then Rose scored for Mansfield, so it was level at 2-2 after 4 penalties each. Both sides scored their next 3 penalties, Buxton, Kenyon and Brewitt for Morecambe, Pearce, Tomlinson and Smith for Mansfield. Pearce, Tomlinson and Smith all kept their nerve as each had to score to keep Mansfield in it. Old scored for Morecambe, but Sweeney, to cap a terrible night for him, fired against the top of the bar and over, to hand Morecambe a 6-5 win on penalties.
As the Stags players trudged off, Morecambe’s players and management celebrated with their 66 travelling fans, seemingly shaking the hands of every travelling fan, reminding me of the Stags’ win at Yeovil a few years ago under Adam Murray.
Morecambe go on to face Burton Albion away in the second round.
A disappointing night for Mansfield. Mansfield’s defensive worries continue. The best defence in the league last season, yet this season, and it started in pre-season, the defending has been really poor so far, with the same players involved, this time Ryan Sweeney twice allowing Steven Old free headers to score.
Credit to Morecambe for setting up well with ten men for so long, parking the bus as John Dempster called it, and allowing Mansfield few opportunities to score against ten men.
Goalkeeper Conrad Logan is being made the scapegoat of sections of fans, jeered from before the first whistle by sections of fans last night and then at various stages throughout the game he was jeered and ironically applauded. Whatever you think of his performances, and for me it has been the defence that has been the major problem this season including pre-season rather than the goalkeeper, this treatment of one of your own players is disappointing to hear. If you’re coming to support the team, then please support them, including all the players.

The Stags go to Carlisle on Saturday hoping to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season.


John Dempster started with a 3-5-2 formation. There were five changes to the side that drew with Morecambe in the league. In came Hayden White, Ryan Sweeney, Dion Donohue (for his competitive Stags debut), Alistair Smith and Andy Cook. Out went Preston (suspended), Bishop, MacDonald, Maynard and Rose, the latter four essentially rested to give others game time. I had predicted in my report on Saturday that Stone, White, Sweeney, Donohue, Smith and Cook would come in to start, so I got five right, all apart from Stone. White was on the right of the central defensive three. Donohue was alongside Smith in midfield, with Khan just in front of them, behind the front two of Cook and Hamilton. Tyrese Sinclair was a welcome addition to the bench. He impressed me last season. While Mansfield made five changes, Morecambe made seven changes, including bringing in former Stags defender Ritchie Sutton, who was to have a very solid game.

After 3 minutes, good play by Cook who played out to Benning on the left, Benning put in a good cross, which was shanked up in the air by a defender and held by the keeper. A minute later, a good cross from Alistair Smith, Cook headed back, but there was no-one there.

Smith was booked for a late tackle on Miller after 5 minutes. Morecambe’s Oates was booked 2 minutes later.

Good defending by Sweeney after 10 minutes. Then a corner from the left by Cranston, a clearance rebounded towards goal and Logan dived on it on his line.

Great skill and power from Cook after 14 minutes on the right byline, cutting inside and his low shot was blocked by a defender. Brilliant play, all his own work. After 17 minutes, good defending by Hamilton tracking back.

Morecambe took the lead after 18 minutes from a corner when defender Steven Old was allowed a free header by Sweeney, who lost his man, to head unchallenged into the net from 6 yards. Poor defending from Sweeney. Alistair Smith had a chance to head it away off the line, but strangely ducked underneath it presumably getting his angles all wrong.

Morecambe were reduced to ten men after 22 minutes when Luke Conlon lunged in with an over-the-top challenge on Gordon and rightly was shown a straight red card. A ridiculous challenge from Conlon just outside the Stags penalty area on the byline. The incident came after a loose ball out from Logan.

Mansfield were unlucky after 25 minutes when Andy Cook swept a fine effort against the underside of the bar from 8 yards from a good low cross from Benning. Good play from Cook to get in the shot despite being under pressure from defender Old.

After 29 minutes, a great cross by Benning, Cook attacked the ball but his header went wide.

White was brought down as he cut inside from the right after 33 minutes. Benning tried a shot from a tight angle from the free kick but he scuffed it though it was deflected for a corner.

After 41 minutes, a shot from Gordon was blocked, it finally came out to Smith whose shot from 30 yards was over and wide.

So the Stags were behind at half time. They had had loads of possession against ten men but were not making it count.

Half time 0-1

Tomlinson replaced Donohue at the break. Donohue was not going to play 90 minutes anyway in his first game of the season but a tightening up in his body meant he was taken off.

Less than a minute after the break, a Khan corner from the left was cleared and after some pinball, the ball hit Pearce and ran just wide of the left post.

Benning had put in some good crosses in the first half but after 53 minutes, he made a mess of one.

After 55 minutes, Logan saved well from a low shot from Cranston from the left.

After 56 minutes, a great ball forward from Benning to Khan who got to the byline and his low cross was put behind for a corner.

From that corner, the Stags were level (after 57 minutes). From Otis Khan’s corner from the left, Sweeney escaped his marker to head goalwards, keeper Halstead parried it up in the air, and fox-in-the-box Krystian Pearce headed home from 2 yards.

But Morecambe were allowed to regain the lead after 59 minutes from another set piece. Cranston’s free kick from the left was met by a crisp header from Old, again, and his header from 12 yards crept just underneath the bar. Poor defending again from Sweeney who simply allowed Old a free header, as he appealed in vain for offside. Should Logan have saved it? It dipped just a fraction under the bar, so it certainly would have been an outstanding save to tip it over the bar, and I don’t think it was a goalkeeping error. As Morecambe celebrated their goal, Hayden White squared up to Conrad Logan and captain Pearce had to pull White away. Of course you don’t expect players to be happy when they’re conceding goals and not winning, but this incident might just give a hint that all is not well in the camp.

After 62 minutes, a great turn by Khan who played forward to Hamilton who found the overlapping Gordon who slid a shot over the bar. Shortly afterwards a great turn on the edge of the area by Khan who fired just over the bar.

A double change for the Stags after 66 minutes. Sterling-James and Rose replaced Hamilton and Cook.

It was a rare appearance for Sterling-James and within two minutes (68 minutes) he had his first Stags goal. Smith fed a ball forward to Sterling-James who turned nicely away from Brewitt just outside the area and fired from the edge of the area into the bottom right corner of the net. A really fine goal from Sterling-James, which made it 2-2.

After 73 minutes, Khan laid off to Rose whose low shot was saved. A minute later, Gordon pulled back to Sterling-James who headed wide.

On 80 minutes, keeper Halstead kept out Benning’s angled shot after Khan had fed the ball into his path.

Rose was booked for a foul after 81 minutes.

After 83 minutes, Khan switched the ball from his left foot to his right foot and fired just over the bar from 22 yards.

Sterling-James turned well after 86 minutes and shot straight at the keeper.

On 90+3 minutes, Tomlinson’s shot was deflected for a corner.

Despite having lots more possession, the Stags had rarely looked finding a winner until almost the last kick in stoppage time (90+5 minutes), when Alistair Smith picked up a loose clearance and smashed a fabulous shot from 25 yards that whistled inches wide of the left post. It would have been a spectacular winner.

So it went straight to a penalty shoot out (no extra-time in the League Cup), which was at the Quarry Lane end unlike the play-off semi final shootout against Newport.

Miller fired over the bar for Morecambe, Khan then had his penalty saved one handed, a great stop.

Cranston scored for Morecambe, then Sterling-James hit the underside of the bar.

O’Sullivan scored for Morecambe sending Logan the wrong way, and so did Benning (sending the keeper the wrong way into the bottom left corner). 2-1 to Morecambe after 3 penalties each.

Lavelle fired miles over the bar for Morecambe, then Rose scored for Mansfield (powerful into the left of the net), so it was level at 2-2 after 4 penalties each. It was sudden death now.

Both sides scored their next 3 penalties, Buxton, Kenyon and Brewitt for Morecambe, Pearce, Tomlinson and Smith for Mansfield. Pearce (into the top corner though the keeper got a touch), Tomlinson (into the bottom left corner) and Smith (sending the keeper the wrong way) all kept their nerve as each had to score to keep Mansfield in it.

Old scored for Morecambe into the top right corner of the net, but Sweeney, to cap a terrible night for him, fired against the top of the bar and over, to hand Morecambe a 6-5 win on penalties.

Man of the match: Alistair Smith



Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill



Line Up:
(3-5-2)
Logan 6 Not at fault for the goals in my opinion. Unable to make himself the hero and save any of the penalties.
White 6 Did ok. Great to see him playing 90 minutes.
Pearce 7 Scored his second goal of the season. And converted his penalty.
Sweeney 4 Couldn’t have had a worse evening. At fault for both goals, and missed the decisive penalty.
Gordon 6 Some good attacking on the right.
Smith 7 Had a fine game. Close to being the hero when his spectacular shot flew just wide in stoppage time.
Donohue 6 His competitive Stags debut. Was not going to play 90 minutes anyway in his first game but a tightening up in his body meant he was taken off at half time.
Khan 7 Some good set pieces and passes. Had his penalty saved.
Benning 7 Plenty of good crosses. Converted his penalty.
Cook 7 Good first half, including hitting the bar.
Hamilton 6 Too quiet. One good piece of tracking back.
Sub Line Up:
Tomlinson (for Donohue, 46 mins) 6.5 Converted his penalty.
Sterling-James (for Hamilton, 66 mins) 7 Really fine goal, but missed his penalty.
Rose (for Cook, 66 mins) 6.5 Converted his penalty.
Subs not used: Stone, James Clarke, Gibbens, Tyrese Sinclair.
Opposition Line Up:
(3-5-2): Halstead; Sutton (Buxton 75), Lavelle, Old; Tanner, Brewitt, Cranston, Alessandra (Kenyon 46), Conlan; Oates (O’Sullivan 75), Miller. Subs not used: Roche, Jange, Stockton, Ellison.
Referee:
Robert Lewis 7 Got the sending-off right.


Season 19/20 Reports