Season 19/20 Stagsnet Match Report
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Crewe Alexandra
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Mansfield Town
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Anene 8.
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Cook 27
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Attendance: 4060 (312 from Mansfield)
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Date: 14 December 2019
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STAGS DRAW AT CREWE AS DEMPSTER DEPARTS
Martin Shaw at Gresty Road Mansfield Town drew 1-1 with Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road this afternoon in probably the best game Mansfield have played in this season. But with the Stags sitting 18th in the table, just two points above 3rd bottom place, 12 points behind the play-off places, and having taken just 22 points from the first 21 games of the season, it was not surprising that manager John Dempster was sacked soon after the game. John and Carolyn Radford had been very patient with Dempster, and were keen to give him every chance to succeed as a young manager. Prior to last week’s game against Cheltenham, John Radford said: “As we enter a significant month, with five games against teams who too have ambitions of a top seven finish, results must be improved both radically and quickly.” But just one more point from the first two games in December, following the one point from three league games in November, meant Dempster simply hadn’t got the results he needed, and in a results-driven business, he had to go. On a personal level, it is very sad to see John Dempster lose his job. He is a thoroughly decent bloke, who had done a tremendous job in the Academy. But at first team level, any manager needs good results, and Dempster simply didn’t get enough of them, with just five wins in 21 league games. Hopefully he is soon able to get another job, perhaps back at youth team level, or perhaps as an assistant to a first team manager, or perhaps as a manager in non-league football, and work his way back up. I’m sure Stags fans will wish him well. Both Crewe and Mansfield had enough chances to win the game, indeed it could have easily finished 3-3, 4-4 or 5-5, and any of those would have been scorelines which reflected the game. The Stags should have been ahead after 6 minutes, as Nicky Maynard did very well to get into a one-on-one position with keeper Will Jaaskelainen, but then saw the keeper save well. Maynard should have scored. And within two minutes, Crewe took the lead. Tommy Lowery’s diagonal ball floated over James Clarke’s head to Charlie Kirk on the byline in the area on the left, Kirk played back across goal and Chuma Anene bundled the ball in at the near post. Crewe then put Mansfield under pressure, but out of the blue the Stags levelled after 27 minutes, as Bobby Olejnik’s long kick forward was headed backwards by central defender Eddie Nolan into the path of Andy Cook, who controlled nicely and lobbed the ball over keeper Jaaskelainen from 12 yards. Tommy Lowery and Ryan Wintle shot narrowly off target for Crewe, but in stoppage time at the end of the half, Maynard was through one-on-one with the keeper again, and again his shot was saved. Early in the second half, CJ Hamilton was played through into the area by a great ball from Conor Shaughnessy but Hamilton’s cross-shot was in front of Maynard. After 53 minutes, an even better chance for Maynard, as Hamilton pulled back to him and Maynard was completely unmarked 14 yards from goal, but blasted his shot over the bar. Maynard pulled his shirt over his face in exasperation. After 58 minutes, Mal Benning did well to clear Finney’s shot off the line at the right post. Then Olejnik pulled off a save from a James Jones free kick after 62 minutes. On 64 minutes, Maynard sent a terrific flying header against the post from a great cross by Alex MacDonald. In a ding dong battle, Charlie Kirk cut inside from the left and sent a thunderous shot against the right post. After 78 minutes, a good move from the Stags culminated in a shot from 22 yards from Maynard which was saved at full stretch by Jaaskelainen. The Stags then should have won in it in the 5th minute of stoppage time as sub Omari Sterling-James cut into the area on the left and with plenty of the goal to aim at, sliced his shot wide. What a game, a real ding dong battle, with plenty of chances for either side, including five for Nicky Maynard, but sadly for the Stags and for John Dempster in particular, not the victory that they needed to start to turn results and the season around. Mansfield made one change from the side that lost to Cheltenham. Mellis was dropped, and in came James Clarke. There was a formation change from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2. Shaughnessy moved from central defence to midfield. Hamilton moved from right wing-back to left wing. Crewe included former Stag Nicky Hunt, who played in central defence. The Stags should have been ahead after 6 minutes. Bishop headed a poor kick from the keeper Will Jaaskelainen into the path of Maynard who did very well to knock the ball past defender Eddie Nolan to get himself into a one-on-one position with keeper, but then saw the keeper save well. Maynard should have scored. And within two minutes, Crewe took the lead. Tommy Lowery’s diagonal ball floated over James Clarke’s head to Charlie Kirk on the byline in the area on the left, Kirk played back across goal and Chuma Anene bundled the ball in at the near post. After 10 minutes, MacDonald curled in a high hanging cross from the right and Cook did well to get in a header, but it was straight at the keeper. A minute later, a good interception by Hamilton as Crewe broke. Lowery fired in a shot from 30 yards after 14 minutes, Olejnik saved it, spilled it, then retrieved it. A good move from the Stags after 18 minutes, after Sweeney had won the ball, eventually Shaughnessy sent a cross-shot wide of the right post. Crewe had put Mansfield under pressure without creating clearcut chances, but out of the blue the Stags levelled after 27 minutes, as Bobby Olejnik’s long kick forward was headed backwards by central defender Eddie Nolan into the path of Andy Cook, who controlled nicely and lobbed the ball over keeper Jaaskelainen from 12 yards. Kirk put in a good cross into the corridor of uncertainty after 31 minutes, but Anene couldn’t get on the end of it. Then after 34 minutes, MacDonald’s cross was missed by the defenders and Cook headed wide of the left post. Tommy Lowery fired narrowly over the bar after 35 minutes from inside the D. But then 2 minutes later Finney volleyed into the railway station following a corner. After 39 minutes, Cook lost the ball in the Crewe half, Ryan Wintle broke all the way to the edge of the Stags box and fired narrowly wide of the right post. A great break from Wintle. After 40 minutes, Cook tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards which looked on target but was blocked. A minute later, a great move from Mansfield, involving Shaughnessy, Maynard and Hamilton, but finally Shaughnessy was tackled by Nicky Hunt. Crewe broke straight to the other end and Finney fired over the bar from 14 yards. In stoppage time at the end of the half, Maynard was put through by Cook to be one-on-one with the keeper again, and again his shot was saved. A great save from Jaaskelainen but Maynard really should have scored again. Crewe had played the better football between the two boxes but Mansfield had the better chances to have been ahead. However it was 1-1 at the break. Half time 1-1 After 49 minutes, Hamilton was played through into the area by a great ball from Conor Shaughnessy but Hamilton’s cross-shot was in front of Maynard. After 53 minutes, an even better chance for Maynard, as Hamilton pulled back to him and Maynard was completely unmarked 14 yards from goal, but blasted his shot over the bar. Maynard pulled his shirt over his face in exasperation. After 58 minutes, Mal Benning did well to clear Finney’s shot off the line at the right post. Straight to the other end, Hamilton did well to get into the area but then lost the ball. Moments later, Clarke did well to head away. It was end to end stuff. Then Olejnik pulled off a fine save from a James Jones free kick after 62 minutes. On 64 minutes, Maynard sent a terrific flying header against the post from a great cross by MacDonald. A great cross and a cracking header, that was unlucky. Shaughnessy limped off after 67 minutes to be replaced by Sterling-James. After the game, Dempster said "Shaughnessy is being assessed now, but it didn't look great. I think it's a hamstring strain, what level we'll find out from the medical team over the next 24-48 hours.” In a ding dong battle, Charlie Kirk cut inside from the left and sent a thunderous shot against the right post after 69 minutes. That was a fantastic effort as well. MacDonald fired straight at the keeper from 28 yards after 73 minutes. Three minutes later at the other end, Jones turned and shot straight at Olejnik from 25 yards. After 78 minutes, a good move from the Stags culminated in a shot from 22 yards from Maynard which was saved at full stretch by Jaaskelainen. Rose replaced Cook after 80 minutes. MacDonald was booked for a late tackle after 83 minutes. Preston was booked for a foul on Ainley after 84 minutes. Rose did well to head a Crewe cross after 85 minutes. Khan replaced the limping Maynard after 88 minutes. Hamilton went up front. After 90+1 minutes a shot from Pickering was blocked by Bishop. The Stags then should have won in it in the 5th minute of stoppage time as Sterling-James cut into the area on the left and with plenty of the goal to aim at, sliced his shot wide. A real ding dong battle, and a draw was a fair result. Man of the match: Hamilton |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Gresty Road
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Line Up:
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(4-4-2)
Olejnik 6 One good save, from Jones free kick. Clarke 6 Out of position to allow the diagonal ball from Lowery to float over him to Kirk in the build-up to the Crewe goal. One good header away. Grew into the game against the tricky Kirk. Preston 6 Did ok. Sweeney 6 Ok. Benning 6.5 Did well to clear a shot off the line. MacDonald 7.5 Great cross for Maynard’s header against the post. Two crosses for Cook headers in the first half. Worked very hard Shaughnessy 7 Some good balls from midfield. Went off with a hamstring strain. Bishop 6.5 One good block. Hamilton 7.5 Some good runs. Set up golden chance for Maynard when he pulled the ball back to Maynard unmarked 14 yards from goal. Maynard 5 Five chances and could and should have had a hat-trick. Unlucky with the flying header, but should be burying most of the other chances. Cook 7 Took his goal very nicely. Nice set up for Maynard 1-on-1 with the keeper. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Sterling-James (for Shaughnessy, 67 mins) -
Rose (for Cook, 80 mins) - Khan (for Maynard, 88 mins) - Subs not used: Logan, Pearce, Mellis, Smith. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-3-3): Jaaskelainen; Ng, Hunt, Nolan, Pickering; Wintle, Lowery (Jones 51 mins), Finney (Ainley 71 mins); Powell (Dale 80 mins), Anene, Kirk. Subs not used: Richards, Mbulu, Johnson, Green.
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Referee:
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Kevin Johnson 7 Was hardly noticed.
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