Season 19/20 Stagsnet Match Report
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Cheltenham Town
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Mansfield Town
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Reid 65
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Attendance: 3274 (281 from Mansfield)
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Date: 22 February 2020
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STAGS MISS GOLDEN CHANCES AND LOSE AT CHELTENHAM
Martin Shaw at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium, Whaddon Road Mansfield Town were beaten 1-0 at Cheltenham Town this afternoon thanks to a headed goal after 65 minutes from substitute Reuben Reid, so often a thorn in the Stags’ side over the years. It was a rare moment of quality from Cheltenham in the game and indeed was their first effort on target. But Mansfield should have been ahead before then having missed several golden chances. As early as the first minute, Stags players had their heads in their hands as Harry Charsley’s left footed shot was heading for the top corner of the net before it was deflected wide. Then after 15 minutes, Mansfield had their first one-on-one chance of the game as Nicky Maynard was through with just the keeper to beat. Maynard tried to take the ball around keeper Owen Evans but the keeper did superbly to get a hand on the ball and nick it away from danger. Then after 35 minutes, a long throw from CJ Hamilton was headed on by Danny Rose to Maynard, Maynard took a great first touch to give him a yard of space but then shot inches wide of the left post from 6 yards. Into the second half and after 51 minutes a second one-on-one chance for Mansfield as Charsley did well to win the ball and Will Tomlinson was through with just keeper Evans to beat but his low shot was well saved again by the keeper, who was rightly named the home side’s man of the match. Then after 59 minutes, after Rose did well to win the ball off Ben Tozer, Charsley curled a shot just over the bar from 17 yards. After Cheltenham scored on 65 minutes, Mansfield rarely looked like equalising despite having a few half-chances. Cheltenham created little. In the first half, Alfie May cut inside from the right and fired over the bar, and Luke Varney fired over the bar from the edge of the area. In the second half, Tom Nichols crossed from the left and May headed a good chance over the bar. Cheltenham had a goal disallowed for offside after 69 minutes as Chris Hussey’s wayward shot from 35 yards turned into a cross and May turned it into the net, but May was offside. The goal itself came after Hamilton played a loose ball forward to Tomlinson on the halfway line. Tomlinson couldn’t control it, Conor Thomas capitalised and played the ball out to Ryan Broom on the right and Broom sent in a fabulous cross which Reuben Reid powerfully headed into the net from 5 yards having beaten Ryan Sweeney to the ball. It gave Cheltenham their 5th straight win at home and kept them firmly in the play-off places. Cheltenham have the best defensive record in League Two but they should have been breached here. Cheltenham manager Michael Duff said that it was an even game and Mansfield would feel hard done by to lose. But the Stags only had themselves to blame by missing golden chances including two one-on-ones plus Nicky Maynard’s shot wide from 5 yards, while at the other end allowing substitute Reuben Reid a free header in the box in what was the home side’s first effort on target. Huge frustration for the Stags. At the bottom of the table, Stevenage were beaten again and Mansfield remain 13 points clear of them with 11 games to go. Mansfield were unchanged from the side that beat Newport County. No surprise there. There was one change on the bench as Matt Preston had picked up an injury on training, and he was replaced by Joe Riley who was returning from injury and considered fit enough for the bench though not fit enough to start. No centre half on the bench though if need be White or Benning could have filled in or the Stags could have switched to 4 at the back. The formation was 3-5-2 as last week. Cheltenham brought in Chris Clements and Tom Nichols into their starting XI from their last match. Clements of course had several years at Mansfield. Nichols was at Bristol Rovers under Graham Coughlan and has joined Cheltenham on loan for the second half of the season. It was a windy day in Gloucestershire, though less windy I think than the games on the previous two Saturdays. Inside the first minute, Stags players had their heads in their hands as Harry Charsley’s left footed shot from the edge of the area was heading for the top corner of the net before it was deflected wide. We had the perfect angle on it and I thought it was going in. At the other end after 4 minutes, a half chance for the home side as May tamely fired wide of the right post. Then after 9 minutes, May cut inside Watts from the right and fired powerfully over the bar from a tight angle. After 15 minutes, Mansfield had their first one-on-one chance of the game as Nicky Maynard was through with just the keeper to beat. Maynard tried to take the ball around keeper Owen Evans but the keeper did superbly to get a hand on the ball and nick it away from danger. Maynard has been unable to score from his most recent one-on-ones where he tried to shoot past the keeper, so this time he tried something different but here he was thwarted by very good goalkeeping. After 19 minutes, May played forward for Varney but just put too much on his pass and it ran through to Stone. A good header away by Charsley after 21 minutes. The ball eventually fell to Hussey who smashed a shot over the bar and over the stand. Then after 27 minutes, Luke Varney fired over the bar from the edge of the area after Clements nodded down to him. The Stags had another golden chance after 35 minutes. A long throw from Hamilton was headed on by Rose to Maynard, Maynard took a great first touch to give him a yard of space but then shot inches wide of the left post from 6 yards. At the other end, a good tackle by Sweeney. Stone nicely caught a high cross after 40 minutes. Moments later Hamilton lost the ball but did well to win it back. After 42 minutes, Doyle-Hayes crossed from the right and May missed his header in the middle. Maynard’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked after 44 minutes. Then on 45+3 minutes, a ball forward aimed for Maynard fell to Charsley off a defender and Charsley blazed high and wide from 18 yards. It was a good opportunity. Half time and the Stags had created much the better of the opportunities but had failed to take them. Half time 0-0 After 51 minutes a second one-on-one chance for Mansfield as Charsley did well to win the ball and Tomlinson was through with just keeper Evans to beat but his low shot was well saved again by the keeper, who was rightly named the home side’s man of the match. At the other end two minutes later, Tom Nichols crossed from the left and May headed a good chance over the bar. From a Tomlinson corner after 54 minutes, Sweeney headed goalwards but it was cleared away. Cheltenham made a triple change after 56 minutes. They took off Clements and Nichols who had not controlled the game for the home side in midfield, and also striker Varney. On came Reuben Reid, who has done well against the Stags for Plymouth, Exeter and Forest Green in the past. Also coming on was Alex Addai who was dangerous in the game at Mansfield earlier in the season, and Conor Thomas. The triple change came about as the home manager wanted to gamble on trying to force a victory, which had not looked likely based on the first 56 minutes. After 59 minutes, after Rose did well to win the ball off Ben Tozer, Charsley curled a shot just over the bar from 17 yards. At the other end after 61 minutes, Will Boyle volleyed well wide of the right post from 22 yards. Cheltenham took the lead after 65 minutes. The goal came after Hamilton played a loose ball forward to Tomlinson on the halfway line. Tomlinson couldn’t control it, Conor Thomas capitalised and played the ball out to Ryan Broom on the right and Broom sent in a fabulous cross which Reuben Reid powerfully headed into the net from 5 yards having beaten Ryan Sweeney to the ball. Cheltenham had a goal disallowed for offside after 69 minutes as Hussey’s wayward shot from 35 yards turned into a cross and May turned it into the net, but May was offside. Benning replaced Charsley after 71 minutes. Charsley had a reasonable game in midfield. Benning went in at left wing-back, Hamilton moved up front in a 3-4-3 formation. After 73 minutes, May tried a shot from an impossible angle on the right and fired against the roof of the stand. Two minutes later, May tried another low shot from a tight angle and it was an easy save for Stone. Hamilton made a good run to win a corner after 77 minutes. Tomlinson’s high corner in from the left found Pearce who headed straight at the keeper. Two minutes later, more good play by Hamilton who got to the byline and played a low ball in, Tomlinson had a shot which was on target but blocked. Broom cut inside from the right for Cheltenham after 81 minutes and his left footed shot was blocked. At the other end, White was heading for the byline but was muscled off the ball by Hussey. A minute later, White’s poor cross from the right went out for a goal kick. White had also put in a poor cross in the first half, as had Sweeney. Craig Davies replaced Watts after 86 minutes. But it was too late for the substitution as Davies got no service anywhere near the final third. Probably he should have been on a bit earlier. Cheltenham saw out the game with good game management, winning throw-ins, corners, and giving away a free kick with a cynical foul on one occasion. The Stags should have got something from this game. Man of the match: Harry Charsley |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium, Whaddon Road
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Line Up:
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(3-5-2)
Stone 6 The goal was the first effort on target. After that just had one easy save from a shot from a tight angle. Sweeney 5.5 Should have done better for the goal as Reuben Reid beat him to the header. Some other good defending. Pearce 7 Defended solidly. Watts 7 Solid game although allowed May to cut inside and shoot over the bar. White 6 A couple of poor crosses. Bishop 7 Not a bad game. Cheltenham didn’t control the midfield. His ball forward set Maynard away for his 1-on-1. Tomlinson 6.5 Missed a 1-on-1 with the keeper. Otherwise had a reasonable game. Charsley 7 Started the game well, the first half was his best for the club, and overall had a reasonable game in midfield. Did well to win the ball and set Tomlinson through 1-on-1 with the keeper. Had one shot heading for the top corner that was deflected away and curled another shot just over the bar from 17 yards. Hamilton 6 Started at left wing-back. Played a loose ball forward to Tomlinson in the build-up to Cheltenham’s goal. A couple of good runs once he was moved further forward, setting up a shot for Tomlinson and winning a corner. Rose 6.5 Good flick on to set up chance for Maynard. Did well to win the ball and set up a chance for Charsley. Otherwise not heavily involved. Maynard 6 Tried to take his 1-on-1 with the keeper around him but the keeper made a great save. Had a 1-on-1 against the same keeper earlier in the season at Macclesfield and on that occasion slid his shot wide. Also missed a great chance inside the 6 yards box after a great first touch. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Benning (for Charsley, 71 mins) -
Davies (for Watts, 86 mins) - Subs not used: Olejnik, Clarke, Riley, Evans, Knowles. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(3-5-2) Evans; Raglan, Tozer, Boyle; Broom, Clements (Thomas, 56), Doyle-Hayes, Nichols (Addai, 56), Hussey; May, Varney (Reid, 56). Subs not used: Lovett, Long, Greaves, Sheaf.
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Referee:
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John Busby 7 Handled the game well.
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