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Season 20/21 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Harrogate Town  
1 - 0
 Mansfield Town
Martin 46
 
 
Attendance: behind closed doors
 
Date: 23 February 2021

DREADFUL STAGS BEATEN AT HARROGATE

Martin Shaw at Wetherby Road (EnviroVent Stadium)

Mansfield Town were beaten 1-0 in a dreadful game at Harrogate Town last night. The only goal of the game came 9 seconds after the half time break courtesy of some of the worst defending you are ever likely to see. A long ball forward from the halfway line was headed straight up in the air by Ryan Sweeney on the edge of his own box, Farrend Rawson then also headed it straight up in the air, teeing it up perfectly for Aaron Martin to volley into the left corner of the net from just inside the area.

The goal gave Harrogate something to hang on to and they did it expertly with Mansfield never looking like finding an equaliser. Indeed, Mansfield were so toothless and lacking in energy in that second half that they looked like they could have played all night and not scored.

The first half was an even affair, low on entertainment but at least the Stags had a few chances to score and had more of them than the home side. After just 4 minutes, Ollie Clarke picked up a poor clearance from keeper James Belshaw, and surged into the Harrogate box before firing straight at the keeper who redeemed himself with a good save from point blank range. Harry Charsley curled a left footed shot wide of the left post after 14 minutes. Ollie Clarke’s low free kick from 27 yards was pushed wide by the keeper at his far post after 32 minutes. And from the resulting corner, Farrend Rawson headed just wide of the left post. At the other end, Harrogate’s best chance came when Josh March’s shot from 25 yards was saved at full stretch by Aidan Stone. A good save from Stone though from my angle in the stand, the shot was already just going wide, but Stone couldn’t take any chances. The half was littered with so many stoppages, so many throw-ins especially on the Mansfield right with James Perch taking most of them.

However if the first half was low on entertainment, the second half was considerably worse, as Harrogate battled to hold on their lead and the Stags were clueless how to breach their defences. Neither side looked like scoring. It was incredibly frustrating for Stags fans to watch.

I can’t find any positives for Mansfield to take from the game, aside from Jason Law making his first start in a league game and doing ok. I've never seen Nigel Clough so angry after a game. He was seething, primarily with his central defenders and mentioned defending so bad that you wouldn’t expect to see it in an under-12’s game. There aren’t many options for changing the side though. James Perch could be moved to centre half, allowing Kellan Gordon to return at right back. Oli Sarkic could get more game time. Aaron O’Driscoll could get a chance, though Clough had suggested he could be loaned out to the National League to get some matches. Mansfield are plainly missing George Lapslie in midfield and haven’t won a game since he got injured. He’ll be out for at least two more weeks, missing at least 4 more games.

This has turned into a very bad run of results for Mansfield now. Three defeats on the trot, following the draws at Colchester and Walsall. Prior to that, Mansfield won five games on the spin before that enforced break due to postponements. The late goals conceded against Colchester and Bolton seem to have caused a major dent in confidence. The Stags are 10 points above the relegation zone, though if Southend were to pull of an unlikely victory at Forest Green this evening, that would reduce to 8 points (*). With Grimsby and Barrow both winning last night, the Stags still have work to do to steer clear of the bottom two.
(* update: Southend DID win at Forest Green on Wednesday night, so the Stags are now 8 points above the relegation zone).

Morecambe are the visitors to the One Call Stadium on Saturday. They continue to have a fine season and are currently in 4th place. Mansfield will need to be so much better than they were at Harrogate to get something from the game.

DETAILED REPORT:

Mansfield made one change from the side that lost to Cambridge. Jason Law was rewarded for his impressive 30 minute cameo against Cambridge to come in for his first start in a league game. He replaced Stephen Quinn who dropped to the bench. One other change in the 18 as Kellan Gordon returned from injury to replace Corey O’Keeffe.

Harrogate were unchanged from their last game, a 3-1 defeat at Scunthorpe. They had only won 3 games at home all season, but did win their last home game, a 1-0 success over Carlisle. I watched that game on iFollow and Harrogate were impressive against a lacklustre Carlisle side who attempted to rely solely of the long throws of Kayode (14 of them in total). Harrogate included former Mansfield youngster Warren Burrell at right back. Burrell played one game for the Stags, as substitute in the defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge after we had already been relegated to the Conference in 2008.

It was Mansfield’s first ever visit to Harrogate Town. The Stags did play at Harrogate Railway in the FA Cup a few years back, a game shown live on BBC1, but that is a different club.

It was windy in Harrogate, but the wind dropped considerably from the time I arrived at 5pm to kick-off at 7pm. Nevertheless it was more or less behind the Stags in the first half and also from left to right, and behind Harrogate in the second half.

Immediately before kick-off, Harrogate players took the knee, Mansfield players didn’t.

After just 4 minutes, Ollie Clarke picked up a poor clearance from keeper James Belshaw, and surged into the Harrogate box before firing straight at the keeper who redeemed himself with a good save from point blank range.

Three minutes later, at the other end, a good tackle by James Perch for a corner. The corner was headed wide by Ed Francis.

Harry Charsley curled a left footed shot wide of the left post after 14 minutes after he found a bit of space on the edge of the area. That followed a shot from Stephen McLaughlin also from the edge of the area which was blocked. Two minutes later at the other end, a good tackle by George Maris.

A good run by Jordan Bowery after 20 minutes from well inside his own half, he laid off to Clarke 28 yards from goal, Clarke pushed the ball in front of himself and then had to stretch to get in a shot which was well wide.

A good catch by Aidan Stone after 29 minutes.

Ollie Clarke’s low free kick from 27 yards was pushed wide by the keeper at his far post after 32 minutes. Jason Law had won the free kick. And from the resulting corner, taken from the right by Law, Farrend Rawson headed just wide of the left post.

At the other end, Harrogate’s best chance came when Josh March’s shot from 25 yards was saved at full stretch by Aidan Stone after 36 minutes. A good save from Stone though from my angle in the stand, the shot was already just going wide, but Stone couldn’t take any chances.

Nil-nil at the break. The half was littered with so many stoppages, so many throw-ins especially on the Mansfield right with Perch taking most of them. The first half was an even affair, low on entertainment but at least the Stags had a few chances to score and had more of them than the home side.

Half time 0-0

Stephen McLaughlin had limped off in the final seconds of the first half. He didn’t reappear for the second half and was replaced at left back by Mal Benning. No details on the injury at the moment.

The only goal of the game came 9 seconds after the half time break courtesy of some of the worst defending you are ever likely to see. A long ball forward from the halfway line was headed straight up in the air by Ryan Sweeney on the edge of his own box, Farrend Rawson then also headed it straight up in the air, teeing it up perfectly for Aaron Martin to volley into the left corner of the net from just inside the area.

After 52 minutes, Josh McPake fired well wide of the right from 22 yards.

The Stags made another change after 56 minutes as Kellan Gordon replaced Charsley. Gordon went into right midfield, Law left midfield in a 4-4-2 formation.

After 61 minutes, Perch recovered well after missing an attempted clearance but then tackling McPake before he could get a shot in. Two minutes later, McPake fired well over the bar from the left.

Josh March got past Sweeney on the left after 67 minutes, but his shot was blocked by Rawson. A minute later, Harrogate substitute Lloyd Kerry fired straight at Stone from 25 yards.

Mansfield’s first chance of the second half came on 69 minutes as Gordon’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Will Smith after Gordon was set up by Clarke. Straight to the other end and Sweeney did well to block March’s shot from 12 yards.

Harrogate brought on Dan Jones which gave them an option of long throws which they were to use a few times.

A third change for the Stags after 73 minutes as Stephen Quinn replaced Law.

The game was littered with free kicks and throw-ins.

A poor clearance from Sweeney after 77 minutes gifted the ball to Jack Muldoon. But Muldoon wasted the ball. Four minutes later, a poor kick out from Stone, one of several in the second half. Perch rescued the situation with a good tackle. Stone redeemed himself with a fine catch under pressure from the corner.

Mansfield’s best move of the half after 84 minutes involving Benning, Quinn, Bowery, and Benning again as his low cross-shot was put behind for a corner by Connor Hall.

Mansfield made their fourth change after 84 minutes as Tyrese Sinclair replaced Maris.

Sinclair was booked for a high boot after 88 minutes.

Three minutes into stoppage time, just a half chance for the Stags as Clarke’s free kick from deep was into the area. The keeper came for it, didn’t get it, and it was cleared out to Quinn who volleyed over the mass of players in the area but wide of the left post with the keeper scrambling back onto his line.

Harrogate hung on for the victory. Really poor from Mansfield. Harrogate battled to hold on their lead throughout the second half and the Stags were clueless how to breach their defences. Neither side looked like scoring. It was incredibly frustrating for Stags fans to watch. The win gave Harrogate their first ever double in the Football League.

The Stags need to bounce back against Morecambe on Saturday and halt this losing run. Morecambe scored twice in stoppage time to beat Salford on Tuesday night and will be cock-a-hoop.

Man of the match: James Perch


Report by: Martin Shaw at Wetherby Road (EnviroVent Stadium)



Line Up:
(4-3-3)
Stone 6.5 Good handling, a couple of fine catches from crosses, and a good save from March. Some very poor kicking in the second half.
Perch 7 Some good tackles.
Rawson 4.5 Dreadful for the goal. One good block. Went close with a header.
Sweeney 4 Also at fault for the goal. One poor clearance gifted the ball to Muldoon, and allowed March to get past him for a shot.
McLaughlin 6 Limped off at half time. Did ok in the first half.
Maris 6 Good first half including one fine tackle.
O.Clarke 6.5 Went close in the first half in a 1-on-1 with the keeper and with a free kick. Good first half, quieter in the second.
Law 6 Did ok on his first league start. Good corner for Rawson’s header wide. Won the free kick which Clarke got on target.
Charsley 5 Curled one shot wide. Otherwise too quiet and was subbed after 56 minutes.
Reid 5 Contributed nothing.
Bowery 5.5 One good run to put Clarke in in the first half. Involved in Mansfield’s only good move of the second half. Otherwise not involved enough.
Sub Line Up:
Benning (for McLaughlin, 46 mins) 6.5 One of the better players in the second half, including putting in a cross-shot that was blocked for a corner.
Gordon (for Charsley, 56 mins) 6 Had Mansfield’s only shot in the second half.
Quinn (for Law, 73 mins) -
Sinclair (for Maris, 84 mins) -
Subs not used: Stech, O'Driscoll, Sarkic.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Belshaw; Burrell, Smith, Hall, Francis (Jones, 71); Power (Kerry, 63), Falkingham, Thomson, McPake; Martin (Beck, 76), March (Muldoon, 76). Subs not used: Minter, Fallowfield.
Referee:
Ross Joyce 7 No controversy to deal with. Did well.


Season 20/21 Reports