Season 20/21 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Mansfield Town
|
|
Leyton Orient
|
||
|
|
Johnson 4, 77
|
|||
|
Attendance: behind closed doors
|
||||
|
Date: 2 April 2021
|
||||
|
STAGS GIFT VICTORY TO LEYTON ORIENT
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town gifted victory to Leyton Orient this afternoon with two goals that stemmed from backpasses that were left short. It was horrific to watch. Leyton Orient took the lead after 4 minutes. Kellan Gordon attempted to pass back to Aidan Stone from 40 yards out and left it woefully short. Dan Johnson nipped in and collected the ball on the edge of the area with Stone having no chance of getting anywhere near it. Johnson’s shot was superbly pushed wide by Stone. From the resulting corner, taken by Dan Kemp from the right, Sam Ling got to the ball first at the near post, getting away from his marker Mal Benning, glanced his header across the face of goal, and Johnson turned the ball into the net from close range off his knee. Orient made it 2-0 and killed the game after 77 minutes. Jamie Reid attempted to pass back to Stone from wide out on the touchline 35 yards from goal. Johnson anticipated again, nipped in, took the ball around Stone and slotted into the empty net. Absolutely ridiculous. The Stags repeatedly passed the ball back to Stone through the game. Sam Binch on twitter (@MTFCMusings) pointed out that Aidan Stone had more touches of the ball (53) than all bar one of Orient’s players (Joe Widdowson had 63 touches). Incredible. It was a bobbly pitch and when it did reach Stone, he often had trouble getting a good connection. After 26 minutes, a poor clearance from Stone reached Craig Clay 30 yards from goal. Clay pushed forward into the area played a 1-2 with Johnson before finding Johnson again who fired just over the bar. Moments later, another poor clearance from Stone found Johnson 30 yards from goal. Johnson fed James Brophy on the left and his low ball in found Kemp but as he slid a shot goalwards, Perch slid in to block it. Orient were pressing Mansfield, closing them down at the back and profiting from errors. These were the key moments of a poor game and the reason Orient went away with the points. After the game, Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham: "We gave the goal away and it gave them such a massive lift. And to give the second one away ultimately kills the game. We need people who aren't going to make mistakes. Reidy shouldn't be doing that as an attacker. That's the game in those two moments. "It was difficult conditions [for Aidan Stone kicking], so as a back four you recognise that and don't give it to him. I really feel we're just beating ourselves at times.” When asked how do you go about eradicating the errors, Clough replied: "You look over a period of time, and ultimately you change the players. There's nothing else you can do. You can't do that at the moment, we've got to get through with what we've got." The Stags had precious few chances to score themselves. After 15 minutes, George Maris threaded a clever ball forward for Lapslie from 30 yards out, but Lapslie who had kept himself onside, just couldn’t quite collect the ball just inside the area. After 27 minutes, Maris again threaded a ball forward, this time for Stephen Quinn, but again Quinn couldn’t quite get it. After 37 minutes, Quinn crossed from the left and Reid headed goalwards but it was easily saved by Lawrence Vigouroux in the Orient goal. Into the second half, and a low cross from Gordon after 47 minutes reached Lapslie whose low shot from 16 yards took a little deflection straight into the arms of the keeper. Lapslie had a shot blocked following a Jason Law corner after 55 minutes. Then on 59 minutes, Quinn played inside to Maris who fired high and wide from 28 yards. Law tried to thread a nice ball forward from the edge of the area in for Lapslie to run onto but it just evaded Lapslie and ran through to the keeper after 64 minutes. Reid stumbled as he was about to turn and shoot after 66 minutes. Then Rawson headed over the bar from Law’s corner after 73 minutes. Then came Orient’s second goal and the game was over. Orient created very little, indeed almost nothing of their own in the entire game, other than what they were gifted. They clearly deserved the victory though, as their tactic of pressing Mansfield’s back line, hurrying the defence, and cutting off passes in midfield worked perfectly. They took the chances they were gifted and made far fewer mistakes of their own. Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham after the game: “We needed players like George Maris and Jason Law to be good on the ball today but they struggled to get into the game.” This made it all the more puzzling to me that Ollie Clarke was not brought on earlier than he was after 76 minutes. I thought the game was crying out for Clarke’s driving force forward at half time, after such a disappointing first half. The Stags had 12 corners today, taken by Maris and Law, and created very little from them. The Stags drop another place to 19th. Bottom club Grimsby drew 1-1 at Salford, Salford equalising after 88 minutes, thankfully. Grimsby are 11 points behind Mansfield, although they have a game in hand. Second bottom Southend play tomorrow, at home to Carlisle. They are currently 9 points behind Mansfield with a game in hand. A win for Southend would cut the deficit to just 6 points, with 7 games left, though Mansfield’s goal difference is hugely better. The Stags could do with a favour from Carlisle. Mansfield go to Exeter on Monday. (UPDATE: Southend lost 2-0 at home to Carlisle on Saturday afternoon. I watched the game on iFollow. Southend were very poor. It was a comfortable win for Carlisle. Southend were given a soft penalty at 1-0 but Simeon Akinola’s feeble kick was easily saved. Southend remain 9 points behind Mansfield with just 7 games left. Thanks to Carlisle for the favour. We will return it by beating Exeter and Newport for them this week!) Before the game, there was a minute’s silence for Lee Collins who passed away this week. It was utterly shocking news to hear. Collins was just 32 and played for Mansfield from 2015-2017, and was captain. He was a thoroughly nice bloke who I spoke to on plenty of occasions. Deepest condolences to Lee’s family. DETAILED REPORT: Mansfield made one change from the side that drew at Tranmere. George Lapslie returned to the starting XI, coming in for Harry Charsley. It was the diamond formation in midfield, with Maris in front of the back four and Law behind the front two. Mansfield came in to the game after 4 draws on the trot. Remarkably one more today would have equalled the club record which is 5 consecutive draws, set in 1986 (thanks to Paul Taylor for pointing that out to me). It wasn’t to be. Note also that the club record for most draws in a season is 20. So far, Mansfield are on 17 draws this season, now with 7 games left. Leyton Orient had won three games on the trot, including away at Newport and Carlisle. You only needed to watch the highlights of their win against Oldham last week to see that they were trying to profit from poor backpasses, with their first goal coming from exactly that. Orient’s win here, their 4th on the trot, takes them to just a point outside the play-offs. It was a sunny day. Leyton Orient took the knee before the game, Mansfield didn’t. Leyton Orient took the lead after 4 minutes. Kellan Gordon attempted to pass back to Aidan Stone from 40 yards out and left it woefully short. Dan Johnson nipped in and collected the ball on the edge of the area with Stone having no chance of getting anywhere near it. Johnson’s shot was superbly pushed wide by Stone. From the resulting corner, taken by Dan Kemp from the right, Sam Ling got to the ball first at the near post, getting away from his marker Mal Benning, glanced his header across the face of goal, and Johnson turned the ball into the net from close range off his knee. After 15 minutes, George Maris threaded a clever ball forward for Lapslie from 30 yards out, but Lapslie who had kept himself onside, just couldn’t quite collect the ball just inside the area. James Perch did well to block a McAnuff cross after 22 minutes. A minute later at the other end, Jason Law had a shot but the sting was taken out of it by a block and it trickled through to the keeper. After 26 minutes, a poor clearance from Stone reached Craig Clay 30 yards from goal. Clay pushed forward into the area played a 1-2 with Johnson before finding Johnson again who fired just over the bar. Moments later, another poor clearance from Stone found Johnson 30 yards from goal. Johnson fed James Brophy on the left and his low ball in found Kemp but as he slid a shot goalwards, Perch slid in to block it. Orient were pressing Mansfield, closing them down at the back and profiting from errors. After 27 minutes, Maris again threaded a ball forward, this time for Stephen Quinn, but again Quinn couldn’t quite get it. Gordon put a terrible cross behind for a goal-kick to sum up a bad first half for him. After 37 minutes, Quinn crossed from the left and Reid headed goalwards but it was easily saved by Lawrence Vigouroux in the Orient goal. Two minutes later, Lapslie intercepted a ball, got to the edge of the area and his shot was deflected for a corner. After 43 minutes, a great cross from McAnuff was headed over the bar by Clay. Orient ahead at the break thanks to Mansfield’s sloppiness. All of Orient’s chances apart from one right at the end of the half were gifted to them by Mansfield. Orient were pressing Mansfield, closing them down at the back and profiting from errors. Half time 0-1 I was expecting Ollie Clarke to be brought on at half time. But he wasn’t. The formation was now 4-3-3 with Law on the right of Reid and Bowery on the left. The Stags were plainly trying to be more direct in the second half and it was certainly more effective. After the game Orient interim player-manager Jobi McAnuff told the Orient website: "Second half we didn't quite get it right and it was a matter of digging in at times. It was tough at times. They were quite direct, but we've defended fantastically from back to front.” For half an hour Mansfield played quite well. A low cross from Gordon after 47 minutes reached Lapslie whose low shot from 16 yards took a little deflection straight into the arms of the keeper. Lapslie had a shot blocked following a Jason Law corner after 55 minutes. Then on 59 minutes, Quinn played inside to Maris who fired high and wide from 28 yards. After 62 minutes, a short corner from Maris to Bowery, back to Maris whose shot from an angle was blocked. Law tried to thread a nice ball forward from the edge of the area in for Lapslie to run onto but it just evaded Lapslie and ran through to the keeper after 64 minutes. Reid stumbled as he was about to turn and shoot after 66 minutes. Then Rawson headed over the bar from Law’s corner after 73 minutes. This had been much better from Mansfield for half an hour. But they couldn’t find the equaliser, and there was little to trouble the keeper. The Stags made a double change after 75 minutes. Ollie Clarke replaced Lapslie, and Stephen McLaughlin replaced Law. But just over a minute later came Orient’s second goal (77 minutes) and the game was effectively over. Jamie Reid attempted to pass back to Stone from wide out on the touchline 35 yards from goal. Johnson anticipated again, nipped in, took the ball around Stone and slotted into the empty net. Lightening had struck twice. Ridiculous. Dan Johnson had started the season superbly for Orient, but had gone a long time without scoring before this game. He had been played back into scoring form by the Stags! Another double change for Mansfield after 80 minutes. Charsley replaced Quinn, and Sinclair replaced Reid. Gordon did well to dispossess Brophy as a long ball forward found Brophy in the area after 82 minutes. The fifth and final change for Mansfield after 83 minutes as Sweeney replaced Gordon. Perch went to right back with Sweeney alongside Rawson in central defence. Given Clough’s comments after the game about changing players making errors, and given Clough called Gordon out after this game and the previous game at Tranmere, I’d expect Perch to start at right back at Exeter, with Sweeney at centre half. After 88 minutes, Sinclair crossed from the right, Sweeney headed it back across goal from beyond the far post, but straight into the keeper’s arms. Sweeney was booked after 89 minutes for a gentle stamp on Johnson as Sweeney got up after a coming together. From the resulting free kick, Rawson headed away, and eventually Clay fired well wide from 30 yards. A painful afternoon for Mansfield then, losing 2-0 and certainly self-inflicted. It was not a good Friday. We hope for better at Exeter on Easter Monday. Man of the match: Stephen Quinn |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(4-4-2, diamond in midfield)
Stone 6 Superb save from Johnson after Gordon’s back-pass. Given far too many back-passes and had an incredible 53 touches of the ball. Some of his kicking was poor in difficult conditions, and two poor clearances led to rare Orient chances. Gordon 4.5 His back-pass left short after 4 minutes set the scene for the game. Clough called Gordon out after the game and the previous game at Tranmere, and I’d expect Perch to start at right back at Exeter. Rawson 6.5 Defended well. Perch 6.5 Defended well. Some good blocks. Benning 5.5 Ling got away from him for the header that led to the first goal. Maris 6 Threaded a couple of good balls forward. However, the Stags had 12 corners today, taken by Maris and Law, and created very little from them. And, as Nigel Clough said after the game: “We needed players like George Maris and Jason Law to be good on the ball today but they struggled to get into the game.” Lapslie 6.5 Good to have him back in the starting XI. Involved in most of the best moments. Quinn 7 Good game. Law 5.5 The Stags had 12 corners today, taken by Maris and Law, and created very little from them. And, as Nigel Clough said after the game: “We needed players like George Maris and Jason Law to be good on the ball today but they struggled to get into the game.” Reid 4 Ridiculous back-pass to gift Orient the second goal. Bowery 5.5 Not at his best. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
O.Clarke (for Lapslie, 75 mins) -
McLaughlin (for Law, 75 mins) - Charsley (for Quinn, 80 mins) - Sinclair (for Reid, 80 mins) - Sweeney (for Gordon, 83 mins) - Subs not used: Stech, Ward. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(4-2-3-1): Vigouroux; Ling, Akinola, Turley,Widdowson; Cisse, Clay; McAnuff (Kyprianou 67), Kemp, Brophy; Johnson. Subs not used: Sargeant, Judd, Dennis, J. Sweeney, Abrahams, Young.
|
|
Referee:
|
Bobby Madley 7 Hardly noticed with no controversy. Handled the game well. Former Premier League referee.
|
|
|