{ match reports }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 20/21 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
1 - 1
 Newport County
Sinclair 84.
 
 Labadie 75
Attendance: behind closed doors
 
Date: 9 April 2021

STAGS UNLUCKY TO DRAW WITH NEWPORT IN ENTERTAINING GAME

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town inched further away from the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw at home to Newport County this evening. In a highly entertaining game, the Stags played some really good football and were unlucky not to win, but the night provided a memorable moment for young Tyrese Sinclair, who scored his first ever first team goal on just his second league start, to equalise six minutes from time. The Stags had gone behind after 75 minutes when a double error at the back gifted a goal to Joss Labadie, after George Maris lost the ball to Labadie and Labadie’s shot went straight through keeper Aidan Stone who should have made a comfortable save.

The first half was quite even though the Stags had the better chances. The Stags thought they might have taken the lead after 3 minutes as Stephen Quinn, who had another excellent game, crossed from the byline on the left to Sinclair who headed goalwards from 3 yards. Goalkeeper Nick Townsend scooped the ball out with his knee and against the inside of the post and away. From my position in the West Stand I could not tell if the whole of the ball had crossed the line, though it certainly looked close. The linesman decided it hadn’t. From the main camera video from the Bishop Street stand, it is again impossible to tell if the whole of the ball crossed the line.

More good play three minutes later as Sinclair and Quinn set up Sweeney who swept a shot over the bar. Newport went close to scoring after 26 minutes as Josh Sheehan’s free kick from the left was bundled inches wide of the left post by Joe Ledley. Then after 31 minutes, Ollie Clarke, who had a poor first half, dallied on the ball and was robbed by Labadie, before Dom Telford’s shot was well saved by Stone.

The Stags were very close to the taking the lead again after 38 minutes as Quinn cut in from the left hand side, tried to cut past Josh Sheehan, the ball ricocheted off Sheehan’s leg back into the path of Quinn who curled a right-footed shot inches wide of the right post from 16 yards. Two minutes later, good play by Maris, Lapslie and Quinn, to McLaughlin whose cross into the middle was headed over the bar by Sinclair. Then after 43 minutes Lapslie surged forward and his shot from 23 yards was blocked by Demetriou.

Into the second half, and Stone did well to punch away a dangerous free kick from Sheehan from the left, and then caught a follow-up cross from the byline from Scott Bennett.

The Stags were desperately unlucky not to score after 56 minutes. Quinn made a good run down the left, played inside to Jordan Bowery, Bowery then found Quinn with a great little pass, giving Quinn a chance to shoot from a tight angle. Quinn’s shot hit the inside of the right post and didn’t rebound to any of Sinclair, Clarke or Lapslie all of whom were unmarked and could have tapped into the net.

After 70 minutes, good movement from the Stags and Quinn’s low shot from 16 yards was straight at the keeper.

But a massive sucker punch for the Stags after 75 minutes and it was totally self-inflicted. Maris dallied on the ball 35 yards from his own goal. Labadie nicked the ball off him and pushed forward to the edge of the area before shooting low fractionally to Stone’s right. It should have been a comfortable save but it went straight through him. A howler from Stone, and from Maris.

After 77 minutes, the Stags had the ball in the Newport area but frustratingly no-one wanted to take a shot including Lapslie and Bowery. A minute later, Perch smashed a shot well over the after McLaughlin’s free kick came out to him.

After 82 minutes we found out that Tyrese Sinclair possesses a long throw, which could be a useful tool in the future, though on this occasion it was cleared.

Frustration for Mansfield turned to joy after 84 minutes as Sinclair equalised. McLaughlin’s cross from the left was headed away by Scott Bennett to Liam Shephard who chested the ball down inside his own area and went to clear but the ball was nicked away from him by Sinclair who took a couple of touches before rifling a shot into the roof of the net from level with the edge of the six yard box on the left. A memorable moment and I expect the first of many goals in his career by Sinclair who I think is a very special talent.

The Stags pushed hard for a winner with Sinclair sending a free kick from 29 yards just over the bar, Quinn’s cross deflected onto the roof of the net, Sinclair’s corner scrambled away, and an on-target shot from substitute Jamie Reid blocked, while Newport also had a chance to win it in injury time as Aaron Lewis’s shot was deflected wide by his own man Jake Scrimshaw.

Another draw then, which in some ways came as a relief after conceding that 75th minute goal to Newport, but on the balance of good chances created, the Stags were certainly unlucky not to win it, striking the post twice and having several other near misses.

Plenty of good performances throughout the Stags side with Stephen Quinn and Tyrese Sinclair catching the eye, and the whole of the back four playing very well. I asked Nigel Clough after the game whether he thought he would be able to sign Stephen Quinn permanently at the end of the season and he said he was pretty hopeful. I also joked with Nigel Clough that just about every other League Two club seems to have a long throw merchant and we seemed to have found ours in Tyrese Sinclair!

So another draw for the Stags. That is 19 draws in total this season, and just one more in the remaining 5 games of the season would equal the club record for most draws in a season, which is 20 (set in 1971-72 and 1995-96). As I said after the Exeter game, it’s not particularly a record you want to equal or beat, but it does tell part of the story of the season.

(UPDATE: Thank you to a couple of people on the Stagsnet messageboard, Daz and Pete Wright, pointing out that the Football League record for number of draws in a season is 23, jointly held by Norwich, Exeter, Hartlepool and Cardiff. The Stags could equal that with 4 draws from the final 5 games of the season).

Ahead of tomorrow’s (Saturday) games, Mansfield are 12 points above bottom club Grimsby, 10 points above second bottom Southend, and 5 points above third bottom Colchester. Mansfield now have just 5 games left this season. Grimsby have two games in hand, Southend one game in hand, Colchester have played the same number of games. Mansfield’s goal difference is more than 20 better than both of the bottom two, and 14 better than Colchester, so is effectively worth an extra point. The Stags are inching clear.

(UPDATE: Grimsby lost 1-0 at Bradford on Saturday. Southend drew 0-0 with Crawley. I watched the Southend game on iFollow. Very entertaining. Both sides could have won it in an open game. Grimsby remain 12 points behind Mansfield and they have 6 games left. Southend are 9 points behind Mansfield and they have just 5 games left. The chances of either catching Mansfield is getting very slim indeed now.)

The Stags’ next game is next Saturday away to Stevenage.

(UPDATE: the game will be moved from 3pm Saturday due to the funeral of Prince Philip. Details to be announced, probably announced on Monday I’d guess).

DETAILED REPORT:

Mansfield were unchanged from the draw at Exeter. No change on the bench either. It was the same diamond midfield formation.

Newport were without Nicky Maynard, who the Newport commentator told me was their star man and matchwinner against Bolton on Easter Monday. He was not allowed to play as part of the agreement in the loan move from Mansfield. Incidentally Nigel Clough had a very amicable-looking chat with him after the game. Nigel Clough told me that Maynard joked with him that Clough probably would not have played Sinclair, who played so well and got the equaliser in the game, if Maynard had stayed at Mansfield.

Newport brought in Dom Telford for Maynard. Newport were in the final play-off position, and would have gone 5th and just outside the automatic promotion places with a win at Mansfield.

The game was moved to Friday night. No reason was given by either club. However Nigel Clough had said to me some weeks ago he thought there was a better atmosphere at evening games and the players responded better. This was probably part of the reason. Maybe also that better iFollow numbers could be expected in a night game when the pubs are closed due to lockdown, than on a Saturday afternoon. Newport would have been keen to move the game to Friday night as they have a game next Tuesday and this would give them more recovery time.

There was a two minutes silence for Prince Philip before the game. He died earlier in the day. RIP.

Newport took the knee just before the game. Mansfield again did not.

Inside the first minute, Aaron Lewis sent a powerful shot from long range straight at Stone.

The Stags thought they might have taken the lead after 3 minutes as Quinn crossed from the byline on the left to Sinclair who headed goalwards from 3 yards. Goalkeeper Nick Townsend scooped the ball out with his knee and against the inside of the post and away. From my position in the West Stand I could not tell if the whole of the ball had crossed the line, though it certainly looked close. The linesman decided it hadn’t. From the main camera video from the Bishop Street stand, it is again impossible to tell if the whole of the ball crossed the line.

More good play three minutes later as Sinclair and Quinn set up Sweeney who swept a shot over the bar.

Clarke gave the ball away after 10 minutes, and Sweeney did well to sweep up before there was any damage. 14 minutes later, Clarke was hesitant again, in his own area, and Quinn cleared up.

Newport went close to scoring after 26 minutes as Josh Sheehan’s free kick from the left was bundled inches wide of the left post by Joe Ledley. The free kick came after Maris committed a foul.

After 28 minutes, from McLaughlin’s free kick from 30 yards out, Rawson headed straight at the keeper.

Then after 31 minutes, Clarke dallied on the ball again and was robbed by Labadie, before Dom Telford’s shot was well saved by Stone. Three times Clarke had been caught napping.

After 37 minutes, Sheehan sent a free kick from 32 yards straight into the wall.

The Stags were very close to the taking the lead again after 38 minutes as Quinn cut in from the left hand side, tried to cut past Josh Sheehan, the ball ricocheted off Sheehan’s leg back into the path of Quinn who curled a right-footed shot inches wide of the right post from 16 yards.

Two minutes later, good play by Maris, Lapslie and Quinn, to McLaughlin whose cross into the middle was headed over the bar by Sinclair.

Then after 43 minutes Lapslie surged forward and his shot from 23 yards was blocked by Demetriou.

An entertaining first half. Mansfield with 3 near misses, to one for Newport.

Half time 0-0

Into the second half, and after 54 minutes Stone did well to punch away a dangerous free kick from Sheehan from the left, and then caught a follow-up cross from the byline from Scott Bennett.

The Stags were desperately unlucky not to score after 56 minutes. Quinn made a good run down the left, played inside to Jordan Bowery, Bowery then found Quinn with a great little pass, giving Quinn a chance to shoot from a tight angle. Quinn’s shot hit the inside of the right post and didn’t rebound to any of Sinclair, Clarke or Lapslie all of whom were unmarked and could have tapped into the net.

Lapslie was booked for a sliding challenge after 57 minutes.

Sinclair headed over the bar from 8 yards from a good cross from McLaughlin after 61 minutes.

Good defending from McLaughlin after 66 minutes with a strong challenge to win the ball off Shephard. Two minutes later, Newport sub Lewis Collins broke forward, was forced wide by McLaughlin so he couldn’t shoot, pulled back to Labadie who side-footed well over the bar.

After 70 minutes, good movement from the Stags and Quinn’s low shot from 16 yards was straight at the keeper.

But a massive sucker punch for the Stags after 75 minutes and it was totally self-inflicted. Maris dallied on the ball 35 yards from his own goal. Labadie nicked the ball off him and pushed forward to the edge of the area before shooting low fractionally to Stone’s right. It should have been a comfortable save but it went straight through him. A howler from Stone, and from Maris.

After 77 minutes, the Stags had the ball in the Newport area but frustratingly no-one wanted to take a shot including Lapslie and Bowery. A minute later, Perch smashed a shot well over the after McLaughlin’s free kick came out to him.

Jamie Reid replaced Clarke after 80 minutes.

After 82 minutes we found out that Tyrese Sinclair possesses a long throw, which could be a useful tool in the future, though on this occasion it was cleared.

Frustration for Mansfield turned to joy after 84 minutes as Sinclair equalised. McLaughlin’s cross from the left was headed away by Scott Bennett to Liam Shephard who chested the ball down inside his own area and went to clear but the ball was nicked away from him by Sinclair who took a couple of touches before rifling a shot into the roof of the net from level with the edge of the six yard box on the left. A memorable moment and I expect the first of many goals in his career by Sinclair who I think is a very special talent.

After 87 minutes, Rawson headed away Demetriou’s long throw.

It was now pouring with rain.

The Stags pushed hard for a winner with Sinclair sending a free kick from 29 yards just over the bar, after Lapslie had broken forward and been brought down by Labadie. Then after 90 minutes, Quinn’s cross deflected onto the roof of the net, after a good move from the Stags involving Quinn, Bowery, Reid, Lapslie, Maris, Lapslie again, McLaughlin, and then Quinn. Sinclair’s resulting corner was scrambled away.

Newport also had a chance to win it in injury time on 90+4 minutes as Aaron Lewis’s shot was deflected wide by his own man Jake Scrimshaw.

Finally after 90+6 minutes, Lapslie lifted a cross into the area from the right, it was headed out by Scott Bennett and Jamie Reid volleyed goalwards from 22 yards. It was a decent effort and on target but blocked by Bennett.

That was the last of the action and it finished all square.

A very entertaining game.

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 5 Bad mistake for the goal. One good save from Telford, One good punch away.
Perch 7 Good game.
Rawson 7.5 Very solid.
Sweeney 8 Very good game including sweeping up after a Clarke error.
McLaughlin 8 Plenty of good work going forward down the left including good crosses, and some good defending.
Maris 5 Bad mistake to lose the ball as Labadie went on to score. Interestingly, the Newport manager mentioned in his post match interview that Maris looked tired and they tried to exploit that.
O.Clarke 4.5 Caught napping 3 times in the opening 30 minutes. Surprisingly not replaced until 80 minutes given Nigel Clough explained afterwards that he was “physically struggling a bit”.
Quinn 9 Excellent game. Involved in such a lot down the left, in fact most of the chances created.
Lapslie 6 Not at his best.
Sinclair 8.5 Really caught the eye again, and provided a memorable moment, scoring his first ever first team goal on just his second league start.
Bowery 6 Worked hard but not too heavily involved. Had just one chance for a shot and didn’t take it.
Sub Line Up:
Reid (for O.Clarke, 80 mins) - Looked sharper than of late, perhaps benefitting from the rest.
Subs not used: Stech, Gordon, Benning, Charsley, Law, Ward.
Opposition Line Up:
(3-5-2): Townsend; Bennett, Dolan, Demetriou; Shephard, Sheehan, Ledley (Collins 66), Labadie (captain), Lewis; Telford (Scrimshaw 61), Taylor. Substitutes not used: King, Longe-King, Ellison, Gambin, Amond.
Referee:
Christopher Pollard 7 Handled the game well.


Season 20/21 Reports