Season 21/22 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Matlock Town
|
|
Mansfield Town
|
||
|
Chippendale 14.
|
|
|||
|
Attendance: 971
|
||||
|
Date: 16 July 2021
|
||||
|
Martin Shaw at the Proctor Cars Stadium, Causeway Lane
Mansfield Town lost 1-0 at Matlock Town in the second pre-season friendly of the 2021/22 season. Matlock were deserved winners. It was the Northern Premier League side’s fourth pre-season friendly and they looked very “up” for this game. After the game, Nigel Clough said that his players had done a very tough day of running yesterday, and had worked very hard this week in an important week building up fitness, and he expected them to be very tired for this game. He was therefore happy with the workout, saying “It was a perfect workout at the end of a tough week for the lads. That was exactly how we planned it, where they had to work hard after a tough day of training yesterday.” Clough was not concerned about the result. Indeed, with his side losing 1-0 with 9 minutes to go, Matlock were reduced to 10 men after a sending-off, and Clough took off one of his players, Elliott Hewitt, to even up the numbers. For the Stags fans, it was their second opportunity to see their team in the flesh after nearly 18 months away. It was at least a glorious evening of weather in Matlock, and a glorious setting, perhaps the most glorious of any football ground in the country, if not a performance to send them home entertained. The Stags were still without 7 players who were self-isolating and one or two others through injury. The Stags were without the following players: Self-isolating: George Shelvey (on loan from Nottm For), Marek Stech, James Perch, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Burke (new signing from Birmingham), George Maris, Jordan Bowery. Injured: Stephen Quinn (rolled his ankle at Retford, should be ok for next week), Jimmy Knowles (jarred his knee in the warm-up for this game at Matlock), Jason Law (twisted ankle in training on Monday, told me before the game he hoped to be back training next week), Josh Scott (injured). Absent: Nathan Bishop (on loan from Man Utd, at pre-season with Man Utd). Also absent from the squad that played at Retford: Ethan Hill (not known, presume injured), Rollin Menayese (gone on loan to Walsall for the season). The team that started the game was: Owen Mason (academy goalkeeper); Kellan Gordon, James Clarke, Elliott Hewitt (new signing from Grimsby), Stephen McLaughlin; George Lapslie (the defensive midfielder in the diamond), Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke, Rhys Oates (front of the midfield diamond, new signing from Hartlepool); Oli Hawkins (new signing from Ipswich), Danny Johnson (new signing from Leyton Orient). Substitutes: The team after 60 minutes, all subs made after 60 minutes (except Sinclair for Oates at HT, and Ward for Charsley after 51 minutes): Owen Mason; James Clarke, Elliott Hewitt, George Cooper, Jayden Charles; Corey O'Keeffe, Ollie Clarke, George Scott (trialist, released from Rotherham academy last season), Keaton Ward; Nathan Caine, Tyrese Sinclair. So there were two changes from the side that started at Retford: James Clarke for Meneyese, Rhys Oates for Quinn. It was a glorious evening in Matlock. Inside the first minute, a great flick-on from Oli Hawkins, but Danny Johnson couldn’t quite get on to it. Matlock made a lively start. They looked up for it from the off. After 11 minutes, George Lapslie fired in a powerful effort from 28 yards straight at the trialist Matlock keeper. He hit it well. A minute later a great surging run forward from Ollie Clarke. James Clarke left a back-pass a bit short moments later, but Stags young keeper Owen Mason was out quickly as Jonathan Wafula looked to be through on goal. Matlock took the lead after 14 minutes. A great diagonal ball forward from Alex Byrne, Liam Hughes did well, turned and laid off to Callum Chippendale who knocked into the net from 12 yards with the outside of his right boot. After 16 minutes, Lapslie was high and wide with an ambitious effort following a corner from the right. Another Hawkins flick-on after 18 minutes, but the ball was just cleared away from Johnson. A minute later, a shot from Kellan Gordon looked to be goalbound but was deflected for a corner. A chance for the Stags after 29 minutes, McLaughlin’s short corner was played back to him, and his low cross-shot was pushed away by the keeper. Matlock’s Reece Kendall was booked for a bad challenge on Lapslie after 35 minutes. Wafula was through on goal after 40 minutes, after Clarke’s header back was left short, but Owen Mason saved well to prevent Matlock doubling their lead, and from the rebound Hughes was high and wide. Good keeping from the Stags youngster. Three minutes later, from a Matlock free quick, Ryan Qualter headed wide. Matlock ahead at the break and they just about deserved it. Half time 1-0 Tyrese Sinclair replaced Rhys Oates at the start of the second half, pre-planned clearly. Oates had not played at Retford. Sinclair was straight into the action, with a great corner after 48 minutes, which Ollie Clarke headed just wide. A good effort. McLaughlin tried his luck from 30 yards two minutes later, but well over the bar. Keaton Ward replaced Charsley after 51 minutes. Hughes headed wide for Matlock from a corner after 51 minutes. Another good corner from Sinclair after 58 minutes, Hawkins was up well and headed just over the bar. Hawkins’ heading ability was a real plus on the evening. More good play from Sinclair after 59 minutes on the edge of the area getting past his man, but he shot straight at the keeper. Five more changes for the Stags after 60 minutes with George Cooper, Jayden Charles, Corey O'Keeffe, George Scott (trialist, released from Rotherham academy last season), and Nathan Caine coming on. James Clarke, Elliott Hewitt, and Ollie Clarke remained on from the outfield players that started the game. After 62 minutes, a free kick from Sinclair was blocked for a corner. Three minutes later, Ward found Sinclair on the byline and he smashed a cross-shot across the face of goal and out for a throw-in. Ollie Clarke was booked for a foul after 71 minutes. Nigel Clough told me after the game he thought it was a good tackle. After 76 minutes, Sinclair played a 1-2 from a corner with Ward, and tried a shot from the edge of the area but it was deflected through to the keeper, the sting having been taken out of it. Hewitt blocked a shot from Matlock sub Ross Hannah after 76 minutes, after he had tried to shepherd the ball back to the keeper and been unable to. Matlock’s no.2 (trialist) was booked for a foul on Sinclair after 77 minutes. Ollie Clarke embarked on a brilliant run after 79 minutes, Corey O’Keeffe had a chance to shoot, but tried to beat his man instead and it went out for a corner. Matlock’s no.2 (trialist) brought down Nathan Caine after 81 minutes and was shown a second yellow and a red card. Nigel Clough thought the red card was unnecessary in a friendly and withdrew Elliott Hewitt to even up the numbers. A great show of sportsmanship, much appreciated by the home side. O’Keeffe went to right back, and James Clarke to centre half. Sinclair took the resulting free kick from the left, well over the bar. There were no further chances and Matlock saw out time keeping the ball by the corner flag as the referee played no stoppage time (as he hadn’t in the first half when there had been several minutes worth of stoppages). Not great entertainment for the travelling Stags fans, but it’s all about getting ready for the start of the league season. Oli Hawkins provided some positives winning some good flick-ons. Elliott Hewitt looked good at the back apart from one mistake. Young academy keeper Owen Mason had a good game. And Tyrese Sinclair was again extremely lively in the second half. But he couldn’t do it all on his own, and the Stags could have done with Jimmy Knowles alongside Nathan Caine in the last 30 minutes, but Knowles was out with injury, so Caine was effectively on his own with Sinclair in a floating role. You’ll be able to watch the full match replay of this game with commentary tomorrow on iFollow Stags. The next game is against Grimsby Town behind closed doors at the RH Academy on Tuesday. Again we will not have live coverage on iFollow Stags but the full match replay with commentary will be available on iFollow Stags the following day. Then there is an additional first team game next Friday, at Alfreton Town, in light of players who have been self-isolating needing game time. Nigel Clough explained to me tonight that he will pick the team to play at Hull the following day, then work backwards to pick the team for the Alfreton game. |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the Proctor Cars Stadium, Causeway Lane
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
Owen Mason (academy goalkeeper);
Kellan Gordon, James Clarke, Elliott Hewitt (new signing from Grimsby), Stephen McLaughlin; George Lapslie, Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke, Rhys Oates (front of the midfield diamond, new signing from Hartlepool); Oli Hawkins (new signing from Ipswich), Danny Johnson (new signing from Leyton Orient). |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
The team after 60 minutes, all subs made after 60 minutes (except Sinclair for Oates at HT, and Ward for Charsley after 51 minutes):
Owen Mason; James Clarke, Elliott Hewitt, George Cooper, Jayden Charles; Corey O'Keeffe, Ollie Clarke, George Scott (trialist, released from Rotherham academy last season), Keaton Ward; Nathan Caine, Tyrese Sinclair. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
1 Trialist 2 Trialist 3 Jonathan Wafula 4 Ryan Qualter 5 Reece Kendall 6 Mark Lees 7 Alex Byrne 8 Alex Wiles 9 Liam Hughes 10 Callum Chippendale 11 Jesurun Ubechegulam Subs-all used : Shaun Rowley (goalkeeper), John Pritchard, Ross Hannah, Craig Carney, Declan Walker, Kade Coppin.
|
|
Referee:
|
Jamie O’Connor (Chesterfield)
|
|
|