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Season 21/22 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
1 - 3
 Harrogate Town
Oates 3. O.Clarke sent off 73, Quinn sent off 74.
 
 Armstrong 5, Muldoon 45+2, Thomson 81.
Attendance: 4,599 (155 from Harrogate)
 
Date: 4 September 2021

DEFENSIVE LAPSES AGAIN AS STAGS BEATEN BY HARROGATE

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town were beaten 3-1 at home by Harrogate Town this afternoon thanks to some terrible defending once again. And all that after the Stags made the perfect start going ahead in the third minute with a goal from Rhys Oates. To make matters worse, the Stags had two players sent off, Ollie Clarke for bringing down Jack Diamond and denying a goalscoring opportunity as the last man, and Stephen Quinn for an off-the-ball incident seconds later, when according to the linesman, he kicked out at a Harrogate player. Clarke will be suspended for one game, and Quinn for three games.

The Stags took the lead after 3 minutes. Stephen McLaughlin curled a free kick from left, 38 yards out, into the box and Rhys Oates met it on the volley on the corner of the six-yard box to send it into the left corner of the net. A great finish from Oates for his first goal for the club, and a terrific free kick from McLaughlin.

But within 90 seconds Harrogate were level. George Thomson’s corner from the left was headed into the net by the dangerous Luke Armstrong, unmarked, from 5 yards out at the near post. Ollie Clarke was marking Armstrong at the corner, but let him go.

Harrogate took the lead after 45+2 minutes. Another Thomson corner from the left was headed away by Oli Hawkins. George Maris should have got the ball further away but only played the ball against Alex Pattison. Pattison then turned and got past Maris before crossing in from the right, into the middle where Jack Muldoon got away from his marker Elliott Hewitt to turn the ball into the net from 7 yards. A double mistake from Maris, and then poor defending from Hewitt.

In between the goals, the first half was very even, with Nathan Bishop saving well with his boot from Pattison’s shot from 12 yards, while at the other end McLaughlin’s free kick from 23 yards towards the top left corner of the net was parried over the bar by the Harrogate keeper.

The Stags had a chance to equalise after 59 minutes as Ollie Clarke found Kellan Gordon in space in the box with a chance to shoot, but he dallied too long and by the time he did shoot, there were defenders in his way and it was blocked. Harrogate had chances as Armstrong’s shot was deflected wide and Muldoon miscued a shot straight at Bishop.

The game exploded on 73 minutes. Following Stephen Quinn’s corner from the right, the ball came back to Quinn just inside the area, he got his toe to the ball first and went down as he was caught by Pattison. My immediate reaction was that it was a penalty, and having the studied the video, it certainly should have been a penalty in my opinion. The referee waved play on. Jack Diamond broke forward into the Stags half chased by Ollie Clarke. Diamond got past debutant Richard Nartey and was then pulled down by Clarke who had his arm on Diamond’s shoulder. The referee decided that Clarke was the last man and it was a goalscoring opportunity, and showed Clarke a red card. In my opinion, the referee’s decision to show Clarke a red card was correct as Clarke was certainly the last man. Nigel Clough said after the game, he didn’t think it was the correct decision. However a few days later, James Perch told Notts TV that having looked at the Ollie Clarke sending off again with the analyst, they concede that the sending off was the correct decision. Worse was to follow as Stephen Quinn was then shown a red card. It was off the ball, off camera while Clarke was being shown the red card, and I didn’t see it. The referee didn’t see it either, and was informed by his linesman that he’s seen a kick. Clough said if that was the case it was inexcusable from Quinn.
UPDATE: a fans video shows the incident where Quinn aims a little kick at Pattison. It’s stupid from Quinn and can’t be defended.

So the Stags were reduced to nine men and the game was as good as over. Whilst I think the red card for Clarke was the right decision, it should never have been necessary because the Stags should have had the penalty at the other end seconds earlier and the result of the game could well have been completely different. Nigel Clough talked afterwards of possibly appealing the Clarke red card. There would be no chance of success in my opinion. Clarke will be suspended for one game. Quinn will be suspended for three.

Bishop made a great one-handed save after 78 minutes, from Muldoon.

Hewitt, now in midfield, made a great run forward after 79 minutes into the area and went around the keeper. But he didn’t get a shot in. Had he been able to manufacture a penalty or a red card or a goal the Stags would have been back in it. But he couldn’t.

Bishop made another great save after 81 minutes, saving with his legs after Pattison got past Nartey into the area.

But Harrogate made it 3-1 moments later. It came from another corner, this time from the right taken by Page. With a two-man advantage, the Stags couldn’t mark everyone and focussed on marking the big men, leaving the smallest man on the pitch George Thomson a free run and a free header into the net at the near post.

The Stags at least didn’t concede any further goals after that.

Nigel Clough admitted afterwards that “we still have a problem at centre half without a doubt, and we will have one until James Perch is back on the pitch”. Perch was on Mansfield 103.2 radio today with Mark Stevenson, reporting on the game. Perch said he is "waiting to hear what the medical people say" with no further news on a timescale for return or details of the injury. A few days later, Perch told Notts TV he took a nasty knock to the head in training. He's going to see a specialist in a couple of days to get a timeframe for when he can return to training and playing. "Other than that, we don't really know" he said.

A dreadful day for the Stags. And Harrogate complete their 4th win in the first ever 4 games between the clubs.

Full credit to Harrogate. They go to the top of the table and have played a game fewer than most clubs. They played well today and deserved their victory overall. They are strong and solid. Excellent from set pieces. Luke Armstrong looks to be one of the best strikers in the division. I watched them play Leyton Orient 11 days ago and they were very impressive in that game too. They also have some strength in depth as we saw on Tuesday. They already look a good bet for promotion.

Are the Stags a good bet for promotion? With defending like this and at home to Bradford in the last home game, the answer would have to be no. The Stags have still not kept a clean sheet in 8 league and cup games this season. The Stags must improve defensively very quickly. If they can, then the attacking play from midfield and up front is good enough to be in the top 7 in my opinion.

The Stags drop down to 14th place, 2 points below 7th place. The next game is away to Walsall next Saturday. Walsall are two points behind Mansfield. The Stags need to bounce back.


Mansfield made two changes from the side that lost at Swindon. New loan signing Richard Nartey was straight into the side, in place of Rawson. And Oates started upfront in place of Johnson. Lapslie was the only player who started on Tuesday in the Papa John’s Trophy game between the two sides. Stirk was back on the bench after testing positive for Covid.
Harrogate made one change from the side that drew with Exeter a week earlier. Loan signing Jack Diamond came in. He was on loan at Harrogate in their promotion season two years ago and was outstanding for them. Hall, Thomson and Pattison started from the side that started on Tuesday in the Papa John’s Trophy game between the two sides. Warren Burrell was playing against his former side.


It was another good atmosphere at the One Call Stadium.

The Stags took the lead after 3 minutes. Stephen McLaughlin curled a free kick from left, 38 yards out, into the box and Rhys Oates met it on the volley on the corner of the six-yard box to send it into the left corner of the net. A great finish from Oates for his first goal for the club, and a terrific free kick from McLaughlin.

But within 90 seconds Harrogate were level. George Thomson’s corner from the left was headed into the net by the dangerous Luke Armstrong, unmarked, from 5 yards out at the near post. Ollie Clarke was marking Armstrong at the corner, but let him go.

Great play from McLaughlin after 8 minutes as he played a 1-2 and sent in a low ball towards Oates but the keeper grabbed on the ground at full stretch.

Nartey was booked for a foul on Armstrong after 9 minutes.

A great run from Oates after 10 minutes into the area but his ball across towards Hawkins was intercepted. A minute later Hawkins fed Lapslie who slid in to shoot and sent it just over the bar from 25 yards.

Nathan Bishop saved well with his boot from Pattison’s shot from 12 yards, following a Harrogate corner after 25 minutes.

After 26 minutes, a good cross from Gordon, Hawkins headed it back, it came out to Quinn who sent a right footed shot over the bar.

After 30 minutes, Diamond played a great ball out to Thomson, who sent in a cross to Armstrong whose header deflected off Hewitt straight to Bishop. Without the deflection, the header might have gone in.

Gordon went down in the area looking for a penalty after 36 minutes, after great play from Oates. He was booked for diving, and from the replay it was the correct decision.

Lapslie was also booked, on 38 minutes, for a foul on Falkingham, having escaped a booking earlier for another foul.

On 42 minutes, Page was booked for Harrogate, for bringing down Maris. McLaughlin’s free kick from 23 yards out, right of centre, towards the top left corner of the net was parried over the bar by the Harrogate keeper.

Harrogate took the lead after 45+2 minutes. Another Thomson corner from the left was headed away by Oli Hawkins. George Maris should have got the ball further away but only played the ball against Alex Pattison. Pattison then turned and got past Maris before crossing in from the right, into the middle where Jack Muldoon got away from his marker Elliott Hewitt to turn the ball into the net from 7 yards. A double mistake from Maris, and then poor defending from Hewitt.

A very competitive and even first half. The Stags ahead early on, Harrogate level within 90 seconds, and then ahead just before the break.

Half time 1-2

A clear foul by Burrell on Quinn after 47 minutes just outside the area was not given by the referee. Moments later a shot from Ollie Clarke from 28 yards was wide.

Harrogate had the ball in the net after the whistle had gone after 50 minutes as Thomson fired a free kick into the wall, the ball was recycled into the area and Armstrong was well offside as he headed into the net.

From a Quinn corner after 52 minutes, a looping header from Hawkins was over the bar. Three minutes later at the other end, Armstrong turned in the area and had a shot deflected for a corner.

The Stags had a chance to equalise after 59 minutes as Ollie Clarke found Kellan Gordon in space in the box with a chance to shoot, but he dallied too long and by the time he did shoot, there were defenders in his way and it was blocked.

A minute later, a powerful cross from McLaughlin and Hawkins headed wide.

Muldoon miscued a shot straight at Bishop after 62 minutes.

Johnson replaced Lapslie after 68 minutes.

On 69 minutes, McLaughlin headed high over the bar from Gordon’s free kick from the right.

The game exploded on 73 minutes. Following Stephen Quinn’s corner from the right, the ball came back to Quinn just inside the area, he got his toe to the ball first and went down as he was caught by Pattison. My immediate reaction was that it was a penalty, and having the studied the video, it certainly should have been a penalty in my opinion. The referee waved play on. Jack Diamond broke forward into the Stags half chased by Ollie Clarke. Diamond got past debutant Richard Nartey and was then pulled down by Clarke who had his arm on Diamond’s shoulder. The referee decided that Clarke was the last man and it was a goalscoring opportunity, and showed Clarke a red card. In my opinion, the referee’s decision to show Clarke a red card was correct as Clarke was certainly the last man. Nigel Clough said after the game, he didn’t think it was the correct decision. However a few days later, James Perch told Notts TV that having looked at the Ollie Clarke sending off again with the analyst, they concede that the sending off was the correct decision. Worse was to follow as Stephen Quinn was then shown a red card. It was off the ball, off camera while Clarke was being shown the red card, and I didn’t see it. The referee didn’t see it either, and was informed by his linesman that he’s seen a kick. Clough said if that was the case it was inexcusable from Quinn.
UPDATE: a fans video shows the incident where Quinn aims a little kick at Pattison. It’s stupid from Quinn and can’t be defended.

So the Stags were reduced to nine men and the game was as good as over. Whilst I think the red card for Clarke was the right decision, it should never have been necessary because the Stags should have had the penalty at the other end seconds earlier and the result of the game could well have been completely different. Nigel Clough talked afterwards of possibly appealing the Clarke red card. There would be no chance of success in my opinion. Clarke will be suspended for one game. Quinn will be suspended for three.

Before play restarted, Rawson replaced Oates (76 minutes). Hewitt moved into midfield.

Bishop caught Thomson’s free kick on his line after 77 minutes.

Bishop then made a great one-handed save after 78 minutes, from Muldoon.

Hewitt, now in midfield, made a great run forward after 79 minutes into the area and went around the keeper. But he didn’t get a shot in. Had he been able to manufacture a penalty or a red card or a goal the Stags would have been back in it. But he couldn’t.

Bishop made another great save after 81 minutes, saving with his legs after Pattison got past Nartey into the area.

But Harrogate made it 3-1 moments later. It came from another corner, this time from the right taken by Page. With a two-man advantage, the Stags couldn’t mark everyone and focussed on marking the big men, leaving the smallest man on the pitch George Thomson a free run and a free header into the net at the near post.

Bowery replaced Hawkins after 82 minutes.

A corner from Maris after 83 minutes was beyond the far post, McLaughlin got a boot on it but put it wide.

Harrogate were able to bring on Tuesday’s hat trick here Danilo Orsi after 87 minutes.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added on. After 90+3, a blatant foul on Maris was missed by the referee.

Maris was then booked after 90+5 minutes for a deliberate foul on Power.

Boos for the referee at full time. And surprisingly some applause for the Stags players. They didn’t deserve boos but they didn’t really deserve applause either.

Man of the match: Nathan Bishop


Here’s a running tally of various stats:

Goals: Hawkins 3, O.Clarke, Johnson, Hewitt, Lapslie, Maris, Oates 1

Assists: McLaughlin, Oates 2, O.Clarke, Hawkins, Johnson, Quinn 1
(note: in the case of a penalty, the player who earns the penalty gets an assist. In the case of a solo goal, such as Maris against Newport, nobody gets an assist.)

Average home league attendance: 5199 (average away fans: 822, average home fans 4377)


Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill



Line Up:
(4-4-2, diamond in midfield)
Bishop 8 Three very good saves, two with his legs, and one one-handed. No chance with the goals.
Gordon 6 Missed a chance when he should have shot first time. A couple of decent crosses.
Nartey 5.5 Disappointing debut. Booked early on.
Hewitt 5.5 Muldoon got away from him to turn in the second goal.
McLaughlin 7 Super assist for the goal. Some other good crosses and good runs forward.
Maris 5.5 A double mistake for the second goal. Nigel Clough described it as his “decision absolutely defied all logic and common sense.”
O.Clarke 5 Was marking Armstrong but let him get away for the first goal. Correctly sent off for bringing down Diamond.
Quinn 5.5 Should have had a penalty when he was fouled, but was sent off moments later. Clough said of the red card “No excuse for that at all, especially with his experience”.
Lapslie 5.5 Didn’t really get into the game. Subbed after 68 minutes.
Hawkins 6 Did ok.
Oates 7 Great finish for his first goal for the club. A couple of good runs.
Sub Line Up:
Johnson (for Lapslie, 68 mins) -
Rawson (for Oates, 76 mins) -
Bowery (for Hawkins, 82 mins) -
Subs not used: Shelvey, Burke, Sinclair, Stirk.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Oxley; Burrell, Hall, McArdle, Page; Thomson, Falkingham (Kerry 76), Pattison (Power 84), Diamond; Armstrong, Muldoon (Orsi 87). Subs not used: Cracknell, Fallowfield, Martin, Power.
Referee:
Paul Howard 5 Got the Ollie Clarke sending off right, but that came moments after he got the Quinn penalty appeal wrong. The Quinn sending off is right too by the letter of the law.


Season 21/22 Reports