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Season 21/22 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
3 - 2
 Hartlepool United
O'Toole 55, Bowery 62, Maris 66.
 
 Molyneux 25, Featherstone 51
Attendance: 5,958 (1010 from Hartlepool)
 
Date: 26 December 2021

STAGS COME FROM 2-0 DOWN TO BEAT HARTLEPOOL IN THRILLER

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town came from 2-0 down to beat Hartlepool United 3-2 in a Boxing Day thriller at the One Call Stadium this afternoon. And to add to the incredible drama, Hartlepool had a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time when it seemed they had rescued a point. Mansfield’s incredible run of results continues, it now stands at 10 wins from 11 league and cup games, 6 home wins on the trot in league and cup, and the Stags are up to 9th place, just 1 point behind the play-offs.

The Stags came in to the game with a squad decimated due to a combination of 4 positive Covid tests and injury: Quinn, Lapslie, Charsley, and Nartey were all unavailable due to positive Covid tests, while Ollie Clarke was injured along with Johnson, Forrester and Gordon. Shelvey was also not in the squad, perhaps due to injury but reason not given.

In came Jason Law, himself having tested positive for Covid less than 2 weeks ago, and having not followed up his excellent form from the back end of last season yet this season, and he was to go on to have a terrific game. Hawkins played at the back with O’Toole moving up to bolster the depleted midfield.

It was a very foggy day and by the end of the game the visibility made it only just about playable.

The first half saw the Stags dominate and play some good football creating plenty of good chances but incredibly Hartlepool found themselves ahead with their only shot, and just about the only time they ventured into the Stags area.

The Hartlepool goal came after 25 minutes. Matty Daly played a square ball across from the box from the left and Luke Molyneux was left unmarked to slide his shot along the ground and wide of Bishop into the net from 12 yards. It was a poor goal to concede.

But the Stags had four golden chances in the first half. The Stags had Hartlepool under pressure and after a succession of corners, from the 6th corner, taken by Law from the right, Rawson headed just wide of the left post. Then, after Law was fouled, a free kick from McLaughlin curled into the middle found Rawson unmarked and in space in front of goal, but he made a hash of a glorious chance. Moments after that Law put in a great cross from the left for Bowery who directed his header towards the left corner of the net but didn’t get enough power on it and Garry Liddle was able to clear it off the line. Then after Hartlepool had gone in front, Law superbly set Oates away into the area but he tried to dink his shot over the keeper and sent it wide of the left post. Great play from Law and a big chance for Oates against his former club.

The Hartlepool goalkeeper was booked for blatant time-wasting in the first half, the second team running blatantly time-wasting here in the first half, after Salford did it two weeks ago.

Incredibly, Hartlepool made it 2-0 after 51 minutes with just about their second foray into the Stags box. A free kick from the right hand side, next to the corner flag, was uncharacteristically dropped by Bishop. In a scramble, Bishop then blocked Liddle’s shot at point blank range, but the ball came out to Nicky Featherstone who smashed it goalwards from 18 yards through a crowd of players. Bishop got a hand on it but couldn’t keep it out. A mistake by Bishop to drop the free kick but I would cut him a massive amount of slack as Nigel Clough said afterwards that he was feeling under the weather and he has been superb so far this season. Hartlepool celebrated wildly in front of their travelling 1,000 fans.

Aside from anything else, how great to see 1,000 away fans after Salford brought 73 in the last game.

The Stags needed a goal back quickly and it came after 55 minutes. Yet another corner for the Stags, this time from the left taken by Maris, O’Toole rose highest and headed down into the bottom right of the net.

And within 7 minutes the Stags were level. Hewitt did brilliantly on the right to get to the byline and chip a wonderful cross into the middle for Bowery, who despite having two defenders on him, headed into the left corner of the net from 6 yards. A great moment for Bowery.

Maris won yet another corner for the Stags after 66 minutes with a shot from 30 yards that was deflected wide, and from it the Stags made it 3-2. Maris’s corner from the left was partially cleared, and then played back to Maris by Law. Maris curled another cross into a great area, it evaded everybody and went straight in at the far post. Reward for a great cross from Maris, and reward for the Stags who had 12 corners in the game. Three goals in 11 minutes had turned the game around.

It was nearly 4-2 a couple of minutes later and Bishop’s long ball forward found Bowery who hit a powerful first time shot but it was straight at the keeper.

Stirk had a couple of chances to extend the lead as his low shot was too soft and straight at the keeper, and then he spotted the keeper off his line and tried an outrageous chip from 45 yards, over the bar.

The drama wasn’t over. Four of minutes of time was added on. Hartlepool had not added to their attempts at goal but won a free kick two minutes into stoppage for a foul by Law for which he was booked. The free kick from 35 yards out, just in from the right touchline, was curled beautifully into the box by David Ferguson, and turned into the net by sub Gavin Holohan. It was by now so foggy that I couldn’t even see the linesman on the far side on the Bishop Street side, let alone see that he had raised his flag for offside, after Hartlepool players and their bench had already been celebrating wildly. But his flag was up and the Stags had a massive reprieve. From the main camera video, there is certainly a Hartlepool player offside as the free kick is taken, I can’t quite tell which player it is (*), but he tries to get to the ball as it comes into the area. It looks like it might have been the right decision from the linesman but it is still a bit of luck to get the decision when it is so tight and as Nigel Clough said after the game “we were not getting those breaks a couple of months back” during the run of 14 league and cup games without a win.
(*) UPDATE: the player offside was no.16 Neill Byrne

Joy for the Stags at full time, despair for Hartlepool. The Stags clearly deserved to win this game, and by a much greater margin than one goal. 22 shots for the Stags to just 5 for Hartlepool (I only make it 4 for Hartlepool, not sure where the PA stats have got the 5th from). But the most impressive thing about it was that Mansfield did it despite missing so many key players such as Quinn, Lapslie, Ollie Clarke, among others. Indeed it was the first league win of the season without Quinn in the side as I pointed out to Nigel Clough after the game. Huge credit to the midfield that stepped up with O’Toole, Law and Maris the outstanding 3 players in my opinion.

The next game is Wednesday’s game at Harrogate. After the game, Nigel Clough said that there were more players in the changing room demonstrating Covid symptoms and with players crammed together in such a small space he thought there might be some more positive cases. He added: “We only have 14 fit outfielders and none of the injuries will be back in time for Wednesday. We will do everything we can to get a team out on Wednesday but, as much as we want to play, if we can't make the required number we will fall victim like an awful lot of teams have today. With it spreading so fast I think it's inevitable there will be two or three more.”
So the game might well be in doubt. I did ask Nigel Clough if I should go ahead and book a cottage to stay over in Harrogate, and he suggested I should hang on!
UPDATE: the game was postponed the day after the Hartlepool game.

Anyway, this win was a great Christmas present for Stags fans, with the linesman coming dressed as Santa Claus!

Merry Christmas everyone!

DETAILED REPORT :

The Stags came in to the game with a squad decimated due to a combination of 4 positive Covid tests and injury: Quinn, Lapslie, Charsley, and Nartey were all unavailable due to positive Covid tests, while Ollie Clarke was injured along with Johnson, Forrester and Gordon. Shelvey was also not in the squad, perhaps due to injury but reason not given.

In came Jason Law, himself having tested positive for Covid less than 2 weeks ago, and having not followed up his excellent form from the back end of last season yet this season, and he was to go on to have a terrific game. Hawkins played at the back with O’Toole moving up to bolster the depleted midfield. The midfield 4 was therefore O’Toole, Maris, Stirk and Law. Law was behind the front two of Oates and Bowery. Stech came on to the bench in place of the missing Shelvey. Only 5 players on the bench in total, with Sinclair, Gale, Ward and Burke the outfield players.

Like Mansfield, Hartlepool hadn’t played for two weeks, having had their previous game off due to 4 positive Covid cases in their camp. They were unbeaten in 4 league and cup games with 3 wins and 1 draw, and unbeaten under boss Graeme Lee since Dave Challinor left to take over at Stockport. Hartlepool were two points behind the Stags in the table. They made one change from their side from two weeks ago with Matty Daly returning to replace Tom Crawford.

It was a very foggy day and by the end of the game the visibility made it only just about playable. From the West Stand, by the second half it was difficult to see the area near the corner flags on the Bishop Street side at either end of the pitch. From the Bishop Street camera for the game live on iFollow Stags, the visibility was even worse, particularly in the second half. From a video blog from a Hartlepool fan, they could not see the pitch at all at the Quarry Lane End and could not see any of the three Mansfield goals in the second half.

The first half saw the Stags dominate and play some good football creating plenty of good chances.

After 11 minutes, O’Toole did well to win the ball on the edge of the area, but his low left-footed shot lacked power and was cleared. Then Hewitt got to the byline and his cross was blocked for a corner.

Good pressure from the Stags with 3 corners in quick succession.

After 13 minutes, Bowery teed up Law and he curled a shot wide from 12 yards. On 16 minutes, Mansfield’s fifth corner, from Maris from the left into the middle, Rawson headed well over the bar.

After 18 minutes, from the 6th corner, taken by Law from the right, Rawson headed just wide of the left post. That was a big chance and Rawson very close to his first Stags goal, which is a long time coming!

Then on 22 minutes, after Law was fouled, a free kick from McLaughlin 28 yard out was curled into the middle and found Rawson unmarked and in space in front of goal, but he made a hash of a glorious chance, as the ball sort of hit him and he wasn’t able to get a proper shot in. Moments after that Law put in a great cross from the left for Bowery who directed his header towards the left corner of the net but didn’t get enough power on it and Garry Liddle was able to clear it off the line. That was two glorious chances in quick succession.

The Hartlepool goal came after 25 minutes. Matty Daly played a square ball across from the box from the left and Luke Molyneux was left unmarked to slide his shot along the ground and wide of Bishop into the net from 12 yards. It was a poor goal to concede with both Rawson and Hewitt out of position.

After 33 minutes, a great tackle by Hewitt to prevent a Hartlepool break following a Stags corner.

After 38 minutes, the Hartlepool goalkeeper Ben Killip was booked for blatant time-wasting in the first half, the second team running blatantly time-wasting here in the first half, after Salford did it two weeks ago. He had already been time wasting, and then when the Stags won a throw-in, he ran off with the ball down near the corner flag to prevent it being taken quickly.

After 42 minutes, Law superbly set Oates away into the area but he tried to dink his shot over the keeper and sent it wide of the left post. Great play from Law and a big chance for Oates against his former club.

Hawkins did well to clear a cross after 44 minutes.

So, incredibly Hartlepool found themselves ahead at the break with their only shot, and one of only about two times they ventured into the Stags area. The Stags meanwhile had four golden chances in the first half, two for Rawson, one Bowery and one Oates, and had played well apart from not taking those chances.

Half time 0-1

After 47 minutes, Oates was fouled 24 yards out, just left of centre. McLaughlin took the free kick, into the wall, it came out to Hawkins, who teed up Maris who fired over the bar from 25 yards.

After 50 minutes, Hartlepool left wing back Ferguson fizzed a low cross across the six yard box.

Incredibly, Hartlepool made it 2-0 after 51 minutes. A free kick from the right hand side, next to the corner flag, was uncharacteristically dropped by Bishop. In a scramble, Bishop then blocked Liddle’s shot at point blank range, but the ball came out to Nicky Featherstone who smashed it goalwards from 18 yards through a crowd of players. Bishop got a hand on it but couldn’t keep it out. A mistake by Bishop to drop the free kick but I would cut him a massive amount of slack as Nigel Clough said afterwards that he was feeling under the weather and he has been superb so far this season. Hartlepool celebrated wildly in front of their travelling 1,000 fans.

The Stags needed a goal back quickly and it came after 55 minutes. Yet another corner for the Stags, this time from the left taken by Maris, O’Toole rose highest and headed down into the bottom right of the net. His third goal for the Stags.

After 56 minutes, Maris teed up Hewitt who fired wide of the left post from 25 yards.

And on 62 minutes the Stags were level. Hewitt did brilliantly on the right to get to the byline and chip a wonderful cross into the middle for Bowery, who despite having two defenders on him, headed into the left corner of the net from 6 yards. A great moment for Bowery. His second goal of the season.

Maris won yet another corner for the Stags after 66 minutes with a shot from 30 yards that was deflected wide, and from it the Stags made it 3-2. Maris’s corner from the left was partially cleared, and then played back to Maris by Law. Maris curled another cross into a great area, it evaded everybody and went straight in at the far post. Reward for a great cross from Maris, and reward for the Stags who had 12 corners in the game. Three goals in 11 minutes had turned the game around.

It was nearly 4-2 a couple of minutes later and Bishop’s long ball forward found Bowery who hit a powerful first time shot from the edge of the box but it was straight at the keeper.

Moments later, Maris tried his luck from 30 yards but was over the bar.

Stirk had a chance to extend the lead on 72 minutes as made a good run forward but his low shot was too soft and straight at the keeper. A minute later, Law played to O’Toole on the right, he turned and shot wide.

Then on 80 minutes, Stirk spotted the keeper off his line and tried an outrageous chip from 45 yards, over the bar.

Mansfield made their first change after 81 minutes as Sinclair came on for the limping Maris. He’d got a whack a bit earlier.

Sinclair had a shot from the edge of the box after 89 minutes but it was an easy save for the keeper.

James Gale replaced Oates after 89 minutes.

The drama wasn’t over. Four of minutes of time was added on. Hartlepool had not added to their attempts at goal but won a free kick two minutes into stoppage for a foul by Law for which he was booked. A mistake by Law in his otherwise terrific game. The free kick from 35 yards out, just in from the right touchline, was curled beautifully into the box by David Ferguson, and turned into the net by sub Gavin Holohan. It was by now so foggy that I couldn’t even see the linesman on the far side on the Bishop Street side, let alone see that he had raised his flag for offside, after Hartlepool players and their bench had already been celebrating wildly. But his flag was up and the Stags had a massive reprieve. From the main camera video and from a video blog from a Hartlepool fan behind the goal, there is certainly a Hartlepool player offside as the free kick is taken, and upon further inspection the player is no.16 Neill Byrne who then tries to get to the ball as it comes into the area. It looks like it might have been the right decision from the linesman but it is still a bit of luck to get the decision when it is so tight and as Nigel Clough said after the game “we were not getting those breaks a couple of months back” during the run of 14 league and cup games without a win.

Joy for the Stags at full time, despair for Hartlepool. The Stags clearly deserved to win this game, and by a much greater margin than one goal. 22 shots for the Stags to just 5 for Hartlepool (I only make it 4 for Hartlepool, not sure where the PA stats have got the 5th from). But the most impressive thing about it was that Mansfield did it despite missing so many key players such as Quinn, Lapslie, Ollie Clarke, among others. Indeed it was the first league win of the season without Quinn in the side as I pointed out to Nigel Clough after the game. Huge credit to the midfield that stepped up with O’Toole, Law and Maris the outstanding 3 players in my opinion.

This win was a great Christmas present for Stags fans, with the linesman coming dressed as Santa Claus! With the Harrogate game on the 29th now off, and the Rochdale game on New Years Day likely to go the same way, it’s likely to be another wait for the next game.

Man of the Match: John-Joe O’Toole


Here’s a running tally of various stats this season:

Goals (league and cup): Johnson 7, Hawkins, Oates 5, Lapslie 4, O.Clarke, O’Toole 3, Bowery, Maris, McLaughlin 2, Caine, Forrester, Hewitt, Quinn, Sinclair, Stirk 1

Assists (league and cup): McLaughlin 4, Charsley, Johnson, Oates, Quinn, Sinclair 3, Bowery, O.Clarke, Hawkins, Stirk 2, J.Clarke, Gale, Hewitt, Lapslie, Maris, Rawson 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. In the case of the scorer scoring from the rebound after a shot is saved, the player who had the shot saved gets an assist.)

Average home league attendance: 4688 (average away fans: 574, average home fans 4114)


Footnote: as we approach the New Year, and just short of half the season played, these are my average player ratings based on the 28 league+cup games so far this season (top 6 players):

O’Toole 7.56, Quinn 7.36, McLaughlin 7.33, Hawkins 7.29, Oates 7.18, Maris 6.98

Note: only ratings for players starting a game are included - ie. sub appearances not included. Minimum 7 games started (ie a quarter of the games started).
Thanks to Pete Wright for his spreadsheet.


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



Line Up:
(4-4-2)
Bishop 5.5 For the second Hartlepool goal, it was his mistake to drop the free kick, but I would cut him a massive amount of slack as Nigel Clough said afterwards that he was feeling under the weather and he has been superb so far this season.
Hewitt 7.5 Excellent assist for Bowery’s goal. One outstanding tackle in the first half. Out of position for the first Hartlepool goal.
Rawson 6 Missed two golden chances in the first half to score his first goal for the club. Like Hewitt, out of position for the first Hartlepool goal.
Hawkins 7 Solid game at the back.
McLaughlin 6.5 Not involved in the game as much as he often is. Or maybe I just couldn’t see him on the far side of the ground!
O’Toole 8.5 With the midfield decimated by unavailability of players, he stepped into central midfield and had an outstanding game. Scored his third goal of the season.
Maris 8 Some tremendous corners, including the assist for O’Toole’s goal. For his goal, he curled another cross into a great area, it evaded everybody and went straight in at the far post.
Stirk 6.5 Did ok. Made one good run forward but his shot lacked power.
Law 8 Terrific. Created some good chances and put in some good corners.
Bowery 7 Scored he equaliser with a header. Missed a good chance with a header in the first half.
Oates 6 Had a big chance in the first half against his former side but put it wide. Not at his best.
Sub Line Up:
Sinclair (for Maris, 81 mins) -
Gale (for Oates, 89 mins) -
Subs not used: Stech, Burke, Ward.
Opposition Line Up:
(5-3-2): Killip; Sterry (Ogle 53), Odusina, Liddle, Byrne, Ferguson; Featherstone, Shelton, Daly (Holohan 76); Cullen (Burey 63), Molyneux. Subs not used: Mitchell, Francis-Angol, Smith, Cook.
Referee:
Simon Mather 7 The first time he has refereed a Stags game. His linesman did well to spot the offside for the disallowed goal, a correct decision, and one that made our Christmas!


Season 21/22 Reports