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Season 21/22 Stagsnet Match Report
The Emirates FA Cup - Round Three
Mansfield Town  
2 - 3
 Middlesbrough
Hawkins 66, Oates 85.
 
 Ikpeazu 4, Boyd-Munce 14, Hewitt OG 90+5
Attendance: 7,297 (approx 1700 from Middlesbrough)
 
Date: 8 January 2022

SUPER STAGS BEATEN AFTER COMING BACK FROM 2-0 DOWN IN FA CUP RD3

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town bowed of the FA Cup at the Third Round stage, beaten 3-2 by Championship side Middlesbrough at the One Call Stadium this lunchtime. It was a superb game that was a great advert for the competition in front of an overseas TV audience and the biggest crowd at home since the play-off semi-final against Newport.

The Stags started slowly and found themselves two goals down after just 14 minutes. Firstly powerful centre forward Uche Ikpeazu was too strong for Oli Hawkins and then Stephen McLaughlin, holding them both off, before unleashing a fantastic shot from 23 yards into the top left corner of the net. A stunning goal.

Middlesbrough scored a second goal after 14 minutes and it was a sloppy one from a Stags point of view. Following a throw-in on the right, Joe Gibson got to the byline and got past McLaughlin too easily before pulling back to Caolan Boyd-Munce who was left unmarked and he slammed a powerful low shot into the net from 9 yards.

The Stags could have been further behind by half time as Nathan Bishop made a good save tipping a deflected shot from Josh Coburn around the post, and then making a great save from Ikpeazu at point blank range.

Mansfield came into the game in the final 20 minutes of the first half as George Maris had three efforts, curling in a shot that was saved by keeper Joe Lumley diving to his left, then firing over the bar from 22 yards after a good run, and finally having another shot blocked when it was on target. Perhaps Mansfield’s best chance of the first half was a brilliant chipped cross from the right from John-Joe O’Toole which just evaded Rhys Oates as he stretched to try to turn it into the net.

Middlesbrough deservedly 2-0 ahead at the break. But Mansfield produced a stunning second half performance to get themselves right back into the game.

Several chances early in the half as Maris headed over the bar from a corner, Oates turned the ball goalwards after brilliant play from Ollie Clarke on the byline on the left but his effort was blocked, Quinn had a shot blocked for a corner, and then great play from Bowery with a clever pass to tee up Ollie Clarke who flicked an effort over the bar. That last chance was a really good one.

The fans were generating a great atmosphere, right behind their side. Oates had two headed chances within a minute, as first he headed wide from a great cross from McLaughlin, and then a great cross from Quinn which Oates headed over the bar.

The Stags deserved a goal back and got it after 66 minutes. Quinn chipped in another wonderful cross from the left and Hawkins, who had stayed up following a corner, rose above his marker to head down and into the net from 10 yards.

Danny Johnson was now on as substitute and he nearly had a chance after 73 minutes as Oates got away down the right and tried to pull the ball across to Johnson but a defender slid in and put it just past his own post.

A massive stroke of bad luck for the Stags after 80 minutes as a goal was wrongly disallowed. Oates made another good run forward to the edge of the area, he held off his marker to tee up Jason Law, also on as substitute. Law fired goalwards, low from 18 yards, the keeper partially saved it but it squirmed behind him and before he could retrieve it, Johnson was quickest to react and turn the loose ball into the empty net. The linesman put his flag up for offside. The TV footage shows that as Law shot, Johnson was not offside and timed his run to perfection as the defender marking him was motionless. Middlesbrough players slumped and then couldn’t believe their luck as the linesman raised his flag. Such bad luck for Johnson and indeed for Law. Some will say this evened out the incident from the Hartlepool game where the visitors had an injury time goal ruled out for offside. The difference was that the Hartlepool effort was offside, this one wasn’t.

Undeterred, the Stags continued to push for an equaliser and sensationally got it after 85 minutes. Jason Law slid a magnificent ball forward from just inside the Boro half perfectly into the path of Oates who ran on to it, took it around the keeper, and slid it into the net for a calm, clinical and brilliant finish. The One Call Stadium was anything but calm with an incredible noise from the Stags fans.

It was anyone’s game now with neither side keen on the idea of extra-time on a heavy pitch. And 5 minutes into stoppage time, Boro got the winner to break the Stags’ hearts. The fresh legs of sub Isaiah Jones got him away from Hawkins on the right, to the byline and he put in a ball across the six-yard box. O’Toole slid in to clear it, it would have gone behind for a corner but it hit Elliott Hewitt and went into the net. Really unlucky you would have to say, nothing Hewitt could have done about it and O’Toole was unlucky his clearance didn’t go for a corner.

Seven minutes into stoppage time, the Stags should have had a free kick just outside the area on the right when Law was fouled, but the referee inexplicably waved play on. Then a minute later a half chance but Maris couldn’t get his shot away in the box.

Full time brought a standing ovation for the Stags for an outstanding second half performance. It was great that the Stags turned it on in front of a big crowd, but so disappointing of course to go out.

Lots of good performances in the Stags side especially Oates who gave Boro so many problems, Quinn who put in some wonderful crosses. Law also really impressed coming on as sub.

Boro manager Chris Wilder, Championship manager of the month for December, was full of praise for Mansfield after the game saying: “You've got to love the FA Cup though I didn't love it when it went to two each. It was looking like it would go to extra time. And it would have been deservedly so for them. I thought that would have been the least they deserved. I’ve got to say, we give an enormous amount of credit to Mansfield Town and the manager, the players and the supporters as well because it’s a difficult one for them when they go two-nil down but their team rallied and they rallied. I wasn't surprised they got back into it and they had some chances before that. We rode our luck through that period and we didn't defend the two goals very well. I’ve got to say, I think there are plenty of Championship clubs that would have been knocked out today here and I think that goes to show what we’re trying to build and create here. We want to see technical players, yeah, but sometimes you have to grind one out. We were up against a manager who’s got a history of cup upsets, a team that’s on a fabulous run, vocal home support."

So it’s back to the league for Mansfield. And plenty to be excited about and look forward to in the second half of the season, starting on Tuesday night as Swindon Town visit the One Call Stadium. If you’re not able to get to the game, you can watch it with us on iFollow Stags (note that kick off is 7.30pm).

DETAILED REPORT:

Just to summarise injury news following this game, Nigel Clough gave the following updates after the game:
On Ryan Stirk injury, Clough said: "Not sure. He felt his knee, he went down straight away and hold his hand in the air. Then he felt ok. Then he felt it again. A bit worrying but we'll see how he is this week."
On Stephen McLaughlin injury: "He felt his calf towards half time."
On Ollie Clarke being subbed: "He's been out with injury for some time, also had Covid. So I think an hour was about the maximum for him today."
On Farrend Rawson: "He is still isolating. Not sure on the days, got to get a clear test before he comes back in."

On John-Joe O’Toole’s contract situation, Nigel Clough told Radio Nottingham after the game: “I think it will be sorted out one way or another by Tuesday night.”
He then went on further to tell Mansfield 103.2: “we’re still talking. It’s a difficult situation for him because he’s got another couple of weeks with us but if he’s not going to stay then it’s a difficult position for him keep playing and risking injury when he only has two weeks left. I think one way or another it will get sorted in the next few days. But his commitment won’t change whether he’s got two weeks or two years left, and you saw that today, he couldn’t have tried any harder today.”

O’Toole would be an important signing if he was to stay, as demonstrated by the following stats:
With him not in the side: MTFC Played 16 Points 17
With him starting: MTFC Played 6 Points 15 (plus 2 wins out of 3 in FA Cup)

The Stags had made two changes from the side that beat Hartlepool. Farrend Rawson was missing, isolating after a positive Covid test. Nigel Clough was not sure if he would be back for the Swindon game. Jason Law was unfortunate to drop to the bench. In came Ollie Clarke returning from injury, and Stephen Quinn from isolating after his positive Covid test. Hawkins remained at centre half, with Clough saying after the game that he would have gone up front if Rawson had been available. O’Toole reverted back to centre half from midfield. Nartey, Charsley and Lapslie returned to the bench after isolating following positive Covid tests. Johnson returned to the bench after his injury. With the Stags allowed to name 9 subs under FA cup rules, two goalkeepers Marek Stech and youth keeper Louie Turner were both on the bench. George Shelvey has returned to Nottingham Forest in case you missed the news this week.
Ordinarily you might have expected Tyrese Sinclair to be on the bench too, but he was absent, with the reason not given. Nigel Clough had said in the press conference on Tuesday that "We've had a couple more Covid cases this week. So they will be missing for Saturday.” So it seems likely that Sinclair is the other player isolating having tested positive for Covid.
Meanwhile James Gale was cup-tied.

Middlesbrough had been ravaged by Covid in the previous week or so, but most players were back available. They started the game here with four players that started their last league game, and brought on five more as sub who started their last league game. In addition, new signing Caolan Boyd-Munce came in for his debut, and was to score on his debut.

It was a wet day in Mansfield. The pitch was heavy, and at one point when the rain came down particularly hard, there was one instance where the ball held up, but it really only happened once, and the pitch played pretty well considering the conditions.

The atmosphere was pulsating. As an aside, regarding the attendance, it was very much in line with other big attendances in the past decade.
These are our five biggest attendances in the past decade:
Middlesbrough, FA Cup 7297
Newport play-off S/F 7361
Chesterfield Nov17 7525
Liverpool FA Cup 7574
York play-off S/F 7295

After 2 minutes, Ollie Clarke played inside to Stirk, who fired wide from a tight angle.

The Stags started slowly though and found themselves two goals down after just 14 minutes. Firstly, on 4 minutes, powerful centre forward Uche Ikpeazu was too strong for Oli Hawkins and then Stephen McLaughlin, holding them both off, before unleashing a fantastic shot from 23 yards into the top left corner of the net. A stunning goal.

After 8 minutes at the other end, Quinn sent a shot from 25 yards just over the bar.

Middlesbrough scored a second goal after 14 minutes and it was a sloppy one from a Stags point of view. Following a throw-in on the right, Joe Gibson got to the byline and got past McLaughlin too easily before pulling back to Caolan Boyd-Munce who was left unmarked and he slammed a powerful low shot into the net from 9 yards.

After 19 minutes, a corner to Boro and Boyd-Munce’s shot was deflected wide. A minute later, Kokolo fired high and wide following a poor clearance from Oates after a corner.

After 23 minutes, the Stags could have been further behind as Nathan Bishop made a good save tipping a deflected shot from Josh Coburn around the post. From the next corner, McLaughlin made a good tackle as McNair was about to shoot.

Mansfield came into the game in the final 20 minutes of the half. After 26 minutes, from a McLaughlin free kick, O’Toole headed back across goal but no-one could get on the end of it as it went wide.

Then on 30 minutes, a Maris corner was played back to him by Stirk, and he curled in a shot that was saved by keeper Joe Lumley diving to his left. Perhaps Mansfield’s best chance of the first half came on 34 minutes as a brilliant chipped cross from the right from O’Toole just evaded Oates as he stretched to try to turn it into the net.

On 35 minutes, came that moment as the ball stuck on the pitch, with the rain heavy.

Ikpeazu had been a handful, but he was booked on 37 minutes for an accumulation of fouls, mostly on Hawkins.

Hewitt was booked after 38 minutes for deliberately pulling down Kokolo.

McNair fired a free kick over the bar after 39 minutes.

Great play by Oates and Maris, steaming forward, after 42 minutes, but Maris fired over the bar from 22 yards.

Bishop made his second great save off the game after 43 minutes, saving from Ikpeazu at point blank range.

Maris had his third chance of the half after 44 minutes, having another shot blocked when it was on target, again after Oates teed him up.

Middlesbrough deservedly 2-0 ahead at the break. But the Stags had shown signs of coming back into the game in the final 20 minutes of the half.

Half time 0-2

Mansfield produced a stunning second half performance to get themselves right back into the game.

Several chances early in the half for the Stags. After 48 minutes, Maris headed over the bar from a Quinn corner from the left. Ollie Clarke put in a great tackle after 50 minutes. Then on 53 minutes, Oates turned the ball goalwards after brilliant play from Ollie Clarke on the byline on the left but his effort was blocked. A minute later, Quinn had a shot blocked for a corner after a great move and a brilliant ball from Bowery to Quinn.

After 56 minutes, great play from Bowery with a clever pass to tee up Ollie Clarke who flicked an effort over the bar. That was a really good chance.

The Stags fans were generating a great atmosphere, right behind their side. Oates had two headed chances within a minute, on 61 minutes, as first he headed wide from a great cross from McLaughlin, and then a great cross from Quinn which Oates headed over the bar.

The Stags made a double change after 61 minutes, as Lapslie replaced McLaughlin, and Johnson replaced Clarke. Bowery moved to left back. A reminder of what Clough said about these changes: On Stephen McLaughlin injury: "He felt his calf towards half time." On Ollie Clarke being subbed: "He's been out with injury for some time, also had Covid. So I think an hour was about the maximum for him today."

Boro created their first chance of the half after 63 minutes as sub Crookes fired into the side-netting after Ikpeazu had got to the byline.

O’Toole was booked for bringing down Ikpeazu off the ball after 64 minutes.

The Stags deserved a goal back and got it after 66 minutes. Quinn chipped in another wonderful cross from the left and Hawkins, who had stayed up following a corner, rose above his marker to head down and into the net from 10 yards.

Hawkins was booked for an accumulation of fouls on Ikpeazu after 71 minutes.

Mansfield made a third change after 72 minutes as Jason Law replaced Stirk. Stirk had gone down4 minutes earlier and called for assistance. On the Stirk injury, Clough said after the game: "Not sure. He felt his knee, he went down straight away and hold his hand in the air. Then he felt ok. Then he felt it again. A bit worrying but we'll see how he is this week."

Danny Johnson nearly had a chance after 73 minutes as Oates got away down the right and tried to pull the ball across to Johnson but a defender slid in and put it just past his own post.

A massive stroke of bad luck for the Stags after 80 minutes as a goal was wrongly disallowed. Oates made another good run forward to the edge of the area, he held off his marker to tee up Jason Law, also on as substitute. Law fired goalwards, low from 18 yards, the keeper partially saved it but it squirmed behind him and before he could retrieve it, Johnson was quickest to react and turn the loose ball into the empty net. The linesman put his flag up for offside. The TV footage shows that as Law shot, Johnson was not offside and timed his run to perfection as the defender marking him was motionless. Middlesbrough players slumped and then couldn’t believe their luck as the linesman raised his flag. Such bad luck for Johnson and indeed for Law. Some will say this evened out the incident from the Hartlepool game where the visitors had an injury time goal ruled out for offside. The difference was that the Hartlepool effort was offside, this one wasn’t.

Great play from O’Toole to stop a Boro break after 84 minutes.

Undeterred by the disallowed goal, the Stags continued to push for an equaliser and sensationally got it after 85 minutes. Jason Law slid a magnificent ball forward from just inside the Boro half perfectly into the path of Oates who ran on to it, took it around the keeper, and slid it into the net for a calm, clinical and brilliant finish. The One Call Stadium was anything but calm with an incredible noise from the Stags fans.

It was anyone’s game now with neither side keen on the idea of extra-time on a heavy pitch.

After 87 minutes, sub Dijksteel fired over the bar after Tavernier’s cross to the far post.

7 minutes of stoppage time was added on.

After 90+2, Hewitt did well to block a shot from sub Isaiah Jones.

Then a Maris free kick into the area at the other end was headed away.

5 minutes into stoppage time, Boro got the winner to break the Stags’ hearts. The fresh legs of sub Isaiah Jones got him away from Hawkins on the right, to the byline and he put in a ball across the six-yard box. O’Toole slid in to clear it, it would have gone behind for a corner but it hit Elliott Hewitt and went into the net. Really unlucky you would have to say, nothing Hewitt could have done about it and O’Toole was unlucky his clearance didn’t go for a corner.

Seven minutes into stoppage time, the Stags should have had a free kick just outside the area on the right when Law was fouled, but the referee inexplicably waved play on. Then a minute later a half chance but Maris couldn’t get his shot away in the box. There was still time for a chance at the other end as Isaiah Jones fired into the side netting.

Full time brought a standing ovation for the Stags for an outstanding second half performance. It was great that the Stags turned it on in front of a big crowd, but so disappointing of course to go out.

We can now concentrate on the league!

Man of the Match: Rhys Oates

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

Goals (league and cup): Johnson 7, Hawkins, Oates 6, Lapslie 4, O.Clarke, O’Toole 3, Bowery, Maris, McLaughlin 2, Caine, Forrester, Hewitt, Quinn, Sinclair, Stirk 1

Assists (league and cup): McLaughlin, Quinn 4, Charsley, Johnson, Oates, Sinclair 3, Bowery, O.Clarke, Hawkins, Stirk 2, J.Clarke, Gale, Hewitt, Lapslie, Law, 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.)


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



Line Up:
(4-4-2)
Bishop 7.5 Made two very good saves and had no chance with the goals.
Hewitt 6.5 Unlucky with the own goal, nothing he could do about it. One good block.
Hawkins 6 A tough afternoon in defence, as Ikpeazu out-muscled him for the first Boro goal and he tried to foul him but couldn’t even do that, and was outpaced in stoppage time by the fresh legs of sub Jones for the third Boro goal. Great header for Mansfield’s first goal. Ideally the Stags would like to get him back up front.
O’Toole 7 Unlucky with his part in the third Boro goal. One great cross which just evaded Oates. Some good defending.
McLaughlin 5.5 Struggled in defence for the first two Boro goals. A couple of very good crosses. Went off injured after an hour.
Stirk 7 Decent game. Went off injured.
O.Clarke 6.5 Started the game poorly on his return from injury and Covid, but ended the first half well and started the second half well before he was subbed.
Quinn 8 Put in some wonderful crosses.
Maris 7 Had 4 or 5 chances but couldn’t make any of them count.
Oates 8 Gave Boro so many problems and took his goal superbly.
Bowery 6.5 A couple of excellent passes to Quinn and teeing up Ollie Clarke for a good chance.
Sub Line Up:
Lapslie (for McLaughlin, 61 mins) - Didn’t really get into the game.
Johnson (for O.Clarke, 61 mins) - Bad luck to have a goal disallowed, but he showed sharpness on return from injury.
Law (for Stirk, 72 mins) - Very impressive 20 minutes. An assist for Oates’ goal with a wonderful ball threaded forward, and nearly had another assist for the disallowed goal.
Subs not used: Stech, Louie Turner, Burke, Nartey, Ward, Charsley.
Opposition Line Up:
(3-5-2) Lumley, Peltier, Wood, Bamba; Gibson (Crooks 58), McNair, Howson, Boyd-Munce (Tavernier 58), Kokolo (Dijksteel 77); Coburn (Hernandez 62), Ikpeazu (Jones 77). Subs not used: Daniels, Malley, Sykes.
Referee:
Keith Stroud 5 Unfortunately the officials got the one big call wrong in disallowing Johnson’s goal. Also missed a clear foul on Law in stoppage time. Got most of the bookings right in my opinion.


Season 21/22 Reports