{ match reports }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 21/22 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Barrow  
1 - 3
 Mansfield Town
Jones 17.
 
 Oates 35 seconds, McLaughlin 25 minutes, Bowery 68. Rawson sent off 39 minutes
Attendance: 3,224 (358 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 22 January 2022

STAGS WIN AT BARROW WITH TEN MEN FOR 50 MINUTES

Martin Shaw at the Dunes Hotel Stadium, Holker Street

Mansfield Town won 3-1 at Barrow this afternoon despite playing with only ten men for more than 50 minutes after Farrend Rawson was sent off. The Stags were 2-1 up at the time, and facing an uphill struggle with a man down for so long, but thanks to a tactical masterclass from Nigel Clough, Mansfield barely conceded a chance to Barrow in the entire second half, and added to the lead when Jordan Bowery headed home midway through the second half, to spark wild celebrations right in front of the 358 travelling Stags fans.

The win is Mansfield’s 7th in a row in the league, equalling the club record for wins in a row in the Football League, set in 1991 and 1962 (though we did win 12 in a row in the Conference in 2013, and also 12 in a row in 1924-25). And it’s 10 wins from the last 11 league games.

The Stags were off to a tremendous start. Rhys Oates ran at the Barrow defence from the kick off and got in a shot which keeper Paul Farman had to turn around the post, with 8 seconds on the clock. And from the resulting corner from the left the Stags were in front, with 35 seconds on the clock. Stephen Quinn chipped his corner into the middle, Rawson flicked it on, it hit Ollie Banks on the back, looped up, and Oates glanced a header past the keeper into the right of the net.

Barrow equalised after 17 minutes, also from a corner. Robbie Gotts took the corner from the left, James Jones appeared to get to the ball at the same time as Farrend Rawson at the near post, and the ball flew into the bottom right corner of the net off the inside of the post. After the game, Nigel Clough said "Bit unlucky with the goal we conceded. Faz Rawson said it hit him, then hit their lad, and crept in the corner off the post.”

The Stags regained the lead after 25 minutes. A great run from Oates, and his low shot was pushed away by the keeper. The ball was recycled and the Stags won a corner. Quinn’s corner from the left went through a crowd of players and reached Stephen McLaughlin, unmarked 12 yards out, to the right of centre. McLaughlin had time to take aim and get his body shape right to smash a low and hard left-footed shot into the back of the net. Barrow will be disappointed with the marking, but it was a good finish from McLaughlin.

And it was nearly a mirror image goal after 31 minutes. A George Maris corner from the right, reached McLaughlin again, this time to the left of centre, and his low hard shot was blocked on the line.

The referee had failed to book John-Joe O’Toole when I thought he should have done. But after 35 minutes, he booked Rawson for an innocuous foul on Luke James, perhaps looking to make amends. It was barely a foul in my opinion. Nigel Clough said afterwards: “We didn’t even think it was a foul, never mind a yellow. He never touched the striker and the ref got it wrong.”
And that was to become significant after 39 minutes when Rawson was late with a tackle just a few yards outside the Barrow area with the Stags on the attack. This was a clear yellow card, and Rawson was sent off. It was a silly challenge from Rawson in my opinion, given the position on the pitch and that he was already on a yellow.

Oli Hawkins had started the game up front, and now dropped back into defence. And he was also booked after 44 minutes, and he is now just one booking away from a two game suspension.

The Stags regrouped at half time and switched to 5 at the back, with Hewitt, Hawkins and O’Toole in central defence, Bowery at right wing-back and McLaughlin at left wing-back. Barrow had plenty of possession but hardly got near the Stags goal. Gotts fired well wide from distance when off balance, and Ollie Banks volleyed closer to the corner flag than the net from the edge of the area, while Nathan Bishop made a couple of good punches away.

And on 68 minutes, the Stags made it 3-1. Oates made another wonderful run, before he was brought down by Banks. Banks was booked, but this was frustrating for Mansfield because he clearly should have been booked in the first half by the hapless referee, and it should now be 10 versus 10.
McLaughlin took the resulting free kick, from 35 yards out, a few yards in from the left touchline. He curled it into the area and Jordan Bowery leapt to beat his marker Jones and thump a powerful header into the roof of the net from 8 yards. A superb header from Bowery and a wonderful moment in front of the Stags fans.

Still the Stags kept Barrow at bay, still no chances for the home side, until 90 minutes, when following a corner the ball landed on top of the bar, and then another header over the bar from the home side in stoppage time.

This was a brilliant performance from Mansfield, full of guts and determination with great organisation, while making the most of an increasing presence at set pieces, with the likes of Hawkins, O’Toole and Bowery all a threat in the opposition box.
Quinn and McLaughlin were superb. Two goals came from Quinn corners, and he was also a terrier always trying to win the ball back when Barrow had it. McLaughlin’s finish for his goal was excellent, he was unlucky to have another cleared off the line, and he got a great assist for Bowery’s thumping header. Bowery himself had a very fine game, initially up front, and then at right wing-back. Oates made some superb runs, one led to the corner for the first goal, one led to the free kick for the third goal, he also had a great run and shot in the early build-up to the second goal. O’Toole, Hawkins and Hewitt were very good heading balls away. Bishop had a good game, though had almost no shots to save, but made two good punches away in the second half. Maris and Stirk also did well. And the substitutes contributed well too, with new signing Lucas Akins looking excellent, holding the ball up and hanging on to it in an impressive 15 minutes, while Lapslie and Charsley did well too as the Stags wound the clock down.

A very enjoyable day for the Stags, with great scenes at the final whistle as players and management celebrated with the fans. The Stags remain in the play-off places in 7th place, just a point behind 4th place, and just 3 points behind 3rd place with a game in hand. We now have a free week just to enjoy this moment, before Leyton Orient visit the One Call Stadium next Saturday. The Stags will aim to beat the club record in the Football League for wins in a row.

DETAILED REPORT :

Mansfield were unchanged from the side that started the abandoned game at Forest Green. Ollie Clarke remained out injured. There was one change on the bench with new signing Lucas Akins replacing James Gale. Akins is an absolutely great signing in my opinion, and makes it a good week on the signing front with John-Joe O’Toole signing a new contract on Monday.
Ryan Burke also travelled with the squad, as he did to Forest Green, and was the one player who travelled who was not in the 18.
It was announced just before the game that Keaton Ward has joined Telford on loan.
There was a change in formation from the Forest Green game, as the Stags started with a 4-3-3 formation, with Rawson and O’Toole in central defence. Bowery (right) and Oates (left) were either side of Hawkins up front. Stirk sat in front of the back four, with Maris (right) and Quinn (left) also in midfield.

Barrow made one change from their win at Colchester, with influential midfielder Robbie Gotts back from injury.

Mansfield had lost all three games against Barrow since Barrow were promoted back to the Football League 18 months ago. Prior to that, the Stags had won the previous four games between the clubs just before we were promoted from the Conference, including an 8-1, 7-0, and a 4-0 at Holker Street. Quite a contrast in the set of results!

It was a pleasant day for January in Cumbria with the sun out at kick off.

The Stags were off to a tremendous start. Rhys Oates ran at the Barrow defence from the kick off and got in a shot which keeper Paul Farman had to turn around the post, with 8 seconds on the clock. And from the resulting corner from the left the Stags were in front, with 35 seconds on the clock. Stephen Quinn chipped his corner into the middle, Rawson flicked it on, it hit Ollie Banks on the back, looped up, and Oates glanced a header past the keeper into the right of the net.

On 4 minutes, Bowery fired over the bar from a tight angle.

Barrow had the ball in the net after 13 minutes but the whistle had long since gone, as White crossed into the area, James bundled Rawson out of the way, and flicked a header into the net. Bishop stopped once the whistle went and might have saved it if there hadn’t been a foul. It was a clear foul.

Barrow equalised after 17 minutes, also from a corner. Robbie Gotts took the corner from the left, James Jones appeared to get to the ball at the same time as Farrend Rawson at the near post, and the ball flew into the bottom right corner of the net off the inside of the post. After the game, Nigel Clough said "Bit unlucky with the goal we conceded. Faz Rawson said it hit him, then hit their lad, and crept in the corner off the post.”

A good break from Barrow after 24 minutes and Rawson did well to block a Glennon shot for a corner.

The Stags regained the lead after 25 minutes, from that Barrow corner. Quinn lifted the ball away from the corner into the Barrow half. A great run from Oates to get onto that ball, and his low shot was pushed away by the keeper. The ball was recycled and the Stags won a corner. Quinn’s corner from the left went through a crowd of players and reached Stephen McLaughlin, unmarked 12 yards out, to the right of centre. McLaughlin had time to take aim and get his body shape right to smash a low and hard left-footed shot into the back of the net. Barrow will be disappointed with the marking, but it was a good finish from McLaughlin.

And it was nearly a mirror image goal after 31 minutes. A George Maris corner from the right, reached McLaughlin again, this time to the left of centre, and his low hard shot was blocked on the line by Brough. I thought that was going in. The corner had come from a great break from Quinn into the Barrow half, he tried to square it to McLaughlin and his low cross was blocked behind for the corner.

The referee had failed to book John-Joe O’Toole when I thought he should have done. But after 35 minutes, he booked Rawson for an innocuous foul on Luke James, perhaps looking to make amends. It was barely a foul in my opinion. Nigel Clough said afterwards: “We didn’t even think it was a foul, never mind a yellow. He never touched the striker and the ref got it wrong.”

A minute later, a great break by Oates, and McLaughlin won a corner.

The Rawson booking was to become significant after 39 minutes when Rawson was late with a tackle just a few yards outside the Barrow area with the Stags on the attack. This was a clear yellow card, and Rawson was sent off. It was a silly challenge from Rawson in my opinion, given the position on the pitch and that he was already on a yellow.
Rawson was also sent off in the home game against Barrow by the way.

Oli Hawkins had started the game up front, and now dropped back into defence. The Stags moved to a 4-4-1 formation, with Bowery right midfield, Quinn left midfield, Maris and Stirk in the middle, Oates up front on his own.

After 41 minutes, Quinn played forward to Oates, whose shot was blocked for a corner. Quinn’s corner from the left was headed wide by O’Toole.

Former Spireite Ollie Banks was absurdly not booked for a bad foul on Oates after 43 minutes.

Hawkins was booked after 44 minutes for a foul on James, and he is now just one booking away from a two game suspension. This was less of a yellow card than the foul by Banks just a minute earlier.

A corner for Barrow after 45+1 minutes. From it, Platt had a shot was deflected straight to Bishop.

Things got even more absurd after 45+2 minutes as Stirk was booked for heading the ball, right in front of the Barrow dugout. The referee decided that Stirk had fouled White. The Barrow analyst standing next to me was radioing to his bench that it was an elbow by Stirk. But it clearly wasn't a foul in my opinion. It typified that the referee had a shocking game when it came to yellow cards.

It had been a crazy first half. Three goals all from corners but the referee had then taken centre stage, losing control of the game.

Half time 1-2

The Stags regrouped at half time and switched to 5 at the back, with Hewitt, Hawkins and O’Toole in central defence, Bowery at right wing-back and McLaughlin at left wing-back. Maris, Stirk and Quinn in midfield, with Oates up front. Though Quinn was often seen pushing right forward alongside Oates. And Bowery went up front to be a target man for each of Bishop’s goal kicks.

Barrow had plenty of possession but hardly got near the Stags goal in the second half. The Stags kept their shape very nicely.

After 51 minutes a good tackle by Hewitt.

Gotts fired well wide from distance when off balance after 53 minutes. Then Ollie Banks volleyed closer to the corner flag than the net from the edge of the area after 58 minutes. Nathan Bishop made a couple of good punches away.

On 68 minutes, the Stags made it 3-1. Oates made another wonderful run, before he was brought down by Banks. Banks was booked, but this was frustrating for Mansfield because he clearly should have been booked in the first half by the hapless referee, and it should now be 10 versus 10.
McLaughlin took the resulting free kick, from 35 yards out, a few yards in from the left touchline. He curled it into the area and Jordan Bowery leapt to beat his marker Jones and thump a powerful header into the roof of the net from 8 yards. A superb header from Bowery and a wonderful moment in front of the Stags fans.

The Stags made some changes to freshen things up, with the players having worked so hard. Lapslie replaced Maris after 71 minutes. Akins came on for his debut, for Oates, and Charsley came on for Quinn, after 78 minutes.

Banks committed another foul, this time on Akins, after 86 minutes. Again no yellow card, though this time probably the correct decision.

Still the Stags kept Barrow at bay, still no chances for the home side, until 90 minutes, when following a corner from Glennon from the right, Platt headed the ball up and it landed on top of the bar and over for a goal kick.

From the resulting goal kick from Bishop, Lapslie chased after the ball towards the Barrow goal and he was pulled back by his shirt by Banks. Unbelievably the referee played on. Yet again, Banks should have received a yellow card. It summed up the appalling performance from the referee.

On 90+3 minutes, Barrow sub Jamie Devitt chipped in a cross from the right, and Platt headed over the bar, grazing the top of the bar with Bishop making sure it didn’t creep under the bar.

Great scenes at the final whistle as players and management celebrated with the fans. The Stags fans once again were superb in their support of the side, getting the side over the line when down to ten men and up against it,

Man of the Match: Rhys Oates, with Stephen McLaughlin and Stephen Quinn just behind.


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

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

Assists (league and cup): McLaughlin, Oates, Quinn 5, Bowery 4, Charsley, Johnson, Sinclair 3, O.Clarke, Hawkins, Maris, Rawson, Stirk 2, J.Clarke, Gale, Hewitt, Lapslie, Law 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 or blocked, the player who had the shot saved gets an assist.)


Footnote: tweet from @FLPowerRankings
#Mansfield's 3-1 win at Barrow (after Farrend Rawson's 39th-minute red card) is the longest that any team has played with a man disadvantage in the league this season, and still won.


Report by: Martin Shaw at the Dunes Hotel Stadium, Holker Street



Line Up:
(4-3-3)
Bishop 7 Had a good game, though had almost no shots to save, but made two good punches away in the second half. Hewitt 7 Started at right back and moved into a three man central defence after Rawson was sent off. Very good, heading balls away.
Rawson 5 A silly challenge in my opinion for his second yellow card, given the position on the pitch and that he was already on a yellow. Nigel Clough said afterwards: "Faz shouldn't have gone in for that challenge (for the second yellow card)". An assist for the first goal when he headed on the corner for Oates to score.
O’Toole 8 So solid in central defence. His first full game since signing a 2.5 year contract and he was just as good as before.
McLaughlin 9 Superb. His finish for his goal was excellent, he was unlucky to have another cleared off the line, and he got a great assist for Bowery’s thumping header.
Stirk 7.5 Good game.
Maris 7.5 Good game.
Quinn 9 Superb. Two goals came from his corners, and he was also a terrier always trying to win the ball back when Barrow had it.
Bowery 8 Had a very fine game, initially up front, and then at right wing-back. A superb header for his goal and a wonderful moment in front of the Stags fans.
Hawkins 7.5 Started the game up front. Then moved back into central defence and was very good.
Oates 9 Made some superb runs, one led to the corner for the first goal after 8 seconds, one led to the free kick for the third goal, he also had a great run and shot in the early build-up to the second goal. Scored the crucial first goal after 35 seconds.
Sub Line Up:
Lapslie (for Maris, 71 mins) - Did well as the Stags wound the clock down.
Akins (for Oates, 78 mins) - New signing looking excellent, holding the ball up and hanging on to it in an impressive 15 minutes.
Charsley (for Quinn, 78 mins) - Did well too as the Stags wound the clock down.
Subs not used: Stech, Nartey, Law, Johnson.
Opposition Line Up:
(3-4-1-2): Farman; Jones, Platt, Brough; Hutton, Banks, White (Devitt 63), Glennon; Gotts (Kay 71); James (Wakeling 71), Harris. Subs not used: Lillis, Brown, Stevens.
Referee:
Samuel Barrott 4 What a stinker of a game. The first booking for Rawson was a poor decision. And he should have booked Ollie Banks three times, but only booked him once.


Season 21/22 Reports