Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Retford United
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Mansfield Town
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Akins 10, Bowery 26, 34, Gale 28, Quinn 31, Oates 51.
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Attendance: 912
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Date: 9 July 2022
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Martin Shaw at Cannon Park
Mansfield Town beat Retford United 6-0 in the first pre-season friendly of the 2022/23 season yesterday afternoon. The game provided a first chance for Stags fans to see new signings Hiram Boateng (left footed midfielder from MK Dons), Scott Flinders (experienced keeper from Cheltenham Town), and Will Swan (striker signed on loan from Nottingham Forest for the season, born and schooled in Mansfield). And it was great to see Kellan Gordon back after 10 months out through injury. Each of the first team players was given a 45 minute run-out. First half team (3-5-2): Scott Flinders; George Cooper (U23 player), John-Joe O’Toole, Stephen McLaughlin; Lucas Akins (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, Curtis Davies (first year pro), Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); James Gale (U23 player), Will Swan. Second half team (3-5-2): Owen Mason (young goalkeeper); George Cooper (U23 player), Oli Hawkins, Cody Collins (first year pro); Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), George Lapslie, George Maris, Ollie Clarke, Jason Law (left wing-back); James Gale (U23 player), Rhys Oates. Substitute: Jack Deakin (first year pro) (for James Gale, 66 minutes). Absent: James Perch, Kieran Wallace, Elliott Hewitt (all with knocks picked up at the training camp in Scotland). Danny Johnson (available for transfer, didn’t feature due to interest from one club). Jimmy Knowles (long term injury). Dylan McGeouch (joined training camp in Scotland as a favour to the player, but with 6 midfielders in the squad Nigel Clough had said it would be difficult to sign another midfielder). The formation in both halves was 3-5-2. After the game Nigel Clough said “We’re going to look at one or two things in the next few friendlies and see which one settles. We think we’ve got the players to carry it out (3-5-2). I think we’ve got ideal wing-backs, I think the centre halves we’ve got can adapt to it, I think Oli Hawkins is perfect in the middle of a three, and it gets us two up top which is important as well. We’ll see how it goes.” It was of course just six weeks since the heartbreak of defeat at Wembley. Mansfield will be hoping to go one step better this season. It was lovely hot afternoon in Retford. Both clubs are sponsored by One Call Insurance and John and Carolyn were in attendance, mingling with fans. As you would expect playing against a side from step 7 of non-league (ie. 7 leagues below Mansfield), Mansfield had most of the possession in both halves. Retford United battled resolutely, but didn’t register a shot in either half. After 5 minutes, Bowery cut in from the left and fired over the bar. Mansfield took the lead after 10 minutes. Bowery crossed from the left, and Akins did well to get in a header and direct it into the right of the net. After 18 minutes, a chance for the Stags as Gale had a shot blocked. A half-chance for Retford a minute later at the other end as the Stags cleared a free kick. Two minutes later, Boateng fired in a shot from 22 yards, straight at the keeper. Mansfield made it 2-0 after 26 minutes. Boateng’s shot from inside the area was blocked, and Bowery fired home the rebound. Two minutes later it was 3-0. Swan got in behind the defence on the right, pulled the ball across and Gale slid in to bundle the ball home. On the half hour, a shot from Boateng was blocked by the keeper. It was 4-0 after 31 minutes. A good ball forward from Boateng from inside his own half for Quinn to run on to, Quinn got into the area and fired past the keeper who got a touch on it but couldn’t keep it out. And it was 5-0 after 34 minutes, to make it 4 goals in 8 minutes. Boateng found Bowery who fired a great shot from 22 yards into the bottom right corner of the net. The keeper got a touch on it but again couldn’t keep it out. Bowery was just wide after 39 minutes after a nice move from the Stags involving Swan. First year pro Curtis Davies limped off after 44 minutes. He was on the end of a mistimed challenge, getting a whack on his ankle. He impressed in central midfield having a decent game, and he looks a good prospect. Boateng looked good on the ball, and was involved in three of the goals. Swan did well up front and set up the third goal. Bowery was heavily involved going forward from a left wing-back position, scoring two, setting one up, and having two other shots. Flinders in goal had next to nothing to do. Cooper impressed in the back 3, he always looks a good player whenever I see him play. Half time 0-5 Mansfield made nine changes for the second half. U23 players Cooper and Gale were the two players to continue. After 48 minutes, Gordon’s snap shot was saved after Lapslie had got down the right. Two minutes later, a free kick from Maris from 23 yards was wide of the left post. It was 6-0 after 51 minutes. Ollie Clarke chipped a good ball forward, Oates got on to it and fired past the keeper for a fine finish. On 64 minutes, Oates fired well wide from 24 yards. It came after a long spell of possession without getting efforts in on goal. First year pro Jack Deakin replaced James Gale up front after 66 minutes. Deakin then won a corner. And from it, Lapslie’s shot was blocked. After 78 minutes, Gordon cut inside and his shot was deflected just wide. Following the resulting corner, Oates fired straight at the keeper from 20 yards. On 81 minutes, Ollie Clarke’s shot from 20 yards was low and wide of the left post. Kellan Gordon limped off after 84 minutes. According to Nigel Clough post match “Gordon rolled his ankle, when he was caught and the twist was worse than the kick”. The good news was that Clough said Gordon should be fit for Tuesday. Kellan then confirmed that when I saw him in the car park later. A relief after he has been out for so long. Lapslie moved to right wing-back as the Stags finished the game with 10 men. After 89 minutes, Ollie Clarke found Oates who was through 1-on-1 and fired straight at the keeper. Then Lapslie found Maris on the byline on the right and he fired into the side netting. And in the final seconds Oates turned the ball over the bar. A good workout for the Stags and an enjoyable afternoon for the Stags fans. Thank you very much to Retford United and their volunteers for making it a good occasion. It was the second consecutive season Mansfield’s first game had been at Retford, and as last year, it will be followed by a trip to Matlock. That game at Matlock is on Tuesday night. It will be great to be back at the picturesque Causeway Lane ground. 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. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Cannon Park
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Line Up:
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First half team (3-5-2):
Scott Flinders; George Cooper (U23 player), John-Joe O’Toole, Stephen McLaughlin; Lucas Akins (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, Curtis Davies (first year pro), Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); James Gale (U23 player), Will Swan. Second half team (3-5-2): Owen Mason (young goalkeeper); George Cooper (U23 player), Oli Hawkins, Cody Collins (first year pro); Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), George Lapslie, George Maris, Ollie Clarke, Jason Law (left wing-back); James Gale (U23 player), Rhys Oates. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Jack Deakin (first year pro) (for James Gale, 66 minutes).
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Opposition Line Up:
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Tom Crosby, Stuart Ludlam, Daniel White, Danny Booth, Owen Fieldsend, Joe Turner, Igor Mylnarski, Jacob Priestall, Charlie Baird, Liam Frost, Niall Smith. Subs: Holmes, Earnshaw, Morton, L.Thompson, Kobi Thompson.
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Referee:
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Lee Hible
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