Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Matlock Town
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Mansfield Town
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Boateng 26.
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Attendance: 1058
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Date: 12 July 2022
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Martin Shaw at the Proctor Cars Stadium, Causeway Lane
Mansfield Town won 1-0 at Matlock Town last night in the second pre-season friendly of the 2022/23 season. It was a really good workout in front of a good crowd in a highly competitive game. A goal from the impressive Hiram Boateng gave Mansfield the lead after 26 minutes and proved to be the only goal of the game. Stags team (3-5-2): Scott Flinders; John-Joe O’Toole, Oli Hawkins Stephen McLaughlin; Lucas Akins (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); Will Swan, Rhys Oates. Substitutes: George Lapslie (for Maris, 64) Ollie Clarke (for Quinn, 64) James Perch (for McLaughlin, 64) Jason Law (for Boateng, 71) James Gale (for Oates, 71) George Cooper (for Hawkins, 82) Jack Deakin (for Swan, 82) Sub not used: Owen Mason Mansfield were still without Kieran Wallace (out for 4 weeks) and Elliott Hewitt (both with knocks picked up at the training camp in Scotland). James Perch however returned from the knock he picked up in Scotland. Kellan Gordon who limped off at Retford was also absent but should be back for Saturday. First year pro Curtis Davies, who also limped off at Retford with an ankle injury, was also absent. First year pro Cody Collins was also absent with an ankle injury. Also absent: Danny Johnson (available for transfer, didn’t feature due to interest from one club). Jimmy Knowles (long term injury). Mansfield announced the signing before the game of goalkeeper Christy Pym, on a season long loan from Peterborough. He was at the game last night, but not involved, and he has recently had Covid. Nigel Clough said he will probably play on Saturday. Pym is a very good keeper and has played against the Stags many times before, most recently for Stevenage at Mansfield in April when Mansfield won 2-0. There were three changes in the starting XI from the first half team at Retford: Hawkins for Cooper, Maris for Davies, Oates for Gale. The formation was 3-5-2. A reminder that Nigel Clough said on Saturday: “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.” Matlock flew out of the traps in highly competitive fashion. They won a free kick 24 yards out after a handball by Hawkins after 2 minutes. The free kick from Alex Byrne was blocked by the wall. The Stags were sloppy at times in the opening stages. After 6 minutes, Hawkins rescued McLaughlin after a poor pass was intercepted. Then after 9 minutes, Hawkins got McLaughlin out of trouble again after McLaughlin missed the ball. Nice football from Mansfield after 14 minutes involving Swan and Bowery, and Bowery shot wide from 24 yards. Fine play from Boateng after 18 minutes as he moved forward from inside his own half and set Swan away into the area. Swan shot wide into the side netting from the right. There appeared to be a clear foul on O’Toole by Webb-Foster after 19 minutes, the referee put his whistle to his mouth but then allowed play to continue, and Day sent a shot wide of the left post from the edge of the area. Super play from Akins after 23 minutes showing quick feet to get past 2 defenders into the area and his left footed shot was just wide of the left post. The Stags took the lead after 26 minutes and it was a terrific goal. Akins slid a sliderule pass for Boateng who got into the area and slid his shot under the keeper. Another terrific move from Mansfield after 31 minutes, on the right involving Oates and Boateng, Boateng crossed to Bowery whose shot was brilliantly saved at point blank range by keeper James Pollard. It would have been a great goal. Two minutes later great defending by Ioan Evans for Matlock stopping Oates getting away on a run at goal. A mistake by Hawkins after 41 minutes allowing Byrne to get through but Flinders did just enough to put the ball behind for a corner. Good keeping from Flinders. Hawkins headed away the resulting corner. But from a corner following that, loose marking from the Stags as a free header at the far post was knocked back to striker Jake Day who fired against the top of the bar. The Stags then put their bodies on the line blocking two more shots in much better defending. The Stags had started the game sloppily but soon realised they needed to be much better against a highly competitive Matlock side. It was a good first half. Half time 0-1 No changes for the Stags at half time. Superb play from Boateng after 53 minutes holding off 3 Matlock players. A great move after 55 minutes, Quinn pushed forward down the left and put in a great pass for Oates whose first time shot was superbly saved by keeper Pollard. His second superb save of the game. After 59 minutes, a Matlock corner and Ryan Qualter header high over the bar. Matlock made a change in goal bringing on Sam Ogden and he was called into action after 59 minutes saving a low shot from Swan after Swan had been set away by Maris. Good save. Decent effort from Swan. Mansfield made their first changes after 64 minutes bringing on George Lapslie for Maris in right midfield, Ollie Clarke for Quinn in left midfield, and James Perch for McLaughlin on the left of the 3 man central defence. Oates made a fine run after 65 minutes and shot towards the roof of the net but keeper Ogden saved it above his head. A great move from the Stags after 67 minutes, as Boateng played a beautiful ball to Bowery who headed back to Swan who had a free shot but dragged his shot wide of the right post. He should have got it on target. Mansfield made more changes after 71 minutes as Jason Law replaced Boateng in central midfield, and James Gale replaced Oates up front. Classic Ollie Clarke after 76 minutes, winning the ball and surging forward but instead of shooting when he had the chance, he laid it off to Gale (Martin to check video to see what happened to Gale shot). A sloppy mistake by Hawkins after 78 minutes allowed Matlock sub Reon Potts a free shot at goal but Flinders rescued Hawkins with a brilliant save. Superb play by Oates after 82 minutes, he got into the area and pulled the ball back from the byline, but the cross was blocked and ricocheted off Oates for a goal kick. Mansfield made their final changes after 82 minutes as George Cooper replaced Hawkins in central defence, and Jack Deakin replaced Swan up front. A lovely turn by Gale after 85 minutes, and he was brought down. The resulting free kick from Law was delightfully chipped into a good area but the keeper was able to claim it. Clarke won the ball after 87 minutes, then Bowery played the ball back to Clarke and he fired over the bar from 22 yards. After 89 minutes, Gale put in a fine low hard cross across the edge of the six yard box, Bowery recycled the ball into the middle and Gale turned it just wide. So a 1-0 win for Mansfield. A rare win at Matlock it has to be said! It was a really good workout and a highly competitive game. Hiram Boateng again caught the eye. Lucas Akins played very well. And Scott Flinders, who had nothing to do at Retford, made a couple of really good saves. One or two sloppy mistakes at the back which need to be ironed out before the season starts. The next game is on Saturday at the One Call Stadium against Rotherham. The club is advising fans to buy the tickets online as only the main ticket office will be open on Saturday. Again we will not have live coverage on iFollow Stags but the full match replay will be available on iFollow Stags the following day. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the Proctor Cars Stadium, Causeway Lane
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Line Up:
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(3-5-2):
Scott Flinders; John-Joe O’Toole, Oli Hawkins Stephen McLaughlin; Lucas Akins (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); Will Swan, Rhys Oates. |
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Sub Line Up:
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George Lapslie (for Maris, 64)
Ollie Clarke (for Quinn, 64) James Perch (for McLaughlin, 64) Jason Law (for Boateng, 71) James Gale (for Oates, 71) George Cooper (for Hawkins, 82) Jack Deakin (for Swan, 82) Sub not used: Owen Mason |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Pollard (Ogden 56’), DeGirolamo (Lenighan 46’), Chippendale (Potts 65’), Evans (Qualter 89’), Qualter (Byrne 79’), Lees, Byrne (Daly 65’), Wiles (Higgins 65’), Day, Webb-Foster (Opoku 46’), Uchegbulam. Sub not used: Bell.
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Referee:
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Jamie O’Connor
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