Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Sheffield United
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Boateng 65, 84, Oates 71.
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Attendance: behind closed doors
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Date: 19 July 2022
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Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
Mansfield Town beat Sheffield United 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly at the One Call Stadium last night. This was a pretty much full-strength Sheffield United side, a side that lost in the play-offs to Nottingham Forest for a place in the Premier League last season. So even though the scoreline flattered the Stags slightly, it was nevertheless a very impressive result and performance, and a very useful workout on the hottest day ever in England! It was Mansfield’s fourth game out of five of pre-season. Two wins against non-league opposition, followed by a draw and a win against Championship sides, confirms a strong pre-season, though of course the real stuff doesn’t begin until a week on Saturday at Salford. Sheffield United missed some chances and were denied by saves from Christy Pym in the opening hour of the game, but goals from Hiram Boateng after 65 minutes from a fine James Gale cross, from Rhys Oates from another Gale cross after 71 minutes, and then another from Boateng after 84 minutes, this time a beauty curled in off the left post from the edge of the area, gave the Stags the victory. What a shame the fans were not allowed in to watch it. As Nigel Clough said to me after the game to sum the evening up: “the only thing missing tonight was the fans!” I won’t express my frustration again about why the fans weren’t allowed in, see my Rotherham report if you want to read that. Nigel Clough changed his side every 30 minutes, given the extreme weather conditions. The kick-off had been moved back from 7pm to 8pm to allow the game to start in slightly cooler conditions. It did indeed cool significantly by 8pm, but was still well over 30 degrees, with temperatures having reached 40 degrees or near 40 degrees for the first time ever around England earlier in the day. First 30 minutes: Stags team (3-5-2): Christy Pym; John-Joe O’Toole, Oli Hawkins, Riley Harbottle; Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); Rhys Oates, Lucas Akins. 30-60 minutes: Stags team (3-5-2): Christy Pym; John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery (central defence), George Cooper; Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), George Lapslie, Jason Law, Ollie Clarke, Lucas Akins (left wing-back); James Gale, Danny Johnson. 60-90 minutes: Stags team (3-5-2): Scott Flinders; Ollie Clarke (right side of central defence), Oli Hawkins, Riley Harbottle; George Lapslie (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jason Law (left wing-back); Rhys Oates, James Gale. Substitute: Danny Johnson (for Gale, 82) Absent for Mansfield were: Will Swan: Clough said he felt a tight groin in the afternoon of the game, and added “Hopefully Will will be alright for Saturday”. Stephen McLaughlin: Clough said he had a “tight Achilles in training yesterday so missed out”, adding “pitches are very hard at the moment”. James Perch: Clough said “James had a scan on his calf and is going to be a few weeks. I think only Perch and Kieran Wallace will be missing for the Salford game at the moment.” Kieran Wallace and Elliott Hewitt (with those knocks picked up at the training camp in Scotland). Clough said “Wallace is out for a few weeks with his knee”. Jordan Bowery played at left wing-back and then in central defence. I joked with Nigel Clough after the game that he was trying to put Bowery in every position in pre-season. He laughed. The late absence of Swan, meant Clough called up Danny Johnson to play. Clough said the late absence “messed the plans up a little bit, but Danny Johnson came in and did 40-odd minutes which helped us out”. After the game, Clough talked about Johnson saying that a deal for him to be transferred “looks like it will happen”. He added “We are trying to get to the finer details of a deal for him. I don't think we're too far away so we're hopeful something might get done this week. I think it will be best for everybody. Danny has never been a problem for a minute while he has been here. It's just sometimes in football it sometimes doesn't quite work out.” The formation was 3-5-2 for the fourth game out of four. A reminder that Nigel Clough said after the first pre-season friendly: “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.” After the game here, Clough clarified: “The 3-5-2 system is working well at the moment, but certainly not set in stone.” Sheffield United sent out their first team. Sheffield United had most of the ball in the opening stages. Keeper Wes Foderingham didn’t touch the ball until the 6th minute. After 8 minutes, Ben Osborn fired over the bar from 18 yards. A brilliant turn by Oates in the centre circle after 11 minutes, and a good run but he just lost control of the ball outside the area. Hawkins headed a cross from Sander Burge behind for a corner after 13 minutes. At the other end after 18 minutes, Boateng set Gordon away and he won a corner after a dangerous cross. Hawkins eased Brewster off the ball in the area after 23 minutes as both players went to ground. No penalty said the referee. A fine save by Pym after 27 minutes. Berge sent Iliman Ndiaye away for a shot from the edge of the area, but Pym did well to turn it past the post. Following the resulting corner, Baldock’s curling cross was met by Anel Ahmedhodzic who headed wide. Another cross from Kellan Gordon after 29 minutes, to the far post. Oates got his boot on it but couldn’t turn it back across goal from a tight angle. Moments later, Gordon won a corner. The Stags changed their team after 31 minutes (see above for team). Rhian Brewster set Ndiaye away for another run to the edge of the area after 38 minutes and a 1-on-1. Pym was out to narrow the angle and saved Ndiaye‘s shot. The ball looped up towards the net and, before Ollie Norwood could turn it in, George Cooper cleared off the line. On 45 minutes, Ciaran Clarke headed well wide from an Osborn free kick from the left. Nil nil at half time but plenty of chances for the Blades and a couple of fine saves from the impressive Christy Pym. Half time 0-0 After 48 minutes, Norwood crossed low from the right. The ball got stuck under Bowery’s feet and Ndiaye could only get a soft shot on it from 5 yards to give Pym an easy save. On 52 minutes at the other end, a good cross from Kellan Gordon, Akins turned it goalwards but straight at the keeper. A bad challenge by Lapslie after 55 minutes which would have been a yellow in a league game. The Stags changed the side again after 60 minutes (see details above). Good control from Oates on the right to take a throw-in in his stride after 63 minutes, and from a tight angle he smashed a shot goalwards which the keeper palmed away. The ball rebounded to Gale who headed well wide. The Stags took the lead after 65 minutes. Quinn slid a super ball forward to Gale to run on to, to the byline on the left. The Blades’ defence claimed for offside and it was close, but the flag stayed down. Gale took the ball along the byline on the left before crossing low to the edge of the six yard box where Boateng slid in to beat the defence and turn it into the net. Fine play from Quinn and especially from young Gale, and a poacher’s finish from Boateng. Sheffield United had the ball in the net after 68 minutes but the flag was up well before the ball was in the net. Baldock was offside before he took the ball to the byline and crossed to Brewster who headed in. Two minutes later, Brewster’s deflected shot from the edge of the area was straight at Flinders in the Stags goal. The Stags made it 2-0 after 71 minutes. Quinn set Gale away down the left, Gale slid a magnificent ball across the edge of the six yard box, and Oates was first to it in the middle to turn it past the keeper. Brilliant from Gale, and a poacher’s finish this time from Oates. Great play again from Gale after 74 minutes, finding Boateng on the halfway line, Boateng then set Oates away but he was just offside. Good defending from Hawkins blocking a Jebbison cross after 78 minutes. Johnson returned after 82 minutes to replace the impressive Gale. It was 3-0 after 84 minutes. Oates shot from a tight angle on the byline, it was blocked by the keeper. Oates retrieved the ball, and found Boateng. Boateng to Lapslie, to Oates, to Lapslie, along the edge of the area to Boateng again. Boateng took one touch and from the edge of the area, on the right, curled a magnificent left footed shot in off the left post. What a beauty! After 86 minutes, good defending by Lapslie blocking a cross from Norrington-Davies. So a 3-0 win for Mansfield. Lots of impressive performances. Boateng continued to look excellent in midfield, capped by his two goals, the second of which was a stunner. What a left foot he has! Oates looked sharp up front and took his goal well. James Gale was brilliant with two wonderful assists. He will probably go out on loan this season but is a big prospect. Christy Pym in goal also really caught the eye with some good saves. Kellan Gordon had a good game at right wing back, getting forward well with some dangerous crosses. Hawkins had a good game at centre half. By the way, to correct one piece of info I gave in an earlier report: Hawkins will not be banned for the first league game (at Salford), as it turns out the play-offs are considered a standalone tournament, so he isn't banned following his red card at Wembley. The final pre-season game is on Saturday, at Oldham Athletic. We will not have live coverage on iFollow Stags but the full match replay will be available on iFollow Stags on Sunday. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
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Line Up:
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First 30 minutes:
Stags team (3-5-2): Christy Pym; John-Joe O’Toole, Oli Hawkins, Riley Harbottle; Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jordan Bowery (left wing-back); Rhys Oates, Lucas Akins. 30-60 minutes: Stags team (3-5-2): Christy Pym; John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery (central defence), George Cooper; Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), George Lapslie, Jason Law, Ollie Clarke, Lucas Akins (left wing-back); James Gale, Danny Johnson. 60-90 minutes: Stags team (3-5-2): Scott Flinders; Ollie Clarke (right side of central defence), Oli Hawkins, Riley Harbottle; George Lapslie (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Stephen Quinn, Jason Law (left wing-back); Rhys Oates, James Gale. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Danny Johnson (for Gale, 82)
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Opposition Line Up:
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(5-3-2) Foderingham; Baldock (Broadbent 81), Kyron Gordon (Egan 76′), Ahmedhodzic, Ciaran Clark (Robinson 76’), Stevens (Norrington-Davies 46’); Norwood (Arblaster 76’), Berge (Fleck 76’), Osborn (Coulibaly 76’); Ndiaye, Brewster (Jebbison 76’). Subs not used: Amissah, Osula, Gomis.
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Referee:
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Declan Bourne
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