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Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
Pre-Season Friendly
Oldham Athletic  
0 - 3
 Mansfield Town
 
 Oates 38, 60, Hawkins 88
Attendance: 919 (69 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 23 July 2022

Martin Shaw at Boundary Park

Mansfield Town beat Oldham Athletic 3-0 at Boundary Park in the final pre-season friendly this afternoon. It ends an impressive pre-season, beating a full-strength Sheffield United side 3-0, drawing with another Championship side Rotherham United, winning at Matlock and Retford, and finally winning at National League newcomers Oldham.

Rhys Oates continued his impressive pre-season, scoring twice, to add to his goals against Sheffield United and Rotherham, with Oli Hawkins scoring the third.

The Stags can look forward to the League Two season opener at Salford next Saturday in good spirits.

Stags team vs Oldham (3-5-2):
Christy Pym;
John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery (central defence), Riley Harbottle;
Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Jason Law, Stephen McLaughlin (left wing-back);
Rhys Oates, Lucas Akins.

Substitutes:
Ollie Clarke (for Law, 39)
Oli Hawkins (for Harbottle, 52)
Elliott Hewitt (for O’Toole, 57)
Will Swan (for Akins, 63)
George Cooper (for McLaughlin, 72)
James Gale (for Oates, 84)
Sub not used: Scott Flinders

So, returning from injury:
Stephen McLaughlin: Back after a tight Achilles kept him out of the Sheffield United game.
Will Swan: Back after a tight groin kept him out of the Sheffield United game.
Elliott Hewitt: Good to see him back after he picked up a knock in Scotland.

Absent for Mansfield were:
Stephen Quinn: “got a whack on his hip against Sheffield United, he trained on Friday but was a little bit uncomfortable, no point in risking him”, according to Nigel Clough.
George Lapslie: “felt his thigh after training on Friday - just tight, no point in risking him”, according to Nigel Clough.
James Perch (calf) and Kieran Wallace (knee), who will both be missing for the Salford game.
Danny Johnson: joined Walsall on loan until January.

A couple of injuries were picked up against Oldham:
Jason Law: “had a dead leg last week and he got another whack on it today”, according to Nigel Clough.
John-Joe O’Toole: “got a whack on his knee so we’ll have to see how that settles”, according to Nigel Clough.
Riley Harbottle: “is okay, he was coming off anyway, he got poked in the eye”, according to Nigel Clough.

By the way, a correction to an earlier correction! I had originally thought that Oli Hawkins would be suspended for the Salford game after his sending off at Wembley. Nigel Clough then told me the club had received no notification from EFL of the suspension and therefore understood he would not be suspended as the play-offs are considered a separate entity. He told me today that they think he may now be suspended, but still have had no notification from EFL, which they should have had, and will get clarification on Monday. Not ideal from EFL.

The formation was 3-5-2, as it has been in every game in pre-season, so it seems likely that will be the formation at Salford, barring too many central defenders being unavailable. A reminder that Nigel Clough clarified after the game on Tuesday: “The 3-5-2 system is working well at the moment, but certainly not set in stone.”

The Oldham side contained several names familiar from last season, plus new signing veteran striker Chris Porter. And three trialists in midfield, one of whom was named by the local media as a former Oldham player Dan Gardner.

Oldham are preparing for their first season in the National League and will play Dorking Wanderers and Wealdstone inside their opening three games as a welcome to the league. The club has been in turmoil under the current owners, but thankfully a takeover of the club is imminent, sometime in the next week or two, in a deal brokered by the son of Joe Royle, the manager who took Oldham to the Premier League, and who the new stand at Boundary Park is named after. Oldham is a club I like, especially their media team and the incomparable 82 year old iFollow commentator Roy Butterworth, who is still going strong. I hope they have a good season and push for promotion.


The game started in rain, and just 17 degrees. Quite a contrast to the hottest day in history on Tuesday!

A half chance for the home side after 5 minutes as keeper Magnus Norman’s long kick found Hallam Hope unmarked behind the Stags back line but he headed well wide. Two minutes later, an Oldham free kick from the right was cleared to Benny Couto on the left, who shot low from distance and Pym did well to hold the wet ball.

The first chance for Mansfield came after 9 minutes, as Hiram Boateng found Lucas Akins who played in Rhys Oates into the area on the right, and Oates fired into the side-netting.

After 10 minutes, Couto’s pass was missed by Jordan Bowery and found Chris Porter, who teed up Trialist B for a shot but with the goal gaping, he fired well over the bar.

A chance for the Stags after 19 minutes as Kellan Gordon’s cross found Riley Harbottle who rose well, headed down and goalwards, but the keeper saved. Two minutes later, a good move as Jason Law set Akins way into the area but he was very well tackled by Jack Stobbs for a corner.

After 24 minutes, Stephen McLaughlin was denied by a great save. A free kick from George Maris was headed goalwards by McLaughlin and keeper Norman made a tremendous save at full stretch to his right.

Then on 29 minutes, a great run from Oates towards the edge of the area and his powerful shot was saved by the keeper above his head.

Oldham Trialist A (Dan Gardner) sent a free kick from 24 yards over the bar after 32 minutes, after Bowery had fouled Porter to concede the free kick.

After 35 minutes, Akins headed over the bar from another Gordon cross.

The Stags took the lead after 38 minutes, and it was a lovely goal. Law threaded through a precision ball for Oates, who rolled his shot past the keeper into the far corner of the net. Lovely from Law who provided a similar assist for Oates’ goal against Rotherham last week, and also against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup last season.

Before play restarted Law had to go off. Nigel Clough said that Law “had a dead leg last week and he got another whack on it today”. That was a shame straight after his super assist. On came Ollie Clarke into the left side of midfield.

After 41 minutes, Akins was gifted the ball and fired in a shot from 25 yards which was pushed wide by the keeper. Then on 45+1 minutes, Akins got away from his defender, forced his way into the area, and his low shot was saved by the keeper with his legs.

A very strong end to the half from Mansfield. 1-0 ahead at the break from that Oates goal, and with plenty of other chances too.

Half time 0-1

After 48 minutes, George Maris shot from the edge of the box but it was too soft and an easy save. Two minutes later, Oates found space for a shot, but he didn’t get a good connection on it, and it was another comfortable save for the keeper.

Oli Hawkins replaced Harbottle after 52 minutes. Harbottle had got a poke in the eye, but was ok, and was due to come off anyway. Hawkins went in to the centre of the three man defence, as Bowery moved to the left of the three, where Harbottle had been.

Moments later, a good tackle by O’Toole to prevent a shot from Hallam Hope. Four minutes after that, Hope cut inside from the left and fired wide of the left post.

Elliott Hewitt replaced O’Toole after 57 minutes. O’Toole “got a whack on his knee so we’ll have to see how that settles”, according to Nigel Clough. Hewitt went in to the right side of the three man defence.

The Stags made it 2-0 after 60 minutes. Gordon whipped in a wonderful cross from the right and Oates tapped in on the volley from 5 yards. Oates’ fourth goal of the week.

Will Swan replaced Akins up front after 63 minutes.

Swan was immediately in the action with a low ball across to Oates but it was cleared.

After 67 minutes, a free kick from Trialist A (Dan Gardner) was met by Oldham sub Mike Fondop, who headed wide of the left post. Then a minute later, sloppy passing at the back from the Stags and Pym was only just able to clear. Moments later, Trialist B fired well over the bar from 30 yards.

George Cooper replaced McLaughlin after 72 minutes. Cooper went in to the left of the three man defence, as Bowery moved to left wing back.

Good football from the Stags after 75 minutes involving Oates and Gordon, and finally Boateng fed Oates who shot a long way wide. Two minutes later, Maris found Ollie Clarke 30 yards out, Clarke tried his luck with a shot always rising over the bar.

Mike Fondop was presented with a free shot after 79 minutes by a loose pass from Oates, but Fondop fired over the bar from 18 yards.

Lovely movement from the Stags after 81 minutes as Swan found Gordon, and his cross-shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Super defending by Hawkins after 83 minutes to clear the ball.

James Gale replaced Oates after 84 minutes up front.

Pym took a loose touch at the back after 85 minutes but got away with it.

On 87 minutes, nice play by James Gale on the left, he played inside to Ollie Clarke, who dinked a cross to the far post which was just headed away.

The Stags made it 3-0 after 88 minutes. Boateng put in a great cross from the right, Hawkins had got away from his marker and glanced a header into the left corner of the net.

On the stroke of 90 minutes, Hope got to the edge of the Stags area and sent a low shot from the left into the side netting.

A convincing 3-0 win to end the pre-season friendlies. Plenty of impressive performances. Oates again looked very sharp up front and scored twice. Boateng once again looked very good, including the assist for the third goal. Maris also played well in midfield. Law provided that excellent assist for the first goal. Gordon put in some fine crosses from the right, including the assist for the second goal. One or two lapses at the back and the Stags “got away with a couple” as described by Nigel Clough.
Nevertheless it was another clean sheet, and in five pre-season friendlies, including two against Championship clubs, the Stags have conceded just one goal in total using the 3-5-2 system.

And so to Salford next Saturday. As the game is on a Saturday, we will have live full match commentary on iFollow Stags, but without live video streaming, which will only be available for overseas viewers (ie. as usual on a Saturday).


Report by: Martin Shaw at Boundary Park



Line Up:
(3-5-2):
Christy Pym;
John-Joe O’Toole, Jordan Bowery (central defence), Riley Harbottle;
Kellan Gordon (right wing-back), Hiram Boateng, George Maris, Jason Law, Stephen McLaughlin (left wing-back);
Rhys Oates, Lucas Akins.
Sub Line Up:
Ollie Clarke (for Law, 39)
Oli Hawkins (for Harbottle, 52)
Elliott Hewitt (for O’Toole, 57)
Will Swan (for Akins, 63)
George Cooper (for McLaughlin, 72)
James Gale (for Oates, 84)
Sub not used: Scott Flinders
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2) Norman; Jordan Clarke, McGahey, Sheron, Couto (Burgess 55); Stobbs, Trialist A (number 8, named by local media Dan Gardner), Trialist B, Trialist C (Luamba 55); Porter (Fondop 55), Hope.
Referee:
not named


Season 22/23 Reports