Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Everton U21
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Mansfield Town
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Higgins 90+1, Cannon 90+4.
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Oates 6
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Attendance: 779 (365 from Mansfield, figure from Mansfield Police)
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Date: 30 November 2022
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STAGS OUT OF THE PAPA JOHN'S TROPHY AT GOODISON PARK
Martin Shaw at Goodison Park Mansfield Town were knocked out of the Papa John’s Trophy last night by Everton U21 at Goodison Park. The Stags led from the 6th minute, with Rhys Oates heading home from a George Maris corner, on his first start back following his three month injury lay-off. The Stags were good value for the lead at half time having created and missed some good chances. The second half was as dull a half of football as you’ll see, with Mansfield creating nothing going forward, apart from a George Lapslie shot which he might have done better with, while Everton had plenty of possession but created nothing of note and never looked like scoring. That was the case all the way until 4 minutes of injury time were added on, when, unbelievably, Everton U21 scored twice. Twice Everton U21 got in behind the Stags defence and scored thanks to terrible defending from the Stags. Mansfield’s failure to convert chances, coupled with conceding poor goals from relatively very few chances created by the opposition, is a real concern. It is clearly important that the Stags get back to winning ways at home to Colchester in the league on Saturday. It was Mansfield’s first ever match at Goodison Park, and unless we draw them in a cup competition next season, it will be the last as well. Remarkable for Stags fans to have the opportunity to travel to Hillsborough and Goodison Park, two grounds so steeped in history and full of character, in the space of four days. I love this type of ground much more than soulless modern bowls. The game was delayed a week from when all the other ties were played so that Everton U21 could include 7 players who travelled with their first team squad to Australia last week to take part in the Sydney Super Cup. Everton U21 also included England international Ben Godfrey who hadn’t played for the Everton first team since he fractured his fibula against Chelsea in August. Several of the team had played in the Premier League, including Godfrey, Tom Cannon and Isaac Price. Mansfield meanwhile made 9 changes from the side that started at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on Saturday. The two players to start both games were Gordon and Maris. McLaughlin and Oates both started their first games since injury. Two key players in the Stags squad of course. Clarke remained out with injury. I spoke to him last night and he said he hoped to be available for selection for Saturday. Harbottle and Page were also out with injury. The Stags started with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Flinders in goal, Gordon (right back), O’Toole and Perch (centre half), McLaughlin (left back). Hartigan and Wallace were in front of the back four. Then Oates (right), Maris, Law (left) were just behind Bowery up front. An early free kick for Everton U21 was curled to the far post where it was headed back across goal and headed away from danger by Wallace. The Stags were ahead after 6 minutes. Law’s cross from the left was headed behind for a corner. Maris took the corner from the left and curled it into the middle. Oates was unmarked on the edge of the six yard box to head into the net. A second goal of the season for Oates. A fifth assist of the season for Maris, one behind Lapslie (see my stats below). A minute later, good pressing from Oates, Wallace, Maris and Bowery, to win the ball, and Bowery had a chance to shoot from 18 yards but miscued his shot wide. A minute after that, Maris slipped a nice ball forward for Oates to get into the area, but Oates scuffed his shot wide. A first chance for Everton U21 after 12 minutes as a ball over the top for Tom Cannon saw him get in behind Gordon. Gordon then slipped as Cannon cut back in and fired high and wide. After 14 minutes, Perch won the ball on the halfway line, to Maris. Maris got past one man, played to Oates to his right, Oates pulled the ball back to Maris who fired over the bar from 12 yards. Maris should have got it on target from that position. At the other end, a mistake by O’Toole who gave the ball way and Cannon fired a low shot straight at Flinders. Then on 24 minutes a low shot from Stanley Mills gave Flinders another easy save. A good cross from Gordon after 29 minutes, but a good header away prevented it reaching Bowery. McLaughlin was booked for a late tackle on Mills after 30 minutes. Bookings in this competition don’t count towards the totting up process for suspensions in the league. A chance for Bowery after 34 minutes. A quickly taken free kick forward by Gordon set Oates away down the right, he pulled the ball across for Bowery who hit it first time high and wide. A poor effort. Maris sent a great ball in behind the defence for McLaughlin to run on to in the area on the left after 35 minutes. McLaughlin’s cross towards Bowery and Oates was pushed tipped away by the keeper. Three minutes later, a good cross in from Gordon from the right, Bowery battled for it with defender Reece Welch, but the ball just trickled away from them to the keeper. After 43 minutes, Isaac Price curled an ambitious shot high and wide from 25 yards. The Stags good value for the 1-0 lead at the break having created and missed more good chances than the Everton U21 side. Half time 0-1 Mansfield made three changes at half time as Lapslie, Hewitt and Akins replaced Maris, McLaughlin and Gordon. McLaughlin was only ever getting 45 minutes on his return from injury. Hewitt went in at left back, Akins at right back. A free kick for the home side 27 yards out after 48 minutes after Perch fouled Mills. The wall did its job as Mackenzie Hunt’s free kick was blocked. A minute later, Everton sub Liam Higgins got past Hewitt and fired in a cross that was missed by everyone in the middle. Lapslie won the ball on the halfway line after 50 minutes, and he set Bowery away for a run towards goal. But Bowery lacked the confidence to try a shot having got to the edge of the area, instead he tried to lay off to Lapslie and it was cleared. Poor from Bowery, who was having a poor game up front. Oates was replaced after 62 minutes. Again pre-planned on his return from injury. On came Boateng. The game had become very dull. On 64 minutes, a cross from Akins was cleared to Hartigan 25 yards out, and he curled his shot over the bar. At the other end a minute later, Cannon headed well wide from 16 yards. Perch got in a block on an Frankie Okoronkwo cross-shot after 69 minutes. Then Isaac Price sent in a shot from 28 yards which Flinders saved and did well to hold on to. Good play from the Stags on the left after75 minutes, involving Law, Hewitt and Bowery, and Bowery teed up Lapslie for a shot from the edge of the box. It was a good chance but Lapslie fired it straight at the keeper. Much better play from Bowery. A good block by Hewitt after 79 minutes as Cannon had the chance to shoot from inside the box. It was the closest Everton had come to finding an equaliser. An important header away by Hewitt after 86 minutes as a cross came in. Swan replaced Law after 88 minutes. The Stags switched to 5 at the back to protect the lead with Bowery moving to left wing back. Four minutes of stoppage time was added on. Whilst Everton had had plenty of possession, they hadn’t looked like scoring and the Stags hadn’t looked like conceding. But unbelievably, Everton were to score twice in the four minutes added on. After 90+1 minutes, Sebastian Quirk lifted the ball from the edge of the centre circle to the edge of the Stags area where Cannon flicked the ball to the right. The ball flicked off O’Toole perfectly into the path of Liam Higgins who had got in behind Perch and he fired past Flinders from 12 yards. A very soft goal out of almost nothing, where O’Toole and Perch should have done better. With the game now heading for a penalty shoot-out, worse was to follow after 90+4 minutes. Akins knocked the ball forward from just outside his area but only as far as Sebastian Quirk on the edge of the centre circle. Quirk pushed forward ten yards then knocked the ball forward between O’Toole and Perch for Cannon who got behind them and Hewitt. While O’Toole, Perch and Hewitt looked for offside, Cannon took a touch to steady himself before slotting the ball past Flinders from 12 yards. From the main camera angle, it appears that Cannon was played onside by Akins. Poor defending by Perch, Hewitt and O’Toole, following a terrible pass by Akins. Unbelievable. Yet Mansfield’s failure to convert chances, coupled with conceding such poor goals from relatively very few chances created by the opposition, was again the catalyst. And the form of O’Toole and Perch continues to be a concern following the Harrogate game. So the Stags are out, missing out on £20,000 in prize money for the winners, and on a trip to Lincoln City in the next round. Back to the league on Saturday, and back to the One Call Stadium after 4 successive away games. If you can’t get to the game against Colchester (3pm kick off), you can buy a match pass to watch it with us on iFollow Stags. Man of the match: Rhys Oates Here’s a running tally of various stats this season: Goals (league and cup): Lapslie 7, Swan 6, Hawkins, Maris 4, Akins, Harbottle 3, Bowery, Clarke, Oates 2, Gale, Gordon 1. Assists (league and cup): Lapslie 6, Maris 5, Gordon, Hewitt 3, Akins, Boateng, Hartigan, McLaughlin 2, Bowery, Clarke, Hawkins, Law, Quinn, Wallace 1 (notes on assists: in the case of a penalty, the player who earns the penalty gets an assist, such as Lapslie against AFC Wimbledon. In the case of a solo goal, such as Maris against Newport at home last season, 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, such as Lapslie against Stockport. In the case of an own goal, the player who caused the own goal gets an assist, for example McLaughlin against Newport away last season where his shot was deflected in for an own goal. In the case of a cross that is headed away before the goal is scored, such as Clarke’s goal at Doncaster, nobody gets an assist.) |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Goodison Park
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Line Up:
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(4-2-3-1)
Flinders 7 No chance with the goals. One decent save and did well to hold on to it. Gordon 7 Good game going forward in the first half. Taken off at half time as he had played 90 minutes at Sheff Wed. O’Toole 4 Should have done better for both goals. One mistake in the first half. Perch 4.5 Should have done better for both goals. Some other good pieces of defending though. McLaughlin 6 Great to have him back. Did ok. Nigel Clough said after the game he “looked a little bit rusty.” Hartigan 6 Did ok in holding midfield role. Wallace 7 Had a decent game. Oates 7.5 Had a good 62 minutes, including his second goal of the season on his first start for 3 months since injury. Maris 7.5 Good first half, including a good assist for the goal. Taken off at half time as he had played 90 minutes at Sheff Wed. Law 6.5 Involved in some good moves. Bowery 5 Some poor finishing. One good ball to tee up Lapslie for a shot. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Lapslie (for Maris, 46 mins) 6 One shot he might have done better with. Won the ball once on the half way line to set Bowery away.
Hewitt (for McLaughlin, 46 mins) 5.5 Could have done better for the second goal. But some other good defending. Akins (for Gordon, 46 mins) 5 A terrible pass led to the second goal. Didn’t have a good second half. Boateng (for Oates, 62 mins) - Didn’t get into the game. Swan (for Law, 88 mins) - Subs not used: Pym, Hawkins. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-2) Zan-Luk Leban; Ben Godfrey, Reece Welch, Joe Anderson, Roman Dixon (Liam Higgins, 46); Stanley Mills (Owen Barker, 79), Seb Quirk, Mackenzie Hunt (Ishe Samuels-Smith, 76), Isaac Price; Frankie Okoronkwo (Katia Kouyate, 79), Tom Cannon. Subs not used: Jack Barrett, Elijah Campbell, Halid Djankpata.
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Referee:
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Adam Herczeg 7 Handled the game well.
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