Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Stevenage
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Mansfield Town
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Attendance: 3,301 (640 from Mansfield)
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Date: 10 December 2022
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STAGS AND STEVENAGE IN GOALLESS DRAW
Martin Shaw at Broadhall Way (Lamex Stadium) Mansfield Town picked up a valuable point in a goalless draw at Stevenage this afternoon. Stevenage, under former Stags manager Steve Evans, had won 9 of their 10 home league games, and had scored in all of those games, so it was a good achievement to keep a clean sheet. The Stags were very well organised and limited the home side to very few chances, while the Stags also created few chances and 0-0 was a fair result. Mansfield’s best chances came in the first half. After 2 minutes, Rhys Oates powered past defenders Dan Sweeney and Luther Wildin just inside the Stevenage half, and got to the edge of the area. Stevenage keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond came out to the edge of his area to narrow the angle, Oates tried to lift it past him into the net, but the keeper made a fine save with his right hand. A glorious chance. Oates later did well under pressure from Carl Piergianni before shooting well wide after 10 minutes. And then after 23 minutes, a good cross in from Stephen McLaughlin and Oates headed from 8 yards straight at the keeper. Stevenage had the ball in the net after 12 minutes. Oli Hawkins gave the ball away 22 yards from his own goal, to Jordan Roberts. Roberts crossed in to the middle to former Stag Jamie Reid who flicked the ball into the net. But Reid was fully 6 yards offside when Roberts played the ball. It was a rare mistake from the Stags defence in the game, indeed just about the only one in a very solid performance. Stevenage’s best chance of the game came after 88 minutes. Danny Rose, another former Stags player, on as sub, crossed from the right, Arthur Read tried to turn it goalwards from 12 yards under pressure from Hiram Boateng, and the ball fell kindly for Luke Norris, but on the volley from 3 yards out he could only turn the ball wide rather than into the net. Even Steve Evans after the game admitted that had that gone in it would have given his side a fortunate win. Plenty of solid performances throughout the Stags side, indeed everyone contributed. George Maris was my pick for man of the match, with a fine performance in midfield. The defence of Harbottle, Hawkins and Hewitt was very solid, as were wing-backs Akins and McLaughlin. Ollie Clarke provided some real steel in midfield, while Quinn and Lapslie also played well, with Oates causing the home defence plenty of problems but unable to take his chances. Christy Pym, who played for Stevenage against Mansfield last season under manager Steve Evans, had a quiet game, with no difficult shots to save. With some other games postponed because of the weather, Mansfield are up to 5th place, having played a game more than some clubs, and 5 points behind 3rd placed Northampton, having played a game more. Two big games at home coming up, against Grimsby next Saturday, and then against Northampton on Boxing Day. DETAILED REPORT : The game survived a midday pitch inspection after a heavy frost overnight. The pitch was certainly playable but hard and frosty in certain areas. It was a bitterly cold day in Hertfordshire. The Stags were backed by 640 magnificent supporters. They were very vocal throughout, unlike the home supporters, and it was a great turnout given that England were playing a World Cup quarter final match at 7pm, and there was doubt over the game going ahead with that pitch inspection. Nigel Clough made two changes from the side that started against Colchester last week. Akins and Clarke came in for Swan and Boateng. Akins went in at right wing-back. Harbottle, Hawkins and Hewitt were in central defence, with McLaughlin at left wing back. Maris was in front of the back three, with Lapslie right and Clarke left, in front of him, and then Quinn playing just off Oates up front. Swan was unlucky to drop to the bench. Akins and Clarke came in for their physicality against a physical and aerially dominant Stevenage side. Nigel Clough said after the game: “It was a bit harsh on him [Swan]. If we had been at home, he would’ve played. If we’d been away from home against a different side and a different challenge then he may well have played as well.” Clough also commented on the central defence: “We struggled a bit with Perchy [James Perch] and JJ [O’Toole]. No disrespect to them, but they don’t have that athleticism that I think we need at the moment.” I had commented that I was worried about their form and speed after the games against Everton U21 and Harrogate. Both were very good last season, but O’Toole seems to be still struggling to shake off a foot injury. Bowery was absent with illness. O’Toole didn’t make the 18 after being suspended last week. Page remains out after getting a kick on his Achilles in the Notts Senior Cup. Law travelled and didn’t make the 18. Stevenage have had a great start to the season, averaging more than two points per game, in second place in the table. Steve Evans has done a fine job putting almost a completely new team together since last season. It was the second time Steve Evans has come up against Mansfield since he walked out on the club, the first being the 2-0 win for Mansfield at the One Call Stadium in April. They were unchanged from last weekend’s impressive 5-0 demolition of Barrow. Jamie Reid started up front. He had hit the post twice against Mansfield in this fixture last season. Danny Rose was on the bench. Carl Piergianni was in central defence, a player Nigel Clough tried to sign last season when he was at Oldham. Mansfield’s best chances came after just 2 minutes. Rhys Oates powered past defenders Dan Sweeney and Luther Wildin just inside the Stevenage half, and got to the edge of the area. Stevenage keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond came out to the edge of his area to narrow the angle, Oates tried to lift it past him into the net, but the keeper made a fine save with his right hand. A glorious chance. After 10 minutes, Oates did well under pressure from Carl Piergianni before shooting well wide. Stevenage had the ball in the net after 12 minutes. Oli Hawkins gave the ball away 22 yards from his own goal, to Jordan Roberts. Roberts crossed in to the middle to former Stag Jamie Reid who flicked the ball into the net. But Reid was fully 6 yards offside when Roberts played the ball. It was a rare mistake from the Stags defence in the game, indeed just about the only one in a very solid performance. Good defending from Maris on the halfway line after 14 minutes. Then two good sliding challenges from Harbottle. George Lapslie referenced some of the defending in his post match interview: “We looked solid and I thought the defence was unreal. Some of the 'olden day' tackles that were going in were class to see. It was good to see Riley (Harbottle) and Elliott (Hewitt) get stuck in.” A great spin and run forward down the left from Oates after 21 minutes. Moments later Mansfield recycled the ball as McLaughlin won the ball off Sweeney and went forward down the left. He pulled the ball back to Quinn who went down in the area. It didn’t look like a foul in my opinion and the referee wasn’t interested in a penalty. Update: from the video replay, it does look like a penalty. Sweeney tried to tackle Quinn from behind, went straight through his legs to take him down, without getting the ball, and then stopped as Quinn went down and looked at the referee, guiltily. It should have been a penalty. After 23 minutes, a good cross in from McLaughlin and Oates headed from 8 yards straight at the keeper. At the other end after 26 minutes, Saxon Earley crossed in and Jamie Reid glanced a header well wide. A minute later, good defending from Hawkins, after the bounce of the ball initially deceived him. Piergianni went straight through the back of Quinn after 28 minutes. A bad challenge for which he was booked. Neat football from Stevenage after 36 minutes culminated in a shot from 28 yards from Dean Campbell which Harbottle blocked for a corner. From the resulting corner, Alex Gilbey’s shot was blocked by Clarke. No more chances before half time. One good tackle from Maris. Goalless at the break, probably the right scoreline. Early chances for Oates and later another header. Stevenage had that disallowed goal. Half time 0-0 Good defending by McLaughlin after 53 minutes getting the ball back to Pym. Pym then comfortably saved a shot from Earley straight at him. Boateng replaced Quinn after 60 minutes. Quinn had had a good game. Oates did well to win a corner after 68 minutes. A minute later good defending by Maris as Stevenage broke. Then two good clearances by Hawkins. Stevenage made a triple change after 73 minutes including bringing on Danny Rose for Jamie Reid. The Stags had the ball in the net after 83 minutes. Boateng played a ball forward from inside his own half for Oates, who controlled it beautifully 25 yards from goal. Oates lifted the ball over the keeper into the net, but offside flag was already up and Oates was clearly offside. A minute later at the other end, the home fans wanted a penalty. To show how much it was NOT a penalty, even Steve Evans didn’t appeal for it! And from the video, it wasn’t even in the area. Stevenage’s best chance of the game came after 88 minutes. Danny Rose sent a tame shot goalwards from the edge of the area, blocked by his own player. The ball came back to Rose who crossed from the right, Arthur Read tried to turn it goalwards from 12 yards under pressure from Hiram Boateng, and the ball fell kindly for Luke Norris, but on the volley from 3 yards out he could only turn the ball wide rather than into the net. Even Steve Evans after the game admitted that had that gone in it would have given his side a fortunate win. Wallace replaced Clarke after 89 minutes. Boateng conceded a silly free kick after 90+2 minutes, which allowed Stevenage to send Piergianni, Sweeney, Norris and Rose into the box. But it was cleared. At the full time whistle, there was some boos from home fans. Stevenage fans were silent all game, not getting behind their side at all. Stags fans sang about “football in a library”. And these boos took the biscuit. 9 wins out of 10 at home, followed by a draw against Mansfield and there were boos. Pathetic support. A good performance from the Stags and a deserved point. Man of the match: George Maris Here’s a running tally of various stats this season: Goals (league and cup): Lapslie, Swan 7, Akins, Hawkins, Maris 4, Harbottle 3, Bowery, Clarke 2, Gale, Gordon, Oates 1. Assists (league and cup): Lapslie 6, Hewitt, Maris 4, Gordon, McLaughlin 3, Akins, Boateng, Hartigan 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.) Yellow cards (league only, alphabetical order): Boateng 1, Clarke 4, Harbottle 2, Hartigan 1, Hawkins 3, Lapslie 3, Law 1, Maris 3, McLaughlin 2, O’Toole 5, Perch 2, Pym 1, Quinn 6, Swan 2, Wallace 1. Red cards (league and cup): Boateng 1, Bowery 1, Perch 1. (note: red cards count across competitions apart from Papa John’s Trophy; yellow cards are competition specific) (note: 5 yellow cards before the end of the 19th league game will result in a one match ban; 10 yellow cards before the end of the 37th league game will result in a two match ban; 15 yellow cards before the end of the 46th league game will result in a three match ban) |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Broadhall Way (Lamex Stadium)
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Line Up:
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(3-5-1-1)
Pym 7 Had a quiet game, with no difficult shots to save. Harbottle 8.5 Very solid. Two good sliding challenges. George Lapslie referenced some of the defending in his post match interview: “Some of the 'olden day' tackles that were going in were class to see.” Hawkins 7 Some good clearances and defending. One bad error, when he gave the ball away and was rescued by the offside flag as Jamie Reid put the ball in the net. Hewitt 8 Very solid on the left side of the central defensive three. Akins 7 Good game at right wing-back. Lapslie 7 Played well on the right of midfield. Explained his role in his post match interview: "I know Gilbs (Alex Gilbey) from my time at Charlton. I know he likes to get in the box. Once I knew I was up against him, I understood that my role today was to nullify him." Maris 8.5 My pick for man of the match, with a fine performance in midfield, including some good tackling and defending. Clarke 7.5 Provided some real steel in midfield. McLaughlin 8 Some good defending. Good cross for Oates’ header at the keeper. Good play to find Quinn before Quinn was brought down in the area. Quinn 7.5 Had a good game, just behind Oates. Should have had a penalty after 22 minutes. Nigel Clough explained his role after the game: "Stephen Quinn's our most intelligent player, so when you're talking about closing down in the final third and not committing yourself, he's the best at it. And he can thread a pass through as well.” Oates 7 Caused the home defence plenty of problems but unable to take his chances. A glorious chance after just 2 minutes, saved by the keeper. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Boateng (for Quinn, 60 mins) -
Wallace (for Clarke, 89 mins) - Subs not used: Flinders, Gordon, Perch, Hartigan, Swan. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-3-1-2) Ashby-Hammond; Wildin, Sweeney, Piergianni, Earley; Reeves, Campbell (Taylor, 73), Gilbey (Arthur Read, 73); Roberts; Jamie Reid (Rose, 73), Norris. Subs not used: Chapman, Clark, Smith, Vancooten.
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Referee:
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Anthony Backhouse 6 From the video replay, missed a foul on Quinn in the box which should have been a penalty. Rightly booked Piergianni for foul on Quinn.
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