Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Grimsby Town
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Attendance: 7,569 (1,102 from Grimsby)
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Date: 22 March 2023
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STAGS AND GRIMSBY DRAW 0-0
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town drew 0-0 with Grimsby Town at the One Call Stadium last night. Grimsby were the better side in the first half and should have gone in at the break ahead. Mansfield were the better side in the second half. In the end, a draw was a fair result. The game had been pushed back a day to account for Grimsby’s FA Cup quarter final tie at Brighton which was live on BBC1 on Sunday afternoon. Congratulations to Grimsby for a remarkable achievement in reaching the last 8 of the FA Cup. Grimsby have a more or less fully fit squad and were able to freshen their side up changing almost their entire midfield and attack from Sunday’s team. Four of their defence was unchanged, including former Stag Luke Waterfall, in central defence. In total they made 5 changes, including another former Stag Otis Khan dropping to the bench. As well as the cup run, Grimsby had won at Sutton in their last away game, and won at Northampton last month, but had also had some poor results, and are firmly in mid-table, not going down and not going up. Mansfield by contrast are massively hampered by an injury list including key players such as Maris, Swan, McLaughlin, as well as key January signings Reed and Callum Johnson, and the self-inflicted 3 match suspension of Quinn. Mansfield made one change from the side that rescued a draw at Stockport with that late equaliser. Oates came in to the starting XI for his first start since getting injured at Bradford at the beginning of February. He replaced Wallace who dropped to the bench. Ollie Clarke played despite getting a knock on Saturday, as did Oates. Boateng played despite his partner giving birth to their child on Tuesday morning. Congratulations to him and his partner. Whatever else you can say about the performances of players, there is no doubt about their commitment to the cause, playing on when there are so many other players injured. One small piece of good news: Clarke was not booked in the game (or the previous two games), so has avoided the possibility of a two game suspension due to accumulation of yellow cards. The Stags wore the club's light blue away socks with amber shirts and blue shorts as a display of support to mark Down's Syndrome Awareness Week, and the Down's Syndrome Association’s #LotsOfSocks campaign. The game was off to a lively start. After a minute, a low shot from Andy Smith from 18 yards gave Pym an easy save. At the other end a minute later, Keillor-Dunn played a great ball forward for Oates to run on to, Oates got to the byline on the left, and tried to pull it back to Bowery, playing further forward than he often has been of late, but his cross was cleared. A big chance for the Mariners after 3 minutes. John McAtee got past Harbottle into the area and from 12 yards fired towards the right corner of the net, but Pym made a very good save to his left. Two minutes later, following a quick free kick, McAtee crossed low into the box from the right, to Niall Maher, whose low shot from 12 yards was wide of the left post and just missed by the stretching George Lloyd at the far post. A half chance for Mansfield after 10 minutes. Hewitt crossed from the right to the far post, Oates got in a header and it came off defender Josh Emmanuel for a corner. Keillor-Dunn’s corner was short to Boateng, who chipped to the far post and it was just too high for Akins. A clever corner routine. After 13 minutes, Clarke did well to block a cross for a corner. The resulting corner from the left from Anthony Glennon was headed away by Clarke, as far as Waterfall at the far post who volleyed well wide. A sloppy corner conceded by Boateng after 15 minutes. Glennon’s corner high to the far post found Waterfall, who had got away from his marker Perch, and headed towards the roof of the net and Pym made a brilliant save with his left hand to turn it over the bar. A chance for the Stags at the other end after 16 minutes. A great surging run by Oates down the right, he cut inside and squared to Keillor-Dunn. Keillor-Dunn tried to turn it inside to Akins. It wasn’t a good ball from Keillor-Dunn but Akins showed fantastic skill to control the ball, bring it down, and then fire in a shot from an awkward position, about 24 yards out, just over the angle of bar and post. A tremendous effort from Akins. After 18 minutes, an important clearance from Kilgour as Ryan Taylor was about to get in a shot. The ball came to Emmanuel, whose shot was blocked at source by Boateng. Grimsby hit the post after 20 minutes. The tricky McAtee turned away from Boateng in the box on the right, and chipped in a cross-shot from the right which hit the inside of the post and Kilgour headed it away. It might have been a fluke if it had gone in, but the Stags were nonetheless lucky that it didn’t go in. Great defending from Bowery after 23 minutes when he showed great speed against Emmanuel to get back and clear. A great run down the left by Akins moments later, he played inside to Boateng, just outside the area. Boateng manufactured a yard of space for himself and shot wide of the left post. Keillor-Dunn was fouled by Waterfall 30 yards from goal in a central position after 26 minutes. Keillor-Dunn took the free kick himself but sent it a yard over the bar. Great interplay down the right from Mansfield after 35 minutes. Harbottle to Keillor-Dunn, to Harbottle, down the line to Hewitt, inside to Boateng, laid off to Keillor-Dunn, and Keillor-Dunn fired in a great ball across the six yard box but Oates couldn’t get to it. A couple of corners then for the Stags which didn’t come to anything. Hewitt did well to stop a Glennon cross after 38 minutes. A glorious triple chance for Grimsby after another Glennon corner from the left on 40 minutes. The ball was cleared to Emmanuel in the centre circle. He lifted the ball back into the Stags box over Kilgour’s head. It found Andy Smith unmarked 14 yards out. But as he controlled the ball and was about to shoot, Harbottle slid in with a great tackle. The ball fell for McAtee, whose shot was blocked by Harbottle on the ground. The ball fell kindly for Waterfall, 4 yards out, just to the left of the goal, and he miscued his shot well wide. Credit to Hewitt for making himself big in front of Waterfall as he shot. A bit of an optical illusion on Waterfall’s shot as the ball hit the advertising hoarding behind the goal and then nestled at the back of the net. At half time, I was having a chat with former Stags and Grimsby striker Liam Hearn. I joked that I couldn’t believe how Waterfall missed that. Liam Hearn laughed that he could, and that he was going to tweet Waterfall after the game to invite him to come and join one of his striker training sessions. Hearn is the Sheffield United U21 and younger age groups striker coach. Akins played a great ball out to Hewitt on the right after 41 minutes, and Hewitt fired in a powerful cross that missed everyone. Oates chased after a ball forward after 42 minutes, couldn’t get there and hobbled away. Mansfield fans breathed a sigh of relief that he was ok to continue. While play continued, Kilgour also went down, and the referee stopped play. Kilgour was also ok to continue. It may be that he is also playing through a foot injury mentioned by Clough a couple of weeks ago. Another chance for the Mariners after 44 minutes. A cross from the right from Gavin Holohan was well-pushed away by Pym. Glennon recycled the ball back into the middle to McAtee who completely missed his kick 12 yards out. 0-0 at the break. No stoppage time added on, very unusual. Grimsby should have been ahead, with Pym making two very good saves, McAtee hitting the post, and Waterfall firing wide. Grimsby had 9 shots in the first half (4 of which were on target). Mansfield had just 3 shots (0 on target). Half time 0-0 After 47 minutes, following a Glennon corner, Bryn Morris’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked by Clarke, and moments later Holohan fired over the bar from 25 yards. 11 shots so far for Grimsby (to Mansfield’s 3). They were to have only 1 more. Clarke did well to win the ball and set Oates away for a great run before he was chopped down by Niall Maher. A yellow card for Maher, the only booking of the game. The resulting free kick (55 minutes) was taken by Boateng, from 22 yards, to the right of centre. Boateng’s shot was on target and deflected wide. Close. From the resulting corner, Perch fired wide from 22 yards via a deflection, but the whistle had already gone for a foul in the box. A minute later, Keillor-Dunn set Oates away into the area on the right. Oates squared for Akins in the area, with his back to goal 12 yards out. Akins turned and shot in one movement and it was blocked by Waterfall. The ball came out to Hewitt who sent a thunderbolt of a shot from 22 yards just wide of the left. That would have been a screamer from Hewitt, not far away at all, and Akins did well to turn and shoot and that was close too. After 63 minutes, Hewitt crossed low from the right, it was beautifully dummied by Akins, to Keillor-Dunn whose first time shot was blocked by Andy Smith. Brilliant play from Akins to a free kick on the right after 68 minutes. Hewitt took the free kick short to Oates, but Oates wasted his cross, over everyone. At the other end, great defending by Kilgour on Lloyd, twice in 2 minutes. The Stags were very close to taking the lead after 70 minutes. Perch found Bowery 15 yards inside his own half. Bowery powered forward down the left, to level with the edge of the area, then cut inside Holohan to create space for a right footed curling shot, which was very well saved by keeper Max Crocombe getting down quickly and low to his left. It rebounded out and was inches away from Akins being able to turn the loose ball into the empty net. Great play from Bowery, and so unlucky for Mansfield that the rebound didn’t quite fall for Akins. On 74 minutes, following a Grimsby long throw, sub Harry Clifton turned on the edge of the area and sent a low shot wide. Grimsby’s only shot in the final 43 minutes of the game. On 75 minutes, the Stags were close again. Keillor-Dunn did well to intercept a Waterfall ball out from defence. Keillor-Dunn found Akins 25 yards from goal. Akins laid off to Oates 20 yards from goal. Oates took a touch to control it and fired in a low left footed shot that was on target, deflected off Maher, and rolled agonisingly wide of the right post. Mansfield made a double change after 82 minutes. Danny Johnson and Law replaced Perch and Boateng. Johnson went up front with Oates (right), Keillor-Dunn (centre) and Akins (left), behind him. After 84 minutes, Clarke lost the ball, but immediately won it back with a great tackle. Law did well to win a corner after 86 minutes. Moments later Clarke won another corner. Mansfield couldn’t make anything of them. Keillor-Dunn nicked the ball off Holohan after 87 minutes and fired over the bar from 17 yards. Then on 90 minutes, a long throw from Hewitt was headed forward by Law, and Oates sent an overhead kick over the bar. A difficult chance for Danny Johnson after 90+1 minutes. Kilgour lifted the ball forward, Johnson did well to win the ball and hold off his marker Waterfall, but he lifted his shot high over the keeper and over the bar from the edge of the area. That was the last of the chances. The Stags had a throw-in in stoppage time. Kilgour asked Clough if he should go forward. Clough told him to stay back. Clough explained after the game: "You worry at the end a little bit, on the break or something like that. A couple of games unbeaten and we move on to Saturday. We want to get back to clean sheets. Last time we were here, we conceded 5. It's nice not to do that.” For a 0-0 draw, this was a good game. Both sides could have won it. Grimsby played with the freedom of no pressure, knowing they won’t go up and won’t go down, but can bask in the glory of their cup run. In the first half: Mansfield had 3 shots (0 on target). Grimsby had 9 shots (4 of which were on target). In the second half: Mansfield had 9 shots (4 of which were on target). Grimsby had 3 shots (1 on target). Total: Mansfield had 12 shots (4 of which were on target). Grimsby had 12 shots (5 of which were on target). (my stats) A draw was clearly a fair result. Mansfield of course wanted 3 points. They weren’t good enough to get them. But Grimsby were good, better than their league position suggests, and as I said earlier, the reason they aren’t higher in the table is that they are inconsistent. The injury situation is biting hard, such that some players are either playing with knocks or having to play more than ideally they would. The Stags are certainly struggling to cope with the absence especially of Swan, Maris, McLaughlin, Reed and Quinn. In their absence, the players are working very hard and as I said earlier, whatever else you can say about the performances of the players playing, there is no doubt about their commitment to the cause, playing on when there are so many other players injured. Pym had a good game, with two very good saves that kept Mansfield in it in the first half. At the other end of the pitch, Akins had a good game and was unlucky not to score. He was the sponsors’ man of the match. The defence generally played well, with Kilgour and Harbottle in good form. I’m giving my man of the match to Pym for his clean sheet. The Stags are back in action on Saturday at home to Sutton. That’s tough for the players, with just two blank days between the games. But none of the injured players are expected to be back, so they will have to plough on. Sutton are just two points behind Mansfield having played a game more. Mansfield have never beaten Sutton. Saturday would be a great time for the first win over them. Mansfield meanwhile are two points behind 7th placed Salford with a game in hand. By the way, as it is an international weekend, if you can’t get to the One Call Stadium, Saturday’s game will be available to watch on iFollow in the UK by buying a match pass. The Stags have 10 games to go. Key for Mansfield for the run-in will be getting some of the injured players back, and hopefully they will fly into the play-offs in form. Until the players are back, and none are expected to be back for Saturday, it’s a matter of trying to grind as many points as possible. Man of the match: Christy Pym Here’s a running tally of various stats this season: Goals (league and cup): Swan 9, Akins 8, Lapslie 7, Harbottle 5, Hawkins 5, Maris 5, Clarke 4, Oates 4, Bowery 3, Keillor-Dunn 3, Kilgour 3, Gale 1, Gordon 1, D.Johnson 1, Hewitt 1, McLaughlin 1, Quinn 1. 1 OG Assists (league and cup): Lapslie 8, Hewitt 6, Quinn 6, Maris 5, Akins 4, Gordon 4, Boateng 3, Keillor-Dunn 3, McLaughlin 3, Clarke 2, C.Johnson 2, Hartigan 2, Bowery 1, Flinders 1, Hawkins 1, Law 1, Oates 1, Perch 1, 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, Bowery 2, Clarke 8, Harbottle 6, Hartigan 1, Hawkins 4, Keillor-Dunn 1, D.Johnson 1, Lapslie 3, Law 2, Maris 5, McLaughlin 2, O’Toole 5, Oates 1, Perch 5, Pym 2, Quinn 7, Reed 1, Swan 2, Wallace 5. Red cards (league and cup): Boateng 1, Bowery 1, Maris 1, Perch, Quinn 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) Average home league attendance: 6700 (average away fans: 594, average home fans 6106) (see Tranmere report for explanation of how attendance is calculated: it is essentially tickets sold, including season tickets) Despite the lack of goals in the last three games, the Stags still have: - second most goals in games played (100 goals, only Hartlepool have had more goals in their games played) - third most goals scored (55, only Carlisle and Salford have scored more) - 5th highest shots on target - and just for those who like xG: highest xG in the league. |
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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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Pym 8 Two very good saves that kept Mansfield in it in the first half. My man of the match for his clean sheet.
Hewitt 7.5 Defended well. A couple of dangerous crosses. One great shot just wide. Harbottle 7.5 Great tackle and a great block in the first half. Did allow McAtee to get past him early and get in a shot. Kilgour 7.5 Several pieces of good defending. Perch 7 Mostly defended well. Allowed Waterfall to get away from him from a corner for a header. Bowery 7 Nearly scored a super goal in the second half. One great piece of defending against Emmanuel. Clarke 7.5 Played despite having a knock. Another all-action display. Boateng 7 Played despite his partner giving birth to their child on Tuesday morning. Got in a couple of decent shots, and put in a good block at the other end. Keillor-Dunn 7 Some good passes to Oates. Oates 7 Some good runs but things didn’t quite come off for him. Akins 7.5 Had a good game and was unlucky not to score. He was the sponsors’ man of the match. |
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Sub Line Up:
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D.Johnson (for Perch, 82 mins) -
Law (for Boateng, 82 mins) - Subs not used: Flinders, Taylor Anderson, Darien Wauchope, Wallace, Gale. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(5-2-1-2): Crocombe; Emmanuel, Smith, Waterfall, Maher, Glennon; Morris, Holohan; McAtee (O’Neill 82); Lloyd (Khan 82), Taylor (Clifton 70). Subs not used: Efete, Hunt, Orsi, Khouri.
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Referee:
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Tom Reeves 8 Had a very good game, barely noticed.
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