Season 22/23 Stagsnet Match Report
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Colchester United
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Mansfield Town
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Harbottle 45+2, Gale 90+7
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Attendance: 6,910 (1,350 from Mansfield)
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Date: 8 May 2023
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STAGS WIN BUT MISS OUT ON PLAY-OFFS BY 1 GOAL ON GOAL DIFFERENCE
Martin Shaw at the JobServe Community Stadium Mansfield Town won 2-0 at Colchester United this afternoon, but agonisingly missed out on reaching the play-offs on goal difference by one goal, pipped by Salford City who lost 1-0 at home to Gillingham. A 3-0 win for the Stags would have seen them into 7th place, above Salford. Bradford City got the point they needed to finish in the play-offs, drawing 1-1 at home to champions Leyton Orient. Had Leyton Orient scored a winner in the second half, Mansfield would have pipped Bradford into the play-offs on goals scored. 75 points and Mansfield finish 8th. Salford also on 75 points, Bradford and Carlisle on 76 points. 75 points has been enough to get into the play-offs on almost all occasions in League Two in recent years, the only two exceptions being this season, and last season (when Sutton missed out on 76 points, while Mansfield got 77 points). Incredibly frustrating. Devastating really. The Stags played well and deserved to win, and on any other occasion, would have come away delighted with a win at Colchester. Indeed it was the first time Mansfield had done the double over Colchester since 1967/68. Mansfield finish the season with 12 away wins, a club record number of away wins in the Football League , beating 11 previously set in 1974/75 and 1976/77. (The club record including non-league seasons is 13 away wins set in the Conference winning season 2012/13). The 12 away wins was the equal highest in League Two this season, equal with Salford. Only 9 wins at home though, with 8 draws and 6 defeats. The home form needs to be better next season. Mansfield also finished the season as equal top scorers in League Two, again equal with Salford, with 72 goals. Ten goals or more more than each of the top three clubs Leyton Orient, Stevenage and Northampton. Mansfield conceded too many goals though, 55, and that is the main area that Mansfield need to strengthen next season. Nigel Clough confirmed after the game he will be looking sign “2 or 3 defenders” in the close season. Nigel Clough also confirmed he expects to sign a new contract next week with CEO David Sharpe. As I said in my report last week on the Harrogate game: I think he should stay and I think he will, to have another crack next season. I believe we would have got into the play-offs without the large number of injuries, and maybe into the top three. The Stags were backed by a brilliant away following of 1,350, who gave the side great vocal support throughout the game, and also after the final whistle despite the massive disappointment of missing out on reaching the play-offs. Incidentally, Mansfield’s average away following in the league was 913, fantastic support (see my stats below). Nigel Clough made one change from the side that started against Harrogate: Will Swan started in place of Rhys Oates, his first start after injury. Louis Reed was fit to start despite Clough saying last week that his knee was extremely sore and season was over Anthony Hartigan was back from a long injury lay-off and back on the bench (his first game since New Year’s Day). Kieran Wallace and Jason Law travelled but didn’t make it into the 18. Hewitt and McLaughlin were out with long term injury, Hewitt out for most of next season, McLaughlin will miss the start of next season. Those two players were heavily involved in Mansfield’s last game at Colchester, at the start of last season, Hewitt scoring Mansfield’s goal, McLaughlin harshly conceding the late penalty for Colchester to equalise. Colchester had won their previous two home games 4-0 (over Crewe) and 4-1 (over Sutton) and in between had won at Salford, but had lost their last game, at Doncaster. They were without their best player, wing-back Junior Tchamadeu, suspended after being sent off after the final whistle at Doncaster. It was a pleasant day in Essex. Forecast rain didn’t materialise. The Stags were the better side in the first half. After 7 minutes, Alex Newby shot wide from 18 yards not troubling Pym. At the other end on 9 minutes, a great cross into Keillor-Dunn and a good first touch, but he couldn’t get a shot away. The Stags should have had a penalty after 12 minutes when Connor Hall trod on Akins’ boot in the area, as Akins was heading for the byline in the area on the right. The video shows it was a cast iron penalty and would certainly have been given with VAR. Not much in the way of chances for Colchester in the first half, with Jayden Fevrier cutting inside and shooting well wide after 16 minutes, and Connor Hall cutting inside from the left and firing well over the bar after 18 minutes. After 22 minutes, a good move as Akins set Keillor-Dunn away into the area on the left, Keillor-Dunn cut inside onto his right foot, and his low shot was straight at the keeper. Mansfield appealed again for a penalty after 32 minutes, when following a Quinn corner, the ball came out to Kilgour, 8 yards out. Kilgour blasted his shot goalwards and it was blocked by a Colchester arm. Again the penalty was turned down, but this time rightly, as the arm was down by his side. Unlucky for Kilgour though as his shot was goalbound. Mansfield went close after 33 minutes when Boateng’s shot from 12 yards was parried by the keeper on the line after a cross from Quinn. From the resulting corner from Keillor-Dunn, Kilgour headed wide. Then two minutes later, a good move down the right, Reed got to the byline and chipped into the middle where Perch swung a leg at it, the ball bounced into the ground, bounced up and the keeper caught it under his bar. Like last week against Harrogate, Perch needed a cleaner connection. The Stags were all over Colchester at this point, pinning them back with a succession of corners. At the other end, Connor Hall shot wide after 42 minutes, after Harbottle gave away a sloppy corner, which came out to Hall 18 yards from goal. Another shot from Boateng after 44 minutes, showing good persistence outside the area, and shooting narrowly high and wide from 18 yards. The Stags deservedly took the lead after 45+2 minutes. Swan was caught off the ball by Tom Dallison’s arm. A free kick 35 yards from goal, and a yellow card for Dallison. Keillor-Dunn curled the free kick into the area, and Harbottle got above his marker Hall to head into the net from 8 yards. A great header from Harbottle, his 6th goal of the season. He scored Mansfield’s 1st goal of the season, and now he’d scored in the final game. Keillor-Dunn’s 5th assist. The Stags were the better side in the first half, the goal capping a good display, with a succession of corners and several shots at goal. Half time 0-1 It was nearly 2-0 after 54 minutes. Callum Johnson crossed from the right, the ball was cleared to Boateng. Boateng took one touch to lift the ball up, then with his second touch he volleyed it inches wide of the right post from 22 yards, with the keeper motionless. So close. And after 56 minutes, the Stags rattled the bar. Akins turned, 8 yards inside the Colchester half, and played a magnificent left footed pass out to Keillor-Dunn on the left. Keillor-Dunn pushed forward to the edge of the “D”, 22 yards from goal, and curled his shot onto the bar. Colchester went close for the first time in the game after 58 minutes. Noah Chilvers’ free kick from the right reached Hall 8 yards out on the left. Hall fired in a shot, which was going wide, it was blocked by Harbottle, and fell for Akinde 6 yards out, who volleyed against the bar. On 62 minutes, Fevrier cut inside and shot miles wide. Mansfield made a double change after 66 minutes as Maris replaced Keillor-Dunn, and Oates replaced Boateng. The Stags needed more goals, but the chances weren’t coming. On 67 minutes, Greenidge sent an ambitious overhead kick straight at Pym. Then good defending from Harbottle, with a good tackle putting the ball behind for a corner. On 70 minutes, Maris blocked a shot on the edge of the box. Callum Johnson was booked for a foul on 77 minutes. Perch was booked for barging Fevrier off the ball on the byline after 81 minutes. Salford were now 1-0 down at home to Gillingham. A 3-0 win for Mansfield would be enough. Two more changes for the Stags after 83 minutes, as Clarke replaced Quinn, and Bowery replaced Perch. A golden chance for Mansfield to get a second goal after 87 minutes. Reed slid a superb through-ball forward from 15 yards inside his own half for Swan 40 yards from goal. Swan pushed forward into the area, slightly overran the ball with a poor touch, but slid in to win it back, giving himself the chance of a shot with just the keeper to beat from 12 yards. But the keeper made a great save turning his shot into the side netting. The referee wrongly gave a goal kick. Swan should have scored. Bizarrely a Stags fan then threw a pyrotechnic onto the pitch. A poor time to do that with Mansfield trying to build some momentum from that chance. There was quite a stoppage (two and half minutes), as stewards are not allowed to remove it until it has burnt out. 9 minutes of stoppage time was added. Mansfield made their final two changes after 90+1 minutes, with Hartigan replacing Reed, and Gale replacing Swan. Each side was allowed 6 subs, because Colchester had used a concussion substitute when Akinde went off earlier. On 90+3 minutes, Colchester were very close to an undeserved goal. Pym punched away a free kick into the box from the halfway line. The ball was turned back into the area, and Pym made a great save from sub Fiacre Kelleher’s shot from 12 yards. The ball ran loose again, and with Pym down, sub Freddie Sears fired goalwards from 8 yards, but Kilgour blocked it on the line. Great defending from the Stags centre half. Straight to the other end, Oates crossed from the left and Maris headed over. More great defending from Kilgour at the other end with a great challenge. Then on 90+6, Callum Johnson crossed in and Gale headed well wide. The game was wide open, Harbottle blocked a shot from sub Matt Jay at the other end. On 90+7 minutes, Mansfield did get a second goal. Pym’s long kick forward, was well-controlled by Akins, who steamed past his man into the area on the right, and pulled the ball back to Gale, 16 yards out. Gale took two touches before firing low into the bottom left corner of the net. A clinical finish from Gale. Two minutes plus stoppage time in stoppage time to get a third goal. Akins set Gale away into the area again, but Gale fouled his man. Callum Johnson had a chance to cross into the middle, but it was cleared. Hartigan crossed into the middle, but that was headed away. Full time, and the chance was gone. Gutting. An incredible afternoon, but not enough. It’s the hope that kills you. Good applause from the Stags fans at the final whistle for the efforts of the players and staff. Such good support in gutting circumstances. Overall this was a good performance from Mansfield, who were much better than Colchester. A good first half. Deservedly ahead at the break, and it could have been more. A very good start to the second half. But then the Stags went off the boil and didn’t create any chances from 56 to 87 minutes. A late onslaught, with Gale’s goal and Swan missing a glorious chance, but it wasn’t to be, and it finished 2-0. So that’s it. The Stags miss out on the play-offs, agonisingly, by one goal on goal difference. It’s been an enjoyable season, a roller coaster. The Stags have been in and around the play-offs all season, and were still in with a chance of the top three just 2 weeks ago. Then damaging home defeats to Leyton Orient and Harrogate scuppered those chances and ultimately led to missing out on the play-offs on the final day. Thanks for reading and listening this season. The players will be back for pre-season at the start of July, with pre-season games to be announced. See you there. We’ll do it all again! Man of the match: Lucas Akins FINAL tally of various stats this season: Goals (league and cup): Swan 10, Akins 9, Lapslie 7, Harbottle 6, Keillor-Dunn 6, Clarke 5, Hawkins 5, Maris 5, Oates 5, Bowery 4, Gale 4, Kilgour 4, Boateng 3, Quinn 2, Gordon 1, D.Johnson 1, Hewitt 1, McLaughlin 1. 1 OG Assists (league and cup): Akins 8, Hewitt 8, Lapslie 8, Quinn 8, Boateng 5, Keillor-Dunn 5, Maris 5, Gordon 4, C.Johnson 3, McLaughlin 3, Bowery 2, Clarke 2, Hartigan 2, Oates 2, Flinders 1, Hawkins 1, Law 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, Gale 3, Harbottle 6, Hartigan 1, Hawkins 4, Hewitt 3, Kilgour 1, Keillor-Dunn 2, C.Johnson 1, D.Johnson 1, Lapslie 3, Law 3, Maris 5, McLaughlin 2, O’Toole 5, Oates 2, Perch 8, Pym 3, Quinn 9, Reed 1, Swan 2, Wallace 7. 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) Final attendance stats at home in the league: average 6696, highest 8116 vs Doncaster, lowest 5421 vs Carlisle. (The average away following at the One Call Stadium was 518. Average home fans 6177) (remember that the attendance is tickets sold, including season tickets) See all the average attendances, season by season here. Mansfield's average away following at away games was 913 (highest 2,826 at Doncaster, lowest 200 at Newport). Footnote: these are my FINAL average player ratings based on the 53 league+cup games for the players who have started at least 10 games and are still with the club (top 10 players): Hewitt 7.56, O.Clarke 7.46, Kilgour 7.33, Akins 7.27, Maris 7.26, Quinn 7.13, Pym 7.07, Keillor-Dunn 7.00, Oates 6.97, Boateng 6.84. Note: only ratings for players starting a game are included - ie. sub appearances not included. Thanks to Pete Wright for his spreadsheet. |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the JobServe Community Stadium
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Line Up:
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(4-4-2, diamond in midfield)
Pym 7 One great save in stoppage time. Otherwise little to do. C.Johnson 6.5 Ok Harbottle 8 Scored the first goal with a great header, his 6th goal of the season. He scored Mansfield’s 1st goal of the season, and now he scored in the final game. Some good defending with good blocks and tackles. Gave away one sloppy corner. Kilgour 7.5 One great block on the line, and more good defending right at the end. Had a goalbound shot blocked. Perch 6 Ok. One poor shot at goal. Reed 7.5 Good game. Great ball to set Swan away for his great chance near the end. Boateng 7 Three decent shots, but couldn’t find the net. Quinn 7 Good game, some good crosses. Keillor-Dunn 7.5 Assist for Harbottle’s goal with a good free kick. Unlucky to hit the bar. Akins 8.5 Superb play to set up Gale’s goal. Great play to set up Keillor-Dunn for two shots. Swan 6.5 Missed a golden chance after 87 minutes. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Maris (for Keillor-Dunn, 66 mins) -
Oates (for Boateng, 66 mins) - Clarke (for Quinn, 83 mins) - Bowery (for Perch, 83 mins) - Hartigan (for Reed, 90+1 mins) - Back from a long injury lay-off. Gale (for Swan, 90+1 mins) - Clinical finish for his third league goal. NOTE: 6 subs used as Colchester used a concussion sub (Akinde) Sub not used: Flinders. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(3-4-2-1): Smith; Chambers, Dallison, Hall (sub Kazeem, 65); Greenidge, Miranda (sub Skuse, 74), Read (sub Kelleher, 82), Fevrier (sub Sears, 83); Newby (sub Jay, 66), Chilvers; Akinde (CONCUSSION sub Hopper, 65). Subs not used: Collins.
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Referee:
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Benjamin Speedie 7 Handled the game well.
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