Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Plymouth Argyle
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Mansfield Town
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Carey 19, 24.
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Attendance: 6935 (209 from Mansfield)
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Date: 20 August 2016
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STAGS BEATEN BY CAREY CLASS AT PLYMOUTH
Martin Shaw at Home Park Mansfield were beaten 2-0 at Plymouth this afternoon thanks to two goals in the opening 24 minutes by Graham Carey. There was no doubt whatsoever that Carey was the difference between the two sides, as Mansfield had no answer to his quality and he could have had another in the first half as Brian Jensen produced a good save to push a shot wide. This was the best performance I have seen by a League Two player against the Stags since Mansfield returned to the Football League. Plymouth fans chatting in the loo at half time all agreed he’d been gone by the end of August and Adam Murray conceded afterwards that Carey is too good a player for this level. He opened the scoring on 19 minutes with a free kick from wide on the right, about 5 yards diagonally in from the corner flag, that went over the two man wall and straight in. If I’m critical I would say that keeper Brian Jensen might have done better with it, though my angle from the stand and that of our video footage does not show it from the best angle, and he may have been partially unsighted. Carey’s second goal was brilliant. Cutting in from the right touchline, he bamboozled Mal Benning, gliding past him, and firing over Jensen from a tight angle from 6 yards. Carey had other runs during that first half and the Stags were unable to handle him. The opening 40 minutes were a disaster for the Stags, who looked out of sorts and outplayed. After that, Mansfield got a foothold in the game, creating three chances at the end of the first half, and then put in a much better performance in the second half, and indeed were the better side but not able to put the ball in the net. If the Stags could have got one goal, things could then have been very different. Mansfield were without the suspended Danny Rose and the injured Pat Hoban, and with Darius Henderson not match fit enough for more than half a game, Murray played one up front in the first half, bringing on Henderson at half time. It was clear that two up front in the second half looked much more effective, but the absence of Danny Rose and Hoban is a big problem. Henderson and CJ Hamilton, another second half substitute, freshened the Stags up hugely and both impressed. Hopefully Henderson can play a longer part in the game at Leyton Orient next Saturday. After just 4 games, Mansfield are handily placed in the play-off places. Adam Murray revealed after the game that the club have turned a bid down from a higher division for Matt Green. Mansfield’s chances of building a promotion bid this season rest squarely on keeping Green in my opinion, and the chances of finding a suitable replacement at this stage would be next to nil. Mansfield came in to the game having played for 93 minutes with ten men on Tuesday in a heroic performance and I was concerned that that would have taken too much out of the players just four days later. How the Stags could have done with a week between games after that one. The Stags made the longest journey of the season yesterday in terrible traffic and were forced into one change with Kevan Hurst replacing the suspended Danny Rose. Hurst slotted in on the right in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Mitch Rose and Clements in central midfield, and Hemmings on the left. Green was on his own up front. Scott Shearer was still absent after the concussion he suffered last weekend, so Brian Jensen continued in goal, and an U21 keeper (whose name I didn’t find out) travelled with the squad to warm Jensen up before the game, but was not named in the 18. Young strikers Jason Law and Zayn Hakeem were named on the bench. At half time, Henderson replaced Hemmings as Mansfield reverted to their usual 4-1-3-2 formation. In the final 15 minutes, the Stags switched to three at the back with Benning and Bennett pushing forward down the wings. Plymouth have made a few changes from the side that made the play-offs last season, but they’ve managed to hang on to Graham Carey who terrorised the Stags in both games last season. It was a day of heavy rain, then sunshine, alternately, and strong winds in Devon. The Home Park pitch has been reduced in size by a few yards from last season. The Stags record at Home Park is terrible having one just once in 17 attempts before today, that in 1978. Adam Chapman tried an audacious shot from a free kick from inside his own half after just a minute. He was off target. Plymouth were nearly in front after 6 minutes. Graham Carey was given too much room and allowed into the area, and fired a shot towards the bottom left corner, but Jensen made a very good save low down to his right to push it wide for a corner. On 14 minutes, a half chance for Clements following a Benning free kick, but he shanked his shot wide. Jensen was firing long goal kicks with the aid of the wind behind him, and on 17 minutes, one bounced in the Plymouth area and Plymouth keeper McCormick caught it underneath his own bar. Carey opened the scoring for Plymouth on 19 minutes. A harsh free-kick was awarded against Clements, wide on the Plymouth right, about 5 yards diagonally in from the corner flag. Carey took the free-kick that went over the two man wall and straight in. If I’m critical I would say that keeper Brian Jensen might have done better with it, though my angle from the stand and that of our video footage does not show it from the best angle, and he may have been partially unsighted. On 21 minutes, a Benning free kick for the Stags curled into the area was missed in the area by Howkins and Collins. It was 2-0 to Plymouth on 24 minutes. And it was a brilliant second goal for Carey. Cutting in from the right touchline, he bamboozled Mal Benning, gliding past him, and firing over Jensen from a tight angle from 6 yards. Carey is a left-footed midfielder. He was playing on the right and always looking to get the ball onto his left foot. On 26 minutes, a corner from the right by Carey reached Bradley on the left, who headed wide. Poor defending. On 37 minutes, Carey started a Plymouth move which ended with Jimmy Spencer fired towards the right corner of the net, and Jensen tipped around the post for a corner. From the resulting corner, Howkins headed over his own bar. On 39 minutes, Donaldson got past Bennett too easily and Howkins did well to put behind. Finally the Stags got into the game. On 42 minutes, a good move, Green squared for Mitch Rose who fired just over the bar from 24 yards. Then on 45 minutes, a free kick 22 yard out to the right of centre. Perfect territory for Benning but his free kick was blocked on the edge of the six-yard box. Then on 45+4 minutes, a chance for Green, but his shot was blocked on the edge of the area. The Stags were thoroughly outplayed for the first 40 minutes. Carey had completely run the show, and it looked like no-one in the Stags side could put a tackle in on him. The Stags were playing too many long balls forward, which were skipping off the surface and giving Green no chance up front on his own. Half time 2-0 Darius Henderson replaced Hemmings at the break, as Mansfield switched to their favoured 4-1-3-2 formation. On 50 minutes, a chance for Green inside the D, set up by Clements and Henderson, but he fluffed his shot straight at McCormick. On 62 minutes, Clements fired wide from 22 yards after a good move. Hamilton replaced Hurst on 62 minutes. Hurst had been nowhere near as effective as in previous games. On 68 minutes, Henderson shot straight into the keeper’s midriff from 25 yards. On 69 minutes, Chapman fired in a shot from 35 yards that was 2 yards over the bar. The Stags best move of the game came on 74 minutes. Hamilton embarked on a terrific run with blistering pace from his own half, to the edge of the area, where his shot was blocked. Mitch Rose recycled the ball into the area, where Benning’s shot from 8 yards was blocked. During commentary I thought it was blocked by his own man Green, but our pitchside footage shows it was blocked by a defender. Taft replaced Mitch Rose on 77 minutes as Stags switched to 3 at the back, with the full backs pushing right forward. On 78 minutes, Carey got right to the edge of the area but shot well over the bar. A minute later, Goodwillie got to the byline and pulled back but Howkins cleared. On 82 minutes, a brilliant run by Howkins the full length of the pitch to earn a corner. The Stags ended the game in injury time laying siege on the Plymouth goal without being able to find the net. On 90+2 minutes, a long throw from Chapman and Howkins’ shot was deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner by Chapman, Collins got the ball back to Chapman whose shot was deflected for another corner. From the next corner, Songo’o bizarrely knocked the ball inches over his own bar. Then from the next corner from Chapman from the left, Bennett headed goalwards and it was blocked on the line. The Stags still had the ball pinging around the Plymouth box as the final whistle went, but it was too little too late. The Stags were well-beaten, outclassed in the first half by Carey. Positives in the second half with the introduction of Henderson and Hamilton and plenty of chances but the Stags couldn’t take any to get themselves back in the game. FURTHER REFLECTIONS (MY WEEKLY BLOG FOR THE CHAD NEWSPAPER): Mansfield’s defeat at Plymouth on Saturday was their first of the season in the league and followed a heroic performance last Tuesday when they beat Yeovil Town having played for a total of 93 minutes (including stoppage time) with ten men after the sending off of Danny Rose. I was concerned that Tuesday that would have taken too much out of the players just four days later at Plymouth especially with the Stags making the longest journey of the season on Friday in terrible traffic. How the Stags could have done with a week between games on this occasion. Whether all that had a major influence on Saturday’s performance is impossible to say, but there was no doubt that the Stags had a nightmare first half, in which they were completely outplayed and could have been more than two goals down by half time. Plymouth were outstanding in that first half and that was almost entirely due to one player, Graham Carey. Carey is a left-footed attacking midfielder who had also terrorised the Stags in two games last season. He was playing on the right on Saturday, always looking to get the ball onto his left foot, and it looked like no-one in the Stags side could put a tackle in on him. Mansfield had no answer to his quality and he produced the best performance I have seen by a League Two player against the Stags since Mansfield returned to the Football League. Plymouth fans I overheard chatting in the loo at half time all agreed he’d been gone by the end of August and Stags manager Adam Murray conceded afterwards that Carey is too good a player for this level. Carey opened the scoring with a free kick from wide on the right, about 5 yards diagonally in from the corner flag, that went over the two man wall and straight in. If I’m critical I would say that Stags keeper Brian Jensen might have done better with it, though my angle from the stand, and that of our pitchside video footage, does not show it from the best angle, and he may have been partially unsighted. Carey’s second goal was brilliant. Cutting in from the right touchline, he bamboozled Mal Benning, gliding past him, and firing over Jensen from a tight angle from 6 yards. Carey also brought one excellent save from Jensen, and he set up Jimmy Spencer who brought another great save from Jensen. Mansfield were without the suspended Danny Rose and the injured Pat Hoban, and with Darius Henderson not match fit enough for more than half a game, Murray’s hand was somewhat forced into playing one up front for the first half of the game, bringing on Henderson at half time. In that first half, the Stags were playing too many long balls forward, which were skipping off the surface and giving Green no chance up front on his own. It was clear that two up front in the second half looked much more effective in Murray’s preferred 4-1-3-2 formation that he has used all season including pre-season. Henderson and CJ Hamilton, another second half substitute, freshened the Stags up hugely and both impressed, as Mansfield were the better side in the second half, creating a number of chances but unable to take any of them and force themselves back into the game. Hopefully Henderson can play a longer part in the game at Leyton Orient on Saturday, with Danny Rose still suspended and I expect Hoban to still be out. After just 4 games, Mansfield are handily placed in the play-off places, but Adam Murray revealed after the game on Saturday that the club have turned a bid down from a club in a higher division for Matt Green. Mansfield’s chances of building a promotion bid this season rest squarely on keeping Green in my opinion, and the chances of finding a suitable replacement at this stage of the transfer window would be next to nil. Man of the match: Darius Henderson |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Home Park
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Line Up:
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(4-1-4-1)
Jensen 6 Made two very good saves, from Carey and Spencer, but if I’m critical I would say that he might have done better with the first goal, though my angle from the stand and that of our video footage does not show it from the best angle, and he may have been partially unsighted. Bennett 6 Beaten by Donaldson too easily on one occasion, but did ok. Howkins 7 The pick of the defence with several good clearances. Produced a brilliant run in the second half, the full length of the pitch to earn a corner. Collins 6 Did ok. Benning 4 Had a very difficult game against the Carey. But need to set in context that Carey’s first half performance was the best I’ve seen against the Stags since we returned to the Football League. Chapman 5 Loose pass started the Plymouth move for the second goal though that was a long way from goal. Hurst 5 Nowhere near as effective as in previous games. M.Rose 7 The pick of the midfield. One good shot just after the bar. Clements 5.5 Set up a good chance for Green early in the second half and had a couple of shots. Harshly penalised for the free kick for the first goal. Otherwise too quiet. Hemmings 5 Contributed little in the first half. Green 6 Good lay-off to set up the chance for Mitch Rose. Missed a couple of chances. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Henderson (for Hemmings, 46 mins) 7 Won plenty of headers and gave the Stags a better look in the second half.
Hamilton (for Hurst, 62 mins) 7 Helped freshen things up, with blistering pace, and one outstanding run. Taft (for M.Rose, 77 mins) - Subs not used: McGuire, Baxendale, Hakeem, Law. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-3-2-1): McCormick; Threlkeld, Bulvitis, Bradley, Sawyer; Songo’o, Donaldson, Smith (Purrington 90); Carey, Jervis (Goodwillie 70); Spencer (Slew 86). Subs not used: Dorel, Ijaha, Fox, Tanner.
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Referee:
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Brendan Malone 7 Barely noticed.
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