Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Mansfield Town
|
|
Barnet
|
||
|
|
Akinde 57
|
|||
|
Attendance: 2523 (122 from Barnet)
|
||||
|
Date: 10 September 2016
|
||||
|
STAGS BEATEN AT HOME BY BARNET
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town went down to a very disappointing 1-0 defeat at home at Barnet this afternoon. The only goal of the game came, very predictably, from a moment of real class from John Akinde who broke forward after the Stags needlessly gave the ball away just outside Barnet’s area, he got away from Krystian Pearce and produced a great finish over Scott Shearer. It was a goal that deserved to win the game. Aside from that it was pretty even, indeed Mansfield certainly had more chances to score, but desperately lacked quality in the Barnet half. The absence of Chris Clements is hurting Mansfield badly, and his most natural replacement Adam Chapman was also absent through injury, leaving the Stags with no-one to run the central midfield, sit on the ball calmly and provide that killer pass and moment of quality. The first half was very even and pretty entertaining. The Stags could have been in front on 12 minutes with a great chance for Mitch Rose, who chested down and blasted a shot goalwards from 8 yards which had goal written all over it, but it was blocked. Mansfield’s plans were hampered when George Taft limped off with a hamstring injury, the Stags’ third such injury of an injury ravaged season, and the Stags had to completely change formation. CJ Hamilton came on as substitute and had a good 20 minutes at the end of the first half, with the beating of his defender but the Stags were unable to convert a couple of chances. The Stags were getting on top in the opening stages of the second half and a great ball forward from the returning Danny Rose gave Matt Green a chance to lob the ball over the outrushing keeper but Green lobbed wide of the right post. Just as the Stags were on top, a sucker punch as Mitch Rose gave the ball away just outside the Barnet area, the impressive Gambin played the ball down the left, Akinde got away from Pearce and fired over Shearer into the net on 57 minutes. The Stags could have been level when Benning played a great ball down the left, Hamilton got to the byline and put a great cross onto Green’s head but Green could only head well wide of the right post. As the game wore on, the Stags pushed Barnet further and further back but Barnet defended well as the quality of balls into the box got worse and worse. The Stags had plenty of shots at goal from distance, almost all over the bar or wide of the target. The closest Mansfield came to an equaliser was on 84 minutes as Kevan Hurst did really well down the left and crossed for Henderson who headed down but the keeper saved well right on the goalline. A very disappointing result. A few good performances from Stags players as Alex Iacovitti did well on his debut, Lee Collins was solid in a defensive midfield role, Danny Rose did well on his return but crucially lacked match sharpness when he had a split second to pull the trigger in the box and hesitated, and CJ Hamilton showed glimpses with some good runs and a couple of good crosses but also showed his inconsistency. Perhaps most crucially though the Stags are missing that quality and calmness in the centre of midfield. Mansfield made three changes from the side that drew with Cambridge. Adam Chapman was absent with a groin injury picked up in training. He was replaced by Alex Iacovitti, on loan for the season from Nottingham Forest, who came in for his debut. Ashley Hemmings replaced Kevan Hurst. Danny Rose came in for Darius Henderson, and played with a face mask to protect the face injury he picked up against Doncaster in the EFL Trophy. Chris Clements might have been available for selection after his hamstring injury but his injury received a setback in training this week. The Stags started with Pearce, Taft and Iacovitti in central defence, Bennett and Benning at wing-back, Collins just behind Hemmings and Mitch Rose, and Danny Rose and Green up front. Once Taft went off injured, the wing-backs switched to full back, with Pearce and Iacovitti at centre half. Collins was in front of the back four, with Hemmings on the right, Mitch Rose in the middle, and CJ Hamilton on the left of midfield. Barnet included Luke Gambin, who played for Malta against Scotland last weekend and got sent off, so will miss Malta’s game at Wembley. That’s tough to take for the highly rated player. He scored an own goal in the game against Mansfield at the Hive last season, but impressed in the game at the One Call Stadium as substitute. And of course Barnet included John Akinde up front, so influential in both games against Mansfield this season. Barnet nearly had an early goal on 3 minutes. Akinde broke down the right, taking advantage of Benning being in an advanced position, and getting past Taft too easily, and his low cross nearly found Batt in the middle, but Shearer got an important touch away. The Stags were then close at the other end a minute later. Danny Rose sent a ball forward with the outside of his right boot down the line to Green, who got into the area on the left and his shot was put behind for a corner by the keeper at close range. Moments later, Benning sent a cross-shot over and wide. An exciting start to the game. Danny Rose, wearing a face mask, was brave on 8 minutes putting his head where others wouldn’t put their feet. Good keeping from Shearer on 11 minutes, pouching a cross from Nicholls. The Stags were nearly in front on 12 minutes. Benning crossed from the left, Mitch Rose chested down and seemed certain to score from 8 yards but his shot was blocked by Nelson. Mitch Rose was booked for a late tackle on 14 minutes. It looked a bit harsh. Luke Gambin was putting the Stags under a bit of pressure down the left, getting the better of Hemmings. It was an exciting and lively start. Taft went down with an injury that appeared to be his hamstring. After some attention, he played on, but then had to be replaced, limping off on 22 minutes. On came Hamilton. The Stags switched formation to the more usual 4-1-3-2, with the wing-backs switched to full back, Pearce and Iacovitti at centre half, Collins in front of the back four, with Hemmings on the right, Mitch Rose in the middle, and CJ Hamilton on the left of midfield. A scare for the Stags on 25 minutes, Vilhete got past Hamilton on the right, in the area, and Hamilton seemed to bundle him over. Goal kick rather than penalty. That could have been a penalty from our view in the West Stand. However from the different angle of the video from the TV gantry, it doesn’t look like a foul. On 27 minutes, Barnet played a ball over the top for Batt who would have been one-on-one with Shearer but the referee had pulled it back for a Barnet free kick on the halfway line. Martin Allen was rightly furious. It was the second or third time the referee had not used the advantage. On 31 minutes, a great flick from Danny Rose to Hamilton, who got forward down the left and his low cross towards Green was into the right area, but just cleared. Then on 35 minutes Hamilton got past 2 defenders including through the legs of one of them, into the area, and his shot from a tight angle was blocked for a corner. Really good play from Hamilton. A minute later, a right footed cross from the left by Benning, Green headed towards roof of the net and the keeper held just under his own bar. On 38 minutes, Hamilton found Benning who fired in a good right footed shot that the keeper pushed away at full stretch. The Stags were now right on top. Then from a corner from the left taken by Benning, Green headed down towards the goal and Gambin headed off the line at the right post. A minute later, Iacovitti tried a shot from 40 yards which hit his own man and ran away for a goal kick. Hemmings was booked for a lunging challenge on 41 minutes after the Stags gave the ball away in their own half. Nicholls took the resulting free kick, well over the bar. Straight to the other end, Benning got the ball down the left, to Hamilton in the area, and his right footed shot towards the far corner was blocked. Akinde was late on Shearer on 45 minutes, leaving a foot in on him. The referee gave a free kick but didn’t even speak to Akinde for what was a much more dangerous challenge than he had already booked Mitch Rose and Hemmings for. On 45+2 minutes, a great ball from Iacovitti out to Hemmings, but Hemmings wasted it. An even first half, with both sides having good spells. It was entertaining stuff. Half time 0-0 On 47 minutes, Green got into the area on the right, his shot was blocked, back to him, he played back to Hemmings, who fired over the bar from 25 yards. A minute later, Hemmings cut inside from the right, and fired over the bar again from about 25 yards. A chance for Barnet on 53 minutes. Batt crossed from the right, and Gambin had a sight of goal at the left post but acrobatically sliced a volley wide. Then a real chance for the Stags at the other end a minute later. Danny Rose played a great ball forward into the path of Green, the keeper came haring out, Green chipped over him but wide of the right post. On 55 minutes, Batt went down in the area and Batt claimed a penalty but it certainly wasn’t. Just as the Stags were on top, a sucker punch as Mitch Rose gave the ball away just outside the Barnet area, the impressive Gambin played the ball down the left, Akinde got away from Pearce and fired over Shearer into the net on 57 minutes. A great goal from Akinde, but poor from the Stags with Mitch Rose giving the ball away and Pearce perhaps beaten too easily. The Stags could have been level on 62 minutes when Benning played a great ball down the left, Hamilton got to the byline and put a great cross onto Green’s head but Green could only head well wide of the right post as the ball sort of skimmed off his head. Hurst replaced Hemmings on 63 minutes. Hemmings had not done enough in my opinion. On 64 minutes, Hamilton won a free kick 28 yards out to the left of centre. Hurst took it and was just wide of the left post, as the keeper watched it all the way. Another terrible decision from the referee on 69 minutes as Hurst was booked for what was a fair challenge, we had a good view of it on the near side to the West Stand. On 71 minutes, a good ball from Danny Rose out to Hurst on the right, he got to the edge of the area on the right and his shot was blocked. At the other end a minute later Campbell-Ryce shot from the right, blocked by Iacovitti for a corner. Henderson replaced Mitch Rose on 72 minutes. Danny Rose dropped back into midfield. On 73 minutes, Akra Akpro’s shot was deflected to Shearer. Good defending by Collins on 77 minutes to dispossess Campbell-Ryce. On 82 minutes, Collins was bundled over, in a central position, 27 yards out. Benning curled the free kick over the bar. The closest Mansfield came to an equaliser was on 84 minutes as Kevan Hurst did really well down the left and crossed for Henderson who headed down but the keeper saved well right on the goalline. On 86 minutes, Vilhete went down in the area for Barnet but it was no penalty. On 87 minutes, Iacovitti played a long ball into the area, it was knocked down to Danny Rose, and Danny Rose’s first touch let him down slightly as he was too slow to pull the trigger. He held his head in his hands realising that for a split second he had a good chance. On 90+1 minutes, Green got into the area on the left, but scuffed his cross. That was about the last time the Stags came close to creating a chance. So disappointment for Mansfield. This was an entertaining game for about the first 75 minutes. Then Barnet parked the bus and Mansfield found it difficult to create anything with a very disappointing lack of quality especially in those latter stages. The Stags go to Hartlepool next. Mansfield desperately need either Clements or Chapman back in the centre of midfield. FURTHER REFLECTIONS (MY WEEKLY BLOG FOR THE CHAD NEWSPAPER): It was a bad weekend for Mansfield Town going down to a very disappointing 1-0 defeat at home at Barnet. The only goal of the game came, very predictably, from a moment of real class from Barnet’s big striker John Akinde who broke forward and scored after the Stags needlessly gave the ball away just outside Barnet’s area. It was a goal that deserved to win the game. I said in my blog last week that the Stags would be wary of the huge threat of Akinde. It was the only thing he did in the game but it was enough. Aside from that it was pretty even, indeed Mansfield certainly had more chances to score, but desperately lacked quality in the Barnet half. The absence of Chris Clements with a recurrence of his hamstring injury is hurting Mansfield badly, and his most natural replacement Adam Chapman is also absent through a groin injury, leaving the Stags with no-one to run the central midfield, sit on the ball calmly and provide that killer pass and moment of quality. A few good performances from Stags players as Alex Iacovitti did well on his debut, with some solid defending and good distribution. Lee Collins was solid in a defensive midfield role. Danny Rose did well on his return but crucially lacked match sharpness when he had a split second to pull the trigger in the box but his first touch let him down slightly. Mal Benning also had a decent game and was involved in a lot, with some good distribution. And CJ Hamilton showed glimpses with some exciting wingplay including several good runs and a couple of good crosses and a shot but also showed his inconsistency. One or two players disappointed. Krystian Pearce perhaps should have done better with the goal when Akinde got past him too easily. Rhys Bennett was uncharacteristically quiet, probably his poorest game of the season. Ashley Hemmings fired a couple of shots over the bar, but didn’t do enough in my opinion. And for Matt Green it was not his day as he missed a few chances. The first half was very even and pretty entertaining. Mansfield’s plans were hampered when George Taft limped off with a hamstring injury, the Stags’ third such injury of an injury ravaged season, and the Stags completely changed formation. The Stags were getting on top in the opening stages of the second half but the sucker punch came as Mitch Rose gave the ball away just outside the Barnet area, and Akinde got away from Pearce too easily to score. As the game wore on, the Stags pushed Barnet further and further back but Barnet defended well as the quality of balls into the box got worse and worse. The Stags had plenty of shots at goal from distance, almost all over the bar or wide of the target. The Stags go to Hartlepool next. Mansfield desperately need either Clements or Chapman back in the centre of midfield. Man of the match: Alex Iacovitti |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(3-1-4-2 initially, then 4-1-3-2)
Shearer 6 Had little chance with the goal. Otherwise dealt well with a couple of crosses. Pearce 5 Perhaps should have done better with the goal when Akinde got past him too easily. Taft - Went off with hamstring injury in first half. Iacovitti 7 Did well on his debut; some solid defending and good distribution. Collins 7 Solid in a defensive midfield role; one good block. Bennett 5 Uncharacteristically quiet. Probably his poorest game of the season. Hemmings 5 Fired two shots over the bar, but didn’t do enough in my opinion. M.Rose 6 Close to scoring when he chested down and blasted a shot at goal that was blocked. Gave the ball away which led to Barnet’s goal, though the ball travelled 80 yards before it found the net. Benning 7 Decent game and involved in a lot. Some good distribution. D.Rose 7 Did well on his return but crucially lacked match sharpness when his first touch let him down slightly as he was too slow to pull the trigger in the box. Green 5.5 Not his day as he missed a few chances. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
Hamilton (for Taft, 22 mins) 7 Showed glimpses with some excellent runs and a couple of good crosses but also showed his inconsistency.
Hurst (for Hemmings, 63 mins) - One quality cross, and a free kick just wide. Henderson (for M.Rose, 72 mins) - Decent header saved on the line by the keeper. Subs not used: Jensen, McGuire, Baxendale, Hoban. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(4-4-2): Vickers; Vilhete, N'Gala, Nelson, Johnson; Nicholls (Sesay 74), Weston, Togwell, Gambin (Campbell-Ryce 70); Batt (Akpa Akpro 59), Akinde. Subs not used: Stephens, Watson, H.Taylor, Tomlinson.
|
|
Referee:
|
Sebastian Stockbridge 5 Poor. Inconsistent on bookings when he didn’t book Akinde for what was a much more dangerous challenge than he had already booked Mitch Rose and Hemmings. Made some other poor decisions.
|
|
|