Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Accrington Stanley
|
|
Mansfield Town
|
||
|
Gornell 56.
|
Clements 31
|
|||
|
Attendance: 1,134 (136 from Mansfield)
|
||||
|
Date: 27 September 2016
|
||||
|
STAGS BREAK GOAL DROUGHT FOR DESERVED POINT AT ACCRINGTON
Martin Shaw at the Wham Stadium, Crown Ground Mansfield Town broke their goal drought at Accrington Stanley this evening and returned home with a deserved point from a 1-1 draw. The Stags had gone 4 league games plus an EFL Trophy game without a goal and confidence was suffering as a result. But Chris Clements, on his first start back after injury, blasted in a superb free-kick off the underside of the bar from the edge of the D on 31 minutes, after his own great slide-rule pass forward found Mitch Rose who turned well and was brought down. Both the winning of the free kick and the delivery of the free kick were that extra bit of quality the Stags have been missing in recent games. The Stags were the better side in the first half, and Kevan Hurst brought a good save out of the Accrington keeper on 39 minutes with a shot from 25 yards that the keeper pushed away low to his left. Accrington hadn’t troubled Mansfield in the first half with Scott Shearer having no saves to make. But Accrington were level on 56 minutes. A long free kick from Donacien from the halfway line was punted into the Stags box, Krystian Pearce and McConville went down in the heap on the edge of the box, and Beckles found himself free to lay the ball off to Terry Gornell to sweep the ball into the net past Shearer from 7 yards. Stags players claimed for offside in vain, and from the video I don’t think it was offside. Poor defending from the Stags and a disappointing goal to concede. Accrington had a goal disallowed 4 minutes later when Shearer pushed away Jordan Clark’s shot, and the flag was up before Sean McConville knocked in the rebound. The video replay is inconclusive as McConville is off screen as Clark shoots. Neither side could force a winner after that. The Stags players were applauded off by the visiting supporters at the end for a good performance. Mansfield made 3 changes to the side that lost to Grimsby. Pat Hoban came in for his first start for Mansfield in a league game, he replaced Matt Green. A slight surprise to me that Green was dropped but Green of course hadn’t scored in 4 games, and it was time for Hoban to have a chance, having impressed in pre-season. Chris Clements, having come on as substitute on Saturday, was back into the starting XI and how Mansfield needed him back. He replaced Gobern who will need more time to get match sharp after being out for a year. Finally Jamie McGuire was in, replacing Iacovitti, who dropped to the bench. Collins slotted into the back four. McGuire was in front of the back four. It was a 4-1-3-2 formation with a midfield 3 of Mitch Rose, Clements and Hurst. Danny Rose and Hoban up front. Iacovitti by the way has been called into the Scotland U21 squad for games on the 5th and 11th October, away to Iceland and Macedonia respectively. Congratulations to him for that. I am not surprised, he has impressed. He will miss the league game against Notts County. Maybe the EFL Trophy game against Port Vale too, I’m not sure. Mansfield had not beaten Accrington in 10 attempts in the league since Accrington reformed and returned to the Football League. Accrington included former Stag Billy Kee up front. It was a pleasant mild evening in Lancashire. On 3 minutes, a Jordan Clark snapshot from 25 yards was well wide of the right post for Accrington. A minute later at the other end, Benning tried a shot from 25 yards which was blocked. He put his hand over his mouth, in a very Mal Benning type of way, suggesting that he thought it was on target. On 10 minutes, Bennett cut in front the right, and fired wide and over. Then on 13 minutes, Hewitt sent a free kick for Accrington from 28 yards well over the bar. A half chance for Mansfield on 17 minutes, as Benning broke down the left and crossed in for Hoban who headed down but it was easily saved by the keeper. Mansfield were in front on 31 minutes. Clements played a great slide-rule pass forward to Mitch Rose who turned well and was brought down inside the D. The referee initially played on but then brought play back for the free kick. After the game Accrington boss John Coleman said he thought it wasn’t a foul. It looked a clear foul to me, and still does on the video too. Clements took the free kick and blasted it in off the underside of the bar. After the game, John Coleman said he thought Clements’ free kick took a deflection, but I don’t think it did. Both the winning of the free kick and the delivery of the free kick were that extra bit of quality the Stags have been missing in recent games. A moment of huge relief for Mansfield after so long without a goal. Before the game, Stags boss Adam Murray, when asked what he would do when the Stags scored a goal, said he would run down the touchline like Jurgen Klopp. When the goal went in, he remained composed and didn’t move. On 36 minutes, McGuire left a back pass to Shearer a bit short, but Shearer was out quickly to clear. McGuire made amends on 38 minutes with two good pieces of play, firstly heading away, then winning a free kick. Kevan Hurst brought a good save out of the Accrington keeper on 39 minutes with a shot from 25 yards that the keeper pushed away low to his left. On 41 minutes, a free kick from Hewitt from 35 yards for Accrington, and like his earlier effort, he put it a long way over the bar. A chance for Clements on 45 minutes as he broke forward and had a clear sight of goal from 25 yards, but he scuffed his shot a bit and it was an easy save for keeper Parish. A pretty good first half for Mansfield, certainly the better side. Accrington hadn’t troubled Mansfield with Scott Shearer having no saves to make. It was hard-working stuff from the Stags, pressing Accrington, winning most of the loose balls and working hard to get the ball back after losing it. Half time 0-1 Accrington came out for the second half looking like they had had a rollicking from John Coleman. On 51 minutes, a free kick for the home side from 28 yards, left of centre. The ball was into the area, and Jordan Clark’s shot was deflected off Donacien just over the bar. Hurst was booked for a sliding challenge on the halfway line on 55 minutes. From the resulting free kick, Accrington were level on 56 minutes. A long free kick from Donacien from the halfway line was punted into the Stags box, Krystian Pearce and McConville went down in the heap on the edge of the box, and Beckles found himself free to lay the ball off to Terry Gornell to sweep the ball into the net past Shearer from 7 yards. Stags players claimed for offside in vain, and from the video I don’t think it was offside. Poor defending from the Stags and a disappointing goal to concede. No chance for Shearer. Accrington had a goal disallowed 4 minutes later when Shearer pushed away Jordan Clark’s shot, and the flag was up before Sean McConville knocked in the rebound. The video replay is inconclusive as McConville is off screen as Clark shoots. After the game Accrington boss John Coleman said the flag was up late suggesting the linesman wasn’t sure. The flag was actually up straight away. Listening back to my commentary from Stags PlayerHD, you can hear me say the flag is up before the crowd cheer as the ball is slotted in. Hemmings replaced Hurst on 67 minutes. On 68 minutes, Jordan Clark floated a shot over the bar from 12 yards. On 70 minutes, good defending by Benning inside his own area. The home fans claimed a penalty, and after the game Accrington boss John Coleman said it should have been a penalty. But I don’t think so. Iacovitti replaced Danny Rose on 72 minutes. Iacovitti went in at left back, Benning pushed forward onto the left wing. Hemmings was just behind Hoban. On 76 minutes, Bennett played a diagonal ball towards the left where Benning was in space inside the area, but when Benning needed to control and shoot in one motion, his first touch let him down, though he still won a corner. The Stags, having been under pressure, were now right in the game again and it was even. Green came on to replace Hoban on 77 minutes. On 78 minutes, Benning got past his man into the area but just lost the ball as it was looking dangerous. At the other end on 80 minutes, Lacey fired a long way over the bar. On 83 minutes, Benning’s corner from the right, and Pearce headed over the bar as he fell to the ground under a challenge from Pearson. After the game, Adam Murray said he thought it should have been a penalty. From the main camera footage it’s hard to tell as the camera pans across to the middle. Murray said he had seen it on analyst Sean’s wide angle footage. Two minutes later, a free kick from Benning, and Iacovitti couldn’t get over his header as it skimmed off his head for a goal kick. The final chance of the night fell to Accrington as sub Rommy Boco got forward on the right, but fired a yard wide of the right post as Shearer watched it all the way. The Stags players were applauded off by the visiting supporters at the end for a good performance. Hard-working stuff from the Stags, pressing Accrington, winning most of the loose balls in the first half and working hard to get the ball back after losing it. And vitally, those bits of extra quality that you need, typified by the goal. Plenty of positive performances, Clements with that bit of quality, Mitch Rose and Hurst did well in midfield, Hoban and Danny Rose won lots in the air without having good chances to score, and the defence again looked solid, apart from the lapses for the goal and indeed the disallowed goal. Mansfield drop a place to 14th, three points outside the play-offs. On Saturday Mansfield visit Crewe, who we haven’t played for 14 seasons. Man of the match: Chris Clements |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the Wham Stadium, Crown Ground
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(4-1-3-2)
Shearer 6 No chance with the goal in my opinion. Probably should have done better with the disallowed goal. No saves to make in the first half. Bennett 7 Defended solidly. Pearce 7 Good game. Collins 7 Slotted into the back four well. Benning 7 Got forward a lot. Then was switched to left midfield. Provided some good quality. McGuire 7 Left one back pass a bit short. Some good defensive work. M.Rose 7 Great turn and surge forward to earn the free kick for the goal. Clements 8 Provided that extra quality with a great slide-rule pass forward to earn the free kick. Then superb delivery to convert the free kick. Hurst 7 Went close with one shot that the keeper saved well. Decent game. D.Rose 7 Won lots in the air without having good chances to score. Hoban 7 Did well on his first league start. Won lots in the air. More to come from him based on what we saw in pre-season. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
Hemmings (for Hurst, 67 mins) - Did ok, not wasting possession.
Iacovitti (for D.Rose, 72 mins) - Slotted seamlessly in at left back enabling Benning to move forward. High class defender. Green (for Hoban, 77 mins) - Subs not used: Jensen, Hamilton, Gobern, Henderson. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(4-4-2): Parish; Vyner, Beckles, Pearson, Donacien; Clark, Hewitt, Lacey, McConville; Gornell (Boco 79), Kee. Subs not used: Hughes, Davies, Jones, Chapman, Eagles, Sykes.
|
|
Referee:
|
Darren England 6 Correctly allowed Accrington’s goal. Video evidence inconclusive on the disallowed goal. Missed possible penalty for foul on Pearce.
|
|
|