Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Exeter City
|
|
Mansfield Town
|
||
|
Watkins 19, 90
|
|
|||
|
Attendance: 3626 (124 from Mansfield)
|
||||
|
Date: 17 December 2016
|
||||
|
STAGS BEATEN AS EXETER WIN AT HOME FOR FIRST TIME
Martin Shaw at St James's Park Mansfield Town were beaten 2-0 at Exeter in a disappointing afternoon today. It was a real game of two halves as the Stags were extremely poor in the first half and fortunate to be just one goal down at the break. Yet in the second half, the Stags dominated for almost the entire 45 minutes, with in excess of 8 shots blocked, but unable to find the back of the net, and Exeter broke in the 90th minute to make it 2-0. To make matters worse Mal Benning picked up a second yellow card in stoppage time. Overall Exeter deserved their win because they were better in both boxes, they defended well under pressure getting their bodies in the way of shots. And at the other end, they took two of their chances. After the game Exeter manager Paul Tisdale told Radio Devon that his team had not been as completely outplayed for as long a period as that by any other team this season. No consolation to the Stags though. In total Mansfield had 12 shots blocked, and 5 further shots off target. It was easy to see why Exeter have been so successful away from home this season, they have the second best away record in the league with 7 away wins, as they caused Mansfield real problems when they broke quickly and with tremendous pace. This was Exeter’s first home win of the season, and just their third home win of 2016, and as already noted their style of play suits playing away more than at home. The two goals came as firstly, Lee Holmes got past Lee Collins on the left, got to the byline, and pulled back into the middle, where Ollie Watkins got away from Kevan Hurst into yards of space to fire in from 8 yards. Secondly Rhys Bennett slipped on the halfway line (or was fouled, impossible to tell in real time or indeed from the two camera angles on video that I have) allowing Watkins to break from inside his own half to just inside the area and fire into the bottom left corner out of reach of the outstretched right arm of Scott Shearer. No blame to the keeper for either goal. Plenty of disappointing performances in the Stags side for Steve Evans to reflect upon as he looks to build a stronger side for the second half of the season. The defence was poor, especially the full-backs. Hurst was very poor, Clements was very poor in the first half but much better in the second, and no-one could find the net, with Collins missing the best chance. Mansfield had won their last 4 games here, 3 in the last 3 seasons. Exeter hadn’t won here all season, and just twice in 2016. Nothing could go wrong. .. Of course it could! It was a lovely day for December, mild and dry with a bit of sun. Exeter had brought in a scoreboard for this game, to test it out at no charge. It was much smaller than the large scoreboard at Mansfield but the clarity was superb. It was also capable of showing video highlights from previous games. Steve Evans made two changes from the side that drew with Colchester. Hoban returned from injury in place of Baxendale. Hurst replaced Hamilton. The Stags lined up in a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Hoban and Green up front, Hemmings just behind, and Clements (right), McGuire (centre) and Hurst (left) in midfield. Exeter lined up in a 4-5-1 formation, making one change from the side that beat Cheltenham. Up front was former Plymouth striker Reuben Reid. Former Stags loanee Craig Woodman was at left back. The game was off to a pulsating start with excitement at both ends in the opening 10 minutes. On 2 minutes, Reid burst past Pearce on the left, and went down but there was no foul. Straight to the other end a minute later, Green headed on a Collins throw-on to Hemmings on the right, and Hemmings shot over from a tight angle. On 5 minutes, Reid muscled his way past Pearce to the byline on the left with another bursting run, and his low cross was knocked wide at the near post by Watkins. On 6 minutes, a free kick for the Stags 45 yards out. Hemmings took it into the middle, it was cleared out to Clements, whose shot was blocked, then a shot from Pearce was blocked, and finally a shot from Hurst was blocked. As Exeter broke, Hemmings made a good tackle on Reid. On 8 minutes, Green chested down to Hemmings who had a chance to shoot, but didn’t and the chance was gone. An exciting opening 10 minutes. Exeter took the lead on 19 minutes. Lee Holmes got past Collins on the left and Collins slipped slightly, Holmes got to the byline, and pulled back into the middle, where Ollie Watkins got away from Hurst into yards of space to fire in from 8 yards. Poor defending from Mansfield. On 22 minutes, Wheeler got past Benning on the right, and pulled the ball back, Bennett made an important clearance as Reid came in. Exeter were breaking quickly, playing like the away team really, and causing Mansfield problems. Benning was booked on 28 minutes, and he lost the ball to Watkins, then wrestled Watkins down. A clear yellow card and that was to become significant late on. On 33 minutes, a Pearce back-header was nearly pounced on by Reid but just reached Shearer. Exeter went close on 36 minutes as Holmes sent a powerful left footed shot into the side netting. On 41 minutes, Holmes played a 1-2 with Watkins, to get past Benning on the right, cut inside, and curled a left footed shot just wide of the left post. On 44 minutes, a long ball forward to Reid, who played it inside to Watkins, who fired wide of the right post. The Stags had created nothing since the opening 10 minutes but on 45+1 minutes Hoban had a shot blocked. Exeter ahead at half time and Mansfield grateful it was just 1-0. A very poor half for the Stags, looking anything but solid at the back, and not good going forward after the opening 10 minutes. It was probably Mansfield’s worst 45 minutes of the season apart from the second half at Carlisle when the Stags conceded 4 goals. Both Stags full backs were poor, with Exeter breaking past them as though they weren’t there. For Exeter, Holmes, Watkins, Reid, and Wheeler were all impressing. Half time 1-0 Hoban and Hurst were replaced at the break. Hoban hadn’t been in the game though had had little service, and Hurst had been poor. On came Henderson and Hamilton. On 49 minutes, a throw-in from Collins to Henderson who flicked on to Green, who knocked down to McGuire. An awkward shooting chance for McGuire with the ball rising but he did get in a shot, just over the bar. On 56 minutes, Hemmings cut inside from the right, and sent a left footed shot from 30 yards just wide of the post with the keeper at full stretch. On 59 minutes, a great cross from Hamilton to the far post where Woodman put behind for a corner under pressure from Henderson. Hemmings took the corner short in a 1-2 with Clements, Hemmings ran round to the edge of the area and his shot was blocked for another corner. The Stags should have levelled from that resulting corner. Another short corner between Hemmings and Clements, Hemmings crossed in from the right, it was headed out to McGuire whose shot was blocked, falling nicely for Collins, and Collins fired over from 10 yards. That was a good chance. I thought back to Ryan Tafazolli scoring from a similar position here last season. A rare second half chance for Exeter on 64 minutes, one of only two chances in a 43 minute spell in fact. A long free kick forward from the halfway line found Wheeler who fired wide of the right post on the volley as Shearer came out and didn’t get there. Pearce was booked for protesting against a corner on 65 minutes. Henderson made a great surging run down the right on 66 minutes though it didn’t come to anything. On 67 minutes, a long throw from Collins and the Stags had two more shots blocked, firstly from Benning then from Hamilton. On 68 minutes, Hamilton won a corner. From the corner, McGuire had a shot blocked, then Pearce had a shot blocked. The Stags went close on 70 minutes. A great move, Collins played the ball inside to Green, who fired a powerful shot from 25 yards just wide of the right post as I was expecting the net to bulge. On 71 minutes, Pearce allowed a high ball forward to bounce, Wheeler got the ball, to the byline, and his shot from a tight angle was saved by Shearer at his near post. Straight to the other end, good play from Hemmings down the right, and he played to Henderson, whose shot was blocked. On 73 minutes, a Stags free kick from 35 yards reached Henderson whose stab at goal from close range was blocked by the keeper. The Stags were putting Exeter under massive pressure. Jack Thomas replaced McGuire on 74 minutes. Henderson was booked for a late tackle on 82 minutes. On 88 minutes, Exeter broke forward and Jake Taylor fired wide of the left post. Exeter made the game safe with a goal on the break on 90 minutes. Bennett slipped on the halfway line (or was fouled, impossible to tell in real time or indeed from the two camera angles on video that I have) allowing Watkins to break from inside his own half to just inside the area and fire into the bottom left corner out of reach of the outstretched right arm of Shearer. On 90+3 minutes, Benning was booked again. In real time I couldn’t see the incident which was behind a pillar. From the video, it doesn’t seem like Benning did anything wrong as he held off Jake Taylor, who went to ground very easily. No opportunity to appeal against two yellows of course, so Benning will miss the Morecambe game on Boxing Day. So Exeter were left to celebrate their first home win of the season. Disappointing for Mansfield. Man of the match: Ashley Hemmings FURTHER REFLECTIONS (MY WEEKLY BLOG FOR THE CHAD NEWSPAPER): Mansfield Town put in an abysmal first 45 minutes at Exeter City on Saturday and despite a much improved second half performance, were not able to recover as Exeter picked up their first home win of the season, and only their third home win of 2016. The first half was so poor that the Stags were lucky to be just one goal down at the break. The goal came when Lee Holmes got past Lee Collins on the left, to the byline, and pulled back into the middle, where Ollie Watkins got away from Kevan Hurst into yards of space to fire in from 8 yards. Both full backs struggled in the first half, Collins at right back, and Mal Benning at left back who allowed Wheeler and Holmes to get past him for other chances. It wasn’t much better in central defence where Krystian Pearce allowed Reuben Reid to burst past him twice. In midfield, Chris Clements had a poor first half, and Kevan Hurst, on his return to the starting XI after injury, was very poor including losing his man for the goal. The second half was different as the Stags dominated for almost the entire 45 minutes, but unable to find the back of the net. After the game Exeter manager Paul Tisdale told Radio Devon that his team had not been as completely outplayed for as long a period as that by any other team this season. No consolation to the Stags though. In total Mansfield had 12 shots blocked, and 5 further shots off target. The introduction of Darius Henderson at half time improved the Stags attack, and Clements put in a much improved display. My man of the match was Ashley Hemmings who put in one or two good crosses and had a couple of shots off target. Having put Exeter under pressure for fully 45 minutes, Exeter broke again to make it 2-0 on 90 minutes. Rhys Bennett slipped on the halfway line (or was fouled, it was impossible to tell in real time or indeed from the two camera angles on video that I had) allowing Watkins to break from inside his own half to just inside the area and fire into the bottom left corner out of reach of the outstretched right arm of Scott Shearer. To make matters worse Mal Benning picked up a second yellow card in stoppage time. He’d been deservedly booked in the first half, but he then didn’t seem to do anything wrong as he held off Jake Taylor, who went to ground very easily. No opportunity to appeal against two yellows of course, so Benning will miss the Morecambe game on Boxing Day. After the game, Radio Nottingham’s Charlie Slater asked Steve Evans: “What can you do about these missed chances, there were plenty of chances in the second half?” Evans answered simply: “Sign some players that can score.” January could prove interesting for Stags fans! Overall Exeter deserved their win because they were better in the final third at both ends, as they defended well under pressure getting their bodies in the way of shots, and at the other end, they took two of their chances. It was easy to see why Exeter have been so successful away from home this season, they have the second best away record in the league with 7 away wins, but not at home, as they caused Mansfield real problems when they broke quickly and with tremendous pace. Plenty of disappointing performances in the Stags side for Steve Evans to reflect upon as he looks to build a stronger side for the second half of the season. The defence was poor, the midfield was poor in the first half, and no-one could find the net. |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at St James's Park
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(4-3-1-2)
Shearer 6 No blame to the keeper for either goal. One mistake when he came for a free kick, didn’t get there and Wheeler slid his shot wide. One straightforward save from a shot from a tight angle. Collins 4 Very poor game. Holmes got past him too easily in the build-up to the first goal. Also missed Mansfield’s best chance. Bennett 5 Slipped on the halfway line (or was fouled, impossible to tell in real time or indeed from the two camera angles on video that I have) allowing Watkins to break and score the second goal. Overall not solid. Pearce 4 Allowed Reid to burst past him twice down the left. Poor back header put Shearer in trouble. Allowed high ball to bounce and let Wheeler in for a chance from a tight angle. Benning 4 Allowed Wheeler and Holmes to get past him for first half chances. Sent off, first booking was deserved, second was possibly harsh. Clements 6 Very poor first half, much better in the second. McGuire 6 A couple of shots blocked and a decent effort over the bar. Did ok. Hurst 4 Very poor first half and subbed at the break. Watkins got away from him to score the first goal. Hemmings 7 One or two good crosses. A couple of shots off target. Green 5.5 One powerful shot just wide. A couple of decent flick-ons and chest-downs but didn’t get enough service. Hoban 5 Contributed little, though got no service. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
Henderson (for Hoban, 46 mins) 7 Improved the attack and caused Exeter problems.
Hamilton (for Hurst, 46 mins) 6 One very good cross. Did ok. J.Thomas (for McGuire, 74 mins) - Subs not used: Jensen, Baxendale, M.Rose, D.Rose. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(4-5-1): Pym; Stacey, Brown, Moore-Taylor, Woodman; Wheeler, Taylor, James (Tillson, 70), Watkins, Holmes (Oakley, 73); Reid (McAlinden, 80). Subs not used: Hamon, Harley, Grant, Croll.
|
|
Referee:
|
Kevin Johnson 6 Generally handled the game ok. Second booking for Benning was probably a bit harsh.
|
|
|