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Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
0 - 2
 Plymouth Argyle
 
 Bradley 69, Carey 74
Attendance: 4546 (657 from Plymouth)
 
Date: 11 March 2017

STAGS PLAY GREAT FOOTBALL BUT MISS CHANCES AND GET PUNISHED

Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town were beaten 2-0 at home by second placed Plymouth after missing a hatful of very good chances in the first half. Plymouth had barely been in the game when they took the lead on 69 minutes as Graham Carey’s excellent set piece delivery from the right was headed in at the far post as Sonny Bradley rose above Rhys Bennett to head in. Poor defending which Steve Evans was disappointed about after the game. Five minutes later the game was effectively over as Carey fired in a wonderful free kick from 27 yards. Two pieces of great play from Carey, whose quality had enabled Plymouth to win the game, just as he did at Home Park earlier in the season. The first half saw Mansfield play arguably their best 45 minutes of attacking football this season, but unable to take any of several glorious chances. The Stags created 4 chances in just the opening 10 minutes, as Ben Whiteman’s cross-shot from the left just missed at the far post with Matt Green unable to get anything on it to turn it in. Then Alex MacDonald broke the offside trap and with just the keeper to beat, McCormick pushed his shot wide. Then a great ball from Whiteman, Green outmuscled the defence but his attempted lob was saved by McCormick high above his head. And finally MacDonald’s cushioned volley from 6 yards was straight at McCormick. The chances kept on coming, on 19 minutes, as Green did well to set up Whiteman who lashed over the bar from 10 yards. On 27 minutes, great play from Mal Benning to set up Whiteman again, but he side-footed wide when unmarked. Controversy on 34 minutes as CJ Hamilton made a great run towards goal and was cynically hacked down by Sokolik who was only booked, when it seemed to us that it was a genuine goalscoring opportunity and should have warranted a red card. Plymouth weren’t in it in the first half and just had one chance when Carey fired just wide from a free kick. The Stags will have to lick their wounds and go again at Colchester on Tuesday, so badly needing to find their goalscoring form again. Evans has been switching around his striker combinations and will probably give Danny Rose his chance to start. Despite failing to score in 3 games, taking just 2 points, the Stags are still just two points outside the play-offs with all to play to for.

Mansfield made two changes to the side disappointingly held at Cheltenham last Saturday. Joel Byrom returned after he was rested and Matt Green returned from injury. Out went Jamie McGuire and Pat Hoban. Danny Rose returned from injury to the bench. One player missed out from the 18 due to a virus. Steve Evans did not elaborate who it was, but a calculated guess would be it was Kyle Howkins. The Stags lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Collins and Byrom in front of the back four, and MacDonald (right), Whiteman (centre) and Hamilton (left), behind Green. Plymouth made two changes from the side that lost at home to Blackpool. Graham Carey was the obvious danger man having been so outstanding in the game between the sides at Home Park earlier in the season.

It was a mild day, mercifully less windy than several recent games.

The Stags were out of the blocks quickly. On 2 minutes, Whiteman’s cross-shot from the left on the edge of the area, just missed at the far post with Green unable to get anything on it to turn it in.

A minute later, a quick free kick forward by Byrom to MacDonald who broke the offside trap and with just the keeper to beat, McCormick pushed his shot wide. Good quick-thinking from Byrom. MacDonald should be doing better with his shot.

On 9 minutes, a great ball forward from Whiteman, Green outmuscled the defence but his attempted lob was saved by McCormick high above his head.

A minute after that, a great ball diagonal from the left by Whiteman found MacDonald in the area and his cushioned volley from 8 yards was straight at McCormick. MacDonald actually probably had time to bring it down.

Four good chances in the just the opening 10 minutes, 3 of them on target. At least the Stags were working the keeper unlike at Cheltenham.

On 17 minutes, Green was penalised for high kicking just outside his own area in a central position. The decision was reasonable from the referee, but the referee failed to penalise a Plymouth player in a similar incident in the second half, which sent Steve Evans wild with fury. Carey took the resulting free kick and fired it inches wide of the right post as Shearer didn’t move.

The chances kept on coming for Mansfield, and on 19 minutes, Green did well as the ball stuck to his feet in a crowded box and he set up Whiteman who lashed over the bar from 10 yards.

On 26 minutes, a great defence-splitting ball from Whiteman almost put MacDonald in in the area. Great creativity from Whiteman.

On 27 minutes, great play from Benning on the left, to set up Whiteman again, but he side-footed wide of the left post from just inside the area when unmarked. That was a golden chance and one that Whiteman was taking when he first joined the club.

On 30 minutes, Byrom’s corner from the right, Bennett headed straight into the keeper’s arms.

There were several more good moves from the Stags, though which did not lead to chances.

In front of the Argyle dugout, Derek Adams was going mad at his team.

Controversy on 34 minutes as Hamilton made a great run towards goal and was cynically hacked down by Sokolik who was only booked, when it seemed to us that it was a genuine goalscoring opportunity and should have warranted a red card.

The resulting free kick, taken by MacDonald, from 24 yards, was shot straight into the keeper’s arms.

On 44 minutes, a brilliant piece of skill in the centre circle by Whiteman as he beat 3 men.

A standing ovation for an excellent first half attacking performance from Mansfield, especially considering the quality of the opposition, but huge frustration at the missed chances.

Half time 0-0

The Stags remained on top in the opening stages of the second half.

On 55 minutes, a cross from the right by White, Hamilton headed goalwards and McCormick saved on his line.

On 58 minutes, a great header by Green, he ran on to it himself getting past his defender, but then wasted the ball with team-mates unmarked. He seemed to have done the hard work but wasted it.

On 61 minutes, White got into the area, the ball came back out to MacDonald whose low shot was straight at McCormick.

Pearce won a free kick 24 yards out, to the left of centre, on 64 minutes. Whiteman wasted the good position, firing well over the bar. Poor.

There was a great atmosphere being generated by just under 4000 Stags fans. Another terrific crowd boosted by the excellent buy-one-get-one-free offer from John and Carolyn. The Plymouth fans were silent.

On 68 minutes, Carey went down on the edge of the area on the right, clipped by Hamilton who he had skipped past easily. The referee seemed to initially point to the spot, but changed his mind with input from his assistant and gave a free kick just outside the area on the right. From the video, the free kick just outside the area was the correct decision. Carey scored from this sort of position in the game at Home Park. This time, his excellent set piece delivery from the right was headed in at the far post as Sonny Bradley rose above Bennett to head in. Bennett had two players to mark at the far post, Bradley and Songo’o, as it seems that White had also lost Songo’o. Poor defending which Steve Evans was disappointed about after the game. Some supporters have criticised Shearer. I don’t agree that Shearer is at fault for the first goal. It is too far above him as it goes over him, for him to have been able to get it, in my opinion. The fault is with the defenders at the back post, in my opinion.

Pearce was booked on 73 minutes for bringing down Carey. It didn’t look a foul to us in real time. From our pitchside video, watching frame by frame, I think Pearce gets the first touch on the ball and then Carey kicks Pearce’s leg and goes down. However, in fairness to the referee who was well-positioned, it is hard to tell even frame by frame. Carey scored with the resulting free kick, firing a wonderful shot in from 27 yards into the top left corner, beating Shearer’s dive. That was game over. Two pieces of great play from Carey, whose quality had enabled Plymouth to win the game, just as he did at Home Park earlier in the season.

Coulthirst replaced Collins, and Danny Rose replaced Green, on 76 minutes. Arguably the substitutions should have been around the hour mark with the Stags misfiring in front of goal.

On 80 minutes, good play from White to win a free kick on the right. Exactly the position from where Plymouth scored their first goal. Byrom took the free kick, and it came off Danny Rose for a goal kick.

On 83 minutes, Whiteman dinked in a cross, and Coulthirst headed straight down to the keeper.

Potter replaced MacDonald on 84 minutes.

On 90+3 minutes, Byrom’s corner from the right to beyond the far post, and Danny Rose headed back over the right post. Two minutes later, it was a carbon copy, as Rose again headed Byrom’s corner over the right post.

A demoralising defeat for Mansfield having created so many good chances and not taken any of them. They go to Colchester on Tuesday, who themselves lost 4-0 at home to Portsmouth today, and are a point behind the Stags. It will be Mansfield’s first visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Man of the match: Hayden White


Report by: Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill



Line Up:
(4-2-3-1)
Shearer 6 Beaten by a header at the near post and a cracking free kick for the two goals.
White 8 Got forward well, and kept going even in the final 20 minutes.
Bennett 6 Lost his man for the first goal. Otherwise did well.
Pearce 7 Harshly penalised for a foul that led to the second goal.
Benning 7 Great play to set up a chance for Whiteman. Defended well.
Collins 7 Solid in front of the back four.
Byrom 6 Not at his best.
MacDonald 6 Four chances, all basically straight to the keeper. Creatively excellent but finishing let him down badly. Hard to know how to score that fairly, as the creativity is negated by the finishing, so we’ll give him 6. Sponsors’ man of the match.
Whiteman 6 Also missed four good chances, some of them golden chances. Like MacDonald, creatively excellent but finishing let him down badly. Again, hard to know how to score that fairly, as the creativity is negated by the finishing, so we’ll give him 6 as well.
Hamilton 7 One great run towards goal, cynically hacked down by Sokolik who was only booked, when it seemed to us that it was a genuine goalscoring opportunity and should have warranted a red card, which could have changed the game. Would have been good to see if he could have taken the goalscoring chance if he hadn’t been brought down.
Green 6 Outmuscled the defence to create a chance to lob the keeper but didn’t get it over the keeper. Good play to set up Whiteman for a chance. Great header which he ran on to it himself getting past his defender into a good position but wasted the ball with team-mates unmarked. Didn’t taken his opportunity to cement his place in the team, as the other strikers haven’t done in recent games.
Sub Line Up:
Coulthirst (for Collins, 76 mins) -
D.Rose (for Green, 76 mins) -
Potter (for MacDonald, 84 mins) -
Subs not used: Jensen, Baxendale, McGuire, Arquin.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-2-3-1): 23 Luke McCormick; 18 Oscar Threlkeld, 31 Jakub Sokolik, 15 Sonny Bradley, 3 Gary Sawyer; 4 Yann Songo’o, 24 David Fox (2 Gary Miller 88); 11 Ryan Donaldson, 10 Graham Carey, 8 Jordan Slew (14 Jake Jervis 62); 14 Ryan Taylor (9 Jimmy Spencer half-time). Substitutes (not used): 5 Nauris Bulvitis, 13 Nathan Blissett, 21 Vincent Dorel, 27 Craig Tanner.
Referee:
Richard Clark 6 Should have sent Sokolik off when Hamilton was trough for a goalscoring opportunity.


Season 16/17 Reports