Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Colchester United
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Davies 82.
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Szmodics 90+5
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Attendance: 3909 (196 from Colchester)
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Date: 18 August 2018
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STAGS CONCEDE EQUALISER WITH LAST KICK OF THE GAME
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town conceded an equaliser to Colchester United with virtually the last kick of the game this afternoon at the One Call Stadium. In a very tight game, the Stags had taken the lead on 82 minutes with a fabulous strike by substitute Craig Davies from 20 yards, left footed into the left corner of the net after his first shot had been blocked straight back to him. It was Mansfield’s first effort on target. It seemed that the Stags would hang on for an important three points. Four minutes of stoppage time was added on. With the four minutes played, a shot from substitute Mandron from the edge of the box was pushed away by Conrad Logan for a throw-in, level with the edge of the six-yard box. Ryan Jackson’s throw-in was hurled towards the net. Logan came for the ball, but it sailed over him and Sammie Szmodics diverted the ball into the empty net from virtually on the goal-line. A bad mistake from Logan which was very costly. No argument from Stags manager David Flitcroft after the game about the referee playing more than 4 minutes, and he was right, as it was only about 30 seconds over time, during which time Tyler Walker had been booked for kicking the ball away to waste time. It was a gut-wrenching end to the game. However a draw was a fair result. Colchester are much-fancied this season, and whilst they created little going forward, they were extremely effective at stopping Mansfield from playing the excellent flowing and attacking football that we saw against Accrington on Tuesday night. Colchester manager John McGreal noted after the game that he came with a game-plan to nullify Mansfield. In a game of few chances, Colchester keeper Dillon Barnes had a very quiet afternoon, picking the ball out of the net from Davies’ wonder-strike, and just have one other save to make, a Danny Rose shot straight at him on 84 minutes. Conrad Logan made a good save in the first half, clawing away a header from Luke Prosser on 19 minutes following a corner, and then didn’t have another save to make until that shot from Eastman, immediately followed by his mistake that was so costly. The Stags were generally solid at the back, with Ryan Sweeney having a good game, while going forward it wasn’t until Craig Davies came on after 58 minutes that the Stags had a real presence up front, as he held the ball, won several free kicks and scored that fabulous goal. Too many quiet performances from the Stags in midfield, including Otis Khan, Calum Butcher and Jacob Mellis, along with both wing-backs CJ Hamilton and Mal Benning who had very little joy. Alex MacDonald was probably the pick of the midfield for a hard-working performance and some good tackling. Both Mansfield and Colchester remain unbeaten, and on 5 points from 3 games. The Stags go to Tranmere on Tuesday night (*). (*) If you are not going to Tranmere on Tuesday, you can watch the full match live, with full commentary, on iFollow Stags, for £10. This will be the case for all midweek league games this season, home and away. Mansfield kept the same outfield 10 as demolished Accrington on Tuesday. It seemed a sensible decision after such a good performance. The only change was bringing Logan back in for Olejnik in goal. So the formation was again 3-4-2-1: Logan; White, Pearce, Sweeney; Hamilton, MacDonald, Mellis, Benning; Butcher, Khan; Walker. Matt Preston again missed out with concussion, having taken a turn for the worse on Thursday and having to go to A&E. It was a pleasant day in Mansfield with a light breeze. The game got off to a scrappy start. Then on 5 minutes, Hamilton cut inside from the right and sent a powerful left footed shot from 30 yards just wide and over. Not a bad effort. The Stags kept the ball for a very long spell on 9 minutes but without getting the ball anywhere near Colchester’s final third and eventually put it out for a throw-in. From the video, the Stags kept the ball for 1 minute 28 seconds without Colchester touching it. On 10 minutes, Walker did well to win a corner. Khan’s corner was just missed by Sweeney at the far post. On 14 minutes, Khan was fouled 29 yards from goal to the right of centre. Benning tried a shot from the resulting free kick but hit it straight into the wall. Colchester came close to taking the lead on 19 minutes. From Dickinson’s corner from the right, Prosser rose above Sweeney at the far post and his header was heading inside the post before Logan made a good save clawing it away. The Stags were being closed down effectively by Colchester giving the Stags no space at all. Mansfield tried long balls as well and they weren’t working either. Pearce was booked for a deliberate foul on 36 minutes. On 43 minutes, Khan’s ball forward to Walker was overhit, and summed up a lack of quality in the game. Pearce made a good tackle on 45+1 minutes. Sweeney was booked on 45+1 minutes for deliberately blocking off Nouble. Not a great half of football at all. It was scrappy, with very, very few chances as Colchester completely stifled the Stags. Half time 0-0 On 50 minutes, a good punch away by Logan from a corner. Sweeney was floored by Lapslie’s shot hitting him in the face from 30 yards on 54 minutes. The Stags were creating nothing and had to change it. On 58 minutes, Davies came on for Butcher and joined Walker up front. The Stags won a couple of corners on 62 minutes as the decibel levels went up with the home fans trying to get the side going. But both corners were wasted by Khan. A great tackle by MacDonald on Nouble on 64 minutes. A half chance for the Stags on 65 minutes as MacDonald elected not to shoot from 25 minutes and instead tried to play the ball forward to Walker in the area but he couldn’t control the ball. On 68 minutes, Khan put in a good left footed cross from the right but it was just inches over Walker. Colchester brought on Luke Norris on 72 minutes. Norris was Flitcroft’s centre forward at Swindon last season. Another good tackle by MacDonald on 74 minutes. With things still not working for the Stags, Flitcroft made his final changes for the Stags on 77 minutes bringing on Rose for Khan, and Bishop for Mellis. The Stags now had three strikers in Walker, Davies and Rose. On 80 minutes, Rose started on a strong run on goal but was cynically tripped from behind by Prosser. The free kick from 35 yards and a yellow card for Prosser was no reward at all for the Stags though the referee’s decision was technically correct. Out of the blue, the Stags took the lead on 82 minutes with a fabulous strike by substitute Craig Davies from 20 yards, left footed into the left corner of the net after his first shot had been blocked straight back to him. It was Mansfield’s first effort on target. Having not had a shot on target, the Stags had a second shot on target on 84 minutes as Hamilton headed inside to Rose, who cut in from the right and his left footed shot was straight at the keeper. Davies was playing really well and drew two free kicks as the Stags tried to run down the clock. Four minutes of time was added on. Walker was booked for kicking the ball away on 90+3 minutes. Moments later, he also conceded a free kick. That free kick was cleared for a throw-in on the halfway line. With the four minutes now played, and following that throw-in, Mandron fired in a shot from the edge of the box which Logan pushed away for a throw-in level with the edge of the six-yard box. Ryan Jackson’s throw-in was hurled towards the net. Logan came for the ball, but it sailed over him and Sammie Szmodics diverted the ball into the empty net from virtually on the goal-line. A bad mistake from Logan which was very costly. The referee blew the whistle straight after the restart. Absolutely gut-wrenching. Man of the match: Ryan Sweeney / Craig Davies |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
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Line Up:
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(3-4-2-1)
Logan 5 Such a costly mistake for the goal. Came for a long throw-in, but it sailed over him and Szmodics diverted the ball into the empty net from virtually on the goal-line. Good save in the first half, clawing away a header from Prosser. White 6 Defended ok. Pearce 6.5 Solid game with a few good tackles. Sweeney 7 Good game in defence, though beaten to one header by Prosser who forced a good save from Logan. Hamilton 6 Little joy going forward. One good shot early on, a powerful left footed shot from 30 yards just wide and over. MacDonald 6.5 The pick of the midfield for a hard-working performance and some good tackling. Mellis 6 Too quiet. Benning 6 Like Hamilton, little joy pushing forward. One shot from a free kick, straight into the wall. Butcher 6 Did ok, without sparkling as he did on Tuesday. Khan 6 One good cross, but generally his set pieces were disappointing. Walker 6 Nothing came off for him. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Davies (for Butcher, 58 mins) 7 Played really well, with a fabulous goal.
Rose (for Khan, 77 mins) - Looked sharp. Good run which brought a free kick. Bishop (for Mellis, 77 mins) - Did well. Subs not used: Olejnik, Gibbens, Atkinson, Sterling-James. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-2-3-1): Barnes; Jackson, Kent, Prosser, Vincent-Young (sub Eastman, 87); Lapslie, Pell; Senior (sub Norris, 72), Szmodics, Dickenson; Nouble (sub Mandron, 87). Subs not used: Ross, Wright, Comley, Collins.
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Referee:
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Michael Salisbury 7 Handled the game well. Got the time added on right in my opinion, and got the bookings just about right. Calmed down one “handbags” moment very well such that it didn’t escalate.
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