Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Carlisle United
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Walker pen 55
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Attendance: 4470 (373 from Carlisle)
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Date: 1 September 2018
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STAGS DESERVEDLY BEAT CARLISLE DESPITE HOST OF MISSED CHANCES
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town beat Carlisle United 1-0 at the One Call Stadium this afternoon thanks to a penalty from Tyler Walker after CJ Hamilton was tripped just inside the box on 55 minutes. The Stags thoroughly deserved the victory, creating and missing a hatful of golden chances before surviving a nervy final few minutes with Bobby Olejnik pulling off a fine save in stoppage time which was Carlisle’s only decent chance of the entire match. It was a catalogue of golden chances. In the first half, Danny Rose’s powerful header was cleared off the line from Otis Khan’s corner, then Khan put Hamilton clear in the area with a super pass but Hamilton’s shot was half stopped by the keeper then cleared by a defender and finally from another Khan corner Matt Preston headed into the ground and over the bar. More of the same in the second half as Walker played forward to Rose in the area and Rose shot wide of the left post, before Rose picked up the ball from a defensive mistake and his shot 1-on-1 with the keeper was saved when he should have scored. Then came the penalty. After that, the chances kept on coming as Craig Davies was clean through on goal but his shot was blocked back to him and his second shot was deflected for a corner, a glorious double chance. The Stags could have had another penalty when Davies was pushed in the back from White’s cross but this time it wasn’t given. An even better chance on 82 minutes as Khan did superbly to weave his way into the area and his shot was deflected onto the post before Walker had an open goal from the rebound but somehow put it over the bar. And you just knew it would be a nervy finish after all those missed chances as the Stags sat deep in the final couple of minutes of normal time and four minutes of stoppage time with Olejnik tipping over a header from Yates on 90+1 minutes. It was just what you wanted from your keeper, virtually unemployed for 91 minutes but then pulling off a great save to preserve the points. A great win for the Stags who remain unbeaten in the league and up to equal 7th in the table. The Stags play Lincoln in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday, and both sides will probably make a few changes. Lincoln are of course the holders and will keen to emulate last season’s trip to Wembley. The Stags welcomed back Matt Preston and Hayden White from injury. Alex MacDonald also came back into the side. And Danny Rose started his first game of the season, having stayed at the club as the transfer window for loans closed yesterday as I predicted in my report of the Accrington game. Out went Mal Benning (unfortunate to be dropped after his good performance at West Brom, but he was sacrificed to bring back Preston and White), Will Atkinson, Craig Davies and Calum Butcher. White slipped in at right wing back, with Preston, Pearce and Sweeney in the central defence. New signing Timi Elsnik, signed on loan from Derby for the season, did not make the 18. Carlisle included two players previously signed by David Flitcroft (Hallam Hope and Kelvin Etuhu, thanks to my co-commentator today Darren Shaw for those nuggets). Carlisle were missing the ever-reliable left back Danny Grainger through injury. David Holdsworth, Carlisle’s new director of football, was in the Board Room, having re-written history this week in an interview on the Carlisle website when he said of his time at Mansfield: “A new chairman (John Radford) came in and he pretty much wanted to pick the team. I had enough of that, and that was when I walked out”. Neither of those two latter statements of course was true. The big scoreboard was back working for the first time this season. It was a gloriously sunny day in Mansfield and unfortunately the sun on the scoreboard meant you couldn’t actually read it. Luckily we don’t see much of the sun in England normally! The Stags created the first chance of the game on 5 minutes. Walker collected a throw-in from Hamilton, turned and shot low from 25 yards. It was heading in to the right corner of the net, but the keeper got down low to save. On 10 minutes, Rose made a great break, slid the ball forward to Khan who got across his defender but went down too easily in the area with no foul. On 13 minutes, Hamilton crossed into the area, an awkward chance for MacDonald who fired well wide. The Stags could have been ahead on 22 minutes. Good play on the right by White to win a corner, the first of the game. Khan’s corner found Rose in acres as space 8 yards from goal. Rose powered a header towards goal but it hit defender Liddle on the line (on his left arm) and was cleared. There were 3 defenders plus the keeper on the line and Rose did everything right, getting power and direction on his header. Liddle did not move his arm to the ball so there was no question of it being a penalty even if the referee could have spotted it. Carlisle broke to the far end and there was a good clearance from Pearce. On 28 minutes, Devitt crossed from the right, White tried to clear but missed his header, though he did enough to put Gillesphey off at the far post who also missed it. On 30 minutes, MacDonald chipped in a cross from the right, Sweeney was unmarked 4 yards from goal and stretched to reach it at the left post but could only get the end of his boot on it and it went wide. On 32 minutes, Rose was fouled 26 yards from goal, on the left. Khan’s free kick was headed away. Preston did well to head away from a long ball forward on 36 minutes. Hope went down in the area under challenge from Sweeney two minutes later but there was no foul. Then a minute after that a great tackle from Bishop in the centre of the park. On 44 minutes, Khan put Hamilton clear in the area with a super pass but Hamilton’s right footed shot was half stopped by the keeper then cleared by a defender. Hamilton should have done better. A minute later, Hamilton cut inside and got in a shot but the pace was taken off it by a block. On 45+2 minutes, Khan’s shot from 25 yards was deflected for a corner. From Khan’s corner, Matt Preston headed into the ground and over the bar. No score at the break. Three great chances for Mansfield, none for Carlisle. Half time 0-0 On 51 minutes, a poor cross from Walker from the left. Two chances in a minute for Rose on 53 minutes. Walker played forward to Rose on the edge of the area and Rose shot wide of the left post. From the resulting goalkick, the ball was lofted back towards the Carlisle goal by Bishop, Liddle and Gerrard got in each other’s way allowing Rose a free shot from 12 yards with his left foot but the keeper saved with his legs. Rose should have scored. The only goal of the game came on 55 minutes. Hamilton moved into the corner of the area on the left, and was tripped by Liddle. It was a foul and referee Darren Drysdale was perfectly placed to see it. It comes into the category of soft, but a cast iron penalty nonetheless as shown by our pitchside camera footage. Tyler Walker sent the penalty low down the middle. Keeper Adam Collin dived to his right and just failed to save it with his trailing leg. On 57 minutes, Hope played a 1-2 with Devitt, but when Hope had a chance to shoot, he missed his kick. Rose chased a lost cause on 59 minutes and was fouled on the byline on the right. Khan slid the resulting free kick across the edge of the 6 yard box and Rose got their first but his shot was blocked at source. Hamilton carelessly gave away a corner on the hour. Following the corner, Yates fired a left footed shot goalwards, and Olejnik had to get down well to his left to save. Davies replaced Rose on 62 minutes. On 65 minutes, Khan laid off to MacDonald who fired over via a deflection from 23 yards. MacDonald was fouled 23 yards from goal two minutes later. Khan shot for goal from the resulting free kick, but disappointingly sent it over the bar. Excellent defending by Bishop soon after. Sweeney’s long ball forward put Craig Davies clean through on goal on 70 minutes. The keeper was on the edge of his area and Davies should have lobbed him, but he dallied and allowed defender Gerrard to get back and half-tackle him. Still Davies was able to get in a shot but it was deflected for a corner. A glorious double chance. Fabulous play by Hamilton on 71 minutes, beating several men and getting to the byline then pulling back to Khan, whose shot from 12 yards was blocked. A great block by Preston on 72 minutes. The Stags could have had another penalty on 73 minutes, when Davies was pushed in the back by Liddle from White’s cross but this time it wasn’t given. Poor refereeing on 75 minutes. Walker went down with a head injury. But referee Drysdale allowed Carlisle to mount an attack which the Stags finally cleared well by Bishop. Referees have to stop play for head injuries, as indeed Drysdale had done for a Carlisle player in the first half when the Stags were on the attack. On 77 minutes, a great run from Hamilton to win a corner. From Khan’s corner from the left, Pearce headed a difficult chance over the bar. An even better chance on 82 minutes as Khan did superbly to weave his way into the area via a 1-2 with Davies and his shot was deflected onto the post before Walker had an open goal from the rebound but somehow put it over the bar from 5 yards. Possibly the worst miss in recent times from Walker. The chances kept on coming. On 85 minutes, a good corner from Khan from the right and Sweeney’s towering header was parried by the keeper. And you just knew it would be a nervy finish after all those missed chances as the Stags sat deep in the final couple of minutes of normal time and four minutes of stoppage time with Olejnik tipping over a header from Yates on 90+1 minutes. It was just what you wanted from your keeper, virtually unemployed for 91 minutes but then pulling off a great save to preserve the points. Hamilton was booked for a foul on 90+2 minutes. Butcher replaced Khan on 90+3 minutes. The final whistle was greeted with great relief by the Stags, though this should have been a very comfortable victory. Man of the match: Otis Khan |
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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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(3-5-2)
Olejnik 8 Tipped over a header 90+1 minutes. It was just what you wanted from your keeper, virtually unemployed for 91 minutes but then pulling off a great save to preserve the points. Preston 7 Great to see him back. A couple of good blocks. Nearly scored with header that bounced over the bar. Pearce 7 Solid at the back. Sweeney 7 Defended well. One towering header which was saved. White 7 Decent game at right wing back. Great to have him back from injury. MacDonald 7 Plenty of good ratting. Bishop 8 Great game, winning tackles and keeping it simple. Khan 9 Created EIGHT chances, and hit the post after a magnificent piece of trickery. I haven’t checked but I don’t think any player has got close to creating as many as 8 chances in any game in recent history. Hamilton 8 Won the penalty. Some good runs and set up a couple of chances. Should have scored in the first half. Walker 6 Converted the crucial penalty. Missed an open goal from 5 yards, which was possibly the worst miss in recent times. Rose 6 Unlucky with good powerful header which was blocked on the line in the first half. Should have done better with two second half chances. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Davies (for Rose, 62 mins) - Should have scored when he was clean through on goal.
Butcher (for Khan, 90+3 mins) - Subs not used: Logan, Gibbens, Benning, Mellis, Atkinson. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Collin, Liddle, Gerrard, Parkes, Gillesphey, Yates, Etuhu, Glendon (Nadesan 59), Devitt (Sowerby 59), Hope, Bennett (Campbell 70). Subs not used: O'Reilly, Miller, Slater, Adewusi.
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Referee:
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Darren Drysdale 6 Got the Stags penalty spot on. Generally had a decent game. Could have given another penalty when Davies was pushed in the back. Very poor refereeing when he didn’t stop play when Walker went down with a head injury.
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