Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Mansfield Town
|
|
Crawley Town
|
||
|
Walker 88
|
|
|||
|
Attendance: 3730 (24 from Crawley)
|
||||
|
Date: 15 January 2019
|
||||
|
STAGS JOY WITH LATE WALKER WINNER
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town got back to winning ways after consecutive defeats to Carlisle and Yeovil with a much-needed victory over Crawley Town at the One Call Stadium last night. And on the day that it was confirmed that Tyler Walker would be remaining with the club for the rest of the season, it was fitting that Walker scored the only goal of the game just two minutes from time with a neat finish from close range after great work on the right by Hayden White. White was actually on his backside having been tripped when the ball ricocheted into space next to him on the right, level with the edge of the penalty area. White got to his feet and delivered a super low cross which Walker swept into the bottom right corner of the net from 8 yards. The roof came off the One Call Stadium through a mixture of joy and relief. Mansfield were indebted to two fine saves from new loan keeper Jordan Smith, in just his second game for the club. Just two minutes before the winning goal, Smith pulled off a great save to deny former Stag Ollie Palmer, and 15 minutes before that he pulled off an ever better save tipping away a shot from Dominic Poleon that was heading for the top corner. Walker had looked Mansfield’s most likely matchwinner and fired just wide after a great turn and shot on 75 minutes. And on 53 minutes, his fabulous cross from the right put a chance on a plate for Nicky Ajose, on his debut on loan from Charlton for the rest of the season, but Ajose fired over the bar. In the first half, Crawley were unfortunate not to take the lead when Mark Connolly headed against the post from Josh Payne’s free kick. It was a disappointing performance from Mansfield in that first half, rarely looking like scoring. So a massive boost for the Stags, who return to the top three in the table ahead of a very big game at Colchester on Saturday. Late winners are always a bit special and this one was thoroughly enjoyed. Overall I think a draw would have been a fair result but it’s so vital to win games when you’re not at your best. Tyler Walker was my man of the match with a good all round performance and that clinical finish that proved to be the different between the sides. Jorge Grant, on his debut on loan from Nottingham Forest for the rest of the season, had a decent debut, particularly in the first half, and Jordan Smith’s two super saves were vital in the second half. Nicky Ajose, the other debutant, missed a good chance in the second half, but he did put in one good cross in the first half to provide a chance for Grant. Mansfield made three changes from the side that lost to Yeovil. In came new loan signings Jorge Grant and Nicky Ajose. And Neal Bishop returned from suspension. Grant replaced Khan and played just behind the front two. Bishop replaced Atkinson. Ajose replaced the suspended Preston. Ajose went up front. Hamilton dropped back to right wing back. White moved to central defence. No Timi Elsnik in the squad as Mansfield were at the full quota of 5 loan players that you can have in the 18 man squad. News the following morning was that Mansfield had ended the loan spell of Elsnik early. Sterling-James was back in the 18 man squad, but Butcher was left out. Crawley had failed to win in their previous 9 away games. However they had played well despite losing 2-1 at Stevenage on Saturday. Ollie Palmer was up front with Dominic Poleon. Palmer has an excellent season with 12 goals. Inside the first 90 seconds, Grant did well to win the ball, then Mellis threaded a great ball to Ajose whose from a tight angle on the left was blocked by the keeper. On 10 minutes, Grant took a free kick quickly, and tried to play in Ajose, but it was too quick for Ajose. Crawley were unlucky not to take the lead on 12 minutes. Payne’s free kick from 35 yards was headed against the right post by Connolly. The ball came out to Payne whose shot was deflected for a corner. From that corner, Connolly headed well wide. On 16 minutes, Hamilton laid off to Bishop, whose low shot was saved. Crawley had a goal disallowed after 18 minutes. Payne’s free kick from 45 yards was headed up in the air by Dallison, then Palmer pushed White off the ball and fired the loose ball into the net from 7 yards but the whistle had already gone for the foul. Straight to the other end, Hamilton crossed low from the right, Grant back-flicked and it was cleared before Walker could get on the end of it. Hamilton was taken out with a cynical foul on the halfway line by Dallison, who was booked, on 30 minutes. A great move from Mansfield on 32 minutes. Hamilton cut inside from the right, and found Grant on the edge of the D, Grant then lifted the ball forward to Hamilton who had continued his run into the box. Hamilton flicked the ball over the keeper from 6 yards but onto the roof of the net. Great football. Some great one touch football between Grant, Ajose and Mellis just outside the box ended with Grant’s low shot left footed shot stabbed straight at the keeper from the edge of the box on 41 minutes. Grant was booked for a lunging foul on 42 minutes. On 45 minutes, Hamilton set Ajose away down the right, Ajose squared a good ball into the middle which Grant turned goalwards from 6 yards but the keeper saved at point blank range. A minute later at the other end, Morais’s shot from 30 yards was an easy save for Smith. On 45+3 minutes, Sweeney’s dreadful pass gifted the ball to Crawley but no goalscoring chance came of it. On 45+5 minutes, Grant’s free kick from 35 yards was headed down by White and shanked wide of his own post by Francomb. 0-0 at the break and a disappointing performance from the Stags. Stags had been fortunate when Crawley hit the post. Half time 0-0 Some good build-up from the Stags on 48 minutes but the move broke down when Ajose laid off to no-one. Too many of the Stags’ moves had broken down. On 50 minutes, Sweeney flicked Grant’s corner goalwards, but straight to the keeper. Benning pushed forward a minute later and slid the ball forward to Ajose on the left. Ajose cut inside and fired over and wide from 28 yards. A minute after that, Grant slid the ball forward, but the keeper was out quickly to get there first. On 53 minutes, the Stags should have been ahead. Grant slid a nice ball forward for Walker on the right and Walker’s fabulous low cross from the right put a chance on a plate for Ajose, but Ajose fired over the bar from 5 yards. On 62 minutes, Benning shot into the ground from Grant’s cross. It was cleared to Mellis, who set himself and fired a super shot from 25 yards that was tipped over the bar by the keeper. It was probably just going over anyway. Bishop was booked for a foul on Maguire on 64 minutes. It was Bishop’s 9th yellow card of the season and he is one booking away from a two game ban. Hamilton cut inside and shot well wide after 67 minutes. Two minutes later, terrible play from Mellis to concede a corner. Jordan Smith pulled off a superb save on 70 minutes, tipping away a shot from Dominic Poleon that was heading for the top corner, after a great move from Crawley involving Morais who found Poleon just inside the area with a reverse pass. Danny Rose replaced Ajose on 72 minutes. Good defending from White on 74 minutes to put the ball behind for a corner. On 75 minutes, great play from Walker 25 yards out to turn and shoot just wide of the right post. Walker had carried an extra threat over anyone else in the Stags side. Grant by contrast had drifted out of the game for a period. On 77 minutes, Payne’s free kick was flicked just wide by Luke Young, brother of Manchester United’s Ashley. On 81 minutes, Grant’s corner to the far post was headed well wide by Bishop, though a deflection earned a corner. A good tackle by Pearce on Palmer on 84 minutes. The Stags had switched to 4 at the back, with White at right back, and Hamilton on the left wing. A crucial moment on 86 minutes. Sweeney gave the ball away to sub Camara. Good play from Camara to feed Ollie Palmer on the edge of the area. Palmer steadied himself to shoot and Smith pulled off a good save to deny him. Then the winner on 88 minutes. Walker with the goal with a neat finish from close range after great work on the right by White. White was actually on his backside having been tripped when the ball ricocheted into space next to him on the right, level with the edge of the penalty area. White got to his feet and delivered a super low cross which Walker swept into the bottom right corner of the net from 8 yards. The roof came off the One Call Stadium through a mixture of joy and relief. After that, some really good game management from Mansfield holding the ball in Crawley half with a succession of free kicks and throw-ins, many of which were won by Danny Rose. The final whistle was met with a huge roar. Man of the match: Tyler Walker |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(3-4-1-2)
Smith 8 Two super saves which were vital in the second half. White 7 An assist for the goal with a super low cross. Good game in central defence. Pearce 7 Good tackle on Palmer late on. Good game. Sweeney 5.5 Two bad mistakes in the second half, the second of which led to Palmer’s chance just before the Stags goal. Hamilton 6.5 Contributed to one or two decent moves. Did ok at right wing-back. Mellis 6 One good shot just over, and a great ball to set up early chance for Ajose. But blew hot and cold with some poor passing. Bishop 7 His 9th yellow card of the season means he is one booking away from a two game ban. Low shot saved in the first half. Benning 6.5 Did ok. Grant 8 Sponsor’s man of the match. Plenty of good touches. Drifted out of the game for half an hour or so in the second half, but showed plenty of really good stuff and what we can expect for the rest of the season. Walker 8 Looked Mansfield’s most likely matchwinner all night and then delivered in the 88th minute. Good all round performance and that clinical finish that proved to be the different between the sides. Ajose 6 Missed a good chance in the second half, but he did put in one good cross in the first half to provide a chance for Grant. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
Rose (for Ajose, 72 mins) - Some superb game management in stoppage time winning several free kicks/throw-ins to wind down the clock.
Subs not used: Logan, Atkinson, Khan, Sterling-James, Alistair Smith, Graham. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(5-3-2): Morris; Young (Sesay 82), Francomb, Connolly, Dallison, Maguire; Morais, Payne, Gambin (Camara 67); Poleon (Grego-Cox 90+1), Palmer. Subs not used: Mersin, Bulman, Nathaniel-George.
|
|
Referee:
|
Martin Coy 7 Good game. Got most things right, though he could have given Lewis Young a second yellow card with several bad fouls after his first yellow card.
|
|
|