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An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Notts County  
1 - 0
 Mansfield Town
Mackail-Smith 19
 
 
Attendance: 12,660 (4283 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 16 February 2019

STAGS FAIL TO TURN UP AND ARE BEATEN BY NOTTS COUNTY

Martin Shaw at Meadow Lane

Mansfield Town chose a very bad day to turn in their worst performance of the season and lose to Notts County at Meadow Lane this afternoon. The Stags have now lost just 5 games this season and this was certainly the most disappointing. Mansfield have put in a few dreadful performances over 45 minutes this season, Macclesfield away springs to mind, but this was certainly the worst over the 90 minutes in my opinion. Indeed the Stags failed to create a single effort on target in the entire game. The closest the Stags came was a shot from Tyler Walker when he fired just over the bar from 25 yards after just 60 seconds. Notts County, on the other hand, looked rejuvenated with January transfer window signings Michael Doyle and Jim O’Brien dominating the midfield, Craig Mackail-Smith terrorising the Stags down the right, and former Stag Mitch Rose putting in a great performance at right back. It was Mackail-Smith who scored the only goal of the game as Rob Milsom crossed into the middle, and Virgil Gomis teed up Mackail-Smith to fire a brilliant shot into the bottom left corner of the net from 23 yards. But Mackail-Smith was given too much room to pick his spot and should have been closed down, with Jacob Mellis the nearest player to him and too slow to realise the danger. Earlier than that, in fact as early as the 6th minute, Mackail-Smith got goalside of the Stags defence just outside the box and was deliberately brought down by Stags debutant Ben Turner. The Stags were fortunate that Premier League referee Lee Mason, who didn’t have a good game overall, only booked Turner when it could have been a red card. Notts dominated the first half with the Stags under the cosh for much of it.

The Stags switched formation at half time to 4 at the back, taking off Turner, who looked off the pace in his first game after an injury lay-off and a definite candidate for picking up a second yellow card, and for 10 minutes at the start of the second half, the Stags looked better. Half time sub Nicky Ajose headed wide from Mal Benning’s cross, and then good play between Ajose and CJ Hamilton on the right with Hamilton firing just over the bar from 17 yards. But it proved to be a false dawn as the Stags regressed to their poor form from the first half and never looked like getting back into the game in the 35 minutes after that with a feeble performance as Notts County comfortably held on for the win. Notts County were much the better side and look a very good bet to avoid relegation now despite still being bottom of the table.

So disappointing for Mansfield who surrender their 12 game unbeaten run against Notts County in the league. Indeed Notts County’s last league win over Mansfield was back in 2005 (that was at Mansfield), and their last win over Mansfield at Meadow Lane was all the way back in 1997.

Hard to pick out any positives from the Mansfield performance. It was a bad day all round, though great to see Alex MacDonald return from his long injury lay-off.

A great following from Mansfield of 4,283 went away very let down by the performance. It was Mansfield’s highest away following since 5,500 Stags fans at Newcastle in January 2006 in the FA Cup (not including the FA Trophy at Wembley of course), and it was the highest Stags following for any away league game since away attendances started being quoted as official figures in 2002.

MK Dons, in 4th place, are just two points behind Mansfield now and look a big threat. The Stags have been great this season though, and I expect them to bounce back with a massively improved performance at home to Forest Green Rovers next Saturday. It can still be a magnificent season, but we can’t afford many more days like today.


Mansfield made two changes to the side that lost at Newport. There was a surprise debut for Ben Turner, signed just after the transfer deadline having had his contract cancelled at Burton. It was a surprise because David Flitcroft had ruled out Turner playing in his press conference on Tuesday. Perhaps a bit of mind games there. Turner replaced the suspended Ryan Sweeney on the left of the central defensive three. Gethin Jones came in for his first start, at right wing back, in place of Ajose, with Hamilton moving up front. It was the familiar 3-4-1-2 formation with Walker and Hamilton up front. Alex MacDonald was back into the squad after 5 months out through injury and on the bench. He replaced Danny Rose in the 18, Rose of course out for at least 6 weeks with that horrific facial injury including two fractures in his jaw. The Stags had three former Notts County players in Bishop, Pearce and Grant. Grant was to be booed every time he touched the ball in the opening stages. Notts County included 8 players in the starting 11 signed in the January transfer window who look like transforming their season. Former Stag Mitch Rose started at right back, having signed from Grimsby. Kane Hemmings was on the bench. Only Milsom and Stead were in the side from the game at Mansfield, which the Stags won 2-0 with two goals by Hamilton.

It was glorious weather in Nottingham, in stark contrast to last season’s game which was played in a blizzard.

The Stags created a chance after just 60 seconds as Mellis nicked the ball forward and Hamilton laid off to Walker who fired just over the bar from 25 yards.

Controversy after 6 minutes. Doyle took a quick free kick and played forward to Mackail-Smith who got goalside of the Stags defence just outside the box and was deliberately brought down by Ben Turner. The Stags were asleep from the free kick and Turner’s positioning was poor. Premier League referee Lee Mason pulled out the yellow card, not red card, to Turner. I thought it should have been a red card. After the game, David Flitcroft admitted that it was 60:40 in favour of a red card. Stags fans in the Jimmy Sirrell stand have reported that Mackail-Smith had used his hand to control the ball. That was out of view to me from the commentary box on the opposite side and to our pitchside camera, and clearly to the officials too who did not give it.

From the resulting free kick, from 19 yards, just to the left of centre, O’Brien fired straight into the wall which did its job.

On 8 minutes, Jones crossed from the right, it came to Benning on the left and his shot was deflected for a corner. Grant’s corner from the left was met by Bishop coming in at the far post and he headed over the bar.

On 13 minutes, Doyle’s free kick was cleared to Boldewijn whose shot was deflected for a corner.

The Stags were under the cosh and it was no surprise when Notts County took a deserved lead on 19 minutes. It was Mackail-Smith who scored the goal as Milsom crossed into the middle, and Virgil Gomis teed up Mackail-Smith to fire a brilliant shot into the bottom left corner of the net from 23 yards. But Mackail-Smith was given too much room to pick his spot and should have been closed down, with Mellis the nearest player to him and too slow to realise the danger.

On 25 minutes, Grant’s corner from the right was headed over the bar by Turner.

A brilliant block by Preston on a shot by Gomis on 28 minutes after Mackail-Smith got past Turner on the right.

Boldewijn got past Jones on 33 minutes and his low shot was straight at Smith. A minute later, Mitch Rose crossed from the right and Stead headed just wide of the left post. Then on 36 minutes, Mackail-Smith fired just over the bar after good play from Notts on the right.

On 41 minutes, Doyle’s free kick into the area was met by the head of Gomis, straight at Smith, but the offside flag was up.

1-0 at the break and what a terrible performance from Mansfield. The Stags were really not in the game. Notts County had been excellent and totally dominated all over the pitch, indeed I don’t think the Stags had been dominated as much by any other side this season. Charlie Slater told me at half time that had easily been Notts County’s best 45 minutes of the season.

Half time 1-0

The excellent Mackail-Smith had had Turner on toast in the first half and it was no surprise that Turner was taken off at half time. Turner looked off the pace in his first game after an injury lay-off and was a definite candidate for picking up a second yellow card. He was replaced by Ajose. The Stags switched to 4-3-3. The front 3 was Walker-Ajose-Hamilton.

For 10 minutes at the start of the second half, things looked a lot better.

On 46 minutes, Ajose headed wide from Benning’s cross, after Benning and Hamilton combined well on the left.

On 50 minutes, a foul on Grant, 26 yards from goal. Grant took the resulting free kick but could only fire into the wall.

Then on 51 minutes, good play between Ajose and Hamilton on the right with Hamilton firing just over the bar from 17 yards.

Bishop tripped O’Brien on 54 minutes. That could have been a booking, but he got away with it. Bishop is still hanging on, one yellow card away from a two game suspension, and if he can avoid being booked in the next 4 games, he will avoid a suspension (the cut-off for suspension is 37 games).

Mitch Rose got the better of Hamilton on 57 minutes.

Mellis was booked on 59 minutes for a sliding/lunging challenge on Gomis.

Alex MacDonald replaced Mellis on 64 minutes. It was great to see MacDonald return from his long injury lay-off.

Boldewijn pushed forward to Gomis on 74 minutes, Gomis got away from Preston, and played back to Boldewijn who fired over the bar.

At the other end, Hamilton made a run to the byline on the left and ran it out for a goal kick. It summed up a very poor performance from Hamilton, though in truth he was no worse than the rest of the Stags outfield players.

On 79 minutes, a Notts throw-in was cleared to O’Brien who volleyed wide of the left post.

A free kick for the Stags on 81 minutes. But Grant’s free kick was cleared.

On 82 minutes, Walker went down just inside the area as he headed for the byline on the right, under pressure from behind from Barclay. From studying the video from both cameras, there is the gentlest of pushes from Barclay and the slightest hint that Walker’s heel is clipped, but I think it would have been generous to award a penalty.

Otis Khan replaced Benning on 83 minutes. Hamilton dropped back to left back.

Pearce was booked for a foul on Mackail-Smith on 84 minutes.

The Stags had started the second half well for 10 minutes, but had regressed and as the game approached full time, showed no signs of getting back into the game.

4 minutes of stoppage time was added on.

On 90+2 minutes, a brilliant tackle by Preston as sub Alessandra broke forward. Then on 90+3 minutes, Mitch Rose crossed from the right and sub Kane Hemmings knocked wide from a good position.

Full time and a dreadful defeat for the Stags. The Stags just hadn’t turned up. Hard to fathom really, but credit to the opposition, who were excellent.

Man of the match: Jordan Smith, almost by default as he didn’t do anything wrong.


Report by: Martin Shaw at Meadow Lane



Line Up:
(3-4-1-2)
Smith 6 No chance with the goal. Didn’t do anything wrong.
Preston 6 Great block on shot from Gomis in the first half, and brilliant tackle in stoppage time. Gomis got away from him in setting up a chance for Boldewijn.
Pearce 6 Did ok.
Turner 4 Lucky not to be red-carded six minutes into his debut. Looked off the pace in his first game after an injury lay-off. Should be more up to speed by next weekend and perhaps shouldn’t have played here. Subbed at half time.
Jones 5 Should have been tighter on Milsom to stop the cross coming in that lead to the goal. Difficult first half against Boldewijn. One cross early in the game on 8 minutes, didn’t get many in after that.
Bishop 5.5 Worked hard but the midfield were dominated by Doyle and O’Brien.
Mellis 4 Gave Mackail-Smith too much room to pick his spot for the goal and didn’t close him down, too slow to realise the danger. Booked for a sliding/lunging challenge and subbed straight afterwards.
Benning 5 Started the second half well, otherwise though a poor game.
Grant 4 Two good corners in the first half, but otherwise totally anonymous.
Walker 4 Shot just over the bar after 60 seconds. Not in the game after that.
Hamilton 4 Fired just over the bar early in the second half. Nothing went right for him.
Sub Line Up:
Ajose (for Turner, 46 mins) 5 Headed wide just after coming on, then very good play to set up Hamilton’s chance. Not involved enough after that.
MacDonald (for Mellis, 64 mins) - Great to see him return from his long injury lay-off.
Khan (for Benning, 83 mins) -
Subs not used: Logan, Atkinson, Alistair Smith, Tomlinson.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-2-3-1) Schofield; Mitch Rose, Barclay, Stubbs, Milsom; O'Brien, Doyle; Mackail-Smith, Gomis (Hemmings 83), Boldewijn; Stead (Alessandra 83). Subs not used: Fitsimons, Tootle, Bird, Hewitt, Vaughan.
Referee:
Lee Mason 4 Premier League referee who didn’t have a good game overall. Only booked Ben Turner when it could have been a red card.


Season 18/19 Reports