Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Crawley Town
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Mansfield Town
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Attendance: 1909 (219 from Mansfield)
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Date: 12 March 2019
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IMPROVED STAGS PICK UP POINT AT CRAWLEY
Martin Shaw at Broadfield Stadium Mansfield Town produced an improved performance away from home, following three really poor performances on the road, to pick up a point at Crawley Town last night, and move back into the automatic promotion places. Manager David Flitcroft made wholesale changes to the side that lost at Port Vale, five changes in total, and was forced into starting with four at the back for the first time this season in the league with usual starters Ryan Sweeney and Matt Preston, added to Hayden White of course, all out through injury. The Stags had looked very sloppy at Port Vale giving the ball away repeatedly, but looked very solid at the back here with Crawley going close only twice as keeper Conrad Logan, restored to the starting line up for the first time since 5th January, pulling off two good saves in quick succession in the first half, both low to his left. The Stags went close three times in the first half: CJ Hamilton fired across the keeper from the left, just wide of the right post, after a great ball forward from Jacob Mellis; Tyler Walker fired straight at the keeper when through 1-on-1 after being set up by Hamilton; and then Jorge Grant was set up beautifully by Hamilton for a shot from 12 yards but was denied by a brilliant block from defender Dallison, throwing his body in front of it. The second half saw very little in the way of goalmouth action until the final two minutes of the game, when Gethin Jones crossed from the right and Tyler Walker turned the ball against the right post from 10 yards. It was so nearly a carbon copy of Walker’s winning goal against Crawley at home, which was also after 88 minutes. Then Walker went close again on 90 minutes as his shot was blocked following another Jones cross. As the final whistle went, Walker pulled his shirt over his head in frustration at being so close to the winner. The Stags frustrated then, but this was an improved performance, stopping the rot after those three away defeats. The back four did a decent job, limiting Crawley to so few chances, as Ben Turner looked rock solid on his second start for the club, having had a difficult start to his Stags career in substitute appearances previously. Mansfield move back into the top three, as MK Dons lost at resurgent Morecambe, and now look forward to a mouth-watering game with Lincoln City at the One Call Stadium on Monday. The game will be live on Sky Sports, which is great exposure for the club, and Mansfield’s first game live on Sky since 2005 (they have of course had plenty of games on other channels in the intervening period such as BT Sport, ESPN and BBC1). But get down to the One Call Stadium if you possibly can to create a raucous atmosphere and cheer the team on. The team have of course won five successive games at home and need to keep that good run going to stay in the top 3. There had been heavy rain in the area during the early afternoon but that had stopped four hours before kick off and the pitch was in perfect condition. It had also been windy earlier in the day, but that had also dropped by kick-off. The evening started with the fire alarm going off in the main stand just as I was setting up equipment two hours before kick-off. Something had been left on in a tea bar since Saturday, and when it was opened, smoke poured out setting off all the alarms. The alarms were still going off as the Stags team arrived and their entry to the ground was delayed, but it was soon resolved. With Ryan Sweeney not allowed to play and specifically now allowed to head the ball for 7 days due to the “enhanced care pathway” which includes the concussion protocol following his head injury on Saturday, added to Matt Preston who was still out, Hayden White out for the season of course, and young Lewis Gibbens also injured, manager David Flitcroft had little choice but to start with a back four for the first time in the league this season. Ben Turner came in for his second start alongside Krystian Pearce in central defence. Gethin Jones was restored to the side, as a more natural right back than Will Atkinson, with Mal Benning at left back. Alex MacDonald started in midfield following his substitute appearances after six months out through injury, in place of Willem Tomlinson. Tyler Walker was back from suspension up front in place of Nicky Ajose, with Jorge Grant and CJ Hamilton either side of him in a 4-3-3 formation. Neal Bishop started, and by avoiding a booking here avoids a two-game suspension (the cut-off for suspension was 37 games, which has now passed). The other change was in goal where Conrad Logan replaced Jordan Smith for his first start since 5th January at Carlisle. Smith had not particularly done anything wrong, but manager Flitcroft felt it was the right time for Logan to come back into the side. After the game Flitcroft said he needed more personality and character in the spine of the side and mentioned Logan and MacDonald coming into the side. When Jordan Smith came into the side on 12th January, having signed on loan from Nottingham Forest, Logan had not particularly done anything wrong at that time himself. Five changes in total then, the most changes between league games this season I think, a response to the poor away form where the Stags had looked less solid than earlier in the season away from home. Crawley were coming off the back of a win over Grimsby Town on Saturday when former Stag Ollie Palmer had scored both goals. Palmer’s record for scoring against Mansfield since leaving was good, having scored the only goal of the game for Leyton Orient against us in April 2016, putting Lincoln in front against us in the Checkatrade Trophy as Lincoln went on to win 3-1 in August 2017, and then coming on as substitute after 80 minutes and scoring an equaliser after 90 minutes for Lincoln at the One Call Stadium in March 2018 which was David Flitcroft’s first game in charge. But he was marshalled well here by the Stags defence. Stats footnote: it was the first goalless draw at Broadfield Stadium for 17 months. Wednesday morning update: news confirmed the morning after the game that John and Carolyn Radford announced that they have made the final payment to Keith Haslam for the ground, with the Stags therefore now fully in control of their own destiny regarding the One Call Stadium. Huge thanks to John and Carolyn at this momentous time! The Stags created the first chance of the game inside the opening 30 seconds. Hamilton made a great run down the left and pulled back to MacDonald on the edge of the area. MacDonald though got his shot all wrong and nearly hit the corner flag. It was actually a decent chance. Two early fouls from Neal Bishop. Neither warranting a yellow card, which would see Bishop suspended, but he’d have to be careful of totting up more fouls (and indeed he was). A long range shot from Crawley on 12 minutes. Benning gave the ball away in the Crawley half. The ball eventually fell to Willock who fired just over the bar from 30 yards. Two minutes later at the other end, Bishop picked the pocket of Payne, and fed Grant who pushed forward and his shot from 30 yards was blocked by McNerny. Payne fired well over the bar from 30 yards, into the car park, on 17 minutes. He’d done the same a couple of minutes earlier. I was worried for my car but I didn’t find any dents later on! Brilliant skill from Grant to win a free kick, nutmegging his defender down by the corner flag, on 20 minutes. The resulting free kick, taken by Benning, just evaded Pearce. On 23 minutes, a short corner eventually came out to MacDonald, whose shot from 30 yards was blocked on the edge of the box. On 27 minutes, Hamilton fired across the keeper from the left, just wide of the right post, after a great ball forward from Mellis. So close. A minute later, Walker fired straight at the keeper when through 1-on-1 after being set up by Hamilton following a good ball from Grant. Walker should have scored, but keeper Morris did well coming out. On 38 minutes, Grant played a super ball inside to Mellis, whose shot from 16 yards was blocked. On 39 minutes, Crawley’s best chances of the half, in fact of the game. Conrad Logan saved a shot from Ollie Palmer from 25 yards, low to his left, pushing it away. The ball came out to Lewis Young on the edge of the box on the right, and Logan saved his powerful low shot, again low to his left, pushing it behind for a corner. Good alert keeping. On 45+1 minutes, Grant was set up beautifully by Hamilton for a shot from 12 yards but was denied by a brilliant block from defender Dallison, throwing his body in front of it. Grant had his head in his hands. It was a great chance, but great last-ditch defending. The Stags mostly the better side in the first half, but unable to break the deadlock. David Flitcroft’s team changes had largely been successful. Half time 0-0 Ben Turner was booked for a late tackle on 48 minutes. No argument with the decision. A good header away by Jones moments later. A free kick for the Stags on 60 minutes. Grant rolled it softly into the wall, a poor effort. Nothing else in my notes until 71 minutes. That was basically 26 minutes at the start of the second half with nothing really happening. On 71 minutes, a great break by Grant, he found Hamilton, but Hamilton’s cross was terrible and out for a goalkick. On 75 minutes, Crawley left wingback Sesay curled a speculative shot from way out on the left, wide of the right post, with Logan watching it all the way. A good tackle by Benning on Grego-Cox on 77 minutes. Good defending by Hamilton on 80 minutes as he swept up in his own box. A good move from the Stags on 81 minutes, as Mellis chipped forward for Grant in the area, Grant pulled back from the byline towards Hamilton, but Francomb put it behind for what would have been a corner. The linesman however flagged that Grant was offside. I don’t think he was, from the video. Tomlinson replaced MacDonald after 82 minutes. Great play by Bishop on 83 minutes, to take the ball off Palmer. Then good defending by Pearce on 86 minutes to win a goalkick. A minute after that, a high cross from sub Morais just evaded Young at the far post. On 88 minutes, the Stags were unlucky not to take the lead. Jones crossed from the right and Walker turned the ball against the right post from 10 yards. It was so nearly a carbon copy of Walker’s winning goal against Crawley at home, which was also after 88 minutes. Then Walker went close again on 90 minutes as his shot was blocked following another Jones cross. That followed good batting play by Grant on the right touchline. On 90+1 minutes, a low shot from Morais from 25 yards was an easy save for Logan. Grant was fouled 27 yards out after 90+4 minutes. Grant took the resulting free kick which hit the top of the wall and looped wide for a corner. Grant’s corner was cleared and the referee blew the final whistle. As the final whistle went, Walker pulled his shirt over his head in frustration at being so close to the winner. Man of the match: Ben Turner |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Broadfield Stadium
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Line Up:
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(4-3-3)
Logan 7 Restored to the starting line up for the first time since 5th January, and kept a clean sheet. Pulled off two good saves in quick succession in the first half, both low to his left. Jones 7 Two good crosses late on for Walker chances. One good header away. Defended well. Pearce 7 Solid. Turner 7 Looked rock solid on his second start for the club, having had a difficult start to his Stags career in substitute appearances previously. Benning 7 One particularly good tackle in the second half. Gave the ball away in the first half which led to a long range shot for Willock. MacDonald 6.5 Got in position for a couple of shots from outside the area, one on target and one well off target. Bishop 7 Good game in defensive midfield role. Several good pieces of play to win the ball. Mellis 7 A couple of great balls forward, setting up a chance for Hamilton in the first half, and then to Grant in the second half though Grant was (wrongly) flagged offside. Grant 7 Involved in almost all the Stags goalscoring chances. Some great pieces of skill. Much improved performance. Walker 7 Fired straight at the keeper when through 1-on-1. Unlucky to hit the post on 88 minutes. The team looked better with him in the side, returning from suspension. Hamilton 7 Great play to set up Walker’s 1-on-1 and Grant’s chance in the first half. Good run to shoot just wide in the first half. One good piece of defending in the second half. The best player in the first half but he was generally much quieter in the second half. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Tomlinson (for MacDonald, 82 mins) -
Subs not used: Jordan Smith, Atkinson, Khan, Alistair Smith, Ajose, Hakeem. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(3-5-1-1): Morris; Francomb, McNerney, Dallison; Young, Payne (Bulman 66), Camara (Morais 75), Willock, Sesay; Grego-Cox; Palmer. Subs not used: Mersin, German, Meite, N’Gala.
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Referee:
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Lee Collins 7 Had a decent game.
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