Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Cambridge United
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Walker 63.
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Attendance: 4789 (307 from Cambridge)
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Date: 6 April 2019
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IT'S WALKER AGAIN AS STAGS BEAT CAMBRIDGE
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Tyler Walker scored his 24th goal of the season as Mansfield Town edged past Cambridge United 1-0 in a tight and edgy game at the One Call Stadium. It turned into a perfect day for the Stags with MK Dons and Bury losing, and Tranmere drawing, and so the Stags are up to second place with five games to go. It was a game of very few chances and the only goal came on 63 minutes with a rare moment of attacking quality from either side as Jacob Mellis, only just on as substitute, pounced on a mistake by Gary Deegan, intercepting a loose touch 30 yards from goal, heading the ball forward, and taking a couple of touches to the edge of the area before laying a perfect ball to his left for Tyler Walker to run on to it and side-foot a shot wide of the keeper and into the net from 8 yards. A clinical finish from Walker after a real piece of quality from Mellis. It was just about the only chance the Stags created in the game. Early in the second half, Mansfield might have had a penalty when Mal Benning headed the ball into the area from the left and it struck the hand of Brad Halliday but the referee wasn’t interested. But the Stags lacked a bit of quality going forward, especially in the first half when several set pieces failed to beat the first man. Cambridge had scored three times at Bury in midweek for an impressive win, but the Stags defence was very solid here and limited them to very few chances. Conrad Logan punched away a deflected shot from Halliday in the first half and did well to collect some dangerous crosses, and then in the 90th minute produced a great save as Cambridge sub Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was put through 1-on-1 by a great ball forward from Jevani Brown and Logan stood firm to block his shot from point blank range. Cambridge had the Stags on the ropes for a couple of minutes in that period but the Stags held firm for a massive three points. It’s so tight at the top, the Stags are above MK Dons are goal difference, Bury are a point behind the automatic promotions places, and Tranmere are 4 points behind. Five games to go, and it’s on to Northampton next week for another huge game. Mansfield were unchanged from the side that won 4-1 at Exeter. Ryan Sweeney had recovered after missing out at Exeter with a sickness bug but had to settle for a place on the bench as Ben Turner kept his place. Jorge Grant also returned to the bench having been out with an ankle problem that he had been carrying for some weeks. The two players to drop off the bench were Otis Khan and Jimmy Knowles. If you missed the news during the week, Nicky Ajose is out for the season with a knee injury. Cambridge had several Stags connections: central defensive pairing George Taft and Greg Taylor were both former Stags, and both had fine games incidentally, especially Taft, while Reggie Lambe was on the wing. And Cambridge manager is Colin Calderwood, a former Stags young player and the record transfer received (see details here), and of course manager of Northampton against us in the play-offs 15 years ago. It was a sunny day in Mansfield. The first half was scrappy. In the opening 20 minutes, the only thing I noted down was three clearances from Tyler Walker from Cambridge set pieces. On 21 minutes, Hamilton controlled a ball forward to him into the area from MacDonald, and went down, but there was no penalty, and a corner was given. MacDonald’s corner didn’t beat the first man. A good tackle by Pearce after 23 minutes. Then MacDonald played a great ball forward which Hamilton controlled brilliantly but Taft was able to clear. The first chance of the game for either side came after 29 minutes, as Halliday’s shot from the right was deflected up and Logan did well to punch away. The Stags had been defending well, but some of the passing was poor, exemplified by Preston with three overhit passes. On 41 minutes, a rare shot as Doyle-Hayes tried his luck and it deflected off Turner for a corner. The Stags’ first goalscoring effort came on 45+2 minutes as Walker turned outside the area and shot high and wide after a good move. I can’t remember a half this season with fewer goalscoring chances for either side: one for Mansfield, two for Cambridge, and all were half-chances at best. The Stags had defended well and kept it tight, while going forward delivery from set pieces and passing in general was poor. Half time 0-0 Ryan Sweeney replaced Ben Turner at half time. Turner’s calf was tightening and so the Stags made the change. Very professional from Turner to admit this and come off. He’d had a very solid half. On 51 minutes, Mansfield might have had a penalty. Tomlinson played a great crossfield pass to Benning who volleyed the ball back across goal from the left and it struck the hand of Brad Halliday but the referee wasn’t interested. From the video, I think it would have been harsh to give a penalty. Halliday was only a yard or two away from Benning when the ball hit his hand. Then Cambridge had a good spell. Logan claimed the ball on 53 minutes as Alex Jones knocked the ball down. Then on 55 minutes, Amoo’s cross was claimed by Logan, and a minute after that Amoo’s cross from the left was just over everyone in the middle. The Stags made a double change after 59 minutes and it proved to be a vital one. Danny Rose came on for Gethin Jones, and Jacob Mellis came on for Neal Bishop. Great to see Rose back on the pitch after his horrific facial injury. Bishop taken off presumably again as a precaution against the slight hamstring strain that was mentioned last week at Exeter and which the Stags will have to manage. But the Stags had lacked a bit of creativity and Mellis was brought on to introduce that. Hamilton switched from up front to right wing back. On 61 minutes, Rose was straight into the action flicking a header on for Walker who had a shout for a penalty as he went down under a challenge from Taft, but the offside flag was already up. The Stags took the lead after 63 minutes as Mellis pounced on a mistake by Gary Deegan, intercepting a loose touch 30 yards from goal, heading the ball forward, and taking a couple of touches to the edge of the area before laying a perfect ball to his left for Walker to run on to it and side-foot a shot wide of the keeper and into the net from 8 yards. A clinical finish from Walker after a real piece of quality from Mellis. And credit to David Flitcroft for the substitution which paid dividends so quickly. By the way, for those interested in such things, the goal was scored after 62 minutes 57 seconds, and hence recorded as 63 minutes, despite me incorrectly calling it as 64 minutes during match commentary. A free kick for Cambridge after 75 minutes from a dangerous position 24 yards out and Jevani Brown fired over the bar. Great play by Benning bursting into the box on the left after 85 minutes, he crossed for Walker at the near post but it was bundled behind for a corner. Benning was booked for a deliberate foul after 87 minutes. No argument with that, and the only card of the game. Then in the 90th minute Logan produced a great save as Cambridge sub Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was put through 1-on-1 by a great ball forward from Jevani Brown and Logan stood firm to block his shot from point blank range. Cambridge had the Stags on the ropes for a couple of minutes in that period. Four minutes of stoppage time added on. Hepburn-Murphy nearly had a run through on goal but just over-ran the ball on 90+2 minutes. Then in the final couple of minutes, the Stags won a couple of free kicks to wind the clock down, and held firm for a massive three points. Full credit to the Stags defence which stood firm throughout, and to Conrad Logan for that crucial fine save in the final minute and good handling throughout the game. In the middle of the park, Willem Tomlinson had a fine game. But it was Jacob Mellis coming on that provided that extra bit of quality in the final third winning the ball and providing the killer ball to Tyler Walker. Walker then finished clinically as he has done so often this season, a magnificent season for him with 24 goals so far. And full credit to manager David Flitcroft whose substitution bringing Mellis on provided immediate dividends and turned the game in the Stags favour. Man of the match: Hard to pick between the players I’ve just mentioned and you could argue for any of them, but I’m going to split it between Mellis, for making a difference from the bench with that bit of extra quality in the final third, and Logan. Footnote: prior to this game against Cambridge, (so with 6 games to go this season), these are my average player ratings based on the league+cup games so far this season (top 5 players): Bishop 7.06, Hamilton 7.03, Benning 6.83, Pearce 6.82, Walker 6.79 Note: only ratings for players starting a game are included - ie. sub appearances not included. Minimum 40 games started. Thanks to Pete Wright for his spreadsheet. |
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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)
Logan 8 Crucial fine save in the final minute and good handling throughout the game. Preston 7 Defended solidly. Some poor passing in the first half. Pearce 7.5 Some good tackles in a very solid display. Turner 7.5 Very solid first half. Very professional from him to admit that his calf was tightening and be subbed at half time. Jones 7 Decent game, solid defending. Tomlinson 8 Very fine game. MacDonald 6.5 One great ball forward for Hamilton in the first half. Bishop 6.5 Taken off presumably again as a precaution against the slight hamstring strain that was mentioned last week at Exeter and which the Stags will have to manage. Benning 7 A couple of good foray’s forward in the second half and might have won a penalty. Walker 8 Clinical finish for his 24th goal of the season. Three clearances from Cambridge set pieces in the first half. Hamilton 6.5 Controlled two balls forward to him well in the first half, but things didn’t fall for him as they did last week. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Sweeney (for Turner, 46 mins) 7.5 Good second half, slotting back in to the defence after sickness last week.
Rose (for Jones, 59 mins) 7 Great to see him back on the pitch after his horrific facial injury, and was straight into the action winning a header. Won a free kick in stoppage time to wind the clock down. Mellis (for Bishop, 59 mins) 8 Made a difference from the bench with that bit of extra quality in the final third, especially for the goal. Subs not used: J.Smith, Atkinson, Grant, Hakeem. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-1-1): Mitov; Halliday, Taft, Taylor, Carroll; Amoo, Doyle-Hayes (Coulson, 73 mins), Maris (Deegan, 12 mins), Lambe; Brown; Jones (Hepburn-Murphy, 70 mins). Subs not used: Forde, Darling, Davies, John.
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Referee:
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Craig Hicks 7 Got most of the decisions right I think.
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