{ match reports }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town  
1 - 2
 Stevenage
Walker 83.
 
 Guthrie 71, Chair 90+2
Attendance: 6390 (209 from Stevenage)
 
Date: 27 April 2019

STAGS MISS CHANCE TO SEAL PROMOTION

Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town missed the chance to effectively seal promotion, losing 2-1 at home to Stevenage this afternoon. The Stags went behind after 71 minutes, but a goal from Tyler Walker after 83 minutes made it 1-1. With MK Dons losing 2-0 at Colchester, a late winner for the Stags would effectively have sealed promotion barring a ten goal swing in goal difference at MK Dons next Saturday. The Stags threw men forward but got caught on the break in the 2nd minute of stoppage time as Ilias Chair scored a fine goal to win the game for Stevenage, and keep the visitors in with a chance of reaching the play-offs. It was a bitter blow for the Stags.

The situation is now this:
If Tranmere draw or lose to Bury on Tuesday night in a game postponed from today, then the Stags will need to draw at MK Dons next Saturday to ensure promotion.
If Tranmere beat Bury on Tuesday, then the Stags will need to win at MK Dons next Saturday to ensure promotion (though a draw for the Stags would be enough if EITHER Tranmere then draw/lose in their final game at Crawley, OR Bury then lose their final game at home to Port Vale).

The situation could have been worse. Forest Green led at Crewe with three minutes to go, but conceded two late goals to lose. Had they won, they would have been level on points with Mansfield and MK Dons going into the final day of the season.

Played in a very strong wind, this was a poor performance from Mansfield. Stevenage had the strong wind behind them in the first half and should have been ahead at the break, but for Conrad Logan making two excellent saves, and a header which skimmed off Krystian Pearce’s head which hit the post rather going into the net for an own goal. The Stags created nothing in the first half. In the second half, Mansfield pinned Stevenage in their own half for long periods with the wind behind them but created few clearcut chances before Stevenage took the lead after 71 minutes. The excellent Ilias Chair, on loan from QPR, crossed from the right, Kurtis Guthrie controlled on his chest and fired past Logan. The Stags continued to have most of the possession and had chances to equalise as substitutes Jorge Grant and Danny Rose missed chances, Jacob Mellis had a powerful shot parried away and CJ Hamilton’s shot from the rebound was blocked when on target. The Stags drew level after 83 minutes when Conrad Logan’s huge ball forward, assisted by the wind, was nicked past the advancing keeper by Tyler Walker for an opportunistic goal, his 26th of the season. Suddenly there was real hope that the Stags could find a winner which would have effectively sealed promotion. CJ Hamilton got into the area on the right, but sent a cross-shot badly wide. With the Stags pouring players forward, Stevenage broke after 90+4 minutes and Ilias Chair fired a fine shot past Logan from the edge of the box. A very good goal, and one of such quality that it deserved to win the game.

The Mansfield crowd, a sell-out for home fans, who gave great support throughout the game, were stunned into silence. It was a huge anti-climax. The Stags have the chance to go again next Saturday, but will need to play much better than this. A performance like against Exeter or Morecambe recently is needed to get the Stags over the line.


Mansfield made one change from the side that lost at Oldham. Tomlinson came in for Grant. Stevenage were unchanged from the last game, a draw with Exeter. Stevenage were in good form, unbeaten for four games, three wins and that draw. Joel Byrom, a former Stag, was in midfield for Stevenage. Johnny Hunt was an unused substitute. Their star man is Ilias Chair, on loan from QPR. Before the game, the Stevenage media manager told me that Chair is far too good for League Two, based on recent performances.

There was a strong wind in Mansfield. Stevenage had it behind them in the first half.

An early boost for Mansfield with news after just two minutes of a Colchester goal against MK Dons.

A booking after 2 minutes for Stevenage’s Michael Timlin for a foul on Tomlinson.

On 4 minutes, a shot from Chair from 25 yards was blocked by Preston. Great defending by Pearce two minutes later, as he won the ball from Guthrie and then won a free kick.

Hamilton won a free kick level with the edge of the area on the right after 8 minutes. Benning’s free kick to the near post was parried away for a corner by the keeper.

A good move from the Stags after 15 minutes, culminated in Mellis back-heeling to Tomlinson whose low shot from 25 yards was tipped wide for a corner by the keeper.

On 17 minutes, great play by Hamilton to turn away from his defender into the area on the right, but he didn’t have the finish to match, and fired high and wide. Two minutes later, Hamilton got to the byline but his low cross was poor and easy for the keeper.

Stevenage started to put Mansfield under pressure. After 22 minutes, a shot from 10 yards from Nugent was very well saved by Logan, who positioned himself well and pushed it wide with a strong left hand. A minute later, a high cross from the right from Vancooten skimmed off the head of Pearce and hit the outside of the left post. Close to an own goal. From the resulting corner, Timlin was unmarked 10 yards out, but miscued his shot and it was cleared for another corner.

On 32 minutes, Guthrie got past Pearce into the area and went down looking for a penalty. Referee Darren Drysdale waved play on. From the video, it was a good decision by referee Drysdale as there was no foul.

Moments later, Ilias Chair tried his luck with a curling shot from out wide on the left, and Logan tipped it away at the far with a brilliant save. Chair has scored four goals from outside the box this season before today. It was a brilliant effort, heading right into the top corner, and a brilliant save.

A minute after that, a good move from Stevenage, and Sonupe got to the edge of the area and fired a low shot wide of the left post.

Poor refereeing after 42 minutes. Hamilton got goalside of Nugent and was brought down just outside the area. Nugent was the last man. The decision for the referee was whether to give a yellow card or a red card. Unbelievably, referee Drysdale gave no card at all. Benning took the resulting free kick, but his low shot was blocked and cleared.

So, no goals at the break. And the Stags having had the wind against them, were happy to go in level. Logan had made two very good saves to keep the Stags level.

Half time 0-0

Tomlinson was booked for a sliding challenge after 46 minutes.

After 49 minutes, an inswinging corner from Benning was scooped away by the keeper on his line.

News that Colchester had gone 2-0 up over MK Dons was a further boost to Mansfield.

On 53 minutes, Hamilton’s low shot was deflected for a corner. From that corner, Bishop headed well wide.

With the strong wind behind them, it was Mansfield now putting Stevenage under pressure.

On 58 minutes, a long clearance from Logan, hit the back of Walker, then hit Hamilton and fell kindly for Walker, who sent a low shot wide of the left post.

Rose replaced Tomlinson after 65 minutes. The Stags went three up front, in a 3-4-3 formation.

On 69 minutes, a good cross from Benning was headed behind for a corner. A minute later, another Benning cross was met by Rose, who looped a header over the bar.

Stevenage took the lead after 71 minutes. Chair did very well to cross from the right, having got away from Pearce, Kurtis Guthrie controlled on his chest in the middle, having escaped his marker Preston, and fired past Logan. It was a good goal.

A great ball forward by Mellis to set Walker away to the byline after 72 minutes, but his low cross was dummied by Rose but cleared before the onrushing Bishop could get on the end of it.

Grant replaced Jones after 73 minutes. With no obvious right wing-back, the Stags had effectively changed shape to 4 at the back with Preston at right back.

After 78 minutes, Benning found Grant, who had a chance to shot but his effort was terrible, weak and straight at the keeper.

A powerful shot from Mellis was parried away by the keeper after 79 minutes, it came to Hamilton whose shot from the rebound was blocked by Nugent when on target. The resulting corner from Benning was tipped away by the keeper at the far post. From the next corner, taken by Grant from the left, the ball came out to Mellis who chipped back in and Rose headed over the bar but he was offside.

The Stags drew level after 83 minutes. Logan’s huge ball forward, assisted by the wind, was nicked past the advancing keeper by Walker for an opportunistic goal.

Suddenly there was real hope that the Stags could find a winner which would have effectively sealed promotion.

After 85 minutes, Hamilton got into the area on the right, but sent a cross-shot badly wide.

MacDonald replaced Benning after 90 minutes. Hamilton went to left wing back, MacDonald to right wing back.

Five minutes of stoppage time were added.

With the Stags pouring players forward, Stevenage broke after 90+2 minutes and Chair fired a fine shot past Logan from the edge of the box. A very good goal, and one of such quality that it deserved to win the game.

The Mansfield crowd were stunned into silence. It was a huge anti-climax. We go again next Saturday, at MK Dons, with a last chance to seal automatic promotion.

Man of the match: Conrad Logan. Two excellent saves in the first half, and remarkably an assist for Mansfield’s goal.


Report by: Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill



Line Up:
(3-5-2)
Logan 8 Two excellent saves in the first half, and remarkably an assist for Mansfield’s goal.
Preston 6 Blocked one shot.
Pearce 6.5 One good piece of defending. Battled hard.
Sweeney 6 Ok.
Jones 5.5 Given a difficult afternoon by Chair and Joe Martin.
Tomlinson 5 Poor game. First player subbed after 55 minutes.
Bishop 6 Not able to control the game as he has done so many times.
Mellis 6 One good shot and a good cross for Rose’s header which was offside. Created nothing for Walker or Hamilton to run on to.
Benning 6 One or two good crosses. Not far away from scoring with a couple of corners, clawed away by the keeper.
Walker 6.5 Opportunistic goal. Didn’t get good enough service.
Hamilton 5.5 End product was disappointing. One shot was on target but blocked.
Sub Line Up:
Rose (for Tomlinson, 65 mins) - Two headers over the bar, one of which was offside.
Grant (for Jones, 73 mins) - Disappointing. One effort at goal was terrible.
MacDonald (for Benning, 90 mins) -
Subs not used: J.Smith, Atkinson, Turner, Hakeem.
Opposition Line Up:
(5-4-1) Farman; Wildin, Vancooten, Cuthbert, Nugent, Martin; Timlin, Byrom, Sonupe (McKee 81), Chair (Wilkinson 90+4); Guthrie. Subs: Byrne, Hunt, Revell, Gibson, Smyth.
Referee:
Darren Drysdale 5.5 One very poor bit of refereeing when Hamilton got goalside of Nugent and was brought down just outside the area, with Nugent as the last man. The decision for the referee was whether to give a yellow card or a red card. Unbelievably, he gave no card at all. Good decision not to give the penalty for Stevenage in the first half. Otherwise an uneventful game.


Season 18/19 Reports