Archived News from March 2021
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CLOUGH AND ROB KELLY REACTION
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Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham, Saturday 6th March 2021:
"We had a player sent off, our goalkeeper went off injured, and our right back gave two goals away." Nigel Clough described the goals as “two inexcusable defensive errors”, and said that “Kellan Gordon giving the first goal away changed the game.” "We had four very good chances in the first half. Mal flashed a very good ball across the box for Harry Charsley, you have to throw yourself in there, it might rebound in somehow. "Jamie Reid went through one-on-one and somehow it didn't end up rebounding for Jordan." ---------------------- Manager delivers post-match verdict mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 6th March 2021 Boss Nigel Clough has offered his post-match thoughts following this afternoon’s disappointing 2-0 defeat away to Barrow. Despite looking the better side in the first-half, the amber and blue saw two mistakes lead to goals and defender Ryan Sweeney dismissed in the second period. The manager cut a frustrated figure after the clash, stressing that the Stags must stamp out their defensive errors. “It’s possibly the worst day we could’ve had with things going against us, but a lot of it was our own doing today,” he told iFollow Stags. “I thought both of them [yellow cards to Sweeney] were harsh. I think the first one was for a trip, but the second one, I didn’t think there was any case of that being a yellow card. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/march/nigel-clough-post-barrow/ “I didn’t think it [red card] had too much impact at all - I still think we were in the ascendancy with ten men. The turning point of the game was giving the first goal away. “Losing the goalkeeper [Aidan Stone] and getting a player sent off, the minimum we still expected was a 0-0. “Then we go and make that sort of error. That’s all that’s costing us. It cost us at Bradford, it cost us at Harrogate and it cost us a result today. “I’ve not spoken to Kells [Gordon] in too much detail. I’ve pointed out our disappointment, which is pretty obvious to him. But it’s no different to Sweeney and [Farrend] Rawson, who have not been at their best in recent weeks. “[However] I thought [Farrend] Rawson was absolutely excellent today. He held the side together at times. “It was Sweeney and Rawson who cost us the goals and Harrogate and Bradford, but Rawson has responded in exactly the right way. He was very good today.” The manager says, despite going down to ten men, Mansfield should have still taken something from the game with the chances they created. “I was satisfied with the performance, it’s just the errors,” he explained. “I don’t think we’ve done a lot wrong today in terms of our play. “It’s just the nature of the errors that changed the game. I thought we played alright again today and created enough chances. “I can’t remember Aidan Stone touching the ball in the first-half, and when you have four good situations [to score], I think you’re entitled to put one of them away. “It was another game we’ve wasted - we should’ve got at least a point today. The bare minimum should be a 0-0 today.” Goalkeeper Aidan Stone was forced off with an injury in the second-half, being replaced by Marek Stech. The boss gave an update on Stone, adding: “Aidan has cleared one and he felt something in his knee. We’ll get him checked out and see. “The only comforting thing was that Marek [Stech] came on and made a few good saves and looked solid. “He had no chance with the goals, so it’s good that we have a good deputy there ready for Tuesday if we need him.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ----------------------- Victory Gives Us A Lift - Kelly barrowafc.com Rob Kelly admitted his satisfaction after two goals from Patrick Brough secured an important victory for The Bluebirds at The Progression Solicitors Stadium on Saturday. The wing-back hit the net twice in a three-minute burst during the second half of a tense encounter as Barrow clinched their first league double of the season to move out of the bottom two on goal difference. “I am delighted for the players and supporters - that gives everyone a lift,” Kelly told iFollow. “I think it shows the character and resilience of the squad and everyone around it that we’re in there fighting. https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2021/march/060321-rob-kelly-post-match-comments-barrow-2-mansfield-town-0-in-sky-bet-league-two/?fbclid=IwAR3NAMfxgKabIuOgLsmdgpCOtwnQ8QB5sHv9K341lYIv0nedT8drW2CE5p4 “In the first half we didn’t really work their back four and goalkeeper enough and I told them that at half time - we needed to ask more questions of them and that’s how the red card happened. “I knew we had one or two to put on who could add to the performance and sometimes that doesn’t work out, but today it did. “I think forward-wise, we know Patrick can get up and down; he’s a more aggressive, attacking wing-back which I thought would help us today - that came off today but that’s down to the players. “The first goal was really important today; it always is when you’re where we are in the table because it’s a long way back when you’ve gone behind. “There will be ups and downs so nobody will get carried away. I didn’t want to throw myself in the sea on Tuesday night because I know there are lot of games to go and, equally, I won’t be popping any champagne corks tonight. “It’s three points that help us, so we’ll enjoy that tonight and then we’ll get ready for Walsall next week.” ------------------------ Praise for AFC as manager Rob Kelly reacts to his side's win over Mansfield North-West Mail, By George Lythgoe @GeorgeNWEM CARETAKER boss Rob Kelly praised his players despite a tactical masterstroke getting Barrow back to winning ways. The Bluebirds’ manager employed Patrick Brough at left wing-back instead of the left side of central defence. And the match-winner took full advantage of two Kellan Gordon errors to propel the battling Bluebirds out of the relegation zone. The reality is we are where we are. We aren’t going to suddenly flick a switch and play like Barcelona,” stressed caretaker boss Rob Kelly. “They’re human beings, we want to play like that and we want to play good football but they’re not robots. “There are a lot of things involved rather than technical and tactical stuff. https://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/19142330.praise-afc-manager-rob-kelly-reacts-sides-win-mansfield/ “You’ve got to remember that confidence is a big thing, it plays a big part. “Things like belief and trust are also huge. “It’s great when things come off and I just treat them as footballers, it’s not a tactical thing. “KG’s [Kgosi Ntlhe] come from a long injury and has played a lot of minutes since coming back and he can play left centre back. “For this one I just thought it’s a home game and we need to get at them. “Patrick’s probably a bit more aggressive going forward and that was my thinking and thankfully it came off. “I wanted to get us higher up the pitch, there will be times where I can’t do that, but I thought today that was the right thing to do and fortunately for me it came off. “But it wasn’t me who did it, it was them who executed it on the pitch. “So every credit to them, not me, it’s what they did.” Ryan Sweeney was sent off for the visitors before Brough bagged a three-minute brace to secure a vital three points. And Kelly praised his side’s endeavour to put the game to bed instead of sitting on a slender lead. He said: “I think it’s important not to just try and protect your lead, you need to extend it. “That’s only common sense. I didn’t want to just sit on the edge of our 18-yard box and invite pressure. “I wanted us to try and get another one without going gung-ho. “I wanted us to go and win the game with the ball than without it. It’s just common sense really. “I thought we played that situation well. “It was always going to be a difficult game with two sides at the wrong end of the table, desperate to get the points. “It was important in the first half to just be in the game and it wasn’t an appealing spectacle. “But we stayed in the game, we showed the other side of us and then we kicked on a and were brave. “Tuesday night we got sucked in to their game and that’s credit to Harrogate. “We started to ask more questions and that’s when the red card happened and we got our rewards.” --------------------- Keaton Ward @Keatonward10 Still disappointed by the result but on a personal note happy to make my league debut for my boyhood club ------------------ |
Latest | March 2021