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Archived News from March 2003

APPALLING STAGS HAMMERED
29th March 2003 22:56


Mansfield Town 1 - 5 Peterborough United
Corden 17 (pen)
Rea 8, McKenzie 37, Hendon 44, Clarke 82, Fotiadis 90
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Rubbish. Absolute rubbish.
The team selection, the tactics, the performance, the lack of fighting spirit.
Full Stagsnet report by Martin Shaw now in the Match Centre.
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Match Statistics (Stags/Posh)
3 Goal Attempts 13
3 On target 7
0 Off target 6
0 Woodwork 0
4 Corners 6
8 Fouls 13
1 Offside 1
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BBC report:
Peterborough gave their chances of avoiding relegation an emphatic boost against fellow strugglers Mansfield.

Simon Rea nodded the visitors ahead after eight minutes before Wayne Corden levelled from the spot shortly afterwards.

But from the moment Leon McKenzie was allowed to head the ball home from six yards Posh were always in charge.

Ian Hendon added their bizarre third goal a minute before the break when his cross from the byline seemed to deflect off defender Ben Doane before looping over goalkeeper Keith Welch.

Mansfield never looked like getting back into it in the second half and were well beaten by the time Andy Clarke rifled in the fourth Peterborough goal after 82 minutes.

Andrew Fotiadis bagged their fifth goal from fellow substitute David Farrell's low cross just before the final whistle.
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CHAD report
stags humiliated in six-pointer


MANSFIELD Town suffered an embarrassing 5-1 home defeat by fellow strugglers Peterborough United at Field Mill this afternoon.

Stags were inexplicably lacklustre in the big game and now face a huge task to get the necessary points to stay in Division Two.
Their inability to create chances and reliance on playing long balls forward left speedy Posh able to pinch vital goals at vital times in this crucial six-pointer.
Simon Rea made no mistake when offered a free header from six yards on eight minutes to draw first blood.
Mansfield were gifted a way back on 16 minutes when referee Alan Kaye awarded a penalty for handball against Rea with both sides stunned by the decision.
Wayne Corden obliged from the spot his third penalty success in four games.
But that was as good as it got for Mansfield and another six-yard free header, this time for Leon McKenzie on 37 minutes, restored Peterborough's advantage.
Lady Luck smiled on Posh on 44 minutes as a deflection off Ben Doane saw Ian Hendon's cross from the by-line spin wickedly and somehow loop over Keith Welsh and under the bar for an unlikely third goal.
Player-manager Keith Curle and midfielder Liam Lawrence joined the fray for the second half but still the team failed to function as it can with Posh always looking dangerous on the break.
Andy Fotiadis wasted one good chance to make it 4-1 before Andy Clarke's low shot on 82 minutes made it 4-1 and signalled a mass exit of disgruntled home fans.
To rub it in, Rhys Day sent off for Wales U21 the previous night was stretchered of with a knee injury four minutes from the end to leave Stags with 10 men.
United showed no sympathy as David Farrell broke down the left before squaring the ball into the path of Fotiadis to tap in number five.
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footymad.net report:
A rampant Peterborough United took a huge step towards Second Division safety with a 5-1 win at Mansfield Town who are now even closer to the relegation trap door.

Two goals in five minutes just before half-time put Peterborough in control at 3-1 ahead and leading scorer Andy Clarke wrapped up their first victory in six games eight minutes from time.

The impressive Matthew Gill was the goal maker for the third time, releasing Clarke with a great pass and the striker thumped in his 17th goal of the season.

Substitute Andrew Fotiadis tapped in David Farrell's low cross in injury time to leave the Stags without a win in three games and staring relegation in the face.

Mansfield had rarely threatened a second half fight-back, creating just two chances in total. In the 64th minute Craig Disley's looping header was tipped over and eight minutes later Liam Lawrence's overhead kick was comfortably saved.

To make matters worse for the home side central defender Rhys Day, who had been sent off less than 24 hours earlier for Wales’ Under-21s, was stretchered off four minutes from time as the Stags finished with 10 men.

The pace of Posh strikers Clarke and Leon McKenzie had caused the home defence numerous problems in the opening stages.

After four minutes a clever exchange of passes between the front men put McKenzie free, but he blazed over from a tight angle.

Four minutes later there was no escape for the nervous home defence when the unmarked Simon Rea headed in Gill's corner.

The lead lasted just seven minutes before Mansfield levelled against the run of play.

Referee Alan Kaye surprised everyone in the ground by giving a handball against Rea and Wayne Corden tucked in his third penalty in four games.

However, Peterborough remained in control and another fine cross from Gill eight minutes before half-time picked out the unmarked McKenzie to head in his fourth goal of the season.

And the Posh virtually sealed victory before the interval when Ian Hendon's cross from the byline was deflected over the keeper and into the roof of the net.
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