Archived News from July 2021
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FRIENDLY: STAGS 1-0 COVENTRY
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Pre-Season Friendly
Mansfield Town 1 - 0 Coventry City Lapslie 49 Attendance: 2,539 (368 from Coventry) Date: 27 July 2021 Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield beat Coventry City 1-0 in the latest pre-season friendly, with a goal from George Lapslie after 49 minutes. This was a really good performance from the Stags against a young Coventry City side and the Stags could have won by more goals. It was a special night for the Stags though as it was the first time since February 2020 that fans had been allowed in at the One Call Stadium. The last game was a 1-0 win over Newport with a goal from Danny Rose. And of course it was the first time that Nigel Clough had managed the Stags in front of fans at home. It was also the first time that the entire 11 Stags players who started the game had played in front of their own fans at home. The first half saw the Stags right on top with an impressive performance. The Stags had the bulk of the chances in the half, including five for Danny Johnson. The returning Tyler Walker had a couple of efforts for Coventry but that was about it. Into the second half and the goal Mansfield deserved came after 49 minutes. Stephen McLaughlin played it to Danny Johnson who got to the byline on the left and pulled back for Lapslie to fire low into the net. The first goal for the Stags fans to cheer at home for 17 months. There were plenty of other chances for the Stags to score, with Quinn volleying just over the bar, Lapslie going very close twice more and several other shots. Overall a really impressive performance. The Stags midfield of Maris, Ollie Clarke, Quinn and Lapslie looked tremendous. The defence was assured. Stephen McLaughlin was very good coming forward down the left and linking well with Stephen Quinn. Nathan Bishop was in goal for the first time in a Stags shirt. He’s on loan from Man Utd for the season but had been with Man Utd for pre-season until now. He had had a fairly quiet night but looked confident. A word on the pitch. It looked magnificent, and with the excellent work done during the close season should be so much better than last season. The Stags players and management were given a rousing reception before the game. Mansfield were without Kellan Gordon who picked up a knock in training. Elliott Hewitt returned from illness, fortunately just a bug and not Covid-related, and he slotted in at right back, a position he played against the Stags last season for Grimsby, rather than in central defence which should be his normal position this season. Farrend Rawson partnered James Perch in central defence, with McLaughlin at left back. The midfield was Mansfield’s regular midfield from last season of Maris, Ollie Clarke, Quinn and Lapslie. Lapslie was returning from injury. Hawkins and Johnson were up front. Nathan Bishop was in goal for the first time in a Stags shirt. He’s on loan from Man Utd for the season but had been with Man Utd for pre-season until now. Coventry started with just 4 or 5 players who could be considered first team players according to their analyst. Up front was Tyler Walker, who was on loan for the Stags in the play-off season under David Flitcroft. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE -------------------------- Magnificent Mansfield Town delight returning fans with win over Championship Coventry City chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Tuesday 27th July 2021 Mansfield Town delighted their returning fans with a magnificent display and 1-0 win over Championship club Coventry City in tonight's pre-season friendly at the One Call Stadium. With fans allowed in for the first time since February 2020, a noisy crowd of 2,539 saw Stags dominate and win it with a 48th minute George Lapslie goal on an emotional night. Stags bossed most of the game, playing some neat football, and debut-making Manchester United loanee keeper Nathan Bishop did not have a save to make all night. The visitors might have snatched a second minute lead but Trialist A guided a close range header wide from a Jones free kick towards the left hand post. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/magnificent-mansfield-town-delight-returning-fans-with-win-over-championship-coventry-city-3325788 That turned out to be their best chance of the night. Within a few minutes the sun had disappeared and a heavy shower came down with rain lasting the whole first half. Stags' new strikers combined on five minutes as Hawkins flicked on a long Hewitt throw, but Johnson's low finish was wide. Stags were almost caught out on nine minutes after the ball had bounced off the referee to the visitors and Walker was sent clear, Bishop doing well to race out and clear before he could finish. A loose pass from Clarke then set up Walker for a firm shot at Bishop on 12 minutes. Reid did well to hinder Johnson's attempt at turning a McLaughin cross on target on 27 minutes and it was an easy stop for Wilson in the end. Stags' best move to the game so far soon after ended with McLaughlin well wide from an overhead kick from Lapslie's nod-down. On 31 minutes a training ground corner saw Hewitt make a late run to race onto McLaughlin's short corner and cross, Johnson unable to get his header on target. Hewitt was too high from distance as the home side piled on the pressure. A quick free kick saw Clarke dissect the Coventry defence and Johnson should have done better, pulling his low finish wide. Stags were looking for an offside flag that never came on 35 minutes as Walker turned and lifted a finish just over. Wilson safely gathered a 25 yard McLaughlin free kick while Jones was wide at the other end as a thoroughly entertaining half somehow ended goalless. The rain had stopped by the second half and Quinn almost celebrated that with a goal on 47 minutes as he volleyed over from a great far post cross by Hewitt. But Stags were ahead on 49 minutes from a superb move down the left. McLaughlin hoisted the first pass down the line towards Johnson who rolled it inside perfectly for Lapslie to slot home a low finish. Lapslie volleyed over from a Clarke cross on 56 minutes before City relieved the pressure with their first three corners of the game. On 63 minutes the substitution began with four for the Sky Blues and Stirk, signed earlier in the day on loan, coming on for Quinn. Sub Enobakhare almost made an immediate impact as he cut in from the left and saw a shot deflect over, then Lapslie headed just over from a McLaughlin cross while Maris fired straight at Wilson from an angle. The changes continued to roll for both teams as we entered the last 15 minutes. On 83 minutes Wilson had to save an Oates snapshot from a loose ball, but the one goal proved enough as Stags were given a deserved rousing ovation. STAGS: Bishop, McLaughlin, Hewitt (Clarke 68), Rawson, Clarke, Maris (Burke 75), Johnson (Sinclair 75), Hawkins (Bowery 75), Perch, Quinn (Stirk 63), Lapslie (Oates 68). SUBS NOT USED: Stech. COVENTRY: Wilson, Jones (Enobakhare 63), Trialist A, Sheaf (Rus 75), Walker (Knee 75), Reid, Dacosta (Trialist C 63), Drysdale (Tavares 63), Howley, Bapaga (Evans-Harriott 75), Trialist B (Rowe 63). SUBS NOT USED: Moore. REFEREE: David Webb. ATTENDANCE: 2,539 (368 away fans). ------------------------- REPORT: Mansfield Town 1-0 Sky Blues https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2021/july/report-mansfield-town-vs-sky-blues/ The Sky Blues took another big step in preparations for the season opener with Nottingham Forest against Mansfield Town. On a rainy evening in Nottinghamshire, the first chance of the game came in the opening minute when Jodi Jones’s delicate chipped free kick found Trialist A at the back post, only for him to glance his header wide. In a lively opening, Mansfield’s first opportunity fell to Danny Johnson, the ball fell to the midfielder on the edge of the six-yard box, but he could only fire his shot wide of Ben Wilson’s left hand post. Will Bagapa intercepted Farrend Rawson’s loose ball and his hard work was unlucky not be rewarded as Tyler Walker’s shot was denied by Manchester United loanee Nathan Bishop in the Stags net. The Stags’ response would see Ben Wilson into action as the City ‘keeper did well to hold Oli Hawkins’ header, after the forward was well found from Stephen McLaughlin’s corner. Johnson would drag another shot wide for the home side before Josh Reid’s ball over the top found Walker, but with his second opportunity of the match, his rising shot just alluded Bishop’s top right-hand corner. Jones would be the next to try his luck with his effort going just wide of the post as the Sky Blues pushed to find the opening goal of the game, of which they deserved HALF TIME: MANSFIELD TOWN 0-0 SKY BLUES Mansfield would be the first to go close as James Perch’s cross found Stephen Quinn at the back post, but the Irishman fired his volley over the goal. The home side took the lead as Johnson’s cut back found George Lapslie who fired in from close range to give the Stags the lead. Julian Dacosta’s darting run into the box earned City a corner, from which Walker could only put his header wide as the Sky Blues looked for a reply. City made a quadruple substitution just after the hour mark and Enobakhare made an instant impact winning a free kick on the edge of the box, but Ben Sheaf’s effort was headed away. However, Enobakhare would pick up the ball on the touchline skipping past two defenders before his shot went behind for a corner. At the other end Jordan Bowery’s powerful strike was well saved by Wilson and the ‘keeper was determined to keep the Sky Blues in the game, getting down well to deny Bowery moments later. FULL TIME: MANSFIELD TOWN 1-0 SKY BLUES SCORERS: Lapslie (49’) ATTENDANCE: 2539 (368 AWAY SUPPORTERS) Sky Blues Xl: Ben Wilson (GK) (C), Julien Dacosta (Tavares 62’), Declan Drysdale (Trialist C 62’), Trialist A, Josh Reid, Trialist B (Rowe 62’), Ben Sheaf (Evans-Harriott 75’), Ryan Howley, Jodi Jones (Enobakhare 62’), Will Bapaga (Rus 75’), Tyler Walker (Nee 75’) Subs: Simon Moore (GK), Blaine Rowe, Trialist C, Marco Rus, Aaron Evans-Harriott, Bright Enobakhare, Harrison Nee, Fabio Tavares. Mansfield Town XI: Nathan Bishop, Stephen McLaughlin, Elliott Hewitt, Farrend Rawson, Ollie Clarke (Hewitt 68’), George Maris (Sinclair 75’), Danny Johnson (Bowery 75’), Oli Hawkins (Burke 75’), James Perch, Stephen Quinn (Stirk 62), George Lapslie (Oates 68’) Subs: Marek Stech, Jordan Bowery, Ryan Burke, Tyrese Sinclair, Rhys Oates, James Clarke, Ryan Stirk ----------------------- https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/we-fine-coventry-city-fans-21160680 Coventry City were back in action in another pre-season friendly this evening against League Two side Mansfield Town. Mark Robins' Sky Blues opted to offer youngsters some game time in their 1-0 defeat against League Two outfit. The Sky Blues had previously lost to Spanish top-flight side Sevilla and newly-promoted League One outfit Cheltenham Town. City’s boss Mark Robins named two trialists in his starting XI to play the Stags. One of which was Norwich City development player, Rocky Bushiri. ----------------------- |
Latest | July 2021