Archived News from August 2021
|
STAGS BEAT NEWPORT TO MAKE IT TWO OUT OF TWO
|
 |
|
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 2 - 1 Newport County Maris 7, O.Clarke 43. Willmott 9 Attendance: 3,793 (156 from Newport) Date: 14 August 2021 Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town beat Newport County 2-1 at home this afternoon with first half goals from George Maris and Ollie Clarke sealing the win. Newport, like Bristol Rovers last Saturday, are likely to be in the promotion shake-up at the end of the season, and had already won at Oldham, and at Ipswich in the League Cup. Newport of course lost 1-0 to Morecambe in the League Two play-off in May. Newport were very unlucky in that game of two penalties, one not given for Newport which should have been, and one given for Morecambe which shouldn't have been. So, a great start to the season for the Stags, and you have to go back 27 years to 1994 for the last time Mansfield won the opening two league games of the season, a 2-0 win over Colchester with goals from Paul Holland and Stuart Hadley, and a 1-0 win over Chesterfield with a goal from Hadley. The Stags visit Colchester on Tuesday, while Chesterfield are now languishing in the non-league. Overall I think the Stags deserved the victory, though it was fairly even in terms of shots, with just 9 shots for each side. The Stags took the lead after 7 minutes. Good play down the left from Johnson, Quinn and Oates to win a corner. The corner was taken short by Maris, Newport initially cleared it, but Maris did brilliantly to win it back from Christopher Missilou 35 yards from goal. Maris took a couple of touches forward and was not closed down so he decided to have a shot from 30 yards which squirmed under keeper Joe Day and into the net. The shot should have been saved, but if you don’t buy a ticket, you don’t win the raffle, and Maris was rewarded for following Nigel Clough’s request to his players to take more shots at goal when they have the chance. Newport were level after 9 minutes and it was a very poor goal to concede. A massive goalkick from Joe Day flew straight over the head of Perch and Timmy Abraham, bounced 28 yards from the Stags goal, over Rawson, and Robbie Willmott got in behind Rawson to chest the ball down in the area and lift a shot over Bishop from 9 yards and into the net. Poor defending from Perch and Rawson. Nigel Clough said after the game: “It was a very, very poor goal to concede. We have to stop those mistakes. It was down to the two centre halves. The ball has gone straight down the middle from a goalkick and we've not made contact with it. That can't happen.” Maris could have scored again after 20 minutes. A great ball from McLaughlin from 25 yards inside his own half on the left touchline sent Maris through on goal but his shot from 20 yards was saved by Day, making no mistake after his earlier error. The Stags regained the lead after 43 minutes. Bishop’s long kick down the middle was flicked on by Hawkins, rising above Scot Bennet, to Johnson, who held off Priestley Farquharson, chested the ball down, and laid a fabulous little ball forward into the path of Ollie Clarke. Clarke ran on to it, took a touch outside the area, and then blasted his left-footed shot past Day from 16 yards with such power that it nearly took the netting off! A deserved lead for the Stags at the break. Into the second half and Newport were close to an equaliser after 61 minutes. Timmy Abraham, brother of Chelsea’s Tammy, got away from Perch and Maris and crossed from the byline on the right across the face of goal. It reached Ryan Haynes in the area on the left, he pulled back to Finn Azaz and Azaz’s shot from 15 yards was superbly tipped over the bar by Bishop. A cracking save that was. The Stags should have made victory more comfortable after 87 minutes. Maris lifted the ball forward. Danny Johnson did very well to turn away from Scot Bennet to put himself 1-on-1 with Joe Day, but from 10 yards, Johnson’s low shot was saved by Day with his right leg. The Stags hung on for the victory with no major alarms in the closing stages. A decent performance, but Mansfield can still play better I think. A word on the Stags crowd again. They were down in number by about 1400 from the Bristol Rovers game, probably due to holidays, the cost of three home games in 7 days, and the rescheduling of this game from an away game. But the noise from the home fans was incredible again. Wonderful support and a real spur to the side. The game was switched from being an away game at Rodney Parade as the Newport pitch is being relaid. About a million pounds is being spent on the pitch by the Welsh Rugby Union according to my Newport iFollow counterpart, and work had to start later than would have been ideal due to Newport’s involvement in the play-offs. So it should be better than normal when we visit there later this season! On to Colchester on Tuesday night and the first away game of the season. As it is a midweek league game, you can watch it live on iFollow Stags with a match pass that can be bought for £10. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ------------------------ SAT 14 AUG 2021, LEAGUE TWO Mansfield Town 2-1 Newport County Maris (7'minutes), O Clarke (43'minutes) Willmott (9'minutes) Assists Johnson (43'minutes) Day (9'minutes) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58124809 Mansfield Town continued their promising start to the season with a narrow 2-1 win against Newport County. The Stags went ahead early on as George Maris beat visiting goalkeeper Joe Day with a long-range effort. The visitors from south Wales replied through Robbie Wilmott's first goal for them since March 2019. But home captain Ollie Clarke put his side ahead as the opening period drew to a close and Newport's efforts to hit back were in vain. Mansfield beat Bristol Rovers by the same score on the opening day while Newport had won 1-0 at Oldham. Newport boss Michael Flynn told BBC Radio Wales: "I felt we played quite well against a strong Mansfield team and ultimately our poor defending on the two goals gave them the points because I thought we were the better team. "We could have scored just before our equaliser, but the two goals we conceded are what's cost us, but they were two poor goals from our point of view to concede. "[Mansfield striker] Oli Hawkins is effective, strong, has got an appetite about him, but I thought for the majority of the game we dealt with him very well." Match Stats Home Team Mansfield Away Team Newport Possession Home 51% Away49% Shots Home 9 Away 9 Shots on Target Home 5 Away 4 Corners Home 3 Away 5 Fouls Home 18 Away 12 ----------------------- Mansfield Town make it two wins out of two as they see off Newport County chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Saturday 14th August 2021 Mansfield Town made it two wins out of two with a hard-earned 2-1 home victory over Newport County this afternoon. Having immediately thrown away the seventh minute lead given to them by George Maris through poor defending, they were back ahead thanks to skipper Ollie Clarke just before the break. Newport had the better second half chances but Stags defended stoutly and deserved the points in the end. Stags' afternoon was made more uncomfortable by a string of decisions against them by experienced referee Anthony Backhouse which angered the home fans and players alike. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-make-it-two-wins-out-of-two-as-they-see-off-newport-county-3346739 Stags were unchanged from last Saturday's opening day win over Bristol Rovers while Newport, who also won their opener, were missing some key players through injury and made four changes. Stags flew onto the front foot from kick-off and McLaughlin zipped a cross right across the face of goal within 15 seconds with no one able to reach it. On five minutes it seemed Abraham had got the better of Rawson in the box but the defender recovered to make the tackle before the Newport man could shoot. But Stags were in front on seven minutes. Johnson was unable to control a short corner from Maris and it seemed the moment was wasted. But Maris did well to win the ball back and when no ne closed him down he curled in a low shot from 20 yards which somehow found its way past Day who should have done better with it. However a home error levelled the scores within two minutes. First Perch and then Rawson allowed a long ball forward to bounce over them and Willmott sneaked in behind to lift the ball over a helpless Bishop into the net. From a hotly disputed free kick on 19 minutes Willmott squared to Upson, whose finish deflected narrowly wide. Stags then broke quickly from the corner and Maris saw his low shot beaten away by Day. Abraham entered the book for hacking down McLaughlin on 20 minutes, Missilou joining him for a 33rd minute foul. Oates shot over the left angle from Stags' next raid after some neat passing while Bishop was firmly behind a Haynes free kick at the other end on the half-hour. Haynes also fired across goal from the left on a 39th minute counter-attack. But Mansfield roared back in front two minutes from the break. Hawkins found Johnson on the edge of the box and he expertly laid the ball off to Clarke to his right who advanced and smashed home an unstoppable finish from 15 yards high to the left of Day. In the four added minutes Quinn made space to get a low shot away, but it lacked power and was easy for Day to gather. Newport were almost level six minutes into the second half when Maris was robbed of possession and Missilou raced down the left and pulled a shot wide across the face of goal. Then on 56 minutes Abraham was only just wide with his flicked header from Norman's excellent cross. Another superb move by the Exiles on 61 minutes ended with Bishop having to tip away Azaz's first time shot from 20 yards. McLaughlin pulled a good low cross into the Newport box in a rare home raid, but Hawkins was well off target with his hooked finish. Stags desperately needed a lift and on 65 minutes Lapslie took over from Oates. Three minutes later Gordon was booked for a foul on Clarke, then Haynes was added for leaving a foot in on Gordon on 72 minutes. A frustrated Hawkins was then booked for arguing over one of several questionable decisions by the referee two minutes later. Clarke volleyed well over the Newport goal from a half-cleared corner as we entered the 84th minute. Johnson might have wrapped things up when the ball broke for him on 87 minutes, but Day was able to block his finish with his legs. STAGS: Bishop, Gordon (Hewitt 77), McLaughlin, Rawson, Clarke, Maris, Johnson, Hawkins, Perch, Quinn (Bowery 90), Oates (Lapslie 65). SUBS NOT USED: Shelvey, Burke, Sinclair, Stirk. NEWPORT: Fay, Norman, Haynes, Upson, Clarke (Collins 77), Farquharson, Willmott, Abraham (Greenidge 73), Bennett, Azaz, Missilou (Fisher 65). SUBS NOT USED: Townsend, Lewis, Woodiwiss, Livermore REFEREE: Anthony Backhouse. ATTENDANCE: 3,793 (156 away). ------------------- Newport edged out by Mansfield in tight League Two clash southwalesargus.co.uk, By Chris Kirwan NEWPORT County AFC suffered a first defeat of their August on the road in League Two after being edged out 2-1 by Mansfield Town. All the goals came in the first half at Field Mill after Robbie Willmott’s fine finish was sandwiched by goals by George Maris and Ollie Clarke, the opener courtesy of a howler by goalkeeper Joe Day. County, who were stretched by injury, pressed but were unable to strike late as they had on opening weekend at Oldham Athletic. The Exiles are spending the first month of their league campaign away from Rodney Parade because of summer work on the pitch. While defeat is disappointing, the performance against a strong Stags team gave some reason for optimism after Michael Flynn’s rebuilding work following play-off final woe. After trips to Boundary Park and Ipswich, a week off is welcome ahead of another tough trip to Tranmere. It was an early test of County’s squad depth because of the absence of captain Matty Dolan and his deputy Mickey Demetriou, who missed just one league game last season through suspension. https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/19514291.newport-edged-mansfield-tight-league-two-clash/ There were four changes to the starting line-up from opening day at Oldham with defender James Clarke, midfielders Chris Missilou and Finn Azaz and forward Timmy Abraham, fresh from his Carabao Cup winner at Ipswich, coming in. Flynn had warned that there were a number of niggles and he took no risks with Dolan and Demetriou joined on the sidelines by Kevin Ellison and Jermaine Hylton but central defender Priestley Farquharson was declared fit to start. County reverted to three at the back at the start after going with a flat four at Ipswich with captain Scot Bennett flanked by Farquharson and Clarke. The list of absentees meant sub spots for defender Joe Woodiwiss and midfielder Aneurin Livermore, although their performances at Portman Road could have earned a chance even if others were fit. While County were forced to ring the changes, the Stags fielded the same line-up that started with a success against Bristol Rovers. The game had been switched to Field Mill to give the new Rodney Parade pitch more time to settle and it was nearly a fast start by the hosts with a dangerous cross from the left flashing across goal. But the Stags did get the opener after six minutes and it was an awful goal to concede. County failed to clear a botched corner to gift possession back to Maris, whose curling shot from distance should have been dealt with by Joe Day only for the goalkeeper to fail to push it around his left post. The Exiles didn’t wallow and were back on level terms two minutes later with the stopper relieved to claim the assist after his clanger. The ball was pumped long and Willmott chased it down, controlled and then calmly lobbed Nathan Bishop. County had a chance to hit the front from a contentious free-kick in the 19th minute only for Ed Upson’s effort to be deflected behind and they had a lucky escape from the corner. It was too deep to set up a Mansfield counter and the ball broke for Maris, who was denied by Day from the edge of the box. Bishop was called into action approaching the half hour when a lovely turn by Azaz won a free-kick that Ryan Haynes took. He hit the target but it was simple for the stopper. The physical battle between Farquharson and targetman Oli Hawkins was terrific while Bennett was assured in his defensive role after being in midfield seven days earlier. Yet County were caught out on the stroke of half-time when a flick-on put Clarke in on goal and he slammed left-footed into the top corner as James Clarke scrambled across. Flynn went with the same XI for the second half and they had the first effort when Abraham shot tamely across the goal, left-footed and from a tight angle after being played in by Willmott. The Fulham loanee came closer on 55 with a glancing header that flashed just wide after Cameron Norman fired in a cross from the right. However, County were thankful to still be in touch approaching the hour when Kellan Gordon’s cross from the right looped over Day and went just past the post. The action swung back to the other end and Azaz was denied when Bishop tipped over his left-footed shot from a Haynes pullback. Flynn had to go on the attack and replaced midfielder Missilou, who ran himself into the ground, with targetman Fisher before introducing Jordan Greenidge for Abraham up top. The final change came with 15 minutes left with Lewis Collins introduced down the right with defender Clarke the man to go off, County finishing with a back four. However, the Exiles were unable to build up a head of steam with the Stags killing the clock, aided by the whistle of referee Anthony Backhouse. Day kept them in it when he saved with his legs from Danny Johnson and five minutes of added time gave some hope. Mansfield: Bishop, Gordon, McLaughlin, Rawson, Clarke (captain), Maris, Johnson, Hawkins, Perch, Quinn, Oates. Substitutes: Shelvey, Hewitt, Bowery, Burke, Sinclair, Stirk, Lapslie. Yellow: Perch, Gordon, Hawkins. Goals: Maris, Clarke County: Day, Norman, Farquharson, Clarke, Haynes, Bennett (captain), Missilou (Fisher 65), Upson, Willmott, Azaz, Abraham (Greenidge 72). Substitutes: Townsend, Woodiwiss, Lewis, Livermore, Collins. Yellow: Abraham, Missilou, Haynes. Goal: Willmott Referee: Anthony Backhouse Attendance: 3,793 --------------------- |
Latest | August 2021