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Archived News from November 2021

CLOUGH, RAWSON AND JOHN YEMS REACTION
30th November 2021 18:43


Nigel Clough told Jake Garner for BBC Radio Nottingham and iFollow Stags:

“Very, very pleased. We changed things up a bit today.

“I thought it [the formation change] was justified after the game on Tuesday night.

“It was nice to get the sixth win out of the last seven games and get us back on track.”

"It was difficult to leave George Maris and Ollie Clarke out today but they're both on (four) yellow cards, they've both played almost every game, so they were about due a breather.

“Oli Hawkins, we shoved him back up front today and he’s got one and made one.

“[On Rhys Oates] I thought his pace caused them problems all afternoon. With the ball holding up [in the wind] he got on the end of one and tucked it away. Lovely.

“We’ve missed him when he’s been out. It’s no surprise that we don’t score in midweek [but] we got two at Stevenage when he was in the team and we got two today.

“He chases lost causes. Defenders hate that sort of thing. They [defenders] can never relax when he’s around.”

"In the first half we missed an opportunity to score more than one goal. We were so dominant and we were a little bit casual at times. When you're as dominant as that with the wind behind you, I said to the players at half time, it will all change. And within two minutes they were level. We have to do more in the first half.

"We should have done more to go and get that second goal and third goal.

On the formation change: “About three days of thinking about it. This was probably one of the hardest teams we’ve picked in the last 12 months or so.

“We had lots of options and different formations in our mind.

“We thought let’s try three at the back today. We've got the centre halves fit now to do it. Let’s give it a go.

"We left Harry Charsley out today. Nothing to his performances, just formation.

"It was justified today. We tried to freshen it up and create more chances.

"I thought JJ was outstanding in the middle of the three. Faz Rawson and Will Forrester ... they had to defend properly in the second half, not so much in the first half.

"With the wind behind Crawley, they put a lot of good balls just beyond us and it caused us a problem.

“We hadn’t really worked on it [the new formation]. We went to [a back three] for the last ten minutes against Sutton the other night and we looked okay.

“Everybody acquitted themselves well and that’s why we got the win.”

"We've had three long trips down to Stevenage, Sutton and Crawley, at least they (the supporters) have seen 2 wins out of the 3.

“It was great for Oatesy [Rhys Oates] to get the winner in front of them [the supporters].

“We are so appreciative of every single one of them that makes these journeys.”

"I think we'll take a few more to Doncaster next week and it sets it nicely for that game."

"We'll have a couple of days rest and then get preparation for the Doncaster game."


Nigel Clough told Craig Priest for Mansfield 103.2

(about the players on four yellow cards): "Unfortunately the other one was Oli Hawkins and he managed to get himself booked. We thought he (Hawkins) wouldn't get booked by going up front. So he misses the Carlisle game.

(on Hawkins): "There's very few players who can flick between centre half and centre forward with the ease that he does.

(on the formation change): "Our away form hasn't been good enough, created enough chances, scored enough goals. So we thought let's try and get two up front. The way we play we should be dominating games more, and we've not been doing that like the end of last season.

"We've deliberated for three days ever since Tuesday night. We didn't completely make up our minds until about 1.00 o'clock today. It's always a risk trying a new formation, we hadn't worked on it really this week.

"We've got the centre halves to do it, we've got the wing-backs.

"That was the other reason we set out the formation today, having lost on Tuesday, we wanted to get the three points today.

"The players are going out for a beer tonight which they thoroughly deserve. We've got a clear week now. It was a great incentive for them when you're going out after a game to get the three points!

"It makes everybody's weekend better.

"(The fans were) brilliant. It was great that Oatesey scored the winner in front of them."

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Stags 'buzzing' after win - defender
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 27th November 2021

Mansfield Town defender Farrend Rawson says the Stags’ confidence remains high following their 2-1 away victory over Crawley Town at The People’s Pension Stadium.

The centre-back returned to the starting line-up having been benched for the last three first team fixtures.

Rawson performed well in Mansfield’s strong defensive unit, limiting the hosts to only two shots on target.

The 25-year-old described the dressing room’s high spirits after the important victory in West Sussex.

“The lads are buzzing,” said Rawson. “Everyone can have a massive pat on the back.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/november/stags-buzzing-after-win---defender/

“I think it’s a tough place to come especially with the conditions today.

“We played some good stuff, especially [in the] first half. Second half we had the wind against us so it was a lot harder.

“I think first half we played good football and that’s where we probably could have put the game to bed, but it didn’t happen and we had to adapt and dig in.

“We were solid. We were talking [and] communicating, making our lives a lot easier and I think that showed first half with the lack of chances they had.

“Second half I think it was inevitable that they were going to go long and come onto us. We stuck our chest out and took on the challenge and we’ve proven that with the result.

“The lads showed grit [and] determination and I think we could play better but the most important thing is we showed we can dig in and come away with the three points.

“I don’t think today was about playing beautiful football, I think today was about getting the result and that’s what we did.”

The former Forest Green Rovers man started a Mansfield game for the first time since the Stags’ clash with Newcastle Under-21s in the Papa John’s Trophy two and a half weeks ago. Despite this, Rawson slotted alongside his teammates seamlessly.

“It was fine,” he said. “We’ve got some good players here so it’s easy to slot in.

”It’s nice for me personally to get back out there and get a win.

“Everyone on the bench is fighting for a place.

“It’s good to get everyone back and [have] the squad back together.

“Everyone’s fighting for a place [in the team] and that’s healthy. That’s what you want. In all the good squads that’s what they have.”

Rawson says he is looking forward to Mansfield’s next run of fixtures in Sky Bet League Two and he feels that the club have turned a corner from a disappointing start to the campaign.

“I think we were a bit unlucky at the start of the season,” said Rawson. “Things didn’t go our way but we’ve put that behind us now and I think we’ve shown that with the performances we’ve been putting in. Rightly so the results have been following.

“Spirits are high. Confidence is high and the lads are buzzing.

“So [I] can’t wait for the next game.”

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'They were a team of men and we weren't' - John Yems makes honest assessment after Crawley lose against Mansfield
crawleyobserver.co.uk, By Sam Morton, Saturday 27th November 2021

Crawley Town boss John Yems said his side 'got what we deserved' in their 2-1 defeat against Mansfield Town.

James Tilley's second-half stunner brought the Reds level after a poor first half, which saw the visitors take the lead through Oliver Hawkins.

However, Crawley were unable to respond after Rhys Oates restored The Stags' lead. Click here to see how we rated the players

Yems said: "We huffed and puffed and didn't blow the house down again.

"We got what we deserved in the end.

https://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/football/they-were-a-team-of-men-and-we-werent-john-yems-makes-honest-assessment-after-crawley-lose-against-mansfield-3474163

"We had the opportunities and didn't take them.

"People have got to start learning and understanding what we are doing. If they don't, things have to change.

"They were a team of men and we weren't, simple."

Yems pointed to a lack of experience amongst his players.

"It's not just the budget, it's the experience they've got," he said of Mansfield. "We haven't got that.

"I don't want to talk about it as it's getting on my nerves."

Yems said he was disappointed that his side couldn't 'finish the game off' after drawing level so quickly into the second-half.

"We threw it away," he added. "We were on top.

"We didn't stop believing, we just didn't follow it through. They did a good job on us."

Crawley now have a ten-day break before their next game away at Walsall.

This won't be a chance for the players to rest though, according to the manager.

"We won't be breaking," Yems said. "We will be training and then we have a friendly next week.

"No one will be resting."

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(comment from Martin on the following interview: it is an extraordinary misrepresentation of the game!)

Crawley captain sends warning to teammates after 'gutting' defeat - 'You don't want to be looking over your shoulders'
crawleyobserver.co.uk, By Sam Morton, Saturday 27th November 2021

Crawley Town skipper George Francomb said the 2-1 defeat against Mansfield Town was 'absolutely gutting'.

Goals from Oliver Hawkins and Rhys Oates settled a match of two halves, which Crawley looked favourite to win after James Tilley's wonder-strike levelled the scoring moments after the restart. Click here to see how we rated the players

Francomb said it was a game of fine margins but rued a lack of cutting edge in front of goal.

"The first half was tough against the wind," he said. "It was disappointing to let in a goal but we kept it at 1-0.

https://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/sport/football/crawley-captain-sends-warning-to-teammates-after-gutting-defeat-you-dont-want-to-be-looking-over-your-shoulders-3474189

"We came out in the second-half and started really well. We got a good goal and were on top for most of the second half.

"I don't remember them having too many entries in our box other than the goal. It just seems like one of them sucker punch kinds of games it was similar on Tuesday night [against Newport County].

"You're scratching your head to how you've ended up drawing that game Tuesday night and losing today. On the balance of play, we should be getting two wins."

Francomb said the result was 'tough to take' but the Reds 'have still got to do better'.

He said: "At the end of the day, if you're not making it count at one end and then giving it away at the other end, that's football.

"The performances haven't been bad the last two games at home.

"They had two shots on target all game. I don't know how we've had but it felt like we were the team in the ascendency the whole second half.

"We thought we were the only team who would go on and get the second goal. But once chance and it's in the back of our net. It's absolutely gutting."

Crawley now have a ten-day break before their next game away at Walsall on Tuesday, December 7.

Francomb said the break will be good for the players 'who aren't quite close to fitness' but, after defeat, he and his teammates will want to 'put it right as soon as possible'.

When asked what they will focus on during the hiatus, Francomb said: "When we lost five on the bounce, the performances weren't there. We were at sixes and sevens.

"The last two games, our performances have been better and more solid.

"It's just a case of trying to pick ourselves as a group and going again. That's the only way we are going to get out of the position we're in."

The latest defeat leaves Crawley in 19th place, six points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand.

"You don't want to be looking over your shoulders," Francomb said.

"I haven't checked the table yet but I don't think it looks great at the moment.

"We're not in it [the relegation zone] but we are very close. It's down to us to get ourselves out of it."

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facebook
John Radford
A thoroughly deserved victory, including two very well-taken goals.
Well done to Nigel and the players, and thank you to our travelling fans.
COYS!!!

twitter
Will Forrester @forrester_will6
A big 3 points on the road

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Latest | November 2021