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Archived News from February 2022

CLOUGH AND JAMES ROWBERRY REACTION
24th February 2022 22:11


Manager assesses Newport draw
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 19th February 2022

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough believes this afternoon’s 1-1 draw away at promotion rivals Newport was ‘two points dropped’, rather than a point gained.

The result, however, extends the Stags’ superb league form to 12 matches without defeat.

Speaking post match, the boss expressed his displeasure at not winning the game.

When asked if he was happy with the point in the end, the manager said: “No, not in the slightest.

“Unfortunately, it was out of our hands with the decisions.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/february/manager-assesses-newport-draw/

“To play that well away from home against a promotion contender and not get the three points is certainly two [points] dropped.

“I thought we were brilliant up until the sending off.

“We were absolutely brilliant.

“[We] Controlled the game, we had so many situations and chances in the first half.

“The only thing unfortunate in the whole game was the goal [Newport’s equaliser] having created so much sometimes you need that little bit of luck.”

Mansfield created the majority of this afternoon’s goalscoring chances but missed a clinical touch in front of goal.

“[We were missing] Somebody to put the ball into the back of the net,” said the Stags’ chief.

“Having got the goal we should have gone on to get the three points.

“When you’re missing Oates and Murphy that’s bound to happen, especially when they’re your two main goal threats.”

Mansfield took the lead courtesy of a second-half, deflected Stephen McLaughlin effort which was turned into his own net by Josh Pask.

“We could’ve got that in the first half, a little break in the penalty area, we eventually got it as a result of our positive play,” said the manager.

“I think to come to somewhere like this and to control it for the vast majority of it [the game] speaks volume for where we are at the moment.

“[That is] Twelve unbeaten now, we’ve reached the 50-point mark, but it should be an extra two today.”

The manager’s side will be without their regular centre-back partnership of John-Joe O’Toole and Oli Hawkins for the next few games.

O’Toole was shown a straight red card for an altercation inside the Stags’ half before Hawkins accumulated his tenth booking of the season.

“I was a long long way away for a start,” said the boss.

“First of all, I can’t believe Oli Hawkins with his experience would even want to get involved, all he has to do is spring back into his position and deal with the throw in.

“Sometimes with these players things go through their heads, you’ll have to explain because I can’t fathom it.

“He’s on nine bookings, the crowd are quiet, the game’s dead, we’re winning 1-0 in complete control.

“He wants to try and rile the crowd and get himself involved in something he shouldn’t. He got himself a yellow card so he’s now missing for two games.

“His partner in crime alongside him [O’Toole] decides to get himself involved and get a red.

“When you’re playing as well as we are at the moment and are in complete control, there’s no excuse.”

On the decision to award Newport a penalty on the 81st minute, the gaffer said: “It’s incredible. The ball’s ricocheted up and hit him on the arm, absolutely nothing anybody can do about it.

“He was very keen to give it very quickly.

“You never see them given these days.”

The Stags defended resolutely to ensure the ten men left South Wales with a point.

“[Our defending was] Brilliant, we threw bodies in the way, we protected Nathan Bishop from having to make one or two saves,” the gaffer said.

“We defended resolutely; I thought our performance up until the red card was outstanding.

“Some of our play, the passing and the creation of chances was excellent”

The Stags were without forwards Rhys Oates and Jamie Murphy, the manager provided an update on their absence.

“They’re both injured,” he said.

“Oates felt his thigh last week at Bristol Rovers, which he came off with, hopefully he’ll be okay for Bradford.

“Murphy [is injured with a] hamstring [problem], he felt it tighten up during the week in training, so with the journey down here there was no risking him.”

"We played Matty Longstaff and George Maris in a more forward role and caused lots of problems for them. Very pleased with how the system worked.

The manager also delivered a message to the Stags’ faithful who were in good voice again at Rodney Parade.

“For our supporters, I hope they enjoyed the way we played, they’ll be feeling a little bit of injustice I think at the result today.

“But [if we] keep doing that [playing well], hopefully we’ll get some better decisions next week.”

Watch the manager's interview in full by clicking here.

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Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough furious with centre halves and referee after controversial draw at promotion rivals Newport County
chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Saturday 19th February 2022

Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough was left furious with referee Will Finnie and his two centre halves John-Joe O'Toole and Oli Hawkins as 10-men Stags were pegged back to a controversial 1-1 draw away at promotion rivals Newport County today.

Stags were immaculate for much of the game and in control at 1-0 up.

But a needless mass brawl sparked by Hawkins saw Hawkins booked and O'Toole sent off and both will now be suspended.

Referee Finnie then gifted Newport an unlikely equaliser from the penalty spot with a controversial handball decision against Hawkins.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/clough-angry-as-10-men-stags-forced-to-hang-on-at-rivals-newport-3576598

“I thought we were absolutely brilliant up to the sending-off,” said Clough.

“To come to somewhere like this and take the game to them and control it for the vast majority of it speaks volumes of where we are as a team at the moment.

“We are 12 unbeaten and we've reached the 50-point mark, but it should have been an extra two today.”

On the brawl, Clough said: “I was a long, long way away.

“But I can't believe that, with his experience, Oli Hawkins would even want to get involved. It's their throw-in and all he had to do was spin back into position and deal with the throw-in.

“But sometimes with these players, things go through their heads. I can't fathom it. He's on nine bookings, the crowd is quiet, the game is dead and we're winning 1-0 and in complete control.

“But he wants to rile the crowd and get involved in something he shouldn't, got himself a yellow card and he is now missing for two games.

“Then his partner in crime alongside him decides to join in and get himself a red. For two 30+ year-old players to do that is quite incredible really.”

He added: “In the bad run we were on earlier in the season when we were frustrated and got red cards it was understandable.

“But, playing as well as we are at the moment, and in complete control of the game, there is no excuse.”

However, Clough's ire was also for the referee.

“I also didn't think there was any excuse for some of the decisions from the referee today,” he said.

“I think we would have hung on, even with 10 men and probably won the game 1-0 without that penalty being given.

“All in all it's been an incredibly poor performance by the referee today.

“The penalty decision was incredible. The ball has ricocheted up and hit Oli Hawkins on the arm - there was absolutely nothing anyone could have done about that.

“But he was very keen to give it and gave it very quickly.

“You never see those given as penalties and, on the back of the sending-off, the booking and everything that was going on, it was just another hammer blow.

“There wasn't much for the referee to do today, though he could have given a couple of yellow cards - one for a late challenge on Stephen Quinn and another for a late challenge on Ryan Stirk when the lad had his foot up.

“But they were not deemed yellow cards, yet ours were. And the penalty was given. The only thing that surprised me was I thought he would send Oli Hawkins off.

“We are going to have a very, very good look at the footage and see if there is an appeal. We will look at what John-Joe was sent off for.”

Clough said it was two points dropped in the end.

“To play that well away from home against a fellow promotion contender and not win, that was two points dropped,” he said.

“I hope our supporters enjoyed the way we played and they will be feeling a bit of injustice at the result today, but we will keep doing that and hopefully have some better decisions next week.

“We've not had that happen to us since earlier in the season when we were having the bad run and every single decision was given against us.”

Stags had only themselves to blame for not putting the game beyond Newport in a one-sided first half.

“We controlled the game and had so many situations and chances in the first half,” said the Stags boss.

“The only bit of fortune we had in the whole game was the (deflected) goal.

“But sometimes, having created so much, you need that bit of luck.

“The goal was reward for our positive play and from thereon in it should have been pretty straightforward. Some of our play was excellent.

“We had very good chances in the first half to put us one or two up at least, then it's a different game in the second half.

“But when you're missing Rhys Oates and Jamie Murphy, that's bound to have an effect on things, especially when they're your two main goal threats.

“But, having got the goal, we should have got the three points from there.”

Stags' 10 men had to survive an arduous spell at the end when the referee played over eight added minutes with Newport pressing for a winner.

“We were brilliant at the end,” said Clough.

“We threw bodies in the way and protected Nathan Bishop - he has one or two saves, that's all.

“He put seven minutes up at the end though played eight or probably more. But we defended resolutely.”

Clough added: “I thought Lucas Akins was outstanding today, winning his stuff in the corner flags in the last few minutes.”

"And in the 97th minute we should have scored. If Elliott Hewitt just squares it for Lucas Akins, I think we nick a winner. He says he didn't see him."

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Nigel Clough told Craig Priest for Mansfield 103.2:

“We feel as if his decisions, unfortunately, have been decisive - 'result defining errors’ we call them - with the penalty, and whether it was a sending off we'll have to see.

“Usually when there’s a melee like that, there’s a few yellow cards given out to both sides but we got a yellow and red, which is unusual.
"Newport didn't receive any. (comment: Baker-Richardson was actually booked)

“I think it compounded his error-strewn performance to give the penalty, which was absolutely staggering.

“It’s very frustrating when you see a refereeing performance like that and unfortunately his errors have resulted in us losing two points today.”

“We were brilliant all the way through until we went down to 10 men and conceded the penalty.

“We were far superior. We created chances throughout and should have scored two in the first half. We got the goal, a little bit fortuitious, and we were in complete control until the red card.

“To come to one of your promotion rivals, fellow contenders, and play as well as we did and be as brave on the ball as we were it speaks volumes for where we are and what we're trying to do.”

"It's going to be tough for James Perch, with him not playing for several months now, so we'll have to see how he goes this week.

"We were concerned that any of the players would want to go near him (the referee) at the end of the game which we didn't want to happen.

"When you see that sort of thing happening (the penalty decision), it gets very frustrating, that's why we brought Stephen Quinn off. He's been booked as he's coming off the pitch almost, we couldn't get him off quick enough."

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Rowberry: Newport County showed spirit in Mansfield draw
southwalesargus.co.uk, By Chris Kirwan, Saturday 19th February 2022

NEWPORT County AFC manager James Rowberry hailed a valuable point from a dramatic clash with Mansfield at Rodney Parade, even if his side slipped out of the play-off spots.

The Exiles battled for a 1-1 draw against the in-form Stags, who extended their League Two unbeaten run to 12 games.

Mansfield bossed the first half and looked set to return to Field Mill with a win when Josh Pask deflected a long-range Stephen McLaughlin drive into his own net.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when John Joe O’Toole was singled out for his actions in a mass brawl and then County were awarded a penalty for handball with eight minutes to go.

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/19937761.rowberry-newport-county-showed-spirit-mansfield-draw/

Dom Telford held his nerve to score his 22nd league goal of the campaign but late pressure couldn’t burgle a win.

Swindon have leapfrogged County into seventh but boss Rowberry was encouraged by what he saw against promotion rivals.

“I see it as a good point. Forget about the table because we have shown a real grit, desire and focus to keep going when we were up against it,” he said.

“I said to the lads that all I ask is that they give me their all every week, then the rest of it is on me.

“We showed unbelievable character, attitude and willingness to work.

“We didn't start the game as quickly as I would have liked and they had a lot of chances in the first half but we stifled them more in the second half.

“We showed unbelievable character which makes me really proud of what the lads achieved.

“Mansfield have an excellent manager in Nigel Clough, who has probably had 1,000 league games, and we were up against a strong outfit.

“Naturally when you go up against 10 men you are going to have more shots, crosses, attempts on goal, that happens, but for me it was the character that we have shown that was tremendous.”

Rowberry had to be active against the Stags, changing from 3-5-2 to a flat four in the first half and then making a pair of changes at the break, bringing off captain Matty Dolan and wing-back Ryan Haynes.

“I was speaking to somebody on Saturday morning who said to me 'remember that this is what you signed up to',” said the manager.

“I love it! I want to be able to make difficult decisions and understand I have to upset people and make changes in a game.

“It's not ideal at half-time but it's my responsibility to do that and I stand and fall by my own decisions. They are an understanding group and excellent professionals.”

On the formation switch, he said: “We changed shape because of how they came to us with a number of central midfielders in the team.

“That is a compliment to us, where we are at and what we are trying to do. A lot of teams are starting to stifle us more in what we do.

“That is another team that has had a player sent off against us because I think we are so hard to deal with at times with our movements and intensity.”

Swansea City midfielder Ollie Cooper missed the game through injury but should be fit to face second-placed Tranmere at Rodney Pardae next weekend.

Rowberry said the situation with assistant manager Wayne Hatswell remains “fluid” amid links of a reunion with Michael Flynn at Walsall.

The coach was in the County dugout against Mansfield and is under contract until 2024 so compensation would need to be agreed if the Saddlers want his services.

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Newport County boss James Rowberry told BBC Radio Wales:

"We showed great character to come back from a goal behind.

"We're Newport County, we don't stop.

"I class myself as a working class lad and we're a working class club in my eyes and the way that we operate, so we have to continue those values of hard work and honesty, that's all I can ask for."

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James Rowberry: "We showed unbelievable character."
https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/20222/february/james-rowberry-we-showed-unbelievable-character/

Newport boss James Rowberry was full of praise for the character of his players to earn a point against in-form Mansfield.

Mansfield arrived in South Wales unbeaten in 10 and went ahead in the second half through an unfortunate deflection off Josh Pask to put the Stags 1-0 up.

County worked hard for their leveller and got it in the final 10 minutes through Dom Telford's penalty after a handball in the box.

Manager Rowberry was keen to praise the character of his side for keeping going until the end.

"We showed unbelievable character today. We probably didn't start the game as quick as what we'd have liked to and they had a lot of chances in the first half and then I think we stifled them more in the second half. We showed an unbelievable character today which makes me proud of what the lads achieved," Rowberry said.

Mansfield were reduced to 10 men in the final 15 minutes with John-Joe O'Toole shown a straight red card for having his hands round the neck of County forward Courtney Baker-Richardson.

"Naturally when you go against 10 men you're going to get more shots, more crosses and more attempts on goal - that happens, but we showed a character that I thought was tremendous," Rowberry continued.

"You look at how they came to us with the amount of centre midfield players they had in the team, which shows a compliment to us and where we're at and what we're trying to do.

"A lot of teams are starting to stifle us more and what we do, we've shown endeavour and character. It's another team that's had a player sent off against us because I think we're so hard to deal with at times with our movements, our intensity and the way we do things and that's part and parcel of how we do things.

"I see it as a good point today because we showed a real grit, desire and focus to keep going when it was going against us today. All I ask for is that they give their all every week and the rest of it is on me."

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twitter
John Radford @JRadfordMTFC

Always a challenging match at Newport and today was no different!

Our magnificent unbeaten run in the league extends to 12 games!

Safe journey home to the #Stags’ fans who travelled.

COYS!!!

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