Archived News from April 2022
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STAGS BEAT COBBLERS TO BREAK CLUB RECORD
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 1 - 0 Northampton Town Hawkins 21. Lewis sent off 75 Attendance: 6,678 (935 from Northampton) Date: 2 April 2022 STAGS BEAT COBBLERS AT THEIR OWN GAME TO BREAK CLUB RECORD Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town beat Northampton Town 1-0 at the One Call Stadium this afternoon to move into the play-off places in League Two, level on points with Northampton (who dropped to 4th), Bristol Rovers, and Port Vale (who moved into 3rd place). The Stags have a worse goal difference than those 3 clubs, but have a game in hand on Port Vale, and two in hand on Northampton and Bristol Rovers. This was the Stags’ 11th home win on the trot in the league beating the club record in the Football League (set in 1949). It is an astonishing run. Half a season virtually of home games won in succession. It is worth just sitting back and soaking it in. Though we don’t have much time to do that with games coming thick and fast and the Stags in such a tight promotion race. It was a big game today, and the Stags were certainly the deserved winners, playing plenty of good football, and once again creating a stack of chances, 17, to Northampton’s 8. The only goal of the game came after 21 minutes. Matty Longstaff’s fine corner from the left picked out Oli Hawkins who rose high above his marker Aaron McGowan to head over the keeper into the roof of the net. The keeper got fingertips on it but couldn’t keep it out. A towering header from Hawkins. His 8th goal of the season. It was ironic that Mansfield beat Northampton at their own game. An extraordinary 22 of Northampton’s 47 goals this season had come from set pieces, with both their centre halves prolific goalscorers. The Stags finished the first half very strongly with Longstaff bringing a world-class save from keeper Liam Roberts, Longstaff turning and firing in a brilliant shot from 20 yards, arrowing towards the top right corner, and the keeper somehow tipping it wide. A minute later, the keeper was at it again after a typically brilliant run from Rhys Oates into the area on the left and his low shot towards the near post again brought a great save, pushing it around the post. From the resulting corner, Quinn back-flicked to Longstaff whose shot was deflected into the side netting. Then from the corner after that, O’Toole teed up Oates for a hard, low shot from 12 yards which hit the keeper on the line, hit a defender on the line and then hit the post. An extraordinary let-off for the Cobblers. Earlier in the half, Northampton had gone close when Mitch Pinnock escaped from the Stags defence and smashed a shot from 14 yards against the bar. While centre half Jon Guthrie had headed straight at Nathan Bishop inside the opening minute from a fine cross from Pinnock. Into the second half, and the Stags created a glut of chances. A shot from Lucas Akins from 18 yards was deflected just over the bar. Then Quinn and Longstaff both had goalbound shots blocked in quick succession. Then following a corner, Stephen McLaughlin tried an outrageous shot from almost on the byline which keeper Roberts again saved spectacularly at his near post. Almost an incredible goal from McLaughlin. The ball came out to John-Joe O’Toole whose goalbound shot was blocked, and he tamely sent the rebound wide. Midway through the half, Longstaff squared to Quinn and his low shot was deflected agonisingly inches wide. And from the corner after that, Quinn’s shot was wide again. Northampton hadn’t got in a single shot in the second half when they were reduced to ten men after 76 minutes in bizarre fashion. George Lapslie was caught by a terrible foul by Paul Lewis on the touchline in front of the Northampton dugout. It was a clear yellow card. As both players started to get up, Lapslie pulled Lewis’ shirt and Lewis threw Lapslie to the ground. Madness from Lewis as that was an obvious yellow card offence as well. The referee showed one yellow card followed by another yellow card followed by a red to Lewis. Lapslie possibly could have been booked too, but wasn’t. With a man advantage, the chances kept coming for Mansfield. Quinn volleyed inches over the bar. Then Lapslie played forward to Akins who turned and sent in a great shot towards the bottom left corner of the net which brought yet another brilliant save from keeper Roberts. Northampton’s first chance of the second half came when former Stag Danny Rose, on as a sub, headed straight at Bishop from a free kick. The chances kept on coming for Mansfield to seal the game. Ryan Stirk played a great ball for Quinn to get away down the left, Quinn pulled the ball back to Akins whose shot was blocked. Then brilliant football from the Stags who went agonisingly close again after 89 minutes, a brilliant move started by Stirk who won the ball on the half way line, played out to Quinn, inside to Bowery, to Longstaff then Quinn again, inside to Longstaff again, to Bowery, Bowery teed up Stirk for a low shot from the edge of the area again wonderfully tipped just wide by the keeper. That was the last chance of the game for either side as the Stags saw out 5 minutes of stoppage time which became more than 6. Some of the Stags’ game management in the final minutes could have been better but Northampton couldn’t capitalise. A crucial win for the Stags. One that would have been much more emphatic but for an amazing goalkeeping display from Liam Roberts, who I heard from the BBC Radio Northampton guys is out of contract at the end of the season. At the back, the Stags defence were immense. Everyone knows that Northampton are a massive threat from set pieces but the Stags headed everything, or almost everything, away, with Hawkins in brilliant form making 11 clearances, also Hewitt making 5 clearances, and O’Toole 4. With McLaughlin too, the back four were superb, such that Bishop didn’t have a difficult save to make. Quinn was excellent in midfield, and also made two good clearances. Lapslie had a great game, as did Longstaff too. Rhys Oates limped off in the second half as his thigh tightened up. He will be a huge doubt for Tuesday at Forest Green, and if out as expected, will be a huge miss. Incidentally Forest Green leading scorer Matty Stevens also limped off in their game today and will also probably be out. If you’re not travelling to Forest Green, you will be able to watch the game with us on iFollow Stags. If you bought a match pass for the game which was abandoned, then you should not need to purchase another match pass, it should carry over. This was Mansfield’s second biggest attendance in the league this season at home: 6,678 (24 down on the Exeter game). It was also the second biggest attendance in the home stands of 5,743 (but that was 567 down on the Exeter game, as Northampton brought a lot more fans than Exeter). Man of the match: Oli Hawkins DETAILED REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ----------------------- SAT 02 APR 2022, LEAGUE TWO Mansfield Town 1-0 Northampton Town Hawkins (21'minutes) Assists M Longstaff (21'minutes) Lewis (Dismissed at75'minutes) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60883772 Match report supplied by PA Media. Mansfield boosted their promotion hopes with an impressive win over automatic promotion-chasing Northampton. Oli Hawkins scored the decisive goal midway through the first half as the Stags set a new club record of 11 successive home wins. Mansfield were dominant throughout, with only the heroics of goalkeeper Liam Roberts denying them a more comfortable win. The visitors started brightly with Fraser Horsfall and Chanka Zimba having early chances but Mansfield took charge when Hawkins headed home Matty Longstaff's cross on 21 minutes. Jack Sowerby smashed a shot well wide after a corner fell perfectly to him, before Mitch Pinnock hit the crossbar. Roberts made three stunning saves to keep out Longstaff and Rhys Oates twice as Nigel Clough's men stepped up the pressure just before half-time. Lucas Akins fired just wide and Stephen Quinn went close with two shots as Mansfield continued their dominance after the break. Northampton's task was made harder when Paul Lewis was sent off with 15 minutes to go for a petulant shove off the ball on George Lapslie. Match Stats Home Team Mansfield Away Team Northampton Possession Home 52% Away 48% Shots Home 17 Away 8 Shots on Target Home 5 Away 3 Corners Home 14 Away 3 Fouls Home 16 Away 9 ------------------- Ten-man Cobblers drop out of the top three with defeat to Mansfield Town northamptonchron.co.uk, By James Heneghan, Saturday 2nd April 2022 Cobblers dropped out of the automatic promotion places after losing 1-0 to rivals Mansfield Town in a huge game at the top of Sky Bet League Two on Saturday. There was not a whole lot in the game but Mansfield broke the deadlock with an Oliver Hawkins header on 21 minutes and then enjoyed a prolonged spell of dominance either side of half-time. Town did have chances but not enough of them and when Paul Lewis was needlessly sent off with 15 minutes to go, their hopes of grabbing a point all-but evaporated. https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/ten-man-cobblers-drop-out-of-the-top-three-with-defeat-to-mansfield-town-3638232 Results elsewhere saw Cobblers slide out of the top three and the focus now must be on making sure they at least secure a play-off position, which is far from guaranteed given the congested nature of the table with six games to go. Chanka Zimba replaced Louis Appere in a straight swap up front and Cobblers had a very early sight of goal at Field Mill when Mitch Pinnock's first-minute cross found Fraser Horsfall, whose glancing header was easy for home goalkeeper Nathan Bishop. Bishop also had no problems dealing with Zimba's weak shot in another half chance for the away side, but otherwise it was a cagey and edgy start with the two teams feeling one another out. Mansfield gradually began to find their stride though and they hit the front with their first real chance of the game on 21 minutes. Cobblers were beaten at their own game as Matty Longstaff's corner found the giant Hawkins and his header squirmed through the fingers of Liam Roberts. Cobblers responded well to the setback and had chances to equalise. Jack Sowerby screwed a shot horribly wide after Mansfield failed to clear a free-kick and Pinnock then went agonisingly close when he struck the crossbar from the corner of the penalty box. But Northampton were grateful for Roberts on more than one occasion in the closing stages of the first-half. First, he tipped wide Longstaff's curling shot, then he shovelled Rhys Oates' effort around his near post before spreading himself brilliantly to deny the same man in stoppage-time. Half-time should have come at a good time for the Cobblers but they remained on the back foot after the restart and continued to struggle with Mansfield's dangerous set-pieces as a couple of shots were blocked in quick succession before John-Joe O'Toole scuffed wide. Jon Brady threw on Josh Eppiah on the hour-mark but whilst he did make a positive difference to Cobblers in attack, Mansfield continued to look the more dangerous side with Stephen Quinn's low shot deflecting just wide. Louis Appere also came on but Cobblers' task was made doubly difficult by the foolishness of Lewis who went in late George Lapslie and then pushed the Mansfield player to the ground, resulting in two yellow cards in the space of 10 seconds. Roberts tipped Lucas Akins' low shot around the post whilst Northampton's only real chance in the final few minutes was a Danny Rose header that landed into the gloves of Bishop. Mansfield: Bishop, McLaughlin (c), O'Toole, Hawkins, Hewitt, Quinn (Rawson 90), Longstaff (Wallace 90), Stirk, Lapslie, Akins, Oates (Bowery 72) Subs not used: Stech, Maris, Johnson, Law Cobblers: Roberts, McGowan, Horsfall, Guthrie, Mills (c) (Rose 81), Sowerby, Lewis, Pinnock, Lubala (Eppiah 60), Hoskins, Zimba (Appere 71) Subs not used: Maxted, Harriman, Dyche, Pollock Referee: Anthony Backhouse Attendance: 6,678 Cobblers fans: ---------------------- |
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