Archived News from April 2022
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CLOUGH AND MATT GRAY REACTION
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Boss evaluates Sutton loss
mansfieldtown.net, Friday 15th April 2022 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough gave his assessment of the Stags’ 3-2 loss to Sutton United at One Call Stadium. The result ended Mansfield’s record-breaking run of 11 straight home league victories. However, the Stags remain inside the Sky Bet League Two play-off places. “We said all week ‘do not go 1-0 down against this team’,” Clough told the local media. “So, I think to go 1-0 down in the circumstances that we did, set the game off and it was a result defining moment. “It is exactly what we said would happen if you give them a goal. It gives them a massive lift, [it] gives them confidence. It gives them more importantly, something to hang on to, which they did very well [at]. They’re that sort of team. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/april/boss-evaluates-sutton-loss/ “They [Sutton] scored after a few minutes when we played them away and we struggled to break them down. “We’re going to lose games but to lose it in the manner that we did [today] is the most disappointing thing, contributing to it ourselves.” The manager felt that the timing of the goals was significant in the result. “The timing of the goals was very poor,” he said. “Just when you want to get a foothold in the game and try to build a bit of momentum in the second half, within two or three minutes we’re 2-0 down. It’s very difficult to come back from there. “We looked a little bit disjointed, with injuries catching us up. [We] especially missed McLaughlin’s driving force at left back. Perchy did well but he’s a different sort of full back. We missed a little bit of creativity at times today.” On what he hopes to see from his side at Brunton Park, Clough said: “Don’t give schoolboy goals away like we did today, that’s first and foremost.” “We haven’t done that in recent weeks, teams have had to work very hard to create chances and goals against us. “We hadn’t had them [errors] in the run [which saw 11 consecutive home wins] and that’s why we have had such an incredible run here at the One Call [Stadium]. On the third Sutton goal, Clough said: "It was Matty Longstaff not being positive enough, and then Perchy unusually giving it away. I don't think he was offside, I think he timed his run very well. “We’ve got to move on. When you make a mistake as Rawson did today you have to put it behind you and I thought he struggled to do that today. “You see teams who are up around us getting 1-0 [wins] today and keeping clean sheets, that should be our priority [at Carlisle].” The manager gave an update on Stags’ injury list. “[Monday is] possibly too soon [for Stephen McLaughlin],” he said. “We didn’t want to risk Jamie Murphy [today] either, he’s done half a training session coming back from a hamstring [injury]. “We’re conscious that these sorts of injuries with Macca and Jamie Murphy, if they ‘go’ then we’re missing them for the next month, six weeks or whatever we’ve got remaining of the season. “Despite there only being five games of the season to go, we’ve still got to be careful with them.” On striker Rhys Oates, Clough said: “[He’s] probably too soon [for] Monday but we hope to get him back on the grass this week and do some training. “I think when you’re missing these sorts of players, and ‘Laps’ [George Lapslie] who’ll get you a goal, sometimes you’ll get away with it, but other times like today it shows up.” Watch the gaffer's interview now by clicking here. --------------------------- We must bounce back at Carlisle United, says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough after costly home setback to rivals Sutton United chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Friday 15th April 2022 Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough said his club needed to quickly bounce back with a win at Carlisle United on Monday after today's disappointing 3-2 home defeat by promotion rivals Sutton United. Clough said he was disappointed his side did not heed his warning of avoiding going behind at all costs against a Sutton side so hard to break down. It was an end to the club's record 11-game league winning streak at home and saw rivals Port Vale open a six-point gap to third place, albeit it a game in hand for Clough's men. “We have to respond on Monday,” he said. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/we-must-bounce-back-at-carlisle-united-says-mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-after-costly-home-setback-to-rivals-sutton-united-3656809 “We were looking for four points over Easter, six if we could. It makes it a very big game at Carlisle. “First and foremost we must not give schoolboy goals away like we did on Saturday. “We have to move on.” On the Sutton defeat, he said: “What we said all week was do not go 1-0 down against this team, so to go 1-0 down in the circumstances we did set the game off and was a result-defining moment. And to give them a two-goal lead made it incredibly difficult. “The early goal gave them a massive lift and confidence and, more importantly, it gave them something to hang onto which they did very well as they're that sort of team. “They scored early when we played them away and we struggled to break them down.” He added: “To win 11 on the trot here and not make it 12 in the manner that we did is the worst part. “We know we will lose games, but to lose it in that manner, was the most disappointing, contributing to it ourselves. “The timings of the goals conceded was very poor. “Just when you wanted to get a foothold in the game and and try to build some momentum second half, within two or three minutes we were 2-0 down and they are cock-a-hoop, It's very difficult to come back from there. “Just when we get one back and you think we can have a go at them we go and give another goal away. “We were not good enough today on or off the ball. We looked a bit disjointed and injuries are catching up. We missed Stephen McLaughlin's driving force at left back. “You get days like this throughout the season but we've not had one for a few months with uncharacteristic mistakes.” Clough has several players out injured he has to consider whether or not to risk at Carlisle. “We are very conscious if these injuries go, they are missing for a month to six weeks,” he said. “So, even though there are only five games left, we still have to be careful with them. “Rhys Oates will be back on the grass to do some training this week but Monday will probably be too soon. “Sometimes you can get away with it but other times, like today, it shows up when you're missing these type of players.” ----------------- Nigel Clough told Craig Priest for Mansfield 103.2: "They (Sutton) played very well today. But you can't underestimate how we contributed to that. It was one player making a schoolboy error and ultimately that had a massive impact on the result today." "Our decision-making all over the pitch was not as good as it has been. "Quinn's carrying knocks and you saw him get a whack so it was important that he's available for Monday. "Stirky wasn't brilliant today so we got George (Maris) on. "And Kieran Wallace did well for the 5-10 minutes he came on. "Carlisle have been very good since Paul Simpson's came in. They are on a great run on their own patch." ----------------- Sutton United boss Matt Gray delighted to see his side halt rivals Mansfield Town’s record run and break back into the play-offs. chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Friday 15th April 2022 Sutton United manager Matt Gray was delighted to see his EFL newcomers halt Mansfield Town's record-breaking home run and lift his side back into the play-offs as they chase back-to-back promotions. Stags gifted Sutton a ninth minute lead - a blow Stags failed to recover from as they eventually lost 3-2 for United to complete a double over them. “It was a top performance against a really good side with a top manager and some really good players,” said Gray. “They'd had 11 wins out of 11 so to come and break that run is a great effort from everyone involved. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/sutton-united-boss-matt-gray-delighted-to-see-his-side-halt-rivals-mansfield-towns-record-run-and-break-back-into-the-play-offs-3656818 “To be sitting where we are, keep putting results on the board and being in the mix, it's a huge season for us and a great season for us and we don't want it to end now. “We have five big games and we will see where it takes us.” On today's game, he said: “The result was the most important thing but I think the performance backed it up as well. “I thought we were excellent first half and deservedly in the lead. “It was then a great start to the second half to get the second goal. It looked and felt reasonably comfortable. “Then a own goal livened the crowd back up and made it a contest and we needed to dig deep as we knew questions would be asked of our character. But straight away it was a great response form us - they are great characters. “The third was a superb finish from Richard Bennett. Mansfield got one at the death with a deflection but we saw the last 30 seconds out. “Our counter-attacks could have been better. But we broke well for that third goal.” Sutton are looking good for a play-off spot now, though face another big game with rivals Newport County at home on Monday, and Gray continued: “Confidence has always been high. “It was just the month of March with the amount of away games we had, the amount of games we had and the amount of injuries we were hit with, we were hanging on a bit. We seem to have come through that spell, we've got bodies back fit again. “They're all coming back and fighting for their shirts. “The Wembley final is out the way and it's full focus back on the league. “We backed up the win against Leyton Orient at Mansfield, but we know it's going to be tough for everyone with amount of games we have in this period, though it's the same for everyone. “We will look after them for a couple of days and look forward to being back at home against another good side for a tough game on Monday.” ------------------- Matt Gray hails ‘top performance’ as Sutton end Mansfield’s winning home run BY HENRY TOMLINSON https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/20073800.matt-gray-hails-top-performance-sutton-end-mansfields-winning-home-run/ BOSS Matt Gray revelled in a “top performance” from his side after they beat Mansfield 3-2 to halt the Stags’ club-record home run of 11 successive league wins. An error from home defender Farrend Rawson gifted United a ninth-minute lead from which Mansfield never recovered as the visitors came out on top in a battle between two clubs pushing for promotion. The result saw Sutton move back into the play-off spots while Stags slipped to sixth, six points behind third-placed Port Vale but with a game in hand. A delighted Gray said: “It was a top performance against a really good side with a top manager and some really good players. “They’d had 11 wins out of 11 so to come and break that run is a great effort from everyone involved. “The result was the most important thing, but I think the performance backed it up as well. “I thought we were excellent first half and deservedly in the lead. “It was then a great start to the second half to get the second goal. It looked and felt reasonably comfortable. “Then a own goal livened the crowd back up and made it a contest and we needed to dig deep as we knew questions would be asked of our character. “But straight away it was a great response from us - they are great characters. “It was a superb finish from Bennett. Mansfield got one at the death with a deflection but we saw the last 30 seconds out. “Our counter-attacks could have been better. But we broke well for that third goal.” Sutton went ahead early on when Rawson was robbed by Omar Bugiel as he received a ball from keeper Nathan Bishop on the edge of the box and the United striker went on to round Bishop to net. Four minutes after the break David Ajiboye turned home a low left-wing cross from Enzio Boldewijn for Sutton’s second. United defender Ben Goodliffe looped a header over his own keeper from a long ball forward to give Stags hope in the 78 minute only for United substitute Richie Bennett to break clear two minutes later to slot home a third. ------------------ |
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