Archived News from October 2023
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CLOUGH, BRUNT, WEAVER REACTION
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Boss pleased as Stags extend unbeaten record
mansfieldtown.net, Tues 25 Oct 2023 Manager Nigel Clough was pleased to see Stags extend their remarkable unbeaten run to 18 games with a 4-1 rout at Harrogate. Mansfield finally dispelled their bogey team, having lost six and drawn once in their previous seven meetings. And there was no doubt of the outcome of this one, once defender Lewis Brunt opened the door with a third minute advantage. Stags then laid siege to the Harrogate goal and bombarded them with wave after wave of attack. “It’s a brilliant result, first and foremost,” said the manager. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/october/boss-pleased-as-stags-extend-unbeaten-record/ “It’s nice to finally break it [the Harrogate hoodoo] and break it in style as well and get the four goals away from home as well as keep the confidence and unbeaten run going, all those sorts of things. “To get three goals by half-time is ‘ridiculous’ but you want that fourth goal by half-time, if possible, when you’re dominating. We had enough situations and opportunities to get it. “We knew at half-time they would reorganise, and the game changes. I thought for the first 15 minutes they were in the ascendancy.” Stags were refreshed and reenergised following the postponement of Saturday’s home encounter to Forest Green. “We said to the lads, ‘you’ve had ten days off, go and show it’. “We’re fresh and should be champing at the bit having the game postponed on Saturday, and certainly in that first 45 minutes we showed that. “They were brilliant goals and their goalkeeper made two or three outstanding saves for them. “We got into some great situations, [and advised to strike in the] bottom corners, low and hard. There were too many over the bar but they were four great goals away from home again.” Asked about the key to victory, the manager said: “The movement of the front three, the control of the three behind, the midfielders as well and the composure. It created situations. We know if we can get the ball down and play that we can do that.” The manager made a point of applauding the substitutes’ performances but was displeased about conceding. “I was pleased with the contributions of the substitutes again when they came on. “I was very disappointed to see us concede that goal. We have a great defensive record and should be doing more collectively to keep a clean sheet tonight.” He added: “We’ve got a big week coming up. “We have four home games on the spin in three different completions and a league game, so a big week and ten days [coming up].” ------------------- Brilliant win but I wanted even more says Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough after thumping win at bogey side Harrogate Town chad.co.uk, Tues 25 Oct 2023 Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough was delighted to see his unbeaten side finally beat Harrogate Town in style with a 4-1 away win tonight but said the victory should have been a greater margin and his side should have kept the clean sheet. Stags had never beaten Harrogate but were cruising 4-0 up with a host of other chances missed before the home side pulled one back 10 minutes from time. “It's about time after seven games against them without a win and it was nice to do it in style,” he said. “After 10 days without a game you're never quite sure what will happen. We told the players to go out and show they'd had a rest at the weekend and I thought they did that. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/brilliant-win-but-i-wanted-even-more-says-mansfield-town-boss-nigel-clough-after-thumping-win-at-bogey-side-harrogate-town-4384271 “A 4-1 victory away from home is a brilliant result, but there were a couple of things I was unhappy with as I don't think we started the second half well and I don't think we should be conceding. “As a team we have to take more pride in keeping clean sheets. We have a brilliant defensive record so far this season and it should have been another clean sheet tonight. “As a team collectively we have got to do more to earn that. “As delighted as you are going in 3-0 up at half-time I thought it should have been more. You don't get the opportunity too many times away from home like tonight. There were too many over the bar tonight. “We told the players Harrogate they would come out and have a go in the second half - they had to. You have to deal with that and I don't think we started anywhere as near as well as we did in the first half. “But we kept Harrogate at arm's length tonight which we have not been able to do here in recent seasons. Christy Pym was largely a spectator.” A brace for Lucas Akins took him to 100 league goals and Clough said: “To get to three figures with being such a team player, it is a wonderful achievement and they were two good finishes.” --------------------- Defender: I’m playing with super-confidence mansfieldtown.net, Tues 25 Oct 2023 Mansfield Town defender Lewis Brunt says he’s playing with ‘super-confidence’ following his first professional goal in Stags’ 4-1 win away at Harrogate Town. The Leicester City loanee shone in both boxes as Mansfield recorded a first-ever win against the Sulphurites on Tuesday night. Speaking to iFollow Stags post-match, “I’m playing with super-confidence at the minute. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/october/defender-im-playing-with-super-confidence/ “Playing next to Flinty [is great], the communication and the leadership that he shows [helps me] and the style of play suits my game. “I’m confident on the ball. “I’m still learning every day. I’ve made a few mistakes in the previous games but I’m still learning and still finding my feet in professional football. “I feel like I’m progressing well so long may it continue.” On the win in North Yorkshire, Lewis said: “It was a real good night. “Four [goals] away from home in any competition is always a nice feeling. “Three points [tonight], we’ll get back on the road and [now we] look ahead to Saturday.” The defender opened the scoring with an accomplished finish in the first-half. “Goalscoring is not normally my forte but it’s nice to chip in with a goal,” he said. “I knew if I kept it low and hard it would have a chance. “It doesn’t matter who it’s [the goals] coming from - winning games is all that matters.” The 22-year-old went on to praise Stags’ display. “From minute one, the communication, the intensity [was perfect]. “Everything tonight went well. “We probably could have ended up with six or seven.” ------------------- Loanee Lewis Brunt delighted to net first Mansfield Town goal in big away win at Harrogate Town chad.co.uk, Tues 25 Oct 2023 Young loanee Leicester City defender Lewis Brunt was delighted to net his first goal for Mansfield Town as he put Stags on the way to tonight's superb 4-1 away win at Harrogate Town after only eight minutes. Brunt drilled home low from centre back partner Aden Flint's far post nod-down from a corner and said: “It was a brilliant feeling to score, especially as a centre half. “I can't remember too much about it. I just knew if I hit it low and hard I had a chance. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/loanee-lewis-brunt-delighted-to-net-first-mansfield-town-goal-in-big-away-win-at-harrogate-town-4384278 “We said at the end we could have scored six or seven. We just need to be more ruthless in that final third and we can really smash teams. But it was a good result. “We're over the moon with how we are playing every game and we feel we can put in a really good performance every time we go out there. We feel super confident every game that we're going to win and long may that continue. It is exciting. “Four of our next five games are at home in front of of our own fans which will give us an extra boost. “We didn't have too much to do at the back tonight but you still have to stay concentrated and obviously we are disappointed with the goal we conceded.” Stags are now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions and Brunt added: “We are at it every day. Standards are super high in training. There is no respite. But we come in every day smiling. “I have felt settled here ever since the day I came in - the lads have been brilliant.” ---------------------- Harrogate Town 1 Mansfield Town 4: 'Weak' Sulphurites mauled by the Stags harrogateadvertiser.co.uk, By Rhys Howell “Weak”, “porous” and “not physical enough” were among the words Simon Weaver used to describe Harrogate Town’s performance against Mansfield on Tuesday evening. The Sulphurites suffered a 4-1 mauling at Wetherby Road, their fourth consecutive defeat on home soil during a run of games that has seen them concede 13 goals. Despite coming into the game off the back of an impressive comeback victory over Colchester just three days earlier, Town fell behind with just eight minutes on the clock and looked dead and buried by half-time with the Stags 3-0 up. They performed slightly better after the interval, but still ended up conceding again before Levi Sutton rattled in a late consolation strike. https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/harrogate-town-1-mansfield-town-4-weak-sulphurites-mauled-by-the-stags-4384565 And Weaver did not pull any punches during his post-match debrief. "We let the fans down, every single one of us. It was men against boys, full credit to Nigel Clough and his team, they were hungrier tonight,” the Harrogate chief said. "It was a really weak display. You go to bed feeling like you have let people down with that kind of home display. "Mansfield were physically too strong for us and when they counter-attacked, they did it with belief that they would score, whereas we looked powder-puff. We slowed it up in counter-attacking positions and they were able to get bodies back and make blocks and scrap. "We looked porous, we looked weak, we were not physical enough or aggressive enough. You are better off being honest, it doesn’t mean that it defines you forever, but none of us are top-six [material] at the minute and we have got to look it and be better. "I am bitterly disappointed. I thought that we had prepared quite well, but obviously not well enough and that’s my fault, I’m the manager, so I have got to take responsibility for that.” With the game all-but-over as a contest by the interval, Weaver introduced Josh Falkingham and Abraham Odoh and demanded that his charges played with a bit of character during the second period. "I said at half-time that I wanted them to show personality,” he added. "I told them that we are all in a lucky position to be in professional football and there are a lot of people in the world who are worse off, so stop looking doomed and down and out. "I just wanted to see personalities out there and I thought that Falks [Falkingham] showed that, again, and Ibby [Odoh], when he came on, showed that he was willing to fight for it. "He wanted to make things happen and we could probably have churned out, if we had been lucky enough, a couple more goals from the movement and ability down his side of the pitch. "But it certainly wasn’t a confident display from our players. We wanted to walk the ball in at times. It’s okay wanting to look nice and neat, but you’ve got to have a strike. We were hesitant.” Tuesday’s loss ends Town’s run of seven games - six of which were victories - without defeat against Mansfield and drops them three places to 17th in the League Two standings. ----------------------- John Radford @JRadfordMTFC Another scintillating 4-1 victory! A brilliant performance to extend our outstanding unbeaten run to 18 games. Our management, players and supporters are doing the badge proud. COYS!!! Aaron Lewis @aaronjameslewis Great win! Up the stagZ see u Saturday ----------------------- |
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