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CLOUGH, BOWERY, NEIL WOOD REACTION
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Manager: Stags showed various qualities to beat Salford
mansfieldtown.net, Sat 11 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough says his men ‘showed lots of different qualities’ to beat Salford 2-1 this afternoon and make it 16 league games undefeated. Jordan Bowery and Davis Keillor-Dunn were on the scoresheet as Stags recorded a first ever win at the Peninsula Stadium. And speaking to iFollow Stags after the match, the gaffer said the win was a result of various positive factors. “Lots of different qualities were needed today, which we’ll need over the winter months,” said the manager. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/november/manager-stags-showed-various-qualities-to-beat-salford/ “It’s a bit of a different game in the winter, the pitches are different and everything. “After three defeats in the cups, it was important not to lose four on the spin, and to get back on track in the league is our priority. “It was very much a different game than a lot of the matches we’ve had this season. “We conceded a bit of possession and ground. I didn’t think we were good on the ball but we got the result and that’s all that matters ultimately. “Salford play in a certain way that’s difficult to combat at times. [They have] Good movement, are all very comfortable on the ball, they get into little areas that cause you a problem.” When asked about the two goals scored by Mansfield, the manager was quick to praise the quality of striker Jordan Bowery, who has played much of this season at right full-back. “He’s absolutely invaluable to us, being able to play in as many positions as he does for us and it’s lovely for him to get a goal. “When you play against a team like Salford, because you’re not going to have as much of the ball as we normally do, it’s important you hurt them when you do get it [an opportunity]. That’s a prime example with Jordan.” Salford scored three minutes after the opener, but Mansfield were back in front through Davis Keillor-Dunn on 37 minutes. “It was the first time after about 35 minutes that we had a bit of controlled possession where we kept it for 10 or 15 passes. We moved it out to the right. Callum’s put a wonderful cross in and Davis is in there. It’s good for him to get a goal. “ The win extends Stags’ unbeaten streak to 16 league games and Nigel said: “It’s brilliant. I’ve just said to the players, as important these three points are in isolation today, to do 16 games is a brilliant achievement. “Having lost the three cup games, it gives us a little belief back. “[It’s] Brilliant for the supporters and everybody. To come here a few times and not get anything, and to come and get the three points [is brilliant].” Elsewhere, the manager confirmed that midfielder Ollie Clarke will be sidelined between three to four weeks with a thigh strain. Defender Stephen McLaughlin will be out for the same period with a groin injury. Forward Lucas Akins underwent an operation recently following a small bone fracture on his cheek and will likely wear a mask upon his return, a timeframe for which has not yet been confirmed. ------------------ Boss Nigel Clough proud as unbeaten run goes on and says it was ‘about time’ Mansfield Town finally won at Salford City chad.co.uk, Sat 11 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town boss Nigel Clough was proud to see his side extend their unbeaten start to the league season with a first ever victory at Salford City after today's hard-earned 2-1 win. And with the Ammies dominating possession he said his team had to show a different side to their game this afternoon. “It was about time we won here,” he said. “We are very proud to win and we are 16 games unbeaten in the league now - that is over a third of the season and a long time. “I thought it was a very different performance today to what we have had for the majority of the season. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/boss-nigel-clough-proud-as-unbeaten-run-goes-on-and-says-it-was-about-time-mansfield-town-finally-won-at-salford-city-4406441 “We had to give up and concede quite a bit of ground and possession as Salford are very good on the ball. “Once we got to grips with it after about 20-30 minutes I thought we dealt with their threats and looked a threat ourselves on the break. “If we'd got that third goal on the break it would have made things a bit easier for us late on. “We said at half-time we needed to show different qualities today. “We needed to stop the opposition playing and get a foot in but we are not a very good team at tackling. We don't have those sorts of players so everyone needs to do a little more. “It's great to send the supporters home happy. I just said to the lads that there are not many clubs you will play for throughout your career where on a dark, cold November afternoon they will come and sell out the away end and give us that sort of backing.” Jordan Bowery curled in a superb opening goal for Mansfield. “It was a brilliant goal and he is so valuable for us. He's played right back and centre half or us and all of sudden we needed him up front for a coupe of games,” said Clough. “He just cut inside. He has done it in training a couple of times and we keep encouraging him to shoot. He doesn't consider himself a real goalscorer but when he does things like then maybe he should. “The second goal came at a time when for the first time in the game we had really got the ball down and knocked it around and had a bit of possession. It was a great cross and Davis (Keillor-Dunn) was in there. “They were two very good goals - as Salford's was too. It was a brilliant cross and a brilliant header. It was very difficult to stop.” Keeper Christy Pym made a superb save to deny Matty Lund from close range and Clough said: “Otherwise Christy has not had that much to do. They had a lot of situations but we got good blocks in and defended well. Our shape was good. “He has had more to do in the last couple of weeks than he's had in the last two months, but he is reliable. He is a very competent and experienced goalie who is probably in his prime at his age.” Clough gave an update on injured trio Stephen McLaughlin, Ollie Clarke and Lucas Akins. “Stephen McLaughlin is out with a groin strain and will be three to four weeks,” he said. “It is incredibly frustrating as we had him down to play for 55-60 minutes on Tuesday but we were tempted to bring him off at half-time. “But he said 'no, I feel okay'. He has trained and he came on against Wrexham so we said okay, five or 10 minutes more and we will see how you go, and within five minutes he felt his groin. It is just bad luck. “Ollie will be three or four weeks as well with his thigh strain. “Lucas had a little operation on Monday and felt a bit groggy after it. “He is having a mask fitted this week and we will see how he is before Saturday.” ---------------------- Goalscorer credits relationship with strike partner after Salford win mansfieldtown.net, Sat 11 Nov 2023 Jordan Bowery credited his relationship with strike partner Rhys Oates this afternoon - claiming it was like ‘old times’ operating in attack as a pair. Stags’ number nine has played a lot of this season at right-back but repaid boss Nigel Clough’s decision to partner him up front with Oates with a fine goal in the first-half as part of a 2-1 win away to Salford. Oates and Bowery first struck a successful pairing in Mansfield’s run to Wembley for the Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final in 2021/22. Speaking to iFollow Stags post-match, Jordan said: “I enjoyed it playing up there with Rhys again - it brings back memories of old times. “We enjoy playing up front together, but I’ll play anywhere. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2023/november/goalscorer-credits-relationship-with-strike-partner-after-salford-win/ “Nine times out of ten Rhys is going to run in behind, we know that because he’s so quick and powerful, so I’ll try and occupy the centre-halves and come to feet. “We work off each other quite well.” On the importance of today’s win, the forward said: “[It was] Very important. I think one year we got a point but other than that we have never beaten them here so it’s good to come away with the victory. “I think we defended brilliantly. “They keep the ball well, we knew this. “The second-half defensive display was fantastic.” Jordan’s opener at the Peninsula Stadium was a well-struck curler. “It was nice. It’s always nice to score,” he said. “The win is the most important thing but after that, there’s nothing better than scoring a goal. “Having number nine on my back and playing in all these different positions - it’s such a good feeling to get up there and score a goal.” Stags’ scorer also credited his goalkeeper Christy Pym for some outstanding saves. “He always gets us out of jail. “He made some great saves and is important to us. “We all worked hard, and it was a great team performance.” --------------------- Jordan Bowery enjoys strike force reunion with Rhys Oates as Mansfield Town win at Salford City chad.co.uk, Sat 11 Nov 2023 Mansfield Town goalscorer Jordan Bowery said he had enjoyed his reunion up front with Rhys Oates in today's 2-1 victory at Salford City. Bowery has been used in a variety of defensive roles this season but is a striker by trade, and with Lucas Akins out with a broken bone in his face, Bowery took full advantage to move back up top and score Stags' opener as their unbeaten League Two run stretched to 16 games. “It was nice to play up there alongside Rhys again - it brought back memories of old times,” he said. “We played together a lot up front the season we got to the play-offs. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/jordan-bowery-enjoys-strike-force-reunion-with-rhys-oates-as-mansfield-town-win-at-salford-city-4406456 “It is a joy to play up there with him. He does so much for the team, He runs in behind and causes problems for defenders. “Me being a defender at times, I would not like to play against him. “He distracts players for me as well and I feel like I do the same for him, so at times we work well together. “Lucas is a big part of how we play and does similar to what I do. He takes so much of the battering up there. He is vital to what we do so it's nice to step in while he is away.” Bowery cut in from the left to bury a right-footed curler and said: “It was nice to be up there and score. It was an unusual feeling as it's not happened much. “Apart from winning there is no better feeling than scoring a goal. “I like playing anywhere but I prefer to be up there as a number nine. “I do prefer to play down that left hand side and cut in if I am up there in a three. “That is my preferred way to try to score, being predominantly right-footed. “We said it was about time we won here. They are a good team who play good football and they caused us a lot of problems. “But once we figured it out we looked settled and they didn't not break us down too many times. “We know what Matt Smith is like with him having played a lot in the Championship and he is a very good target man. So Flinty (Aden Flint) and Brunty |(Lewis Brunt) dealt with him very well. I know he scored one but other than that I felt we dealt with him quite well. “We lost the cup games last week but the main priority has always been the league, not that we don't care. “The fans were unbelievable again today. They turn up in numbers, they're loud and they support us through and through. We appreciate it and thank them for that.” ------------------------ https://www.salfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2023/november/11/ammies-edged-out-by-mansfield/ Defeat ends Salford's own run of five games without a loss, but Neil Wood felt the levels of performance were there despite the result. "We played well, we dominated for large periods of the game. Miles better in what we've been working on, the messages and everything that we've been putting into the lads over the last couple of weeks. "If anything we could have been a little bit better, a bit more clinical in the final third, delivered the ball better, delivered it earlier, but it's a really hard one today. We lose the game, but in terms of performance I thought we were well on top and I thought we played well. "We had a fair few opportunities, it just needed some more forward runs which we spoke about, we needed to switch the ball quicker and deliver it into the box quicker when it was coming out wide. "I feel we did enough to get back into the game, we've had some good chances, clear-cut chances. I thought their keeper made two or three great saves that kept them in it; one from Matthew Lund in the first half and one from Conor McAleny in the second half, then Kelly Nmai had a great opportunity towards the end." ------------------------ John Radford @JRadfordMTFC A brilliant and important win today, taking us to 16 league games unbeaten with a third of the season played. Excellent effort from our boys, superbly backed by our supporters. COYS!!! Aaron Lewis @aaronjameslewis Big 3 points away from home today. Travelling support was unreal again!! Up the stagZ Callum Johnson @callumjohnson96 +3 and bump ----------------------- |
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