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Archived News from August 2003

EVENING POST PREVIEW
15th August 2003 14:32


GANNON DEMANDS AN ORIENT EXPRESS
Evening Post, 15 August 2003

Stags assistant manager John Gannon has called on his players to remain focused tomorrow - or risk dropping three points.

Keith Curle's side are bang in form at the moment but need to turn their chances into goals.

Gannon was delighted with the performance, despite the result, against Sunderland in midweek and wants the players to carry on where they left off.

He has seen the players put in two impressive performances, against the Black Cats and Kidderminster, only to get nothing out of the games.

And the assistant boss is confident the team can turn the impressive performances into points and bounce back from Wednesday night's disappointment.

But he stated that if the team take their foot off the gas they could get punished.

He said: "We do not want a slow game tomorrow.

"We need to get wired in for the game because we need a result and the players deserve the result.

"It's disappointing to have got nothing out of the last two games because the players did not deserve that.

"I know they will be determined to carry on where they left off after suffering the blow of that late goal against the Black Cats.

"Now we need the points as well as the performance and I'm sure it will come.

"And once it does, I'm confident we can string a good run of positive results together."

Despite the disappointment of defeats to Kidderminster and Sunderland - both 2-1 - Stags defender Jamie Clarke believes that if the side can keep up the impressive displays the goals will come and the side will be up there bidding for promotion.

Clarke said: "We have now had two games where we have created chances and come away with nothing.

"But once we start turning those chances into goals, there will be a few teams in our division who will be in for a battering.

"The spirit is very good within the squad and we are happy with how we are playing.

"We are confident the goals will come soon and if we continue in this way, we will be up there come the end of the campaign."

Colin Larkin will undergo a fitness today to see whether he is fit to start, as he still has some stiffness in his hamstring following the trip to Kidderminster.

Manager Keith Curle will be pleased that defender Tony Vaughan resumed full training yesterday.

But Curle is not expected to rush him into a return from his ankle injury.

Adam Eaton (hernia) is still missing and striker Colin Larkin could feature after missing the Sunderland match with a tight hamstring. Otherwise, he has a full squad to choose from.

SQUAD: Pilkington, Has sell, Clarke, Artell, Dimech, Curtis, Lawrence, Williamson, Corden, Larkin, Christie, Day, Baptiste, Mendes, Disley, White

Leyton Orient have also suffered two defeats, including a 4-1 thrashing at First Division Cardiff, and the Stags have a good chance here to record an impressive victory.

 

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