{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from October 2003

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
23rd October 2003 0:13


Cheltenham is a team that has played against the Stags in all of their league seasons to date and in fact registered their first-ever league win by scoring the only goal of the game at Field Mill on August 14, 1999 when the Stags made a very poor start of a topsy-turvy 1999-2000 campaign. And in the following campaign, the teams faced each other at Cheltenham on the opening day when the teams drew 2-2, Chris Greenacre scoring a wonder goal and Mark Blake scoring for the Stags as well as an own goal. On February 13, 2001, the Stags registered their first league win over the Robins 2-1, goals Blake and a Book og in front of only 1940, a crowd more than four times less the one when the teams met in a crucial promotion encounter on April 9, 2002, when the Stags won 2-1 thanks to an Andy White strike in the 78th minute, Chris Greenacre opening the account after just two minutes and Yates equalizing midway through the first half. At Cheltenham, Stags went 2-0 up thanks to two Disley strikes, Alsop equalizing after coming on as sub before Corden hit the winner in the 90th minute, in the end proving very as crucial as well as White's winner at the Mill. Eventually the teams were promoted together after fighting it out up to the final day – Stags directly and eventually Cheltenham after winning the play-off finals against Rushden & Diamonds. And the teams were also relegated together last term – as the Stags lost both games against the Robins after poor displays – and Cheltenham drawing no fewer than 18 times. The Stags had needed the six points against Cheltenham to stay up last season – and Cheltenham had needed just ONE win of the 18 drawn games to secure their stay in the 2nd division instead of Chesterfield. Had the two-points ruling applied for a win, Cheltenham had stayed up two points clear of the Spireites instead of the reverse under the three-points-system.

So far this season, Cheltenham have figured in several high-scoring ties as their goal-difference at the time of writing, 23 for, 29 against, suggest. Yet the Robins have played a goal-less local derby at Whaddon Road against Oxford. The results so far suggest that Cheltenham this season will be mid-table at best – the reason being the number of goals conceded. Scoring has been no problem despite the departure of their King of Headers, Julian Alsop, for Oxford. While the Stags are figuring very strongly in the auto promotion race after four straight league wins – the best league run since the high-scoring 1994-95 Leeds Cup KO season. That season, Cheltenham played in the then Beazer Homes league, Premier division – a grade below the Conf – and one of their opponents then were – Rushden & Diamonds!!!

Played for both sides (since Cheltenham were promoted to the Nationwide FL): Jason White (forward!), Lee Williams, Richard Walker, Carl Muggleton.

Stats facts with the Stags figures first

Home: P 4, W 2, D 0, L 2, GF 4, GA 5
Away: P 4, W 1, D 1, L 2, GF 6, GA 8

Season Home Date Away Date

1999-2000 0-1 1999-08-14 0-1 2000-01-15 Div 3
2000-01 2-1 2001-02-13 2-2 2000-08-12 Div 3
2001-02 2-1 2002-04-09 3-2 2001-08-25 Div 3
2002-03 0-2 2002-09-21 1-3 2003-03-08 Div 2

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

 

Latest | October 2003