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Archived News from July 2004

REPORTS FROM WOLVES SITES
28th July 2004 8:44


www.wolves.co.uk

Miller On The Mark
Mansfield Town 1 (Day 62)

Wolves 2 (Miller 33, Newton 65)

Wolves edged a competitive friendly at Field Mill with goals from Kenny Miller and Shaun Newton helping to see off the challenge of Keith Curle's Mansfield Town.

Two early Adam Murray corners caused problems for the visiting defence. From the first Derek Asamoah's header was deflected behind and the second saw Maceo Ritgers head goalwards but Michael Oakes made a fine diving save to push the ball behind.

Miller's flick left George Ndah in the clear but home keeper Kevin Pilkington was quickly off his line to win the chase for the ball.

Neil McKenzie then received a lecture from the referee Andy Woolmer for a challenge that left Newton in a heap. The official was also in charge of Wolves' friendly at Northampton at the weekend.

Asamoah, with some intricate footwork, beat Kevin Cooper to the right of the Wolves area before pulling the ball back to Murray whose angled shot drew another good save from Oakes who pushed the effort aside. The ball ran to McKenzie but his shot sailed high over the bar.

With 33 minutes gone Miller put Wanderers into the lead after a move that he started. The Scottish international found Newton on the right and then was in position to send a close range left foot volley past McKenzie following a well delivered centre.

It should have been two three minutes later after Miller had knocked down Rob Edwards' right-wing cross. The ball fell nicely for Ndah but he fired over from 12-yards out.

Seconds later the popular striker had another chance when he ran onto a pass from Paul Ince and cut in from the right. Ndah tried to guide his shot past Pilkington but the keeper got a hand to the ball and Rhys Day ran in to boot clear before Cooper could take advantage.

Just before the interval Antonio Valente drilled in a fierce 25-yard shot that Oakes gathered at the second attempt.

Half-Time: Mansfield 0 Wolves 1

Mark Clyde replaced Edwards at half-time and Keith Andrews came on for Cameron.

The home crowd's cheers for what they thought was a penalty when Jody Craddock challenged Ritgers in the Wolves' area soon turned to groans when they realised that the referee had penalised the Town striker for diving.

Ritgers was soon back in the thick of things and his hooked volley had Oakes diving to collect following a cross from Valente.

French trialist Nicolas Gousse replaced Ndah nine minutes into the half and within a minute of his introduction he headed a Miller cross narrowly over the bar.

Miller then saw his long-range effort deflected for a corner and from Cooper's flag-kick the ball was half cleared to Newton who drove a 25-yard shot a foot over Pilkington's goal.

On 62 minutes Town drew level when Day's powerful close-range header from Murray's corner left Oakes helpless.

But it took Wolves just three minutes to regain the advantage and Newton was the man on target when his speed took him past Barnard before he hammered a low angled shot into the far corner of the net.

Former Wolf Colin Larkin came on as a Town substitute shortly before Asamoah beat the offside trap and held off a challenge from Mawene. But the Ghanaian only half hit his shot allowing Oakes to save.

Mansfield Town: Pilkington, Buxton, Day, Henriques (Dimech 54), Barnard, Mackenzie, Curtis (Williamson 70), Murray, Valente (Corden 60), Ritgers (Larkin 73), Asamoah (Heron 82).

Unused subs: Artell, McNiven, Neil, John-Baptiste, Langford, Eaton.

Wolves: Oakes, Edwards (Clyde 45), Naylor, Mawene, Craddock, Miller, Newton, Ince, Ndah (Gousse 54), Cameron (Andrews 45), Cooper.

Unused subs: Lowe, Clarke, Flynn, O'Connor, Muligan, Ikeme.

Referee: A. Woolmer.

Attendance: 3,300 (308 away supporters).


Boss Critical Despite Win
Despite Wolves' win over Mansfield Town, boss Dave Jones was critical of some of his team's distribution work.

"I felt that some of the players' passing was sloppy and we didn't really get going until we got the first goal," he said.

"Then we were sloppy in conceding a goal from a set piece. Mansfield were physical and direct and they played some good football but without really hurting us.

"They tended to launch the ball into the box and we are going to get a lot of that in the season ahead so this was a useful workout.

"They were up for it and it was a hard game. But it's coming together for us. George (Ndah) is coming up to speed although he's not quite there yet, and Kenny (Miller) got a good 90 minutes under his belt, as did Incey.

"We've not quite got the cutting edge yet, but it's coming together."

Asked about the two trialists that played at Field Mill, Youl Mawene and Nicolas Gousse, a 29-year-old French striker, Dave added: "I thought that Youl did well. We'll take another look against him on Friday when we face tougher opposition in the shape of Manchester City.

"Nicolas raced over from Ipswich to take part in the game an we only met him in the dressing room shortly before the game.

"When he came on he put himself about and could have scored on two or three occasions. Hopefully, like Youl, we will take a further look at him on Friday."

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http://WWW.WOLVESCENTRAL.COM
Newton Winner Edges Out Mansfield

By The Southbank
Date: 28/7/2004

Wolves edged out League Two side Mansfield in a pre season friendly at Field Mill last night , goals from Kenny Miller and Shaun Newton insured Wolves a 2-1 victory.


Mansfield 1 (Day 62) Wolves 2 (Miller 33 , Newton 65)

Wolves edged out League Two side Mansfield in a pre season friendly at Field Mill last night , goals from Kenny Miller and Shaun Newton insured Wolves a 2-1 victory.

Wolves went into the game without Joleon Lescott , Mark Kennedy , Carl Cort , Henri Camara and Seyi Olofijana but still had plenty on show for the paying customer to enjoy.

Wolves opened the scoring and it was Kenny Miller who pounced to score a simple goal on 32 minutes but it was the build up play that would have brought a smile to Dave Jones face , Miller was the architect he picked up a ball in the centre of midfield then swepted a lovely ball to the right to Shaun Newton , by this time Miller had made up 40 yards to get into the box in which Newton delievered an inch perfect cross plum onto the foot of Miller who made no mistake from 10 yards.

Mansfield equalised in the second half thanks to sloppy marking by the Wolves defence , Adam Murray delievered a peach of a corner and an unmarked Rhys Day powered a simple header past Micheal Oakes in the Wolves goal.

Wolves won it thanks to the hard work of Shaun Newton , he collected a ball in the area turned the defender inside out before firing a lethal drive across the keeper and into the bottom corner.

Dave Jones side just about deserved it but there's still a lot of hard work to get through if he wants his team to be fit and ready before the curtain raiser a week on Sunday



Mansfield Town: Pilkington, Buxton, Day, Henriques (Dimech 54), Barnard, Mackenzie, Curtis (Williamson 70), Murray, Valente (Corden 60), Ritgers (Larkin 73), Asamoah (Heron 82).

Unused subs: Artell, McNiven, Neil, John-Baptiste, Langford, Eaton.

Wolves: Oakes, Edwards (Clyde 45), Naylor, Mawene, Craddock, Miller, Newton, Ince, Ndah (Gousse 54), Cameron (Andrews 45), Cooper.

Unused subs: Lowe, Clarke, Flynn, O'Connor, Muligan, Ikeme.

Referee: A. Woolmer.


 

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