Archived News from December 2004
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PREVIEWS, + POSSIBLE NEW DATE FOR CAMBRIDGE GAME
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mansfieldtown.net reports that the Stags postponed Boxing Day home clash against Cambridge United has initially been pencilled in to be played on Tuesday 11th January. Please note this needs to be confirmed by both clubs and the confirmed date will appear on mansfieldtown.net as soon as it is known.
For more details visit http://www.mansfieldtown.net ------------ STAGS HOPE TO BEAT BUG Evening Post, 31 December 2004 Mansfield are looking to extend their impressive run, says MARK ROACH Carlton Palmer hopes the flu which depeleted his squad before the Southend match will have passed by the time Mansfield line up at Northampton tomorrow. Alex Neil and Wayne Corden were out with the illness and Adam Murray and Simon Brown were also affected. Stags' second successive away win was achieved without eight first-team players who were ruled out through injury or illness. Defenders Rhys Day, Dave Artell, Scott McNiven, Adam Eaton and Jason Talbot and striker Colin Larkin are still out of action. The 1-0 triumph made it seven points from three League Two games and three clean sheets in a row for Palmer's side, who moved up to 14th place and to within four points of the play-off zone. There was a debut for former Chelsea defender Joel Kitamirike at right-back and a full debut for Brown. "The back four played well," said Palmer, who is expected to be confirmed as manager in the new year. "I was going to put Joel in anyway because of his height. It was his first game for a long time and he did well - and Baptiste and Dimech were outstanding again. "That's seven points from nine and three clean sheets in a row now, and that's promotion form." Palmer admits he thought Southend had equalised in stoppage time, before the effort was ruled offisde. "I thought it was a goal. It would have been cruel on us," he added. Palmer is confident his side can extend their unbeaten run tomorrow. "Northampton are flying at home. It's always a difficult place to go but we'll give it our best shot," he said. The Cobblers, managed by former Stag Colin Calderwood, will include ex-Mansfield midfielder Lee Williamson in their squad. Williamson joined Northampton after Mansfield's 4-1 win against the Cobblers in September, for a fee thought to be in the region of £20,000. Meanwhile, Tuesday's on-loan match-winner Paul Warne is poised to sign an 18-month deal - and Palmer has told defender Adam Eaton to get fit by the end of January, or he will sign another left-back. Palmer is hoping to sign a left-back on loan from Blackburn in time for tomorrow's trip. Swindon defender David Duke has been lined up if he is unsuccessful. But Palmer says he needs a permanent left-back and will look elsewhere if Eaton is not fit. "Adam is a good player for this division and is on good money - too much not to be playing," said Palmer. "It may be that he will have to accept a certain amount of pain. "John Sheridan was told he should stop playing due to a knee injury but he carried on through the pain barrier and he was still playing last year at 39." Mansfield: Pilkington, Kitamirike, John-Baptiste, Dimech, Buxton, Brown, Curtis, Murray, Warne, Asamoah, Barker, McLachlan, Maxwell, White, Neil, Corden, Lloyd, McIntosh. CLUB BEFORE COUNTRY... Evening Post, 31 December 2004 Luke Dimech put club before country this week as he withdrew from international duty with Malta. The defender would have been included in the squad for a friendly between an Andalusia Select XI and a Malta XI on Wednesday. But with eight players ruled out of Tuesday's trip to Southend, Dimech was unable to join the national side. The centre-back was told he could leave Mansfield by caretaker-boss Carlton Palmer. But with five defenders out of action, he has since become a regular starter - despite interest from Kidderminster Harriers. Mansfield have kept three successive clean sheets, with Dimech and Alex John-Baptiste as central defensive partners. CALDERWOOD CONFIDENT Evening Post, 31 December 2004 In-form Northampton have won their last three and are unbeaten in five since a 2-0 home defeat to Southend. Bury (twice) and Boston have lost at Northampton this month and Colin Calderwood's side won 3-1 at Macclesfield, with Cheltenham the only side to have taken a point off them in December. Northampton finished the year on a winning note with a 2-0 victory at Bury on Tuesday. "It was very satisfying," said Calderwood. "We now have a game in hand and want to use that to leapfrog teams." Calderwood was frustrated his side's Boxing Day match at Meadow Lane was postponed. "We had prepared well and were looking forward to the game," he said. "But we were told a large area of the pitch was frozen, and you have to accept the referee's judgement." Tom Youngs and David Galbraith, who missed Tuesday's game with flu, could return, as could Fred Murray, who has an ankle injury. Calderwood is hoping to bring a striker in on loan, but it is unlikely before tomorrow's game. Northampton (from): Harper, Bojic, Westwood, Willmott, Jaszczun, Low, Rowson, Hearn, Smith, McGleish, Sabin, Cross, Williamson, Chambers, Bunn, Cozic, Youngs, Galbraith, Murray. ---------- |
Latest | December 2004