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Archived News from July 2005

EVENING POST REPORT AND REACTION
18th July 2005 14:04


PALMER SHOWS OFF SUMMER SIGNINGS
Evening Post, 18 July 2005
Mansfield Town 0 v 1 Derby County

The result was never going to be that important at Field Mill but what the pre-season opener against Derby County did was give manager Carlton Palmer ample chance to consider his options for the campaign.

Only goalkeeper Jason White played a full 90 minutes as Palmer chose to field two different line-ups for 45 minutes each.

Stags fans saw the seven summer signings and watched Palmer himself play.

There was also a chance for he boss to have a look at former Leicester City centre-half Nicholas Priet, who is on trial.

Assistant manager Peter Shirtliff said: "Derby are a good side with a lot of good players but we thought our lads acquitted themselves quite well. We've still got a few fixtures before the season proper starts and we'll be building things up gradually."

It was a bizarre 34th-minute goal which separated the two sides.

A speculative high ball into the box from Spanish midfielder Jaime Jordan - on trial at Pride Park - saw White collide with central defender Jake Buxton and Derby striker Marcus Tudgay.

The ball spilled free and rolled into the net with the goal was finally awarded to Tudgay.

Stags' new boy Matthew Tipton, starting up front alongside Richie Barker, came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute.

Palmer found Gus Uhlenbeek, another debutant, down the right and he whipped in a near-post cross for Tipton to head only inches wide of Lee Camp's left-hand post.

After Tudgay's goal, Uhlenbeek continued to find space down Derby's left and it was from another of his crosses in the 36th minute that new signing Adam Birchall nearly levelled.

The 20-year-old turned nicely in the box to fire a left-foot shot but Camp got down well.

It was the returning Chris Beardsley who nearly pulled the Stags level in the 61st minute, when he forced a reaction save from Camp with a left-footed volley from 12 yards.

Adam Rundle proved a regular threat down the left, going close with a volley from the corner of the box in the 70th minute.

Derby also made substantial changes at the break, former Forest midfielder Scott Gemmill making an appearance.

MANSFIELD: White, Peers (McIntosh, 45), Day (John-Baptiste, 45), Buxton (Priet, 45), Talbot (Jelleyman, 45); Uhlenbeek (Brown, 45), Dawson (McLachlan, 45), Palmer (Coke, 45), Birchall (Rundle, 45); Barker (Lloyd, 45), Tipton (Beardsley, 45).

ATTENDANCE: 4,000.

 

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