Archived News from September 2006
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PREVIEWS AND TEAM NEWS
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HAMSHAW: STICK WITH ME, I'LL COME GOOD
Evening Post, 22 September 2006 Matt Hamshaw insists he has yet to find his best form for Mansfield - and is asking for the Stags fans to be patient while he gets it right. The summer signing from Stockport County has already netted three times this season from his right midfield position. But the Yorkshireman has been disappointed with some of his displays. He is keen to show that he can step up his game and make an even bigger impact for Stags as they look to put their slow start to the season behind them with the visit of Accrington to Field Mill tomorrow (3pm) "I have been disappointed with my performances to be honest and there is definitely more to come," said Hamshaw. "I came here with high expectations but it hasn't gone as well as I hoped for the team or me individually. "The performance levels have not been high enough but I am working hard on that and I hope the fans will stick by me. "I don't mind people getting annoyed with me if I don't produce because I get annoyed with myself. But I can assure them that I can play better and I'm determined I will do so during the course of the season." Mansfield put in a much-improved display against Premiership Portsmouth in a 2-1 Carling Cup second round defeat on Tuesday night. But Hamshaw knows that the Stags must start producing the goods to put points on the board in League Two. "There were a lot of things we were pleased with against Portsmouth but now we have set the standard we have to live up to. "It is all right doing it against a side like that but we have to do it against the likes of Accrington Stanley as well. "The league is all important and we have to play with the same kind of focus that we saw in the cup game." Hamshaw revealed last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Torquay prompted a team meeting as to where things have been going wrong. "I can only apologise to the fans who travelled all the way down to Torquay because our performance was not acceptable," he said. "But we had a meeting before the Portsmouth game and we discussed that we have to be better individually and as a team. I think it worked because you saw the benefits of it." In Tuesday's Carling Cup clash, Mansfield were roared on by more than 5,000 home supporters in a crowd of 6,646. And Hamshaw is hoping that more of that number will come to back the Stags on a regular basis. He said: "The fans turned up in their droves and it was a great lift to the players - it was like having a 12th man. "I know the fans will be frustrated by the start we have made to the season, especially after such a promising pre-season, but we need their backing." Stags boss Peter Shirtliff echoed Hamshaw's thoughts and said: "I would like to pay tribute to the supporters I thought they were really, really good and it was a great atmosphere. "It was clearly a big boost when you have the crowd behind you, encouraging you and driving you on. "But to be fair they have been great all season." Loanee Alan Sheehan missed the Portsmouth game as his club Leicester did not want him cup tied but he is available for tomorrow. ----------- More of the same says Stags manager CHAD website, 21 September 2006 STAGS boss Peter Shirtliff has urged both players and fans to produce more of the same against Accrington Stanley on Saturday (3pm) after Tuesday night's narrow 2-1 home Carling Cup defeat by Portsmouth. Mansfield went into the game on the back of two away defeats. But they produced a superb showing, roared on by an enthusiastic Field Mill crowd. "I was really pleased with the reaction after Torquay because it looked liked they rolled their sleeves up and said: 'let's have a go' - and that's the attitude I want to see on Saturday," said Shirtliff. "It was very positive and I would like to pay tribute to the supporters I though they were really, really good and it was a great atmosphere. "It was clearly a big boost when you have the crowd behind you, encouraging you and driving you on. "But to be fair they have been great all season and we would hope for more good backing from them on Saturday and Tuesday. "I hope the supporters come back and support the boys again in our league matches because they were terrific. "We were a bit unfortunate to lose but we have to pick ourselves up now and move forward into the league programme. "The character was good because they didn't get disappointed about being two goals down at half-time. We kept going and we created lots of problems for Portsmouth and now we are hoping to take that into the Accrington game. "We have not played badly all season, although it was a poor game at Torquay and we were all disappointed. "We have to make Field Mill a difficult place for teams to come and if we perform anywhere near the levels we did on Tuesday then we are going to give teams a hard time. "Accrington have done well and it shows you that the teams who have come up from the Conference are decent sides. We are going to have to respect them and play very well if we are going to get a result. "The Portsmouth was an enjoyable occasion, but that is history now so we have to take the positives and start getting some results in the league." Stags have a great chance to do that now as they also face Darlington at Field Mill on Tuesday night. Central defender Jon Olav Hjelde continues to be a doubt with his groin strain and Simon Brown is sidelined with a knee injury. But, otherwise, Shirtliff has plenty of options with Giles Coke and Michael Boulding contesting the left midfield slot, Danny Reet and Chris Beardsley battling for a place up front and on-loan Alan Sheehan, left out to avoid becoming cup-tied, back in contention with Gareth Jelleyman for the left back slot. -------------- ... Brown sits it out CHAD website, 20 Sep 06 WITH Simon Brown set to be sidelined for between four and eight weeks, ... |
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