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Archived News from December 2006

SHIRTLIFF, COKE AND D`LARYEA REACTION
4th December 2006 14:22


STAGS STAR JELLEYMAN: 'IT'S ALMOST LIKE DEFEAT'
Evening Post, 04 December 2006
Gareth Jelleyman admitted the Mansfield players were 'gutted' to be denied victory over Doncaster by a late leveller.

He and the rest of the Stags' defence had battled gamely to keep out their League One visitors.

But Brian Stock's deflected strike set up an intriguing replay at Belle Vue.

"That is the worst way we could have drawn it. To concede in injury time in that manner is sickening, it almost feels like a defeat," said Jelleyman.

"I thought we had done enough and I thought their chance had gone when they missed one or two. We were pretty solid at the back.

"I thought we defended really well and worked hard as a team. Even though they put us under a bit of pressure, we dealt with it quite well. We had chances at the other end and, on another day, we might have taken them but we didn't."

Jelleyman felt Mansfield hit a good tempo early and that the passionate support of the home crowd enabled them to maintain it.

He said: Cokey (Giles Coke) made a great challenge in the first couple of minutes and that spurred us on and fired us up," he said.

"At Rochdale we seemed to be waiting for something like that to happen rather than taking responsibility and making it happen.

"The crowd were fantastic. All the boys wanted to win it for them after what happened at Rochdale. We didn't get the result for them. But we did show them what we can do and hopefully we can carry that on now."

Jelleyman was eagerly looking forward to the FA Cup third round draw where the Premiership big guns enter the fray.

"If we get a big team in the draw then there will be an extra incentive to win the replay," he said. "After facing Newcastle last year we know what can happen if you can get through to the third round, so we will give it a good go at Doncaster."


'We got what we deserved'

SEAN O'Driscoll felt justice was done by Doncaster's dramatic stoppage-time leveller.

"It was a typical FA Cup tie where no quarter was given. It wasn't the best match football-wise, but we dug in and tried not to get frustrated," he said.

"It was a bitty performance from us. We put in a lot of hard work and the attitude was first class, but a lot of the players had their worst games for a long time. They kept on working hard, though, and I think we got what we deserved in the end."

O'Driscoll was not happy with the performance of referee Mick Russell, who turned down four Rovers penalty appeals after giving Mansfield a spot-kick.

He said: "Mansfield's penalty definitely hit Gareth's hand. I have no complaints about that, but I think we had three stone-wall penalties.

"I will have to see what the referee thought and watch them again on the video, but at least the players didn't let it get to them."
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PETER DISAPPOINTED WITH DRAW
Evening Post website, 03 December 2006
Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll paid tribute to his side's never-say-die attitude after they snatched a last gasp equaliser to force an FA Cup second round replay against Mansfield.


Most of the post-match talk centred on referee Mick Russell, who awarded Mansfield a penalty while turning down four big appeals from Doncaster for a spot kick of their own in a 1-1 draw.

O'Driscoll said: "It was a typical FA Cup tie - no quarter was given. It wasn't the best of matches football-wise on a pudding of a pitch.

"Some of our players probably had their worst game for a long time, but at least they worked hard. Their attitude was first class and they dug in to get the result.

"They didn't let the referee and his decisions get to them. They just carried on working hard. Mansfield's penalty was probably the right decision as the ball did hit the player's hand.

"But we had three stonewall penalties of our own. I will have to ask the referee why he didn't give them and watch the video."

Brian Stock was Rovers' last gasp hero just when it seemed Richie Barker's 23rd-minute penalty would be enough to see Stags put one over on their League One neighbours.

Stock popped up to crash home a low 20-yard shot after a scramble, though it did take a deflection on the way to help it past Carl Muggleton in the Mansfield goal.

This was a rip-roaring cup tie and Mansfield, who had lost four of their previous five games, had gone ahead after a handball from Gareth Roberts had given first round penalty hero Barker the chance to slot home his sixth spot kick of the season.

Mansfield manager Peter Shirtliff said: "Obviously I am disappointed but overall I was pleased with our performance against a side from a higher league.

"They have more experience than us and a bigger squad so it was always going to be a difficult game and I thought we acquitted ourselves well.

"Their goal was a speculative effort which took a deflection. I think Carl Muggleton will be disappointed he didn't save it.

"It was 100% better than at Rochdale last weekend and now we have to move on.

"In the second half we gave the ball away too easily. Doncaster were gambling a bit and catching us on the counter-attack. If we had kept the ball better in their half of the pitch we wouldn't have been so susceptible.

"We had a great opportunity to make it 2-0 just after half time when we caught them two on one. We should have been a bit more clinical as it would have been more uphill for Doncaster at 2-0 than 1-0.

"I thought we had more chances and decent situations than them.

"I was a bit disappointed one or two of their lads were going down like autumn leaves, looking for a penalty and putting pressure on the referee. Credit to him for not caving in."

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Audio interview with Peter Shirtliff from BBC Radio Nottingham (RealPlayer needed)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/realmedia/football/2007/fa_stags_doncaster_home_manager.ram
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Audio interview with Giles Coke and Jon D'Laryea from BBC Radio Nottingham (RealPlayer needed)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/realmedia/football/2007/fa_stags_doncaster_home_player.ram
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CHAD website
"Obviously I am disappointed but overall I was pleased with our performance against a side from a higher league, said manager Peter Shirtliff afterwards.
"They have more experience than us and a bigger squad so it was always going to be a difficult game and I thought we acquitted ourselves well.
"Their goal was a speculative effort which took a deflection though I think Carl Muggleton will be disappointed he didn't save it.
"It was 100 per cent better than at Rochdale last weekend and now we have to move on.
"In the second half we gave the ball away too easily. Doncaster were gambling a bit and catching us on the counter-attack. If we had kept the ball better in their half of the pitch we wouldn't have been so susceptible.
"We had a great opportunity to make it 2-0 just after half time when we caught them two on one. We should have been a bit more clinical as it would have been more uphill for Doncaster at 2-0 than 1-0.
"I thought we had more chances and decent situations than them.
"I was a bit disappointed one or two of their lads were going down like Autumn leaves, looking for a penalty and putting pressure on the referee. Credit to him for not caving in."
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