Archived News from February 2007
|
ARNOLD, R.BOULDING AND MARTIN ALLEN REACTION
|
 |
|
Arnold goal cheers the Stags
CHAD website, 21 Feb 2007 NATHAN Arnold put a smile back on manager Billy Dearden's face after a couple of difficult days for Dearden and the club. Arnold's stoppage time goal earned a 1-1 draw at promotion-chasing Milton Keynes Dons after which it was revealed winger Matt Hamshaw's absence was due to he and his wife losing their baby which was due last weekend. And it came at the end of a day when Dearden and Hartlepool boss and close friend Danny Wilson had been pallbearers at the funeral of their former Chesterfield colleague Harold Roberts. "It has not been the best of days for me so to come to Milton Keynes and get a point makes things a little better,"said Dearden. "Danny Wilson and I began the day carrying the coffin of Harold Roberts who I have been friends with for 30 years - it was a real tearjerker. "We met back in the days when I was coaching at Chesterfield under Arthur Cox and Harold will be sorely missed. "My lads were on a bit of a downer after the bad news about Matty Hamshaw. "But they responded well to get a point at Milton Keynes and I know no one will be more pleased than Matty. "With his attitude to the game I think he will be back sooner than later, but there is no time limit. He is a strong character and his wife will need him right now. "Most of our players are only young and are not family men so I have no idea what they must feel like about this. As a parent it is a very, very tragic thing. We have to do all we can to help him over this." Despite their lofty place in the table, the Dons rarely dominated the game last night but grabbed the lead just after half time with a deflected effort by Scott Taylor. But Mansfield plugged away and were rewarded in stoppage time when teenage substitute Nathan Arnold rifled home a sweet shot from outside the box. "I thought we fully deserved it with the problems we had today," said Dearden. "Both Martin Gritton and Michael Boulding were dodgy before kick-off. They were going down with flu and didn't feel 100 percent. "I took a gamble with them and played them. Then I took them off and the two substititions worked out quite well for us. "I was pleased for Nathan. He wants to learn and to get that goal will give him more confidence. "That was his first run out for a few weeks. I am sure he will be all right. I have a lot of time for him and I think he has a good chance of earning a living out of the game. "Milton Keynes passed us out of a bit in the middle of the park at times with two lads going narrow for them. But we had more efforts at goal than they did and deserved a point." ------------ Interviews from Mansfield 103.2 firstly with Nathan Arnold and Rory Boulding. Then James Derry and finally back to the studio for Andy and Steve. Listen here Thanks to Craig for the recording. ------------ Listen to interview with MK Dons boss Martin Allen, from DonsWorld here |
Latest | February 2007