Archived News from September 2007
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DEARDEN AND FERGUSON REACTION
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Lady luck is still refusing to smile on Mansfield
Evening Post Goalscorer John McAliskey insists it is not all doom and gloom in the Mansfield camp - despite their third League Two defeat in the last four matches. The striker's second goal in as many league outings was not enough to prevent Stags losing 2-1 at Peterborough - a 12th loss in their last 14 matches at London Road. But Mansfield felt their display warranted a minimum of a point - and would have got it had fortune smiled upon them. "The gaffer has said to us that although we have lost the game he was pleased with our performance and the way we created chances away from home," said McAliskey. "Sometimes in away matches you only have one or two decent chances and we probably had three or four. "That is a good sign and I don't think it is too far away from coming right for us. Things seem to be dropping nicely for other teams but not for us. The luck is not going our way, but it will eventually. "I think I was onside when I scored what I thought was a second goal. But if we keep working hard, we will start to get the breaks." Next up for the Stags is the derby clash with Chesterfield on Saturday and McAliskey is optimistic the Stags can notch a victory. He said: "I think we can definitely beat them. Peterborough are favourites to win the league but we gave them a really good game. "I think we have to cut out the silly mistakes at the back because we are letting in goals even when we are looking comfortable. "But it was a decent performance so we will still go into the Chesterfield match with a decent amount of confidence." ---------- Audio interview with Billy Dearden from BBC Radio Nottingham (RealPlayer needed) http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/realmedia/football/2008/stags_peterborough_away_manager.ram ------------ JUST OUR LUCK GOAL DENIED - DEARDEN Evening Post. Billy Dearden bemoaned his side's bad luck after Mansfield were beaten 2-1 at promotion favourites Peterborough. The Stags battled back from a goal down to level through John McAliskey early in the second half. It looked as if the visitors had gone 2-1 in front soon after he found the net again - only to be ruled offside. Dearden watched the 'goal' straight after the game and insisted McAliskey was onside when Lee Bullock headed the ball into his path. Peterborough went on to win the game with substitute Danny Crow's head minutes later. "John got through and scored. It was definitely onside, but it wasn't to be," said Dearden. "I have had a look at the goal and I think it was onside and the young lad himself didn't think he was offside. "But we have to respect the decision of the officials and get on with it. It looked a good goal and that would have put us 2-1 up, but that's how it goes. "I was disappointed not to pick up a point because I felt we deserved something from the game. "It's a very difficult place to come. Peterborough are a good side with some good players but I thought we matched them. "We knew we had to play well if we weren't going to be turned over. "They probably had a few more chances than us but I'm pleased with the way we took the game to them. We were positive. "We are always likely to concede but we are always likely to score goals as well." Dearden felt the game could also had been different had Michael Boulding taken a chance to score after just 30 seconds. He said: "We started very brightly and had the chance in the first minute and Mickey has to score. If I'd wanted the chance to fall to anybody, it would have been him. "But he didn't take it and it wasn't to be. We had a few chances but you have to take them when they come." Dearden was pleased with the contribution of new loan signing Sean McAllsiter and Stephen Dawson, who was surprisingly fit after a hamstring injury saw him go off against Rotherham in the JPT in midweek. " I thought Sean did very well to say he has only had a couple of games for Wednesday's reserves and a pre-season game," he said. "He's gone in and showed he's a tenacious little so and so. When he is fit I think there is a lot more to come from him. "I thought Daws was going to be out but he's responded well to treatment so it was probably just a bit of cramp right at the top of his hamstring. "He trained on Saturday and I asked him if he was fit to play and he said 'yes.'" Darren Ferguson hailed his Peterborough side after they produced a gritty display to see off a Mansfield side that hauled themselves back into the game before beating defeated 2-1 at London Road. Josh Low had given Posh a first-half advantage, but John McAliskey rose unchallenged to head home Matt Hamshaw's cross and level matters. McAliskey also had an effort ruled out for offside before substitute Danny Crow won it 15 minutes from time. Ferguson said: "Despite the ridiculous bookies' odds on us for promotion, teams are not going to come here and roll over. "Mansfield asked a lot of questions and at the end of the day we battled through it." ---------- We deserved a point - Dearden CHAD WEBSITE MANSFIELD Town boss Billy Dearden felt his side's effort had deserved a point from Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Peterborough. And he was adamant John McAliskey was not offside when he had a goal disallowed at 1-1. "I thought we deserved something from the game," he said. "Peterborough is a very difficult place to come, they have good players and I knew if we produced anything less than our best then we would get turned over. "But we started very bright and had a good chance in the first minute when Mickey Boulding was through. "He knows he has got to score those and if he had it might have been a very different afternoon. "If that chance fell to anyone you would have wanted it to be Mickey. I felt sure he would put it in, but he didn't." He added: "After going behind we had chances and got back in it with a goal. "Just after that John McAliskey scored again and I thought he was definitely onside. "But it went against us with the young lady linesman who didn't have a bit of luck for us and you just have to respect the decision and get on with it. "Then we gave away a bad goal from my point of view. We should have defended it better. "Even so we were still very, very positive although we did take chances. "Peterborough probably had a few more chances than us. They are a good side but I thought we matched them today. "Although we are conceding goals we always look likely to score." Dearden was pleased with the gutsy debut of on-loan Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Sean McAllister and said: I thought he did very well for us. "He has only had a pre-season game and a couple of reserve games for Wednesday, but he was a tenacious little so and so and a little ratter, breaking things up for us. "We will see a lot more from him when he gets fitter." |
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