Archived News from February 2009
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KETTERING PREVIEWS
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As usual, if you can't get to the game, then listen to full match commentary on the club's own service StagsWorld. Commentary will be brought to you by Nigel Pinnick.
------------------------ David Holdsworth press conference at mansfieldtown.net here: ----------------- O'Connor ruled out of Kettering clash CHAD.co.uk, 17 February 2009 Aaron O'Connor has been ruled out of tonight's home clash with Kettering Town due to illness. Full story at CHAD.co.uk here And with Stags not renewing Tomi Ameobi's loan at the weekend, it leaves manager David Holdsworth a little short in the striker department. "There's nothing we can do about it at this stage," he said. "With Nathan Arnold and Scott Gardner fit and able to play down that side I decided to let Tomi go back to free up those funds for another player if necessary. "But I will wait for the right person - I won't bring anyone in for the sake of it. "There won't be any movement until later this week or early next week if at all. The player has to tick all the boxes. "We are currently being linked with players whose wages are considerably more than we can afford. "A lot seem to think Mansfield Town are living in a different world - but we are not." Stags are also without defender Scott Garner tonight who is serving his one game ban. Alex Jeannin's scan on his injured foot has shown no serious problem and he has now had an injection in it which the club hope will cure the problem. -------------- Stags trialists given time to impress Evening Post, February 17, 2009 MANSFIELD'S latest trialists will be given every chance to prove their worth, boss David Holdsworth has insisted. Full story at Evening Post website here The Stags take on Kettering tonight in the Blue Square Premier at Field Mill. But first they have a reserve game at Forest this afternoon, where former Notts County youngster Stef Frost, 19, will be given a run out. Mansfield are also set to have a second look at former Oxford player Levi Reid. Holdsworth said he would not make a snap decision on either player. %3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D703482/acc_random%3D1653389033/pageid%3D/RS%3D10340.10281.10307.10330.10331.10332.10319.10425.10428.10429.10464.10486.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3E"We are helping Stef to rehabilitate," he said. "He has been training with us after breaking his leg. "He can play on either wing, he is a good size at about 6ft 1ins and he has good pace. "Levi will also be involved against Forest, but you can't judge people on just one game. "If someone scores a hat-trick then sometimes you need to make a decision, but I try not to make hasty judgments. "Anyone can play well or badly in just one game. You have to make a judgment over a period of time." One player not staying at the Stags is Tomi Ameobi, whose loan spell from Doncaster will not be extended. Holdsworth made the decision because Nathan Arnold is back from injury and Scott Gardner has been drafted in, strengthening his options down the right flank. He said: "I was delighted to get Tomi at a time when we needed options. He has done a great job but now we have alternatives on the right." The Stags have cut prices in the upper tier of the West Stand to £16 for the rest of the season. The club wants to encourage people to sit in that area of the ground after being pleased with the atmosphere against York, when the lower tier of the stand was close for safety reasons. Mansfield's game at Cambridge will now be played on Tuesday, March 10, after it was postponed on Saturday. An FA hearing yesterday ruled Mansfield had no case to answer over the legitimacy of Aaron O'Connor's transfer from Grays Athletic. Meanwhile, the game at Oxford scheduled for next Tuesday, February 24, has now been brought forward to this Saturday as both sides' scheduled opponents that day are in FA Trophy action. --------------- Silk desperate for Stags to return to action Evening Post, February 17, 2009 AS someone who used to travel to training by hovercraft, Gary Silk has taken getting to work through the snow in his stride. Full story at Evening Post website here Born on the Isle of Wight, the right-back made the unusual cross-sea trip on a regular basis to attend Portsmouth's academy. But despite that experience, he has still been frustrated by the recent extreme weather. The Mansfield players were able to make it into training, but their last two matches, at Histon and Cambridge, have been postponed. And only a superb effort from the Stags' fans prevented Saturday's game against York going the same way, when an army of supporters helped clear the pitch of snow so the match could go ahead. %3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.anm.co.uk/ADCLICK/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/AAMSZ%3D452x118/SITE%3DTHISISNOTT/AREA%3DFOOTBALL/SUBAREA%3D/ARTICLE%3D703295/acc_random%3D5553409467/pageid%3D/RS%3D10340.10281.10307.10330.10331.10332.10319.10425.10428.10429.10464.10486.%22%20target%3D%22_new%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//iad.anm.co.uk/anmdefaultad.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20style%3D%22margin-bottom%3A%200px%3B%22%3E%3C/A%3E%3C/div%3ESilk's disappointment was heightened as he missed that game because of a suspension for picking up five yellow cards. It means he has not been in action since the 2-1 win at Eastbourne Borough two-and-a-half weeks ago. So it is hardly surprising that he is hoping the worst of the weather is over, as the Stags aim to make it six games unbeaten since the appointment of new boss David Holdsworth when they play Kettering Town tonight. Silk said: "When you are going well, you just want to go out and play and improve on your recent form. "It seems like we haven't done that for a while, even more so for me because I missed our last game with suspension. I'm just hoping the Kettering game will be on. "They have shown they are a decent team and have got a lot of games in hand on most sides. "If they win those games then they are going to be right up there, after doing well in the cup competitions as well. "It is a hard game but we are looking forward to it, after doing a lot of training but not having the games in between." While Silk has been an automatic choice so far this season, he will return to face extra competition for a place in the team. Scott Gardner made an encouraging debut at right-back against York, and Gianluca Havern is also waiting in the wings. But Silk welcomed those additions, two of a raft of signings made by Holdsworth in the January transfer window. He said: "It is good to have competition, it keeps everyone on their toes. We did need some cover in my position. "A couple of weeks ago (against Rushden) I shouldn't really have played, because I was ill. But we didn't have anyone else. "But that is not a problem now and the manager is making sure we have competition in all areas of the squad." Silk was one of several players brought to the club by former boss Billy McEwan in the summer, and is fighting for a new contract for next season. But he has been impressed by how his new manager has gone about his task since taking control of the club just before the start of the new year. He said: "It's been a smooth transition to the way the new manager wants to do things. "The team spirit is the most noticeable thing that has improved – we are working together now, working harder and enjoying ourselves. "That has shown in our performances. When we get ahead we are strong enough to hold on to it when previously we might have let it slip. "Winning games has obviously given everyone a lot of confidence. it helps the mood of the camp" Mansfield have already beaten Kettering this season, winning 3-1 at Rockingham Road on Boxing Day when Mark Stallard and Adie Moses were in caretaker charge. Silk said: "It will probably be a bit of a different approach from us to how we played when we won down there before. I think that was probably our best overall performance of the season and hopefully we can do something similar again. "Hopefully they will be fearing us a little bit, and if they are that can only work in our favour. "The fans have been great since the new manager came in. Our home record is one of the better ones in the league so we are pretty confident we can get a result against any team." Jason Lee – who signed for the Poppies from the Stags last month – is not expected to play after a gentleman's agreement was struck between Holdsworth and his opposite number Mark Cooper when the transfer was being negotiated. But that has not stopped Silk bantering with his former Notts County team-mate. "You always want to play well against your old team and Jason is an awkward player to play against," said Silk. "I have spoken to him about the game and he has been joking saying he is going to play, but I know he can't really. "We won't be too happy if he does, and we don't want him scoring against us!" matthew.halfpenny@nottnighameveningpost.co.uk ----------------- Stags' show back on the road? CHAD, 16 February 2009 By John Lomas AFTER two successive postponements, Stags will be looking to extend their unbeaten run under David Holdsworth to six games with tomorrow night's visit of Kettering Town (7.45pm). Defender Scott Garner will finally sit out his outstanding one game ban. Apart from Alex Jeannin, who is awaiting results on a scan on a foot injury, Holdsworth has a full squad to choose from which has seen him allowed on-loan Tomi Abeobi to retuADVERTISEMENTrn to Doncaster Rovers. Striker Jason Lee, who moved to Kettering from Stags last month, will not play for the the Poppies as part of a 'gentleman's agreement' between the clubs. On Saturday Kettering won 1-0 at Woking after three straight defeats, two in cup competitions. |
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