Archived News from February 2010
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STAGS BEATEN AT WREXHAM IN PULSATING GAME
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Blue Square Premier
Wrexham 2 - 1 Mansfield Town Baynes 28, Mangan 58. Speight 48 Attendance: 2689 (105 from Mansfield) Date: 2 February 2010 ------------------------- Wrexham 2 Mansfield Town 1, Tuesday 2nd February CHAD.co.uk, 02 February 2010, By John Lomas JAKE Speight's 10th goal of the season for Mansfield proved in vain as sharpshooter Andy Mangan won an entertaining BSP game with a 58th minute strike for Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Wrexham-2-Mansfield-Town-1.6036350.jp Wes Baynes' 28th minute finish separated the sides at the end of a first half in which a battling Stags failed to test home keeper Sam Russell. But Speight struck within three minutes of the restart to raise hopes before Mangan restored the Dragons' advantage within just 10 minutes. Both sides contributed to a lively game on a weather-ravaged pitch. But it was the Welshmen who underlined their improving form and outside hopes of gatecrashing the play-off party. Their only low point was having Christian Smith sent off deep into stoppage time for a second booking by which time it was simply too late for Stags to be able to capitalise on his absence. Stags manager David Holdsworth had kept faith with the same starting XI that won at Forest Green last weekend. There were no changes on the bench either. After doubts earlier in the day this match, already postponed once just before Christmas, weas able to go ahead thanks to the efforts of home fans clearing frozen snow off the pitch. That was followed by rain but, although the surface was far from perfect, it was certainly playable. Speight broke well down the right after the first home free kick was cleared but there was no one in the middle to reach his hard, low cross. But, after a positive start by the visitors, Wrexham almost went ahead on 10 minutes. Somner headed the Dragons' first corner back out for another at the near post. The second one reached an unmarked Assoumani whose on-target header was lashed over from close range by Mangan, Mangan was also just wide with another close effort from a drilled-in ball from Holden from the left. Then it took a good tackle from Williams to halt McCluskey after his one-two with Mangan almost edged him clear. Williams then turned provider as he almost picked out Challinor with a cross from the right, Assoumani just getting there to concede the corner, Silk was read the riot act for his late tackle on Holden but the cards stayed in the referee's pocket. Another Challinor long throw caused Wrexham worry as it bounced six yards from goal but was hacked clear. The home fans were booing after tackles by Brough and then Somner left home players writhing on the turf but again no cards were produced. Baynes took the eventual free kick on 24 minutes and sent a rasping shot straight down the centre which Marriott just managed to palm upwards and against the crossbar, McCluskey slicing his follow-up wide as it bounced out towards him. However, the Dragons made the big breakthrough on 28 minutes. Holden had a first time shot deflect wide for another corner which was headed away by Duffy. The sides exchanged further corners as they tried to make a spectacle of it on a dreadful uneven surface. With three minutes to the break Jones got a glanced header onto a long Silk free kick but failed to trouble keeper Russell as it bounced wide. Foster was lucky not to concede a penalty when he seemed to shove Mangan in the back as he shaped to get a head onto a chip into the box from McClusky. But play continued and Stags were still firmly in the hunt, Duffy seeing a powerful shot on the turn blocked. The half ended in uproar from the home fans as Marriott scuffed a clearance with the one minute of stoppage time over and the ball ran invitingly to Mangan who was incensed when the whistle blew with the ball at his feet and the open goal gaping 30 yards away to his right. Stags had competed well for the first 45 minutes but had failed to test Russell once with their disappointing end product. Smith sent an intelligent pass behind Armstrong into space where Baynes, from a tight angle, drilled a firm, low finish under Marriott. Speight began the second half alongside Duffy with Briscoe on the right, replacing Challinor. And Mansfield made a explosive start to the half with an equaliser within three minutes. Armstrong hurled in a throw from the left which was flicked on by Duffy to Speight who headed home under the near angle. McClusky was just wide with a measured chip at the other end two minutes later with Marriott off his line. And the same player was only inches over the far angle with a well-struck drive after a neat Wrexham move. Duffy almost put Stags ahead on 54 minutes. Breaking swiftly down the centre with a dogged burst forward from Duffy, he found Speight who helped the ball on to Duffy in space and, 25 yards from goal he curled first time over the far angle with Russell helpless. Williams was prevented from breaking down the left by a foul from Smith who was shown the yellow card in the 56th minute. The challenge left the winger with a head wound which needed bandaging. However, the Dragons roared back in front from a 58th minute corner. McClusky put it over from the right, Assoumani headed downwards into the tangle of players in front of goal and Mangan lashed the ball high into the net from close range. Somner was added to the book on the hour for his foul on Fleming almost on the halfway line. Holden almost made it 3-1 at the far post when a low cross from the right evaded everyone and looked to be heading for a goalkick until he stole in and could only manage to turn it into the sidenetting. Jones got the ball on target with a header from a Williams free kick but straight at Russell. Foster wasn't too far wide with a header from another Williams free kick, the ball falling just wide of the keeper's right hand post. On 73 minutes David Holdsworth sent on both Hotchkiss and Perry in place of Williams and Brough for a final push for points. Holden blotted his debut copybook with a booking for his challenge on Hotchkiss on 78 minutes. Mansfield refused to accept defeat and piled on some tenacious pressure for the last 12 minutes, barely allowing the home side out of their half. In the final minute Foster headed a corner just over the top. But Mansfield were given late hope when five extra minutes were added on. And when Smith committed a foul and then lay on top of the ball to delay the game and waste time, the referee deemed it a second booking and sent him off. WREXHAM: Russell, Westwood, Assoumani, Williams, Spann, Baynes, Fleming, McCluskey, Smith, Holden, Mangan. Subs: Maxwell, Obeng, Jones, Anorou, Wolfden. STAGS: Marriott; Silk, Jones, Foster, Armstrong; Speight, Somner, Brough, Williams; Challinor, Duffy. Subs: Briscoe, Istead, Perry, Collett, Hotchkiss. REFEREE: Andrew Halliday of Ripon. ----------------------- Wrexham 2 Stags 1 Evening Post Match report: IT'S all hit and miss with Mansfield Town on their travels this season – and last night's trip to North Wales was no different. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Match-report-Wrexham-2-Stags-1/article-1798714-detail/article.html? The Stags simply don't do away draws. Not since their 1-1 at Grays Athletic in September, at any rate. So it was no surprise to see another decisive result at the Racecourse Ground, if a disappointing one for the Mansfield contingent. It was their eighth 2-1 defeat on the road in 2009-2010, to go with seven triumphant Blue Square Premier journeys. Wrexham certainly had more clear-cut goal attempts and will feel they deserved the three points to make it four games unbeaten and strengthen their hopes of making a late play-off challenge. But Mansfield were much more of an attacking threat in the second period and might have nicked a point with better finishing, particularly from set pieces. After Saturday's 4-1 win at Forest Green Rovers, boss David Holdsworth chose to send out the same Stags team in the same 4-3-3 formation. The rugby lines from the Celtic Crusaders Super League campaign opener against the Leeds Rhino a few days previously were still visible on the pitch, made heavy by rain and melting snow. As the Stags made a bright start, Jake Speight ran more than half the length of the pitch to cross low from the right byline, but he had no support and Wrexham easily cleared. Rob Duffy was then denied by Silvio Spann as Speight challenged for Ryan Williams' left-wing centre. Wrexham should have been in front in the ninth minute from their second corner as Baynes delivered the ball to the far post from the right for Mansour Assoumani to get a free header – but Andy Mangan blasted over as he tried to steer home from close range. Assoumani made a timely intervention at the other end, as Jon Challinor threatened to get in on the blindside from a Ryan Williams centre. A long throw from Challinor caused problems for Wrexham in the 21st minute, but Duffy could not work in a shot amid a crowd of players. The home side went close again when Baynes fired in a blistering free-kick that Alan Marriott managed to turn on to the bar with the slightest of touches. Jamie McCluskey shanked his follow up well wide from a difficult angle. But Wrexham were in front in the 28th minute as Christian Smith played an incisive pass into the inside-right channel and Baynes kept his cool to angle a drive under the advancing Marriott as he sped into the box. The home side now had their tails up and Luke Holden had two efforts that they looked likely to test Marriott charged down. As half time approached, Luke Jones got a flick to Gary Silk's free-kick, but it never threatened Sam Russell's goal. Mansfield were fortunate not to give away a penalty soon after, as Luke Foster appeared to push Mangan in the box. Wrexham supporters were left frustrated as the half-time whistle blew with Marriott way out of his goal following a miscued clearance and Mangan with the ball at his feet 30 yards out. The Stags, who brought on Louis Briscoe for Challinor, needed a good start to the second half – and got it from a long throw. Craig Armstrong hurled it towards the near post and Duffy flicked on for Speight to ghost in and collect his fourth goal in five games. Wrexham tried to hit straight back but Mangan's lob, though dipping, was wide. McCluskey then drilled a howitzer just beyond the left-hand post. The visitors might have gone in front when Matt Somner's determined burst and Speight's neat pass put Duffy in acres of space, but his early shot from 20 yards cleared the bar. That proved costly just before the hour, as Mangan pounced to drill into the roof of the net from close range, putting Wrexham back in front as Mansfield failed to clear a right-wing corner. The Red Dragons almost made it 3-1 in the 65th minute when Holden fired into the side-netting from McCluskey's cross. But the Stags were not beaten and Jones might have done better when he headed a pinpoint Ryan Williams free-kick into the arms of Russell, while Foster headed wide from a similar scenario. Mansfield had claims for a penalty firmly waved away by the referee when Speight went down under Russell's challenge with 10 minutes left. Five minutes of time added on and the angst of the Wrexham fans heightened as Smith saw red for a second caution. There was to be no reprieve for Mansfield, though. They don't do away draws, remember? -------------------- Wrexham collect three points against Mansfield Feb 3 2010, by Our Correspondent, Western Mail A DAY-LONG battle to ensure last night's match at the Racecourse went ahead paid handsome dividends for Wrexham as they maintained their unbeaten start to 2010 at the expense of high-flying Mansfield. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/wrexham-fc/2010/02/03/wrexham-collect-three-points-against-mansfield-91466-25749412/? A small army of volunteers spent several hours clearing snow from the Racecourse playing surface and then went to work with forks to help the melting snow and rain to drain away, so that referee Ian Halliday had little hesitation in passing the pitch fit to play. And those sterling efforts were rewarded by a third victory in four New Year outings for the Dragons. The visitors were unchanged following a 4-1 win at Forest Green Rovers at the weekend, but Wrexham's line-up included new signing Luke Holden. And Mike Williamscontinued in the absence of Frank Sinclair. The visitors were bright and positive in the early stages, but it was the Dragons who carved out the first opening after nine minutes when Mangan pounced on Mansour Assoumani's header only to see his volley ricochet to safety off the crossbar. The woodwork came to Town's rescue a second time when a 24th-minute free-kick from Wes Baynes was tipped onto the bar by keeper Alan Marriott. The ball rebounded to Jamie McCluskey, whose first-time response was hurried and he sliced his shot well wide of the goal. Baynes, though, was not to be denied and four minutes later, put clear by Christian Smith, he drove a cross-shot into the bottom corner of the net to register his second goal in the space of four days. But the complexion of the match changed within three minutes of the restart when the visitors levelled through Jake Speight, who raced in at the near post to head home Richard Duffy's flick-on from a Craig Armstrong throw. Andy Mangan restored Wrexham's advantage in the 58th minute. His first Racecourse goal was a typical poacher's close-range finish after Assoumani's knock-down fell to Christian Smith, whose initial effort was blocked. Wrexham's Smith was sent off collecting a second yellow card for preventing a quick free-kick in the 90th minute, but they collected the three points. ----------------------- Wrexham FC 2 Mansfield Town 1: Andy Mangan winner keeps up record Feb 3 2010, by Mark Currie, Daily Post A DAY-long battle to ensure last night's match at the Racecourse went ahead paid handsome dividends for Wrexham as they maintained their unbeaten start to 2010 at the expense of high-flying Mansfield Town. http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/wrexham-fc/2010/02/03/wrexham-fc-2-mansfield-town-1-andy-mangan-winner-keeps-up-record-55578-25749541/? A small army of volunteers spent several hours clearing snow from the Racecourse playing surface and then went to work with forks to help the melting snow and rain to drain away, so that referee Ian Halliday had little hesitation in passing the pitch fit to play. And those sterling efforts were rewarded by a third victory in four New Year outings for the Dragons, who look a different and far more convincing outfit since the arrival of Andy Mangan. The visitors were unchanged following a 4-1 win at Forest Green Rovers at the weekend, but Wrexham's line-up included new signing Luke Holden for his debut at the expense of Lamine Sakho. And Mike Williams, an early substitute at Altrincham for Frank Sinclair, continued in the absence of the veteran ex-Premier League star. The visitors were bright and positive in the early stages but it was the Dragons who carved out the first opening after nine minutes when Mangan pounced on Mansour Assoumani's header, but the striker saw his volley ricochet away to safety off the Mansfield crossbar. On the evidence of the exchanges to that point, chances were likely to be few and far between as both sides worked extremely hard and ensured they always had plenty of men behind the ball. Without either Sakho or leading scorer Gareth Taylor, Wrexham found themselves at a physical disadvantage in their opponents' penalty area, but the woodwork came to Town's rescue a second time when a 24th minute free-kick from Wes Baynes was tipped onto the bar by keeper Alan Marriott. The ball rebounded to Jamie McCluskey, whose first-time response was hurried and he sliced his shot well wide of the goal. Baynes, though, was not to be denied and four minutes later when put clear by Christian Smith he drove a cross shot into the bottom corner of the net to register his second goal in the space of four days. Wrexham might have doubled their lead in the 31st minute after Baynes picked out Mangan with a 40-yard pass, but when the striker laid the ball into Holden's path a defender managed to block. The visitors were given little opportunity to force their way back into the game, such was the confidence with which the Dragons were beginning to control the play and goalkeeper Sam Russell, whose handling had been sound, was largely untroubled. But the complexion of the match changed within three minutes of the restart when the visitors levelled through Jake Speight who raced in at the near post to head home Richard Duffy's flick-on from a Craig Armstrong throw. It was a cheap goal to surrender, although the home side responded quickly and Mangan was unlucky when, with Marriott beaten, his clever lob dropped just the wrong side of the upright. McCluskey too was off target with a shot from 25 yards and when Town broke quickly, Duffy snatched at a decent chance. But both sides were opening up and it was no great surprise when Mangan restored Wrexham's advantage in the 58th minute. His first Racecourse goal was a typical poacher's close-range finish after Assoumani's knock-down fell to Christian Smith, whose initial effort was blocked, and it delighted the home fans. Going behind for a second time also galvanised Mansfield and the home defence came under some sustained pressure for the first time, Luke Foster steering a header just wide from one of several corners. Launching the ball forward at every opportunity, the visitors sacrificed quality for necessity, a ploy also forced on the Dragons who were becomingly increasingly ragged. And as the fourth official signalled five minutes of added time, midfielder Smith was sent off for the second time this season after collecting a second yellow card for preventing a quick free kick. But to the relief of an increasingly concerned crowd, Mansfield were unable to take advantage and Wrexham continued to climb the league table. ------------------------- |
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