{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from December 2011

GATESHEAD PREVIEWS
1st December 2011 14:19


-------------------

Spotlight on Mansfield Town v Gateshead
Nottingham Post, Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Mansfield (from): Marriott, Redmond, O'Neill, Dempster, Sutton, Thompson, Day, Riley, Freeman, Dyer, Briscoe, Bolland, Murray, Verma, Worthington, Stevenson, Meikle, Kelly, Green, Howell, Rodney.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-13987102-detail/story.html

Gateshead (from): Alnwick, Baxter, Clark, Curtis, Carruthers, Gate, Turnbull, Cummins, Brittain, Shaw, Moore, Deasy, Rents, Fisher, Marwood, Henderson.

?Team news: Mansfield striker Paul Connor (groin) is struggling while left-back Jo Kendrick (back) has returned to training but is unlikely to be fit enough to be considered.

Adam Murray returns from a one-game ban and new signing Marcus Kelly (calf) is in contention after missing Saturday's 1-1 draw at Bath.

Gateshead are without Yemi Odubade (broken foot) while Eddie Odhiambo (knee) is doubtful.

Chris Moore played his first game in the 1-1 draw with Fleetwood at the weekend since coming back from a shoulder injury.

One to watch: Jon Shaw. The former Stags striker is leading goalscorer in the division this season with 16 league goals to his credit, including the opener in Gateshead's 3-0 win over Mansfield at the International Stadium in August.

Manager: Ian Bogie. In charge since May 2007, has moulded the Tynesiders into serious play-off contenders following a 15th place finish last season.

SSA news: Tickets for the family friendly New Year's Eve party at Field Mill, featuring a live band and buffet are now on sale from the club ticket office and SSA committee members.

Prices are £10 for adults and £5 for children.

SSA have coach places available for all Stags fans wanting to travel to Grimsby Town next Tuesday night.

Prices start at £10 for amber members and seats can be booked on 07967 689597

-------------------------

Stags boss Cox has new sense of perspective
Nottingham Post, Tuesday, November 29, 2011

IT is with a new sense of perspective that Mansfield Town's Paul Cox is preparing for tonight's home clash with Gateshead.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-13987039-detail/story.html

Like everyone else in the football world, the Stags boss was shocked to hear of the death of Wales boss Gary Speed on Sunday. It quickly made all his recent problems at Field Mill pale into insignificance.

?Cox was as disappointed as any of the 146 fans who travelled to the south west on Saturday that Mansfield could not secure victory at struggling Bath, being held to a 1-1 draw.

But what happened just a few hours later has made him sit back and realise that worries over the club's stumbling form in the past few weeks is not the end of the world.

"I never played against him, but everyone has said how much of a positive figure Gary was in the game," said Cox.

"At this time your heart goes out to his family and you wonder what must have been going on in his mind.

"It's an absolute loss to football and society in general and when something like this happens, it really does put things into perspective.

"Sometimes in this game you can push all other things to one side for the chase of winning matches.

"But when you strip it down, it's a game of football and for players and managers it is a job. I still have my home and family life outside of it – and I'm lucky enough to understand that.

"It is quite easy in this game to put your job ahead of your life, but you should never risk your health because of it.

"When something like this happens, you realise that it's futile; that what we are all chasing is not all that important in the grand scheme of things."

But Cox's stance – finding the right balance – should not be mistaken as ambivalence towards his role. No one is more self-critical, nor analytical.

He has gone over the game at Twerton Park in his head several times and still draws the same conclusion – that Mansfield should have wrapped up victory before Bath piled on the pressure late on.

Cox said: "Sometimes you can get caught up in the passion and lose sight of what you want to achieve.

"You have to look at the stats and be realistic. We have four league games before Christmas and three until we get to the halfway point.

"If we can get six to eight points and have 38 to 40 going into the Southport game (on December 17) then even if we have not played well of late we will be on course to progress.

"In the last three seasons the club has never achieved higher than 62 points, so to get within 22 points by the turn of the year would be a good effort.

"But to do that we need to stop being blasé about who we are playing and get back to earning the right to win games."

Mansfield welcome a Tynsiders side to north Nottinghamshire who have flourished since inflicting Mansfield's first defeat of the season back in August (3-0).

Their progress has been led by former Stags striker Jon Shaw, who already has 16 goals to his credit this season.

"We were excellent for the first 20-odd minutes at Gateshead, then two quick goals killed us," said Cox.

"They have come on in leaps and bounds since then, but I'm not surprised. They have a good manager who knows what he wants to do.

"I don't think the game up there will be in our players' minds. I don't want us to go into the game with any negative thoughts."

-----------------------

Town are looking to exact revenge
by Steve Brown, The Journal, Nov 29 2011

Read More http://www.journallive.co.uk/newcastle-sports/football-news/2011/11/29/town-are-looking-to-exact-revenge-61634-29859669/#ixzz1f5KeZi6u

IAN Bogie has warned his Gateshead side to beware a Mansfield Town outfit seeking revenge tonight.

Buoyed by Saturday's home draw with big-spending Fleetwood Town, the Tynesiders travel to Field Mill this evening seventh in Blue Square Bet Premier – four points and two places above the Stags, who have a game in hand.

However, it is August's 3-0 win at the International Stadium, and the manner of victory over Mansfield, which Bogie suspects will have Paul Cox's side most fired up for tonight's encounter.

Bogie, still without Eddie Odhiambo and Yemi Odubade, said: “Mansfield were another much-fancied side at the beginning of the season.

“They have made a lot of signings during the close season, I think they brought about 20 new players in.

“So again, it will be a difficult game, it always is going to Mansfield. They are another former Football League side.

“However, we produced a good performance against them here early in the season.

“We won quite convincingly and, after the excellent start we had made at Kidderminster, it set us up for the way we started the season.

“So they will be out to avenge that. They have one or two quality players in their side.

“Every game in the Conference Premier is a difficult one and we will have to be at our very best to take something from the game.

“I always believe we go into every game capable of winning it and this season more so than ever. We have played better away from home this season than we have at the International Stadium, for some reason.

“There, teams come to defend and put men behind the ball, whereas away from home it suits our counter-attacking style more.

“Home sides have the onus on them to take the initiative and that will be the case against Mansfield.

“We have to try and take advantage of that and maintain our excellent form. They are not too far behind us in the table and will be looking to peg us back.

“However, our aim is still to be in and around the play-off positions come the end of the season.

“We are just outside now, but if we keep playing the way we have so far this season we will not be far off.

“The lads just have to believe in themselves, take confidence from the last few results and keep that form going.”

----------------------------

 

Latest | December 2011