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Archived News from December 2011

DROYLSDEN 2-1 MANSFIELD, FT
15th December 2011 18:34


Droylsden 2-1 Mansfield Town
Johnson 19, 57. Green 84.
Att: 335 (not segregated)

FA Trophy 1st Round
The Butchers Arms
10 Dec 2011

text commentary by Martin Shaw, based on audio commentary by Craig Priest and youth team player Scott Rogers at http://mtfcmatters.weebly.com/mm-live.html

The Stags make two changes from the side that drew at Grimsby: Marcus Kelly is in for his debut at left back, in place of Freeman, and Aman Verma is back, in place of Bolland.

So the side (4-5-1): Marriott; Sutton, Dempster, Thompson, Kelly; Dyer, Verma, Murray, Stevenson, Meikle; Green. Subs Redmond, O'Neill, Bolland, Briscoe, Rodney.

kick off 14:59

The pitch is very wet, heavy, and quite uneven. The worst surface we've played on this season.

Decent following from Mansfield but no segregation so impossible to get the exact number of away fans.

Droylsden in red, the Stags in amber.

12 Marriott parries a shot from Danny Rowe from 25 yards, the first chance of the afternoon.

14 Brilliant save from Droylsden keeper Phillips: following a throw-in, a good ball from Murray, and Green struck a shot from 6 yards, which was brilliantly saved, and Meikle blazed the follow-up over.

18 Chris Brown fires a loose ball over the top from a tight angle.

19 Lee Stevenson shoots just wide, good effort. Was set up by Meikle.

19 1-0 Droylsden in front. Superb bullet header from Dale Johnson from a free kick gave Marriott no chance.

The rain is hammering down, so the pitch is only going to get worse.

24 Gardner free kick from 19 yards saved by Marriott comfortably.

28 Stevenson good shot off the keeper's legs, but the offside flag is up. Dempster set it up with a nice back-heel.

29 Good play from Droylsden, 6 or 7 passes, good ball into the middle, deflection off Sutton out for a corner.

Paul Cox won't be happy with what he's seen.

44 Rowe, the BSN player of the month, shoots from distance into Marriott's arms.

45+1 Good shot from Gardner, good save from Marriott.

HT 1-0
Droylsden have been the better side on chances, and on good football. A key moment was the Droylsden keeper's brilliant save from Green.

2nd half starts 16:01

Paul Cox read the riot act at half-time, overheard on the way to the tea bar.

51 Good break from the Stags, but the Stags need more pace going forward, with Briscoe or Kelly or Rodney?

52 Poor defending from Dempster, and Marriott parries a shot and the rebound is blasted over.

55 Stevenson goes down in the box, ref says no penalty. Probably the right decision.

57 Aman Verma 25 yard free kick flashes a couple of inches wide. Keeper just stood and watched it. So unlucky.

57 2-0 Dale Johnson slots in. Bad defending gave Marriott no chance.

61 O'Neill for Thompson, Briscoe for Stevenson. O'Neill to right back, Sutton to centre half. 4-4-2 with Dyer moved up front.

63 Kelly shoots just over, cutting in from the right.

64 Green 1-on-1 with the keeper, the keeper makes a great save.

74 Bolland for Verma

80 Droylsden keeper beaten, but its off the line. From Green?

82 Stags corner is headed goalwards and again off the line.

84 2-1 Green heads in.

85 O'Neill whips great ball in, Briscoe knocks it over.

4 minutes added on

90+1 Meikle shot deflected into keeper's arms.

90+4 Stags pressure. Ball cleared in the area, and away.

FT 2-1

The Stags won't be going back to Wembley in the FA Trophy. Disappointing performance, devastating result.

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

report from http://www.droylsdenfc.com

Carlsberg FA Trophy 1st Round, Saturday 5 December 2011
by Gary Owen

Droylsden deservedly progressed with this industrious performance thanks to a brace from striker Dale Johnson, and Bloods boss Dave Pace was delighted. "We had to perform today, as otherwise we may have got battered. I am addressing our inconsistency, but credit to the lads today, they battled well, played football at times, and controlled the game for long periods".

The Stags created the games first real opening, but Paul Phillips expertly turned away Matthew Greens deflected volley, with Lindon Meikle shooting wastefully over from the rebound.

The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes when Johnson rose to head a long free kick past Alan Marriott.
A Paul Marshall free kick flew straight at Marriott, before Ritchie Sutton's outstretched leg saw the ball fly past the post, narrowly avoiding an own goal from Shaun Holden's cross.

Dan Gardner had a great opportunity to double the hosts lead just before the break, but shot straight at a grateful Marriott with Lewis Killeen off target with the loose ball.

The Bloods continued to take the game to Mansfield, and Danny Rowe stung Marriott's palms with a drive that saw Steve Hall shoot too high from the follow up.

Johnson then took centre stage with a marvellous individual effort, collecting the ball some 30 yards out before riding a couple of challenges and finding the bottom corner.

Mansfield pressed hard, and Green got the better of Nat Kerr, his only error in an otherwise near perfect display, but found Phillips out quickly off his line to save.

With time running out, Marcus Kelly saw his shot turned away, and Kerr cleared off the line from Greens subsequent effort.
Green was rewarded with six minutes remaining when he headed Adam Murrays cross past Phillips to set up a tense finish, but it was too little too late for Cox's side, who was gracious in defeat.

" I asked for one thing only today, but we lacked the desire I'd hoped for. What was needed here were hearts, lungs and legs and the quality of our players should have then seen us through, but Droylsden showed more desire than us, they tackled well, passed well, ran harder and threw bodies in the way". He added "we only came to life in the last 15 minutes, and thats not good enough, but the buck stops with me and changes in personnel will be made. Yes, the pitch was heavy, but thats no excuse as it was the same for both sides".

TEAMS
Droylsden: Phillips, Brown, Holden, Langford, Kerr, Marshall, Killeen, Hall (Rouse, 90+2), Rowe (Peyton, 88), Johnson, Gardner (Kilheeney, 81).
Subs. not used :Gerrard, Lake.

Mansfield Town: Marriott, Sutton, Thompson (ONeill, 61), Dempster, Murray, Verma (Bolland, 74), Stevenson (Briscoe, 61), Green, Dyer, Meikle, Kelly.
Subs. not used :Rodney, Redmond.

ATTENDANCE: 335

REFEREE: Mr. Stephen Martin (Staffordshire)
GOALS: Droylsden - Dale Johnson (20 & 58
Mansfield Town - Matthew Green (84)

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Stags crash out of Trophy at Droylsden
chad.co.uk report

MANSFIELD Town became the latest cup giantkilling victims of valiant Conference North side Droylsden as a Dale Johnson double knocked last year's finalists out of the FA Trophy 2-1 at the first round stage at the Butchers Arms Ground today.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/stags_crash_out_of_trophy_at_droylsden_1_4050630?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Furious boss Paul Cox described it as the worst performance of the season, apologised to travelling fans and vowed to have his players in running tomorrow morning.

The Bloods were good value for their victory at a ground where the home side have taken several notable scalps in recent years in cup competitions.

Heavy rain left the pitch sopping wet and more fell during the half with Droylsden looking more comfortable on it and playing some excellent football in the first half and then, with Stags pressing hard near the end, defended magnificently.

Matt Green did pull a late goal back, but it was too little too late.

The Stags side showed two changes with Kelly making a debut at left back in place of Freeman, who was rested with a slight hamstring strain, and Verma returning from illness in midfield at the expense of Bolland.

Players struggled to keep their feet on the sodden surface in the early stages.

Gardner did well to get round Thompson on the right but there was no one there to profit from his intelligent pull-back.

Then Marriott needed two bites of the cherry to hold on to a stinging 20 yard shot from Johnson.

But it took a great stop from home keeper Phillips on 14 minutes to deny Green.

Stevenson capitalised on a slip by Holden to pull back a cross from the right which saw Green shape to meet it on the volley and fire in a great on-target finish which Phillips beat away and was then relieved to see Meikle blaze the loose ball over the top.

Brown also rifled a good shot over from a tight angle on the right when the home side suddenly had men over.

At the other end, a Mansfield counter-attack ended with Stevenson shooting low across the face of goal as the brain came down sharply again.

But on 20 minutes Stags found themselves in arrears as the Bloods went ahead via route one. Langford sent a long free kick down the centre where Johnson rose to nod a firm header past Marriott from 12 yards out.

Marriott was back in action to grab a decent Marshall free kick after Murray had conceded the foul 20 yards from goal.

Then Phillips safely held on to a Stevenson cross after Sutton had caught Hall in possession trying to play the ball out his own box.

A great pass from Gardner sent Holden on the overlap down the left and his low cross came off Sutton's heel at the near post and passed inches wide for a corner.

The home side produced another good move own the centre from which Rowe, with Stags unable to dispossess him, eventually fired too high.

Dempster and Johnson were involved in a tugging match 20 yards from goal and when Dempster had the final tug to send Johnson to the turf, the Stags man was booked on 31 minutes and Rowe blasted the subsequent free kick into the wall.

Marriott again had to get it right as a low 20 yard Rowe shot skidded in precariously on the wet surface towards him, the keeper getting his body fully behind it.

Droylsden again waltzed through the middle of the Mansfield rearguard just before the break and Hall set up Gardner for a shot Marriott beat away and when Killeen followed-up, again Marriott was there as Stags went in glad to only be one goal in arrears.

Mansfield came back out looking fired up and quickly won a corner.

But it was Marriott who made the first save as Rowe found space to run left to right before opting to shoot instead of cross, Marriott beating it out as far as Hall who hoisted a finish well over the top.

More Mansfield pressure saw Langford get his head in the way of a Meikle shot after a near pass from Verma.

Marshall headed clear the corner but then slipped as Verma ran at him and hammered the ball in low where Phillips was in the way at the near post before anyone could turn the loose ball home.

Then Verma got a 25 yard free kick over the ball but wide of the left hand post.

However, the home side struck a deadly blow on 57 minutes as Johnson doubled his tally.

Again it was simple and straight down the centre but this time Johnson ran with the ball straight through the defence from 30 yards out to strike a perfect low finish to Marriott's right and just inside the post.

That prompted a double change for Stags on 61 minutes. Briscoe replaced Stevenson in midfield while Thompson was withdraw, O'Neil coming on to play right back and Sutton going in the centre of defence.

Kelly was afforded space to run and shoot from 30 yards but it was always well over the top.

A great through ball from Dempster on 65 minutes put Green in on goal. He twisted and turned and tried to round the keeper but saw Phillips manage to get his body in the way of his finish and all Stags had to show for a promising situation was a corner.

Bolland had to replace Verma, whose hamstring had tightened, on 74 minutes which meant all subs were used and Stags were unable to throw on the pace of Rodney.

In a rare home attack, Rowe was never going to beat Marriott with his long range effort, though it was bang on target.

A long O'Neill ball saw Kelly try to guide it on target at the far post, but a defender was in the way and again all Stags had was a corner.

Two more flag kicks followed as Droylsden defended valiantly.

But Mansfield did give themselves a lifeline with six minutes to go. Murray lifted a dangerous ball into the box where Green's header deflected up and over the stranded keeper.

A home break saw Marriott down again to keep out Hall's low blast after Rowe had helped the ball on for him.

Rowes's foul on O'Neill with three minutes left, saw him booked as time began to run out on Paul Cox's men.

Meikle's shot in the first minute of stoppage time took a deflection, but Phillips safely watched it into his arms.

Deep into stoppage time, Phillips fisted away a dangerous O'Neill free kick and then the defence headed clear from another O'Neill ball as the Bloods held firm for another famous cup win to their list of scalps.

DROYLSDEN: Phillips, Brown, Holden, Langford, Kerr, Marshall, Killeen, Hall (Rouse 90+4), Rowe (Peyton 89), Johnson, Gardner (Kilheeney 81). Subs not used: Gerrard, Lake.

STAGS: Marriott; Sutton, Dempster, Thompson (O'Neill 61), Kelly; Murray, Verma (Bolland 74), Stevenson (Briscoe 61); Dyer, Green, Meikle. Subs not used: Rodney, Redmond.

REFEREE: S. Martin of Stafford.

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Droylsden 2 Mansfield Town 1
Evening Post report by Matt Halfpenny

MISERABLE Mansfield Town were 'slaughtered' at the Butchers Arms as Blue Square North Droyslden pulled off a thoroughly deserved FA Trophy upset.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-14101901-detail/story.html

The Stags were expected to ease through their first round match in a competition that saw them go all the way to Wembley last season.

Instead, they were the victims of a ruthless hatchet job by the Bloods who added further credence to their reputation as cup giant killers.

While Mansfield slipped in the mud and rain, Droylsden kept their balance and composure superbly.

They were indebted to two players – two-goal striker Dale Johnson, who put his side 2-0m ahead, and keeper Paul Phillips, who made crucial saves at key times.

The Stags did manage to pull one back in the closing stages through Matt Green's 14th of the season, but it was too little, too late.

It means Mansfield will head into the Christmas period with no choice but the concentrate on the league while Dave Pace's men are sure to enjoy their moment in the limelight – and why not.

It was the hosts who made the better start but Alan Marriott was able to claim a left-wing centre from Paul Marshall.

At the other end. Ritchie Sutton did well to whip I n a dangerous centre from the right byline that Phillips claimed under pressure from Ross Dyer.

Danny Row tried his luck from distance for the Bloods, but Marriott was well behind his effort.

Only a fantastic save from Phillips prevented Mansfield taking a 14th minute lead.

Full-back Shaun Holden slipped on the greasy surface, allowing Lee Stevenson to measure a cross from the right that Matt Green acrobatically volleyed towards the left-hand corner.

Phillips was equal to it, clawing the ball away and though the rebound dropped from for Lindon Meikle, he blazed over the top.

The hosts might have gone in front when good work from Johnson put Chris Brown in acres of the space on the right, but he fired wide of the right-hand post.

Mansfield responded quickly with a snapshot from Lee Steven son that whistled past the right-hand upright with Phillips at full stretch.

But it was the Bloods who drew first blood when Andy Langford's routine free-kick saw the Mansfield defence fail to track Johnson and his header flew just inside the left-hand post from six yards.

Droylsden went in search of a second just before the half hour and Sutton was relieved to see a Holden cross deflect off him into the side-netting, rather than into goal.

With Mansfield struggling, Rowe lifted over the top from the edge of the box as his shot had power but no direction.

The same player kept Marriott honest with a low effort as the hosts continued to dominate.

And the keeper was called on again in the final stages of the first half when the Stags defence was carved open by Steve Hall and Dan Gardner had time to pick his spot, only to have his curler repelled.

Marriott also punched away Lewis Killeen's follow-up with Mansfield rocking, making them relieved to hear the half-time whistle.

Rowe continued to cause the visitors all sorts of problems as the second period got underway. His snapshot was beaten away by Marriott before Hall was too high with the rebound

As Mansfield finally exerted some pressure, Stevenson was denied by a last-ditch tackle following Aman Verma's cutback.

Soon after Green was brought down but Verma's free-kick flew into the advertising hoardings past the left-hand post.

But it was 2-0 to the hosts when Johnson struck again just before the hour.

He wriggled free on the edge of the Mansfield box and planted an unerring finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

Paul Cox's response was to throw on Luke O'Neill and Louis Briscoe for John Thompson and Lee Stevenson.

And Mansfield should have pulled one back straight away when John Dempster's ball over the top put Green clear but he delayed his shot, giving Phillips the chance to make a block.

Briscoe then got to the right byline and screwed an inviting ball across the face of goal but skipper Adam Murray was beaten to it.

Mansfield gave themselves hope with six minutes to go as Murray's inviting cross was flicked on by Green and looped over Phillips with the aid of a deflection.

The proverbial kitchen sink was thrown at Droylsden by the Stags in the closing stages and Meikle's deflected drive forced Phillips into a save.

But Droylsden held firm to spark celebrations on the home terraces and the pitch.

Droylsden: Phillips, Brown, Holden, Langford, Kerr, Marshall, Killeen, Hall (Lake 90+4), Rowe (Peyton 89), Johnson, Gardner (Kilheney 81). Subs: Gerrard, Rouse.

Mansfield: Marriott, Sutton, Dempster, Thompson (Briscoe 61) ,Kelly Verma (Bolland 74), Murray, Stevenson (O'Neill 61), Dyer, Green. Meikle: Subs not used: Redmond, Rodney.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffs).

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

No Wembley repeat for Mansfield after cup upset
Evening Post considered report by Matt Halfpenny

THEY'LL be no walk down Wembley way for Mansfield Town and their fans this season – well, not unless, come next May, there is an altogether bigger prize at stake than the FA Trophy.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-14114459-detail/story.html

It was only seven months ago that the Stags were playing in the sunshine at the most famous football stadium in the world contesting the final of non-league football's flagship competition.

This season's run lasted no more than 90 minutes in the altogether less salubrious surroundings and driving rain of Droylsden's modest Butchers Arms home.

Full-time professional club Mansfield were expected to have too much for their part-time opponents, a division below them in the football pyramid.

But, like all efficient giant killers, the Bloods did not stand on ceremony as the visitors seemed more than happy to play their part as lambs to the slaughter.

It was always going to be as much a question of attitude as ability in Greater Manchester. Of desire as much as skill.

With the pitch having turned into a mudbath, it was clear conditions would make it a battle.

Yet some of the visiting players did not seem to relish the challenge at all, which was always going to leave the Stags susceptible.

Afterwards, manager Paul Cox was visibly shaking with rage as he appeared from the tunnel to fulfil his media commitments.

It was easy to understand why, having sent out what he believed to be his best available side and insisting beforehand he would do everything to ensure the team's preparation was spot on.

What it will have told him is a great deal about some of his squad; about their character when the going gets tough.

And in certain instances, he will not be pleased with what he saw en-route to a disappointing an unexpected defeat.

But let it be clear, this was no fluke. Droylsden's victory was well merited.

Dave Pace's side played a refreshing brand of passing football that had Mansfield Town's defence in sixes and sevens in the first half.

Overall, they created the better chances, showed immense determination and defended as if their lives depended on it.

Yes, Mansfield piled on the pressure in the closing stages in search of an equaliser and five or ten minutes more might have produced a different result.

And yes, home keeper Paul Phillips did find crucial saves at key times, without which the outcome could have altered significantly.

That, however, would have been rough justice on the Bloods and Dale Johnson, who was to prove their hero.

The Hyde striker's partner up front, Danny Rowe, had taken all the headlines in November after scoring seven times to win the Blue Square Bet North player of the month award.

But this was to be his day with a well-taken brace, one in each half, that booked a second round spot.

Cox, not wanting to risk Kieron Freeman because of a tight hamstring, handed Marcus Kelly his debut at left-back for the Stags, a position where he had operated at previous club Kettering.

Aman Verma, back after missing Tuesday's game at Grimsby with illness, was brought back into the three-man midfield at the expense of Paul Bolland.

Both Matt Green and John Thompson shook of illness to start after missing training on Thursday.

The tone of the game was set early on, with Droylsden giving as good as they got.

But Mansfield had the first clear-cut opportunity when Lee Stevenson's cross from the right was acrobatically volleyed towards the left corner by Green, only for Phillips to parry before Lindon Meikle blazed over the resulting rebound.

Suitably buoyed, Droyslden's Chris Brown should have done better when he fired into the side netting, but his team did go in front in the 20th minute.

Andy Langford's straight free-kick into the box looked innocuous enough, but no Mansfield player tracked the run of Johnson and he gleefully nodded into the left-hand corner from six yards.

Rowe twice tested Marriott as the hosts bossed the rest of the half, with Mansfield wobbling.

Dan Gardner had the clearest sight of goal, however, when he was put in on goal by Steve Hall, only to have his curler saved by Alan Marriott.

It got worse for Mansfield in the second period, just as they looked to be inching their way back into the game.

Johnson slipped a couple of would-be tacklers on the edge of the box in the 58th minute before clinically dispatching into the right corner to double Droylsden's lead.

Only the arrival of Louis Briscoe and Luke O'Neill seemed to stir the Stags from their slumber as they finally began to examine the home defence.

Even so, Phillips saved again from Green, this time put clear by John Dempster, and when the striker did eventually grab his 14th goal of the campaign, with a deflected flick header from Adam Murray's left-wing cross, it was a little too late in the piece.

Of course, Mansfield will still harbour ambitions of making the trip down the M1 to the capital in 2012 – as Blue Square Bet Premier play-off finalists in the hunt for promotion back to the Football League.

The fact is they will have to play an awful lot better than this, though, or that is no more than a pipedream

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