Archived News from November 2012
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SLOUGH FA CUP PREVIEWS
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Cox will play strongest side v Slough
video interview with Paul Cox http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/cox-will-play-strongest-side-v-slough-460406.aspx 1st November 2012 Paul Cox will take no chances to experiment this weekend and will play his strongest starting 11 in Saturday's FA Cup match at home to Slough. Cox's men come up against the joint lowest ranked team remaining in this competition, but the manager was keen to stress that he won't be taking the game lightly. “It's a big game and everyone's looking forward to it but it won't be the roll over that people expect,” said Cox. “It'll be their [Slough's] cup final and it'll be tough, especially in the first 20 minutes [of the match]. We have to take our chances when they come. “We have to get things into perspective - the FA Cup is all about giant killing. If we are lucky enough to get into the next round and draw a big club then we would be up against that big club and hoping to upset them. “We have to be respectful of this fixture. Any team that gets to the first round proper are a decent side. “We're hungry to progress in this competition and have to go about our business in a tough and ruthless manner.” In team news, John Thompson and Nick Wright could be involved in the 18-man squad after completing 90 minutes in a midweek reserve match. Ryan Tafazolli (hamstring) is ruled out whilst Adam Murray may need an injection in his ankle to be able to play ----------------- Redmond relishing cup chance video interviews with Shane Redmond and Matt Rhead http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/redmond-relishing-cup-chance-460443.aspx?pageView=full#anchored 1st November 2012 Goalkeeper Shane Redmond is delighted that he will be back between the sticks for this weekend's FA Cup with Budweiser First Round clash against Slough Town. The Irish shot-stopper, who played for Eastwood Town against Kettering Town at the Third Round stage of the competition during the 2008/09 campaign, will start in goal in the absence of cup-tied Liam Mitchell. Redmond said: “For me, it's a magic competition. When we got to the Third Round stage with Eastwood, it was a magic experience and it produced a lot of good memories.” “Against Slough, we're the favourites really, but they'll be no favours at all from them. It's going to be a tough game for us and we will need to be at our best.” Redmond added: “Liam Mitchell has done well since he came in, but Notts County won't let him play in the FA Cup, so it gives me another chance in the team and I'm really looking forward to it.” Striker Matt Rhead echoed the sentiments of his team-mate. The 28-year-old, who also featured for the Badgers in the aforementioned Third Round encounter at Rockingham Road, also believes that a cup run may help to kick-start our league season. Rhead said: “I've got a lot of good memories in the FA Cup. At Eastwood, we didn't get the tie we wanted with Kettering, but it helped to breed confidence around the team.” “We won promotion later in the same season and hopefully the same can happen here. “But the Slough game will be tough. They'll come here wanting to win, so we have to be professional and do a job, just like we did at Workington to make sure we're in the draw for the Second Round.” Rhead concluded: “It feels a bit different with having an FA cup game this weekend, but we need to put a run of form together now. With the players that we've got in our squad, we all know we should be higher in the league table.” ----------- Stags Selection Dilemma For Cox mansfield103.co.uk, Thursday 1st November, 2012 Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox says he has a lot of thinking to do ahead of Saturday's FA Cup match with Slough after the midweek reserve game at Rotherham. http://www.mansfield103.co.uk/sport.php?n=2056 The Stags put in a good performance against strong opposition to draw 1-1 in the Central League on Tuesday, with Louis Briscoe getting the goal. And, Cox says that many have put their cases forward for inclusion in the first team game at the weekend. He told Mansfield 103.2 at today's press conference: "We had a look at certain things with Saturday's match in mind and I've had a chat with one or two players and I've told them to push their claim for a place now. "I want to get this club back to having hungry footballers who are earning the right to wear the shirt. "If I need to make some big decisions and upset one or two, then I'm not scared to do that." -------------------------------- Cox warning for Stags as they prepare for Slough FA Cup showdown Friday, November 02, 2012 Nottingham Post AS they come up against Slough, the televisual home of David Brent, Paul Cox is particularly determined his Mansfield Town side do not endure a bad day at 'The Office'. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-17215661-detail/story.html The Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central side are the joint lowest side left in the FA Cup and it will be a considerable giant killing if they were to secure a win at the One Call Stadium. ?But Cox has warned his players there can be no room for complacency in their first round tie, if they are to be certain of avoiding an upset. "If we score in the 89th minute and we go through with a 1-0 win, I will be happy," said Cox. "If we are lucky enough to get through to the third round and play Manchester United, their fans will have an expectation about beating us. "But you do not get the rollover results that people expect any more. "That expectation can add to the anxiety. We want to be in the next round and the supporters can play a massive part in this club being a success. "This is a game we want to win and if that happens with a goal off somebody's backside, so be it. "The second and third round are where memories and dreams are made." Cox says there should be no greater motivation for Mansfield than the prospect of a big tie of their own in future rounds of the competition. "We could be travelling somewhere in a few games hoping to upset a big boy," he said. "But that is what Slough will be hoping for this weekend. "They will bring their fans with them and they will be hoping to see something special. "But we want to be the giant killers. To do that, we have to be respectful of this fixture. "We have to be more mentally tough this weekend than we would, probably, if we were playing Spurs or Aston Villa. "It is a game people are looking forward to. It is a big game. "People will be expecting a comfortable win. But we have to retain perspective. "The FA Cup is all about giant killing and, if we are fortunate enough to get through to the next round and draw a big club, we would be looking to cause an upset. "We have to be respectful of the fixture, we have to understand that anyone who can go to this round has to be a decent side. "We have to go about our business in a tough and ruthless manner." Cox will have John Thompson, Nick Wright and Adam Murray back in his squad, although Ryan Tafazolli (hamstring) is ruled out. "We will be putting out our strongest team possible," he said. "We have had them watched, we need to respect them because we want to progress in this competition. "We want to make sure we are in the next round of the cup." ------------------- Redmond hopes to take his chance in Stags' cup tie with Slough chad.co.uk, Friday 2 November 2012 GOALKEEPER Shane Redmond will be hoping to finally take his chance in the first team as he comes back in as one of two enforced changes for Saturday's FA Cup home tie with minnows Slough Town (3pm). http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/redmond-hopes-to-take-his-chance-in-stags-cup-tie-with-slough-1-5089690 Top scorer Jake Speight serves a one-match ban for accumulating five bookings while Notts County will not allow loanee keeper Liam Mitchell to become cup-tied which means Redmond will again get his chance to show what he can do. With Mitchell's loan up this weekend, Redmond's display may convince manager Paul Cox what his next move should be on the goalkeeping front. “It's been difficult,” said Redmond. “I thought my chance had come when Alan Marriott was injured, but the gaffer went out and brought Liam in on loan and, to be fair to him, he's done well. “But Saturday is a chance for me to stake my claim and I would love to get my first clean sheet of the season. “I hope the fans will stay patient as we don't know when we will score – the first minute or the 89th minute. Everyone expects us to trounce Slough, but we know it won't be easy. “It is going to be a battle and we have to go out and do a professional job. We are at home so we know we will have a good pitch and I pray the weather is good too. Hopefully we will have the home fans behind us too. “I love the competition. I got to the third round with Eastwood and it is a magic cup.” Defender Ryan Tafazolli is definitely out with a hamstring problem while midfielder Adam Murray remains a doubt, despite an injection into an ankle injury. However, there were several good displays in the reserves' 1-1 draw at Rotherham in midweek and boss Paul Cox said: “I have one or two big decisions to make and I may have to upset one or two players which I am not scared to do. We need to be firing on all cylinders on Saturday.” Cox hinted there could be other changes, saying: “Some of the players did well in the reserves and the front four of Wright, Meikle, Hutchinson and Briscoe looked absolutely out of this world. They've all given me food for thought. Sometimes hunger will come before ability.” ---------------- VIEWS FROM THE TRAINING GROUND Slough Town manager Steve Bateman told BBC Radio Berkshire: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20107259?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed "We're in good form and good mood and everyone has a smile on their face. "The group of players we have are capable of playing at a higher level. Some already have, some will again. "We've shown in cup football we can mix it with the best. It will be a big ask but a great opportunity and one the players are really looking forward to. "We think we can cause an upset, the players are positive and have so far risen to every challenge." ----------------------------------- Bateman: Slough should 'embrace' historic cup clash 2 Nov 2012 http://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/sport/football/articles/2012/11/02/64021-bateman-slough-should-embrace-historic-cup-clash/ STEVE Bateman aims to make the mouthwatering FA Cup clash at Mansfield Town live long in the memory of Slough supporters. The Rebels have exceeded all expectations by reaching the first round proper, where they are the joint-lowest ranked club left in the competition. And, despite admitting the achievement has yet to sink in, Bateman has urged Rebels fans to get behind their team at One Call Stadium on Saturday (3pm ko). Speaking to the Observer, manager Bateman said: "The enormity of the achievement has only just started to dawn on me. "I have not really had the time to reflect and put it into context. "It is great to get to where we have, we've exceeded expectations, but we do not want it to end here. "I hope the people of Slough get behind us and enjoy the day out. "I urge supporters to come out and embrace the occasion. These things are few and far between and do not come around often." He continued: "Win, lose or draw we will be staying and having a night out up north. I prefer to do it that way, it is a good occasion and something different for us. "You read about surprises after the first qualifying round, but you steer your way through and the boot goes on the other foot. We have enjoyed it and navigated our way through difficult games. "There will be one or two eyebrows raised on Saturday night and I would dearly love to be one of those." The Rebels have shocked higher league opposition Margate and Gosport Borough to reach the first round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2004. That year they dumped Paul Merson's Walsall out of the competition thanks to Glen Harris' second-half winner, before losing to the now defunct Yeading. And, having watched Mansfield lose at Dartford live on Sky Sports last week, Bateman is optimistic of another Slough shock. He continued: "We are starting to think about Mansfield now we have managed to get through the period between the Gosport result. "We've had the opportunity to watch them live on TV and had conversations with managers who have played against them in recent times. "It is important to understand what the opposition are all about but also focus on being right on the money ourselves. "We will go into the game well prepared and in a real positive mood to do ourselves justice." Mansfield manager Paul Box has come underfire after just one win from their last six Blue Square Bet fixtures has seen the promotion-chasing Stags slip to down to mid-table. And Bateman believes their direct tactics will only play into the hands of the resolute Rebels defence. He said: "Mansfield have had a couple of up and down results but they are a very proud club with ambitions to get back into the Football League. "They are very direct in the way they approach things, but the height in our side should cancel that out. There was a smile on the faces of our centre halves when we watched them on Friday. "We have got to make sure we play and do not let their long ball approach be a threat. "We will try and get the ball down on a better surface but it remains to be seen if we can limit them. "We have got to get off to a good start and silence the crowd, we're not going there just to defend." Bateman argued: "Nothing so far has phased us so the awe of the occasion shouldn't worry us. We have got two wins already against higher league opposition. "We will give Mansfield a good game if we can relax and show what we're capable of. We're not going to make up the numbers. "I want the players to go and enjoy themselves, the occasion and do themselves justice." ------------------- |
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