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Archived News from October 2013

MONUMENTAL DISPLAY OF GRIT SEES WIN AT SPIREITES
1st October 2013 16:44


Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Chesterfield 0 - 1 Mansfield Town
Andrew 38.
Attendance: 10,015 (1992 from Mansfield)

Date: 28 September 2013

Martin Shaw at the Proact Stadium, Whittington Moor

Mansfield Town produced a monumental performance of grit, determination and team spirit in a wonderful rearguard action to earn the three points at Chesterfield this lunchtime. Throughout the team, the Stags defended superbly, not just the five defenders but the midfield and forwards too, to frustrate a Chesterfield side who knocked the ball around well and are rightly red-hot favourites the win the league. And behind the defence, Alan Marriott, who some fans had written off in early season, produced a masterclass in goalkeeping with fabulous saves, superb handling, and always was in the right place with his positioning. The Stags had been under huge pressure in the opening 30 minutes, but took the lead after 38 minutes when Calvin Andrew towered above the home defence to head home a pinpoint Ben Hutchinson corner. Andrew told me afterwards that the defenders didn’t know who was supposed to be picking him up, and he capitalised. Four minutes after taking the lead, it was nearly 2-0 as Hutchinson rattled the post with a fine shot and good play to set him up by Clucas. The Stags were an inch away from a penalty just 3 minutes before the goal when McGuire was fouled and the free kick was taken on the line itself. Chesterfield also hit the woodwork, in the final minute of the first half. In the second half, Mansfield continued to defend superbly and Chesterfield ran out of ideas how to break through. The Stags still have not conceded a goal in the second half of a game this season. To cap a woeful day for the Spireites, playmaker Gary Roberts who surely should be playing League One at least rather than League Two, was sent off 4 minutes into stoppage time for kicking James Jennings. So Chesterfield were beaten for the first time this season, while the Stags rose to third and into the automatic promotion places. The only person associated with Mansfield who wasn’t ecstatic was my girlfriend as my beard will continue growth for at least another week during this unbeaten run that so far has lasted 7 weeks. After the game Paul Cox said to me he hopes I’m looking like Father Christmas by Christmas time.

Paul Cox kept faith with the same 11 and same substitutes as the side that beat Northampton 3-0 a week ago. Worth noting that there wasn’t a single player in either squad to have played in a Chesterfield v Mansfield derby before. There was a change in formation as Beevers and Jennings played in conventional full back roles rather than wing-back, in a 5-2-1-2 formation, with Hutchinson just behind the front two as usual.

Stagsnet report here

Man of the match: Alan Marriott

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On the road: A fearsome derby fuelled by legacy of miners’ strike... the Chesterfield and Mansfield rivalry is still burning
By IVAN SPECK
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2437672/On-road-Ivan-Speck-visits-Chesterfield-v-Mansfield-rivalry.html#ixzz2gMlOWClU

30 September 2013

The towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield lie 10 miles apart. Thirty years ago, as you travelled along the road that connects them, the landscape was smattered with pithead wheels and sprinkled with a thin film of coal dust.
The mining country of DH Lawrence is all gone now. The last pits closed in 1992 and a central reason for their closure turned Chesterfield v Mansfield into one of the most bile-filled derbies in English football.

The towns are in neighbouring counties - Chesterfield in north Derbyshire, Mansfield across the border in Nottinghamshire. During the miners’ strike of 1984-5, the Derbyshire miners were on strike till the end; their Nottinghamshire peers went back to work.
Communities were torn apart, possessions pawned, savings exhausted. The recriminations latched themselves on to a football match and the cries of ‘Scabs’ moved from picket lines to terraces.
While Nottingham Forest against Derby County offered up an equally hostile derby between the two counties on Saturday, that fixture carries no political overtones. There were no mines around Derby and anyway their mutual loathing owes more to the manager who both linked and divided the clubs - Brian Clough.
Twelve years ago, I attended a Chesterfield-Mansfield derby for the first time - at Mansfield’s Field Mill ground - and was staggered by the hatred that filled the air.

But that was 2001, just 16 years after the miners’ strike ended and nine years after the final pit closures in the area. Every fan who wasn’t still at school had lived through the heartbreak, the hunger, the misery. The wounds were open sores.
The demographic of the fans has changed. At Saturday’s first league encounter between the clubs in six seasons, the majority of the 10,015 fans were too young to remember the mining days. There was rivalry, an intense, burning rivalry, yet the political and social edges have come off it a tad.
Geographical location has overtaken bitterness and blame as the main emotion underscoring the occasion.
The match itself - a rip-snorter of a game full of feisty tackles and near-misses - was won by visitors Mansfield, who ended League Two leaders Chesterfield’s unbeaten start to the season and moved themselves up to third.

The other clash was in football culture. Chesterfield’s free-flowing style was a joy to behold and ought to have brought victory. Mansfield’s rugged defensive stability was equally impressive and did.
The winner, a close-range header, was scored by Calvin Andrew, who commendably ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with the Mansfield fans rather than add an inflammatory gesture to a simmering atmosphere among the home fans.
Andrew said: ‘Yes, I was conscious of it. In a big derby like this, you don’t want to rile the opposition fans. It’s not right to gloat in that circumstance.’
At the age of 26 - he was born the year after the miners’ strike ended - and being from Luton, Andrew was unaware of the associations that make this a derby with a difference.

Chesterfield striker-cum-left back and the newly elected incoming chairman of the PFA Ritchie Humphreys is, however.
Humphreys is 36 in November and hails from nearby Sheffield. He said: ‘Our players knew how much the game meant to our fans, who queued up in pouring rain for tickets, but unless you are from either town or you have been at either club for a long time you may not be aware of the history.
‘I live pretty much 10 miles away from here and being from Sheffield I am very much aware of the rivalry.
‘It’s a long time ago now but obviously it still doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.’
The emotions will never leave this fixture but thankfully they are becoming less raw.

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Mansfield Town's Calvin Andrew emerges as unlikely derby hero at Chesterfield
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/league-two/10342967/Mansfield-Towns-Calvin-Andrew-emerges-as-unlikely-derby-hero-at-Chesterfield.html
By James Restall

The Mansfield Town striker ended his fruitless spell and Chesterfield's unbeaten start to the season while Exeter City's Scot Bennett scored a brace to bring about Fleetwood Town's demise.
League Two round-up: Mansfield Town's Calvin Andrew emerges as unlikely derby hero at Chesterfield
Complicated: Calvin Andrew’s career has been far from straightforward.

Scoring in a derby is a sure-fire way for a player to write themselves into their club’s folklore, but you would not have bet on the identity of Mansfield’s match-winner at table-topping Chesterfield.
Calvin Andrew’s career has been far from straightforward since Neil Warnock paid Luton Town £400,000 to take him to Crystal Palace in 2008. The striker scored only two goals in 68 appearances at Selhurst Park and endured a number of fruitless loan spells.
He may be on course for a more promising future at Mansfield, however, after picking the perfect moment to open his account for the Stags. Andrew’s close-range effort ended Chesterfield’s unbeaten start to the season and lifted promoted Mansfield into third.

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Saturday, 28th September 2013: Chesterfield 0 Mansfield Town 1
chad.co.uk report by John Lomas

Calvin Andrew picked the perfect time to score his first goal for Mansfield Town as he bagged the historic winning goal in this afternoon’s fantastic derby victory at arch-rivals Chesterfield.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/saturday-28th-september-2013-chesterfield-0-mansfield-town-1-1-6097268

Stags spent much of the afternoon under the expected intense pressure of the unbeaten League Two leaders’ attacks, but defended magnificently on their first ever trip to the Proact Stadium.

And against the run of play it was Andrew who leapt high in the 37th minute to head home a Ben Hutchinson corner and become an instant club legend in front of a noisy army of almost 2,000 away fans.

Alan Marriott produced another man of the match display in goal, pulling off a great first half save to thwart Jimmy Ryan, then denying Eoin Doyle twice in one-on-ones.

The afternoon ended with over seven minutes of added time which was almost unbearable, during which home star Gary Roberts sent off for stamping on James Jennings to complete the Spireites’ misery.

For Mansfield this was an eighth game unbeaten and moved them into third place.

Not surprisingly Mansfield were unchange the first league meeting between the side for six years.

The early minutes were tense and nervy with a fantastic atmosphere ringing out from the stands. And it was the home side who forced the pace.

With Beevers out of position, Roberts put in a dangerous left wing cross which Tafazolli missed and was relieved to see Jennings behind him put it out for a third minute corner.

The flag kick was cleverly worked with the ball played short for a far post cross that Hird got on the end of with a header that wasn’t too far over.

Two minutes later O’Shea cued up Ryan for a vicious 25-yard blast that Marriott had to turn out for a corner full stretch to his left.

Marriott also got down quickly to cut out a low cross from Humphreys from the left after another well-worked move from the home side, who were causing a lot of problems down the left.

O’Shea was well wide with a far post header on 11 minutes as the Spireites continued to boss the game.

Sutton produced an important tackle to halt a promising run by Doyle just outside the box before he could get a shot away.

Mansfield finally posed a threat on 14 minutes as McGuire burst past a couple of challengers only to lift a tame half-volley comfortably wide of goal.

On 16 minutes Marriott was jeered as he sliced a difficult Beevers backpass out for home corner number three. But again the Stags survived.

Howell helped on a Marriott kick on 18 minutes towards Clucas, who turned well but lost sight of goal as he fired first time well wide.

Doyle tricked his way towards the by-line on the right and whipped in a swirling cross that Marriott was happy to push over his bar for another fruitless home corner.

Roberts was chopped down 25 yards from goal in a central position on 24 minutes only to see his free kick clip the Stags wall and fly out for another corner.

Home pressure intensified and a low Humphreys cross flew right in front of goal with Doyle and Darikwa sliding in but unable to convert.

Marriott then had to block a dangerous near post cross from Talbot and keep out another effort from Talbot before Roberts finally screwed a finish wide to end the home side’s best spell of pressure so far.

Still Chesterfield streamed forward with Doyle guiding a header well wide on 31 minutes.

But two minutes later the home side really should have broken through as Roberts’ superb pass down the centre cut the visiting defence wide open for Doyle, who, through one on one, saw his finish blocked by Marriott.

Stags replied seconds later with Clucas doing well to win a bouncing ball just outside the home box and whip a shot inches wide.

Mansfield then won a free kick just outside the box on the right. Hutchinson put it over to the far post where Andrew couldn’t control it.

Then Clucas was just prevented getting on the end of a far post cross by an outstretched leg that gave Stags their first corner of the game.

And from that came the opening goal against the run of play.

Hutchinson put the ball in from the left wing corner and Andrew rose highest to nod home his first Stags goal and become an instant Mansfield Town folklore hero.

O’Shea scuffed a low effort well wide of the far post as the stunned home side looked for an instant reply.

A brilliant piece of skill from Clucas on the right by-line put him into space to set up Hutchinson for a powerful shot that came back off the far post as Stags came desperately close to doubling their advantage.

As we entered the one minute of added time the home side also came so close to a goal.

Roberts got to the left by-line and sent in a teasing cross that Morsy headed against the crossbar.

That saw Stags given rapturous applause by the army of away fans as they went into the half-time break with the slenderest of precious advantages.

Doyle fired a low ball across the face of goal in the first incident of note of the second half.

Dempster then felt the full force of a Ryan blast after he was set up by Roberts.

Cooper saw the game’s first booking on 53 minutes for dissent after a free kick was given against him.

The home side made a double change seconds later as Darikwa and O’Shea were withdrawn and Gnanduillet and McSheffrey sent on.

There was controversy as Morsy went down under contact from McGuire. The referee appeared to point to the spot but instead he gave a free kick to Mansfield and booked Morsy.

Stags goal survived a charmed life again on 58 minutes as Gnanduillet had a low shot blocked, Marriott then allowing the ball to run free again to Doyle, who lifted it over the keeper into the danger zone where Gnanduillet blazed over the gaping goal.

Tafazolli’s crunching tackle on Roberts saw him booked on 59 minutes, McGuire joining him a minute later for a late tackle.

Hutchinson was replaced by Meikle on 62 minutes to add some new life to the under-pressure visitors.

McGuire was involved in more controversy on 65 minutes as he went down easily in the home box and then fell as Talbot made contact with him in an angry confrontation afterwards.

McGuire was walking a tightrope, but the second yellow card stayed in the official’s pocket as he lectured the two of them.

Mansfield faced more danger on 68 minutes after Howell brought down Roberts right on the edge of the box in a central position, McSheffrey’s free kick straight into the Mansfield wall.

Gnanduillet was wide after getting his head onto a far post cross seconds later.

On 69 minutes Jennings joined the list of bookings for bringing down Talbot.

On a rare Mansfield sautee out of their own half, Clucas crossed from the right and Andrew jumped to nod a tame header towards Lee.

Andrew then stayed down in some discomfort which angered the home fans who thought he was time wasting.

Marriott was well positioned again as he got down to keep out a low Doyle shot on the turn.

Andrew looked worn out by this stage and on 76 minutes was replaced by Daniel.

A minute later Marriott was again the hero as a shot bounced perfectly for Doyle, leaving them one on one, the keeper again making a crucial block.

Roberts held off the attentions of Howell to cue up Ryan for a low shot straight at Marriott.

Rhead took over from Clucas up front for Mansfield for the final 10 minutes.

Chesterfield were becoming increasingly desperate as shown when Roberts fired a hurried low shot wide of goal from the left of the box. Ryan was well wide a minute later as the home side continued to try their luck from distance with the visitors defending their box so well.

A brief respite saw Rhead head on a clearance to Daniel who set up Meikle for a shot that was blocked.

Meikle then did well to race onto a long clearance down the right and bring it inside to roll it into the path of Rhead, whose first time shot lacked power and went straight to Lee.

Almost inevitably, the referee decided Stags would have to suffer six additional minutes as we reached the 90th minute.

In the second of those Chesterfield forced their eighth corner of the contest, again Stags clearing their lines.

Morsy clipped a tired shot wide from 25 yards.

Four minutes into stoppage time, home playmaker Roberts was sent off.

The game drifted into an amazing eighth minute of added time as nerves were shredded.

But the final whistle finally sounded with police and stewards then having to move quickly to prevent supporters clashing by the corner flag.

It had been a thrilling and exhausting afternoon but one that will live on in the memory of Mansfield fans forever.

CHESTERFIELD: Lee, Talbot (Devitt 86), Humphreys, Hird, Cooper, Ryan, Morsy, Darikwa (Gnanduillet 53), Roberts, O’Shea (McSheffrey 53), Doyle. Subs: Chapman, Evatt, Edwards, Togwell.

STAGS: Marriott; Sutton, Dempster, Tafazolli; Beevers, Howell, McGuire, Hutchinson (Meikle 62), Jennings; Andrew (Daniel 76), Clucas (Rhead 80). Subs: Palmer, Murtagh, Stevenson, Speight.

REFEREE: Robert Madley of Wakefield.

ATTENDANCE: 10,015.

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Alan Marriott.

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Spireites FT: Chesterfield 0 Mansfield 1
by Matthew Brooks
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/spireites/spireites-ft-chesterfield-0-mansfield-1-1-6097248

Spireites lost their unbeaten record, and to their arch-rivals.

The Proact was rocking but Cooper was calmness personified when he flicked a long ball forward back to Lee.

It settled Spireites down and, with their first meaningful attack of the game, Roberts’ deep cross caused confusion in the Mansfield backline and Jennings had to be on hand to turn the ball behind for a corner.

A training ground move from Roberts along the byline to O’Shea saw Ryan cross from deep to the back post that Hird headed over the bar under pressure.

Chesterfield were having the better of the opening exchanges and another slick move in midfield involving Roberts and O’Shea presented Ryan with an opportunity to strike from 25 yards that he duly accepted. The midfielder, still looking for his first goal in a blue shirt, unleashed a thunderbolt that had Marriott scrambling left across his goal to turn behind at full stretch.

Mansfield had to wait until the 13th minute to have their first meaningful effort on goal when Howell pounced on a loose ball to chest and volley, but his strike was never troubling Lee in the Spireites’ goal. Back came Chesterfield and Doyle almost reaped the rewards of his own good work when he chased down Humphreys’ cross, which had beaten the men in the middle. The striker fired a shot that Marriott had to be alert to tip over his bar from the angle.

The hosts could have taken the lead during a spell of sustained pressure that the Stags survived by the skin of their teeth. A flowing move from right to left saw Humphreys with space to deliver a fierce ball across the six yard box that only needed a touch, Roberts recovered the loose ball and sent a low ball in that Marriott palmed away. Ryan saw his resulting drive blocked among a sea of bodies for another corner. Marriott flapped but got back up to deny Roberts’ volley from the angle.

Chesterfield’s best chance of the half fell to Doyle who sprung the offside trap and latched on to Roberts’ through ball, but the forward struck his shot close enough to Marriot for the keeper to palm his shot away.

Clucas fired just wide of Lee’s left hand post before the visitors took the lead on 36 minutes through ANDREW.

The powerful striker rose highest unchallenged to nod home from six yards to send the visiting army of supporters into ecstasy.

Mansfield almost doubled their lead moments later when Clucas rolled the ball to Hutchinson, who beat his man and fired a shot across goal that rebounded off the post with Lee well beaten.

Roberts was doing his best to pull his side level and the winger beat a couple of challenges and got to the byline to cross for Morsy to head against the woodwork from close range.

Paul Cook played his part from the touchline to try to get the crowd to raise the noise levels early after the interval. The Kop duly obliged and it nearly paid immediate dividends when Darikwa fired a dangerous ball across the six yard line between defenders and keeper, but there was no-one there to tap in a certain goal.Another fierce drive from Ryan from the edge of the area was blocked by Dempster who went down in a heap.Stags had a glorious chance to double their lead when Tafazolli headed wide eight yards from goal after an inviting centre from Jennings.

Spireites were looking for inspiration and Roberts almost supplied it when he smashed another shot that Marriott parried to the feet of Morsy who went to ground under close attention from the visiting defence. Referee Robert Madley put the whistle to his mouth but to the disappointment of Chesterfield blew for a free-kick in the opposite direction and booked Morsy for simulation.

Gnanduillet, not long on the pitch after replacing Darikwa, fired a low effort that looked like it would sneak into the bottom corner only for Marriott to get a hand to it. Doyle collected the loose ball and crossed to the back stick for Humphreys to volley over the bar. McSheffrey struck a free kick from the edge of the area that was blocked.

The temperature continued to rise and Roberts was sent off for an of-the-ball incident deep into injury time to cap a disappointing day for the home side.

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Chesterfield Defeated by Stags
Read more at http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/news/article/20130928-mansfield-report-1082407.aspx?#vdlJdUIfiTr5Uc34.99

Chesterfield suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of local rivals, Mansfield Town.
Calvin Andrew headed the only goal of the game as the Spireites lost their 100% home record in front of over 10,000 fans at the Proact. Gary Roberts was red carded in additional time and that will rule him out for Chesterfield’s next three games.

Chesterfield named the same side that defeated Oxford last week, with Marc Richards’ injury meaning Eoin Doyle led the line for the Spireites.

The sound of the crowd made for an intimidating atmosphere and Chesterfield forced an early corner in the second minute, but Sam Hird’s header went harmlessly over the crossbar.

Chesterfield started the brighter of the two sides and Jimmy Ryan came inches from opening the scoring but goalkeeper, Alan Marriott pulled off a superb save.

As the cauldron of noise started to die down, both sides started to settle into the game. Mansfield had their first effort through Jamie McGuire, but his effort was nowhere near troubling Tommy Lee.

Midway through the half, Roberts picked up the ball and drove at the Mansfield backline. The attacker won himself a free kick, 25 yards out, but his effort deflected off the wall and out for a corner.

The Spireites started to dominate and were roared on by the impressive home support. Ritchie Humphreys and Liam Cooper both delivered teasing crosses into the box but were unfortunate not to see a Spireite player on the end of it.

Although Chesterfield had the lion’s share of possession, they were finding clear cut opportunities hard to come by. The best chance came on the half hour mark through striker, Doyle. Roberts fed the Irishman, but his effort fell straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.

Mansfield danger man, Sam Clucas went agonisingly close to opening the scoring for the Stags, but his snapshot dragged the wrong side of Lee’s goal.

The visitors started to grab a foothold in the derby, and took the lead through Andrew. Ben Hutchinson’s corner was nodded home by the striker to give the Stags the lead.

Clucas was causing the Spireites problems in the final third. He cut the ball back for Andrew, whose effort rebounded off the post and to safety.

As the fourth official indicated a minute of additional time, Sam Morsy had a header that rebounded off the crossbar, and that was the closest the Spireites came to opening their account in the first half.

The Spireites kicked off the second half and instantly searched for a way back into the game. Five minutes into the second half and Chesterfield made a double substitution. Armand Gnanduillet and Gary McSheffrey were introduced in place of Tendayi Darikwa and Jay O’Shea.

Mansfield should have doubled their lead minutes later. James Jennings delivered a ball and Ryan Tafazolli’s headed way wide.

Controversy followed as Morsy looked to have been brought down in the area by a Stags defender, but the referee produced a yellow card for the Spireite midfielder for diving.

The incident seemed to spur on the Spireites. Gnanduillet had a shot that the keeper spilled and Doyle’s cross to Humphreys was ballooned over the bar by the new PFA Chairman.

Late challenges from Tafazolli and McGuire saw them enter the referee’s notebook, and it seemed to lift the Chesterfield fans into action.

The visitors made their first substitution on the hour mark as Lindon Meikle replaced Ben Hutchinson.

The Spireites were finding it hard to break down the resolute Mansfield defence. Doyle had half a chance on 70 minutes, but his shot was comfortably saved by Marriott.

The Irishman found himself behind the Mansfield defence again five minutes later, but again, Marriott was equal to his effort.

The visiting goal was coming under a lot of pressure but unfortunately for the Spireites, they were unable to trouble the goalkeeper.

Morsy, Roberts and Ryan all had shots from distance, but the Stags defence would not be beaten.

As the six minutes of additional minutes were announced, Mansfield should have put the game to bed. Substitute, Matt Rhead shot straight at Lee.

Roberts saw red in additional time for an off the ball incident, and the referee signalled the end of the game, with the Spireites still top of the Sky Bet League 2 table.

Chesterfield: Lee; Talbot (c)(Devitt 86'), Hird, Cooper, Humphreys; Ryan, Morsy, Darikwa (Gnanduillet 53'), Roberts, O'Shea (McSheffrey 53'); Doyle.

Subs not used: Chapman, Edwards, Evatt, Togwell.

Mansfield Town: Marriott, Sutton, Dempster (c), Tafazolli, Beevers, Howell, McGuire, Jennings, Hutchinson (Meikle 62'), Andrew (Daniel 76'), Clucas (Rhead 80').

Subs not used: Palmer, Murtagh, Stevenson, Speight.

Goals : Chesterfield 0 - 1 Mansfield Town (Andrew 37')

Attendance: 10,015 (1,992 Mansfield Town)

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