Archived News from October 2013
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HARTLEPOOL PREVIEWS
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Manager of the Month update - award went to Keith Hill of Rochdale for 4 wins out of 4. Paul Cox's Mansfield had 3 wins out of 4.
Player of the Month update - award went to Sarcevic of Fleetwood. ------------------ Biggest game of the season - Cox mansfieldtown.net 3rd October 2013 Manager Paul Cox has branded Saturday’s home match with Hartlepool United as our biggest game of the season. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/biggest-game-of-the-season-cox-1093854.aspx?#O2xfW4STW0eyAVZO.99 Our boss, who was speaking at his weekly press meeting, says that our players will have to produce another top performance if they are to extend their current eight-match unbeaten streak. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s our biggest game of the season on Saturday,” stated Cox. “It’s okay winning local derbies and taking plaudits, but it’s consistency that I’m after and we’ll need to be on our mettle on Saturday. “I don’t want it to be a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show.” He continued: “The players know what is expected of them and I know that I’ve got good players who are waiting in the wings, if anyone wants to rest on their laurels. “I’ll see what the players are like in training and make sure that physically, but more importantly, mentally, we’re clued up, because Saturday is going to be a big game for us. “Nothing is won in this month of the season. It’s where you finish that ultimately counts, so we’ve got to make sure that we’re spot on. “The boys need a pat on the back for how they’ve performed this season, but that’s all chip paper now. It’s the next 10 games that I’m interested in. “Ultimately, where we are [in the table] at Christmas, will have a big bearing on our season and what direction we want to go. Reflecting on last Saturday’s match at Chesterfield, Cox added: “It took a lot out of both teams. When the game is played at such a high tempo, you do need a break. “The players have had a couple of days off this week to re-charge their batteries both physically and mentally, and what I want to see is them ‘champing at the bit’ again.” ------------------ No ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ Mansfield boss Paul Cox warns his derby day heroes chad.co.uk, 03/10/2013 Paul Cox is desperate to make sure his derby day heroes don’t slip up with an ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ display against struggling visitors Hartlepool United on Saturday (3pm). http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/no-after-the-lord-mayor-s-show-mansfield-boss-paul-cox-warns-his-derby-day-heroes-1-6112095 He could also yet be battling against the ‘curse’ of Manager of the Month as well, an accolade he has been nominated for after a fantastic September that has seen Stags end up third after last weekend’s superb 1-0 away win at leaders and local arch-rivals Chesterfield. The result of that award will be announced tomorrow with Stags’ keeper Alan Marriott also up for the Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month accolade. Cox was delighted with his side’s gutsy showing at the Proact Stadium last Saturday that delighted an army of almost 2,000 Mansfield fans who took bragging rights into work on Monday. But he is now keen to make sure his side forget that and concentrate on the task of beating a Hartlepool side that have won just once all season and sit three from the bottom. Cox said: “It is over now - it’s as simple as that. It’s gone. We must now get our heads and bodies right for Saturday. “As far as I am concerned, this is our biggest game of the season. The players deserved all the plaudits and pats on the back last weekend. But it’s consistency I am after. “We need to be on our mettle on Saturday - I don’t want a case of After the Lord Mayor’s Show. “The players know what is expected and I have players waiting in the wings if anyone wants to rest on their laurels and relax. “I will be looking at them closely in training today and tomorrow and I need to make sure players are clued in physically and, most important, mentally for Saturday. “It took a lot out of both teams last weekend, playing at a million miles a hour. But the lads have had their breather with a couple of days off and now I want to see them champing at the bit again. We have got to be at full throttle on Saturday.” Few Mansfield supporters could have dreamed their newly-promoted side would streak up the League Two table with an eight-game unbeaten run after that opening day defeat at Scunthorpe. And boss Cox is more used to making bad starts every season before turning them round into campaigns of success in the second half of the season. “At this stage of the season I usually expect to be fourth from bottom, getting booed and fans calling for my head,” he smiled. “That’s how it’s been for the last six or seven years since I’ve been a manager, though ultimately I have always had promotion, play-offs and success. “I am not getting carried away, though. It is early still and the teams that end up at the top at the end of the season are the ones that deserve it. All we have done is get off to a half decent start. “Nothing is won this month, it never is. It’s where you finish that counts. “We will block off the next 10 or 11 games and see where we are at Christmas. It will have a big bearing on our season and where we want to go.” Cox was also delighted to see so many Mansfield fans make the trip to Chesterfield and with the levels of current home gates in such a biting recession. He said: “I know it is tough and there is not a lot of money out there. People are working really hard to earn their money and then everyone wants to take it off them, like the mortgage, the gas and the electric companies. “We are very humbled by our support at the minute and I can’t give them high enough praise at this time when money is so hard to get hold of.” Supporters’ pockets will be tested to the limit this week with three home games in eight days, the Hartlepool game followed on Tuesday by a quick rematch with Chesterfield in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and then a League Two clash with Bristol Rovers. Fans planning the watch the Chesterfield match must buy their tickets by 4pm on the day of the game. --------------------- Jennings: Our style is effective mansfieldtown.net 3rd October 2013 Defender James Jennings believes that our excellent recent form, which has seen us go eight matches unbeaten in Sky Bet League Two, is down to our ‘effective’ style of play. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/jennings-our-style-is-effective-1092724.aspx#HtBiM0YktwScYPd8.99 We moved up to third position in the table last weekend, as we inflicted a first defeat of the season on arch-rivals Chesterfield in front of a sell-out crowd at the Proact Stadium. “It was a really good game and it’s probably one of the best games that I have played in,” said Jennings. “Everyone wants to play in those games. The atmosphere was electric. We got a great result and all the lads are still buzzing. “They (Chesterfield) were a great team and it wouldn’t surprise me if they go on to win the league, but we went there with a game-plan and it worked. “If you get in the faces of any team that try to play football and press them, then they don’t like it. That’s what we did and they became frustrated. “We all had to be switched on, as it was a game where concentration was needed for the full 96 minutes, but the lads did well and worked hard. “We do know that we’re not pretty on the eye to watch, but we’re grafting, everyone is digging in from all areas on the pitch and I think that’s why we’re doing well.” Our left-back continued: “At the end of the day, you have got to do what you’re good at. We could have gone there and tried to play, but we would have probably got taught a lesson. “We went there and did what we’re most effective at and it worked for us. Sometimes, it might not work, but as long as we work hard and put a shift in, more often than not, it will pay off.” Jennings also had special praise for shot-stopper Alan Marriott, who has been nominated for the Sky Bet League ‘Player of the Month’ award, following his heroic performance at Chesterfield. He said: “Alan was brilliant and he made some brilliant saves. He was there when he was needed and it doesn’t surprise me that he’s been nominated for the ‘Player of the Month.” Despite our excellent form in recent weeks, Jennings doesn’t want out team to become complacent, when we play host to Hartlepool United at One Call Stadium on Saturday. He added: “We have got to look at the next game now. It was nice to go away and win at Chesterfield, but we have got to try and get three points against Hartlepool.” James Jennings’ full interview will be available on Stags Player later today. To subscribe, click here. ------------------------------------ James Jennings bracing himself for three Mansfield Town home games in eight days chad.co.uk, 03/10/2013 Mansfield Town wing back James Jennings was today bracing himself for three home games in eight days as the Stags try to build on last weekend’s superb 1-0 away win at unbeaten leaders and local rivals Chesterfield. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/james-jennings-bracing-himself-for-three-mansfield-town-home-games-in-eight-days-1-6112293 The two sides clash again at One Call Stadium on Tuesday in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy - a game sandwiched by tomorrow’s visit of Hartlepool and next week’s home game with Bristol Rovers. And Jennings was quick to stress that players would be going all out to win all three. “Our main interest is the league, but we want to win all three games ,” he said. “I haven’t played in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy for a few years. “It does give you the chance of playing at Wembley and everyone wants to play there. Personally, I have never played there so it’s one of my goals. It is another game for us and we want to win every game. It is a good draw and it will be a good atmosphere again.” Jennings certainly enjoyed the big match atmosphere of the Proact Stadium clash last weekend. “It was a really good game - probably the best I have played in - and the lads are still buzzing,” he said. “It was something everyone wants to play in, the atmosphere was electric and obviously we got a great result. “You could tell it was a big game. We had a few comments from fans last week telling us how big it was, which built the game up even more. You could feel it on the way up there, then you saw all the police and all the fans and felt the atmosphere in the ground. “They (Chesterfield) are a great team and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go and win the league with the way they play. But we went up there with a game plan and it worked. “Any team that plays football like that, you have to get in their faces and press them high up the pitch. “We did that and they really didn’t like it and they were getting more and more frustrated. You could see the red card coming for Gary Roberts. He caught me with his elbow five minutes before. He was frustrated nothing was coming off for him Then he stamped me which was silly as that killed the game off for us.” He added: “We had to keep full concentration for the full 96 minutes. Everyone was digging in and grafting in all areas of the pitch. I know it wasn’t pretty on the eye but it was effective. We could have gone up there and tried to play and probably got taught a lesson. “I thought the referee was spot on and he was brilliant all game. One of their players dived after Jamie McGuire caught him and most referees would have given a penalty. But he’d seen it and booked him for a dive and gave the free kick to us. “That wasn’t easy for a referee in that sort of game and atmosphere. “The final whistle was a relief. We’d been chasing shadows that long and working hard - we were all knackered at the end. But the atmosphere was amazing.” ---------------------- Stags’ success no surprise to Lee Beevers chad.co.uk Lee Beevers believes it is no surprise that Mansfield Town are at last living up to their vast potential, currently sitting eight games unbeaten in third place after promotion back to League Two. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-success-no-surprise-to-lee-beevers-1-6112397 As he prepared for tomorrow’s visit of struggling Hartlepool United, the Stags defender said: “It’s something I have always been aware of, living in the area. This is a big club with fantastic support and we need to keep it going. “I don’t think we had any expectations. We know we are a good team that is hard to beat and we have kept doing what we were doing last year. We’ve hit the ground running and must now keep doing what we are doing. “We have showed we won’t roll over and lie down for anyone away from home and at home, this is a hard place for people to come.” Beevers said it was important that the glory of last week’s gruelling 1-0 away win at unbeaten leaders and neighbours Chesterfield is quickly forgotten as Stags begin a spell of three home games in eight days. He said: “We have to put last Saturday behind us now- it’s a fresh game. It is a big week for us. “I am still trying to recover from the weekend - it was a colossal performance from the players. I think we had everyone back in our own 18-yard box at the end when we were under the cosh. I think we had to play 100 minutes in total in the end! “We are all playing well and the formation is suiting us. “Chesterfield have good players from one to 11 and great players on the bench that can come on and change games. “We went to stop them playing and try to hit them on the break - and we did. “You sometimes just need to get the ball forward and relieve the pressure. But we do look to get it down in the final third and move teams around.” Calvin Andrew proved to be the matchwinner at Chesterfield with his overdue first goal for the club, and Beevers added: “Calvin has been brilliant since he came here in pre-season. He scored a few in pre-season and now he has got one I think he will go on and get quite a few. “He puts his heat and soul into it. He cramped up at Chesterfield after about 50 minutes but managed to carry on until he came off.” Beevers suffered a season of injury misery last term, soldiering on with various problems, including a shoulder that kept dislocating. “The shoulder came out again against Portsmouth in August, but he added: “I have been lucky so far this year, the shoulder has just popped out the once, so I hope that’s the end of the injuries. “It went back in easier this time and we were able to do that in the dressing room rather than have to go to hospital again and have injections to relax me.” ------------------------ Not pretty - but we are effective, says Stags' Jennings Nottingham Post DEFENDER James Jennings believes Mansfield Town's excellent recent form, which has seen them go eight matches unbeaten in Sky Bet League Two, is down to their 'effective' style of play. Stags moved up to third in the table last weekend, after inflicting a first defeat of the season on arch-rivals and league leaders Chesterfield in front of a sell-out crowd at the Proact Stadium. "It was a really good game and it's probably one of the best games I have played in," left-back Jennings said in a club interview. "Everyone wants to play in those games. The atmosphere was electric. We got a great result and all the lads are still buzzing. "They (Chesterfield) were a great team and it wouldn't surprise me if they go on to win the league, but we went there with a game-plan and it worked. "If you get in the faces of any team that tries to play football and press them, then they don't like it. That's what we did and they became frustrated. "We all had to be switched on, as it was a game where concentration was needed for the full 96 minutes, but the lads did well and worked hard. "We do know that we're not pretty on the eye to watch, but we're grafting, everyone is digging in from all areas on the pitch and I think that's why we're doing well. "At the end of the day, you have got to do what you're good at. We could have gone there and tried to play, but we would have probably got taught a lesson. "We went there and did what we're most effective at and it worked for us. "Sometimes, it might not work, but as long as we work hard and put a shift in, more often than not, it will pay off." Jennings also had special praise for shot-stopper Alan Marriott, who was nominated for the Sky Bet League 'Player of the Month' award, following his heroic performance at Chesterfield. He said: "Alan was brilliant and he made some brilliant saves. "He was there when he was needed and it doesn't surprise me that he was nominated for the 'Player of the Month." Despite Mansfield's excellent form in recent weeks, Jennings doesn't want the team to become complacent, when they host Hartlepool United at One Call Stadium tomorrow. He added: "We have got to look at the next game now. It was nice to go away and win at Chesterfield, but we have got to try to get three points against Hartlepool." ----------------------- Hignett vows Hartlepool United will be ready for Stags’ power game Sunderland Echo CRAIG Hignett says Hartlepool United are braced for a big physical test at Mansfield Town on Saturday, writes ROY KELLY. Pools, a place above the relegation zone, are up against not just an in-form side who are third in League Two, but a team that possess real size. The Stags stood firm against leaders Chesterfield last Saturday and took all three points in the derby thanks to a goal by Calvin Andrew. “They beat Chesterfield last week which was a great result for them,” Hignett said. “We’ve seen the game, they are very direct. “We know what’s coming - they are a big, physical side - but we’ll be prepared for it. “We’ve been working on it all week.” Pools, though, will be without one of their biggest physical forces, Steve Howard, who will start a three-match ban this Saturday. Boss Colin Cooper and assistant Hignett have decided not to appeal against the red card handed out to the veteran striker in the dying seconds of last week’s 3-1 defeat to Oxford. - Dan Jones’s looping header earned Hartlepool Reserves a 1-1 Central League draw against Hull last night. Former Sunderland reserve James Armstrong gave the Tigers a first-half lead. --------------------------- Team News: Mansfield Town v Pools Posted: Thu 03 Oct 2013 Read more at http://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/news/article/031013-mansfield-team-news-1092659.aspx?#q3iItUQAdu3klRZh.99 We bring you the latest news from both camps as Pools prepare for the League Two trip to face Mansfield Town on Saturday (3pm kick-off). Colin Cooper will be without Steve Howard for the game at Field Mill as the striker begins a three-match ban following his sending-off against Oxford United at the weekend. Keeper Andy Rafferty missed Wednesday's Reserve game with a groin problem but is expected to be fit to take his place in the squad on Saturday. Meanwhile, Brad Walker is making progress in his recovery from an ankle injury and will be assessed again ahead of the Mansfield game. -------------------- Colin Cooper wants Hartlepool United to recover from kick up backside 01/10/2013 http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/hartlepool-utd/colin-cooper-wants-hartlepool-united-to-recover-from-kick-up-backside-1-6101649 COLIN Cooper is looking to see his side recover from a “kick up the backside” when he takes Hartlepool United to Mansfield Town. After the promise of back-to-back results against Accrington and Bristol Rovers, Pools were brought back to earth by Oxford United on Saturday. Cooper was unhappy at some of the decisions which went against his team on Saturday and felt in-form Luke James did not get sufficient protection. But the 46-year-old admitted his team, aside from a sparkling 20-minute period at the start of the second half, were not quite at the races. He wants to see them bounce back this weekend though that’s easier said than done given Mansfield are on cloud nine after their 1-0 win at League Two leaders Chesterfield. “We did not have the tempo, we were not as difficult to beat as we should be and we did not have enough quality when we really needed it,” he admitted. “We’ve been rolling along nicely and I think we’d hoped for more of the same. “It was a nice day, we were playing in front of our own fans and I think we thought ‘we’ll play some nice football, score some goals and go away happy’. “But we’ve had a kick up the backside and we have to react. “Mansfield have had a fantastic victory away to Chesterfield so they’ll be flying when we go down there on Saturday. “They are a big physical side and we’ll have to be ready.” Cooper and assistant Craig Hignett said they sympathised with the fans who voiced their frustration. “We’re all smarting because I think things had been going nicely,” he said. “One or two made their frustrations felt to Craig and myself and I can totally understand that. “We’re trying to get a team that can play some football, it’s not for the lack of trying.” Cooper says he will be looking for “quality” at Field Mill. “We’ve had some nice things said about us before but I think in the first half on Saturday we were not quite there,” he said. “Quality is one of my buzz words. “We huffed and puffed but when we needed that bit of extra quality it wasn’t quite there. “Is it a quality pass, shot or delivery? “If you want to be a good footballer you have got to try to do things with quality as often as you possibly can.” ---------------------------- |
Latest | October 2013