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Archived News from October 2013

COX, McCOMBE, JOHN SHERIDAN REACTION
31st October 2013 10:02


Cox: Work ethic can't be faulted
mansfieldtown.net 26th October 2013

Manager Paul Cox insists the work-ethic of our players can’t be faulted, despite today’s 1-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle at One Call Stadium.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/cox-work-ethic-cant-be-faulted-1136574.aspx?#BcvAlWMLiZAbZ2KY.99

The Pilgrims snatched victory in the third minute of stoppage-time, when Neal Trotman rose highest to head home Conor Hourihane’s free-kick.

Our boss said: “The lads have worked extremely hard and we didn’t play badly today. Nobody can question their efforts.”

“We played well and we played some good football, but we just haven’t finished them off in the terms of the chances we created.

“Some of the football we played was similar to what you see in the Premier League, but it doesn’t matter because in the papers tomorrow, it’ll still say we lost 1-0.

Cox continued: “We made five changes and I thought the lads that came in played brilliantly. ‘Mitch’ (Liam Mitchell) didn’t really have anything to do, until he picked the ball out the net.

“But this game comes up and haunts you, if you don’t be ruthless, and we wasn’t ruthless infront of goal and we wasn’t ruthless in our own box in stoppage-time.

“It’s a simple equation. In this game, it doesn’t matter what you do between both boxes. It’s what you do in both boxes, what counts.

Our boss added: “I understand people’s frustrations, but this football club needs a strong mindset.

“We’re coming into November and we were in a Play-Off position before this game, but we need to remember who we are and where we are.

“Sometimes we need to get behind the boys when things aren’t going so well and we’re not putting the ball in the back of the net.

“Since I’ve been at this football club, we have never had a season when everything has gone rosy, but in the face of adversity we’ve always come strong.”

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audio interview: Mansfield Town manager Paul Cox told BBC Radio Nottingham:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24590839?

"The frustrating thing is I thought we played some good football.
"We had enough chances to have won it comfortably I think, but we weren't ruthless in either box.
"But I am frustrated and I understand the fans' frustrations."

"We haven't replaced Matt Green and I'd love to replace Matt Green. People like Ollie Palmer that are going to be brilliant players but Matt Green is nearly first choice at a team in the Champiosnhip and to get that calibre of striker ... sometimes you need to be a little bit lucky. We're working hard with the boys in training, we're working hard watching games and doing our homework on centre forwards and we want to try to bring one in but it's not as easy as just going to choose one. The players I've looked at are at development squads at premiership and championship clubs, with that little bit of extra quality that will make them stand out at this level."

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Stags boss Cox continues striker hunt but asks fans to stick with his players
chad.co.uk

Mansfield boss Paul Cox agreed he needs to bring in another striker, but called on fans to stick with his side after criticism following today’s late 1-0 home defeat by Plymouth Argyle.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/stags-boss-cox-continues-striker-hunt-but-asks-fans-to-stick-with-his-players-1-6188780

A depleted Stags side were excellent for long spells of this game until they ran out of steam late on when Argyle stole an unlikely 93rd minute winner.

Some fans vented their spleen at the manager before the end and at his players as they left the field, having now not won in five games or scored in 338 minutes.

Cox said: “There is a bit of frustration out there and one or two supporters shouted things at the end which were not warranted. People have to understand where we are and where we’ve come from.

“It’s all right getting behind the boys when they are winning, but we also need to get behind them when things are not going well.

“Any neutral today could see we’ve not played badly. We just didn’t finish them off.

“I thought we played some good stuff and moved the ball around well, and we created some good chances. Then we fell to a sucker punch.

“The chances we had we should have put away. But if we are not going to score then you keep a clean sheet and take a point.

“I never thought we looked in any trouble and I never saw that coming.

“We switched off for a second and you do that at this level and you get hurt.

“It was frustrating and I am gutted for the lads to be honest.

“We need to get a balance back, play some attractive stuff but uncomplicate the game. Sometimes we overdid it. But no one could question out ethics and application.

“I have never had a season where everything has been rosy since I’ve been here. But in the past, in the face of adversity, we have always come strong.

“You’d think there is a crisis, but there isn’t. We just need to start putting out chances away. We are not being ruthless enough in both boxes.”

Stags had to make five changes today with their keeper Alan Marriott and three of the back four ruled out with injury and suspension.

Cox said: “I could go on about the changes we had to make and make excuses. But the lads that came in were brilliant and Liam in goal has had nothing to do until he had to pick the ball out of the net.”

On the lack of goals, he added: “People say we need a striker and we do. I wish I could go out and get one, and I am working hard to try to get us one.

“But everybody want them and they cost a lot of money. Being Second Division, we will always be at the end of the queue for them too.”

Plymouth boss John Sheridan said: “We knew we were in for a battle today and we defended well as a team, I thought we created one or two problems ourselves, too, though they had chances.

“We worked hard, though we didn’t play well. But we ended up with a scrappy 1-0 win and sometimes they are the best results.

“I want us to believe in ourselves a bit more and pass the ball. We go into a scrap today and I was pleased with the way the lads dealt with it.

“We have not had the breaks this season, but everyone was in the right place at the right time for the goal today.

“We are not getting carried away but I know sometimes a win like that gives you the kickstart you need to get back on a run.”

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Mansfield Town: Paul Cox looks to the Premier League to solve problem
Nottingham Post by Matt Halfpenny

PAUL Cox hopes to bolster misfiring Mansfield Town's strike force by drafting a Premier League youngster before Friday's trip to Southend.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/story-20000878-detail/story.html?#ixzz2j6ZSrcjU

Saturday's last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle - where Neat Trotman scored a 93rd minute winner for the visitors - was a third game running the Stags have failed to net.

Manager Cox insists he has been working 'tirelessly' to address the issue in his League two side.

He said: "We haven't replaced Matt Green and I would love to do that.

"We have some young players like Ollie Palmer and Sam Clucas who are going to be excellent players.

"But ones of the calibre of Matt Green to bring in right now don't come around too often and sometimes you have to be a bit lucky.

"We are watching games and doing our homework on centre forwards. Players I have looked at are in development squads in the Premier League who would add that little bit of quality that would make them stand out.

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't looking at the bigger picture in terms of scoring goals and a lot can happen between now and Southend."

Although Mansfield went winless through October's six league and cup games, Cox is urging Mansfield's fans to retain a sense of realism in taking on some much bigger clubs at League Two level.

He said: "I don't want to quell anyone's enthusiasm, but sometimes we need to be a little more sensible about things.

"What we've done at this club over the last two-and-a-half years is win consistently, so when we do get beaten at home it surprises one or two people.

"Everyone wants to finish top but we have to be realistic.

"We're not going to go through the season without getting bloody noses and we have to take stock of the whole thing, rather than just this last game (against Plymouth)."

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McCombe: We were unlucky
mansfieldtown.net 26th October 2013

Defender John McCombe believes our side were unlucky to lose to Plymouth Argyle at One Call Stadium this afternoon.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/mccombe-we-were-unlucky-1136728.aspx?#QkPyPMjIxXqfcPk3.99

The Stags dominated large periods of the match, but a last minute header from Neal Trotman earned the Pilgrims all three points.

McCombe was disappointed with the result, but thought overall our performance was good enough to win.

He said: “I thought we should have gone on to win, but we have conceded a late goal which is gutting.

“We showed the strength we have within the squad when we have players like (Martin) Riley, (John) Dempster and (James) Jennings all out. (George) Pilkington and myself have come in and done well, but like I say we didn’t deserve to lose.

“I think if one team was going to win it then it would have been us. Obviously as a defender I’m concentrating on helping us keep a clean-sheet, whilst leaving the lads upfront to do their job.

“Unfortunately they have gone on to score in the last minute.”

McCombe continued: “The conditions were windy and the ball was swirling around quite a lot, but I thought we played some good football, especially in the first half.

“The move down the right wing which (Lee) Beevers was involved with, would have been a great goal, but I thought we played well and probably deserved a clean sheet.

McCombe has urged supporters to get behind the team and believes we should be scoring goals from all over the pitch, following a third consecutive match without a goal."

He added: “We keep a lot of clean-sheets, but as a team we need to score more goals from all around the pitch.

“We haven’t scored in the last few games, so we need to chip in from the wide areas, midfield and even the defence.

“The lads are working hard and so far this season we have been doing quite well. We want the fans to stick with us and we have got to keep working hard to pick up those points.”

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John McCombe says Mansfield Town deserved something from Plymouth Argyle defeat
chad.co.uk by Stephen Thirkill

Recalled defender John McCombe says Plymouth’s injury-time winner at Mansfield yesterday was a bitter pill to swallow.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/john-mccombe-says-mansfield-town-deserved-something-from-plymouth-argyle-defeat-1-6189362?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

It looked like rock-solid Stags were about to claim their third 0-0 draw in a row before Neal Trotman headed home Conor Hourihane’s stoppage-time free-kick following indecision from Mansfield shot-stopper Liam Mitchell.

McCombe, who was recalled to the starting line-up following an injury and suspension crisis, said: “If any team was going to win I thought it was going to be us.

“We played some good football in the first half and should have gone on to win that game.

“The winner was a real sucker punch for us, it was a bad goal to concede.”

But the former Huddersfield Town player was also keen to stress their were some positives to take out of the game.

“It was a good chance for me and Pilks to show what we could do. We looked solid and it shows the strength in depth we have defensively,” he said.

“We worked well as a back three and thought we deserved a clean sheet.”

Mansfield Town have now failed to score in 338 minutes.

It was the first win in eight League Two matches for struggling Plymouth.

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Got The Feeling
Author: Rick Cowdery
Read more at http://www.pafc.co.uk/news/article/got-the-feeling-1138971.aspx#Wi67QV2G19dGvm2g.99

JOHN Sheridan was at one with the Green Army....
...when Neal Trotman’s injury-time header gave Argyle a 1-0 victory at Mansfield, their first win in eight Sky Bet League 2 matches.

Neal headed home skipper Conor Hourihane’s free-kick in front of Argyle’s travelling fans and John said: “I feel like the supporters did at the end.

“I would have been a bit down [if we had not scored] because it was 0-0 again and we hadn’t scored, but you could just see how supporters reacted, which I am well chuffed for. They have come a long way this season - every game is a long way - so to score in the last minute, the adrenalin in everyone...we haven’t had many breaks this season.

“It was a good ball from Conor. It was a set-play and Neal was in the right place at the right time, so everyone’s gone home with a little bit of a smile on their face.”

John admitted his captain had been on the receiving end of some sharp advice moments before the goal.

“He’s got a good delivery,” said John. “I was shouting at him five minutes earlier for giving a simple five-yard ball away, but I know he has got great delivery and it was a good ball.

“Neal is a threat. He could have had four or five goals this season, and I know he could do that. It’s a break for us and, believe me, I’ll take it with both hands and grab it.”

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