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Archived News from December 2002

1-0 ... YOU BEAUTY
23rd December 2002 23:19


Stags picked up their first 1-0 win of the season at Barnsley today.
Andy White scored the only goal on 50 minutes.
Iyseden Christie missed a penalty on 45 minutes (Stags 5th miss out of 5 this season - Corden has missed 2, Christie 2 and Lawrence 1).
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Barnsley 0 Mansfield 1
A.White 50.

Att: 10,495 (1,211 from Mansfield)

Pilkington, Hassell, Day, Curle, Eaton, Lawrence, Disley, Curtis, Corden, Christie, AWhite.
Subs: L.Williamson(for Curtis, 46), Larkin (for AWhite, 69).
Subs not used: J.White, Gadsby, Beardsley.

Stags bookings: Corden 27, AWhite 66.

Referee: AM Penn
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BBC:
Andy White hit a Christmas cracker to continue Mansfield's resurgence under player-boss Keith Curle with a win at Barnsley.

White drilled a shot into the top right-hand corner from the edge of the area as Mansfield grabbed their second successive win.

Curle's men also missed a penalty after Iyseden Christie was brought down by defender Chris Morgan.

Christie picked himself up before firing the spot-kick against the crossbar.

But Barnsley should have been ahead earlier in the game after creating a number of good chances.

Wayne Corden nearly doubled Mansfield's lead in the closing minutes but goalkeeper Andy Marriott denied him.

Then Mike Sheron headed wide in what was Barnsley's last chance to salvage something.
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CHAD website
White seals Stags win.
Barnsley 0 Mansfield 1

CHRISTMAS could not be happier for Mansfield's long-suffering fans after Andy White's goal earned them a crucial three points at fellow-strugglers Barnsley.

New manager Keith Curle enjoyed his afternoon at the club he left just eight weeks ago and continued to make a huge difference to the Stags as they celebrated their first back-to-back wins of the season with a performance full of enthusiasm and grit..
Stags could even afford to miss a penalty through Iyseden Christie at the end of a thrilling first half, but the visitors controlled the second half from start to finish and thoroughly deserved the win.
Mansfield gabve a debut to new signing Tom Curtis with Neil MacKenzie failing to recover from a knee injury.
Mansfield won a free kick in the opening minute which Corden drilled into the box and White almost got a touch on as the keeper gathered safely.
Barnsley won a fourth-minute corner which was allowed to bounce around, and the ball appeared to roll off a Mansfield defender and slip past Pilkington with Dyer in close attendance, only for an offside flag against the Barnsley striker to rule out what would have been a sloppy goal to concede.
Mansfield made a promising break on six minutes when Christie released Disley. He raced clear on the right and opted not to shoot, but his cross for White was far too high and the moment was gone.
Pilkington was down well to grab a low shot a minute later.
Then it was Sutton lad Marriott's turn to make a save as Day hooked the ball to Christie who turned well and shot first time on target.
The home side should have gone ahead on 11 minutes when Pilkington raced off his line to punch clear a Sheron cross straight to Betsy who lifted the ball over the open goal.
Gorre then had a low shot parried wide by Pilkington at full stretch while Christie wasted a free header from Day's cross, heading tamely at Marriott, as a thrilling game went from end to end.
Mansfield twice came close again as Corden cut in and had a low shot blocked while White got up well to head just over from Stags' first corner on 23 minutes.
Pilkington made a tremendous save to tip round a Gorre blast a minute later and the home side were furious when the referee then awarded a goal kick.
The home fans were screaming for a penalty when Dyer went down under Eaton's sliding challenge, but the referee indicated a corner to Mansfield's relief.
Stags had a double let-off from the resulting corner which saw Pilkington block Sheron's powerful header on the line and Morgan put the follow-up over the top.
There was drama in first half stoppage time when Christie went down in the box under Morgan's challenge. Despite lengthy home protests a penalty was awarded and Christie eventually stepped up to take it. Sadly as with every other Mansfield penalty this season, he failed to find the net, clipping the top of the crossbar.
Pilkington was down at Betsy's feet in the opening seconds after the break.
Corden was then booked for time-wasting at a corner. And when Barnsley struggled to clear their lines, Eaton let fly with a dipper that dropped narrowly wide.
Gorre should have done better with a free header from eight yards from Lumsdon's cross.
However, Mansfield snatched the lead on 50 minutes with a quality finish from White. Evading Lumsdon's tackle just inside the box he curled a superb finish inside the far post.
Clearly lifted by the goal, Stags poured forward and Christie set up White for a low shot which Marriott smothered.
Christie then broke down the left and, with Lawrence in acres of space unmarked in front of goal, was thwarted by a brilliant saving tackle from Gibbs.
A great burst of pace from Disley carried him into the box, and he squared low for the waiting White, only to see Morgan just manage to get there first as the home side reeled.
As last week, White was replaced by Larkin with 21 minutes to go.
Corden cut in again on the left to switch back onto his left foot for a vicious blast that Marriott beat away at his near post.
Barnsley had a rare glimpse of goal four minuutes from time when Sheron headed over from Jones' right wing cross.
MATCH DETAILS
BARNSLEY: Marriott, Morgan, Flynn, Lumsdon (Neil 74), Sheron, Dyer, Gorre, Jones, Betsy, Gibbs (Fallon 84), Mulligan (O'Callaghan 62). Subs not used: Ghent, Austin.
STAGS: Pilkington, Disley, A. White (Larkin 69), Lawrence, Christie, Corden, Curle, Hassell, Eaton, Day, Curtis (Williamson h/t). Subs not used: J. White, Beardsley, Gadsby.
REFEREE. Andy Penn of Wall Heath, West Midlands.
ATTENDANCE: 10,495
SCORERS: Mansfield - A. White 50.
CAUTIONS: Barnsley - Morgan 45 (dissent); Jones 45 (dissent); Flynn 71 (foul on Christie); Sheron 82 (dissent). Mansfield - Corden 48 (timewasting); A. White 66 (foul on Morgan)
STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Craig Disley.
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footymad.net:
Blundering Barnsley blew their chances as rock-bottom Mansfield Town chalked up an unlikely away win.

The shot-shy Tykes saw their problems mount up as they slumped further down the table thanks to their dismal defeat.

But they had only themselves to blame as they squandered a hatful of early chances before they fell to a second-half strike from Andy White.

The youngster collected a long ball that dropped kindly for him after 50 minutes, then provided a cool finish with the outside of his right foot.

Barnsley had a let-off before the goal when seconds before half time fussy referee Andy Penn gave Mansfield a penalty when Iyseden Christie went down in the area under a challenge from Chris Morgan.

Christie stepped up to take the spot-kick himself, but blasted it against the bar and over.

Barnsley had missed out after dominating a first half that saw them miss a string of chances.

Caretaker-boss Glyn Hodges said: "I'm absolutely devastated. We played okay in the first half, but didn't seem to have the stomach for the fight in the second half.

"You need that sort of fight when you are in a situation like we are. We were okay in the first half, but with that sort of pressure you have got to score goals and we've said that too many times this season.

"We seemed to lack the killer instinct and we're not ruthless enough. It's all about how the players respond now." Stags player-boss and ex-Barnsley player Keith Curle added: "Our attitude is improving and we're starting to have a bit of belief and that will help us get results.

"Barnsley are a big club with experienced players, so this is a good win for us. It's a foundation to build on."
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