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Archived News from February 2014

BURY PREVIEWS
13th February 2014 19:15


video interview with Paul Cox for StagsPlayer subscriber
http://www.player.mansfieldtown.net/latest-news/article/3663217

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Boss wants repeat performance
mansfieldtown.net, 10th February 2014

Manager Paul Cox wants our players to produce a similar performance to the one which saw us achieve victory on Saturday, in tomorrow night’s clash with Bury.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/boss-wants-repeat-performance-1350639.aspx#h1aGAgdC6xjvgxgh.99

Sam Clucas and James Jennings were on the score-sheet in a superb 2-1 win against promotion-chasing Southend United at the weekend, which gave us an important three points.

“[We showed] a positive mindset,” said Cox. “The boys enjoyed the weekend, I enjoyed the weekend and it’s nice when we get a well deserved win at home.

“But it’s just the one game and we need to build on it now. We’ve got a really tough game tomorrow night and we need to put in the same kind of performance, but be a little bit more ruthless.”

He added: “Looking back at the game I think we had a few more chances that we could have done better with.

“[If we had taken those chances] it would have made the game easier for ourselves, rather than having five minutes of injury-time and becoming a little bit anxious.”

Bury arrive at One Call Stadium tomorrow night unbeaten in their previous three outings, but currently three places below us in the Sky Bet League Two table.

The Shakers were also left frustrated on Saturday as their match at Torquay United was postponed just over two hours before kick-off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Our manager admits that he is expecting a tough examination from David Flitcroft’s team.

He continued: “I’ve been to see them, we’ve had a few DVDs and Paul Ogden (Chief Scout) has also been to see them a couple of times and they’ll be a tough side.

“A lot of finance has been pushed in to enable the manager to bring in his own players. It’s been a bit of a revolving door in terms of players going out, but they’ve brought some good players in and I think it’ll be a really tough game.”

When asked if tomorrow’s match is our most important of the campaign, Cox added: “They’re all big games now.

“We’ve got 16 games [left to play] and nine of them are at home, so I don’t think tomorrow night’s match is going to decide an outcome for either ourselves or Bury.

“Both teams will want to win for roughly the same reasons.”

Our boss also confirmed that he has no fresh injury worries ahead of tomorrow’s match. He added: “There’s only realistically Jake Speight again, who is in and out with his chest and his knee.

“Apart from that, the boys will be in this morning for a light session, so with the lads who were involved on Saturday, we should go into tomorrow night with a clean bill of health.”

Paul Cox’s full interview will be available on Stags Player later today. To subscribe, click here.

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Loan search continues as Stags prepare for big game with Bury
chad.co.uk, 10 February 2014

Mansfield Town’s search for a loan striker continues, but boss Paul Cox said it was unlikely to happen before tomorrow night’s important six-pointer with Bury at One Call Stadium (7.45pm).

http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/loan-search-continues-as-stags-prepare-for-big-game-with-bury-1-6429537

Stags go into the game on a high after recording their first home win in 12 outings in Saturday’s 2-0 win over in-form Southend United.

That pushed Mansfield to 17th in the table, three points ahead of 20th-placed Bury, but the Shakers have two games in hand, underlining the importance of this game.

“I don’t think anything will happen with a loan player by tomorrow night but, saying that, anything can happen within 24 hours in this game,” said Cox.

“We are still talking to a number of clubs and representatives and we are going to watch a number of games this week. Ultimately we want to try to bring someone in that will improve us. But we also have to make sure it is the right player.”

Victory tomorrow would be a massive boost for Mansfield in their fight to push free of the relegation dogfight, but Cox said: “Victory tomorrow won’t decide any outcome for us or for Bury, though both teams want to win it for the same reasons.

“We have watched Bury and we know it will be a tough one. They have had a lot of finance pushed in to enable their manager to bring in his own players and it’s been a bit of a revolving door with players going out. He has brought some good ones in.

“But we are in a positive mindset. The boys enjoyed their weekend and I enjoyed my weekend.

“It was nice to get a well-deserved win at home, but it is just one one game. We now have to build into tomorrow and put in the same kind of performance while maybe showing a bit more ruthlessness.

“We had a few more chances we could have done a bit better with and probably made the game a bit easier for ourselves rather than going into five minutes of injury time feeling a bit anxious.”

Stags will send a young side to Rotherham for today’s reserve fixture, though three or four first team squad players will get 30-45 minutes to keep the rust away, including Lee Beevers, whose scan on his problem shoulder has revealed he can continue for the time being.

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Mansfield Town v Bury: Match preview
By Nottingham Post, February 11, 2014

A WEIGHT has been lifted, and Mansfield Town boss Paul Cox hopes the shackles will now follow.

Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Mansfield-Town-v-Bury-Match-preview/story-20601653-detail/story.html#ixzz2t0S8uWLV

After their first victory at the One Call Stadium for more than four months, the Stags host Bury tonight looking to make it two in a row.

Relief greeted the final whistle on Saturday following a 2-1 success over Southend United, but Cox is keen to ensure there is no let-up.

Having previously spoken of the anxiety which crippled his players and permeated the stands, he believes a first win in 11 games on their own patch will see his team play with a bit more freedom.

"It's amazing the psychology of football when you've got that monkey on your back," he said.

"Looking at our past two home performances, I don't think they've been bad.

"It was just that we came up against a team in great form at the time in Scunthorpe (a 2-0 defeat), and against Wycombe (2-2), we got punished for two bits of sloppiness.

"I don't think overall, our performances have been bad, it's just the results, and it is a results business. That's what we've got to remember.

"If somebody said to me, out of the 16 games left you can play badly and win 10, I'd bite their hand off.

"But on our home patch, we know we've got to be a little bit more relaxed and a little bit more fluid with our attacking play.

"It helps when you get the monkey off your back and the anxiety fades. Saturday was a big one for us in terms of psychology at home.

"We've made this place a fortress in the two and a half years since I've been here.

"The last performance was once again a little bit reminiscent of last season.

"The boys had a bit of a spring in their step anyway, it just helps to get those three points at home, which can help point you in the right direction."

Bury sit three places and three points below Mansfield in the League Two table, though make the trip having lost just once in their last seven games.

They also enjoyed a weekend off following the postponement of their match at Torquay United.

"I don't think tonight is going to decide an outcome for ourselves or Bury," said Cox.

"Both teams will want to win it for roughly the same reasons, but it's not the biggest game of our season.

"I've been to see them and we've watched a few DVDs. They will be a tough side.

"There's a lot of finance been pushed into there to enable the manager to bring his own players in.

"It's been a bit of a revolving door in terms of players going out, but they've brought some good players in and I think it will be a really tough game.

"The boys enjoyed their weekend and I enjoyed my weekend, it's nice when we get a well deserved win at home.

"But it's just the one game, we need to build on it now.

"We want to put on the same kind of performance, and I would probably say just even be a bit more ruthless."

Cox could bring Lee Beevers back into his squad tonight.

The defender dislocated his shoulder in the 1-1 draw at Plymouth earlier this month, but had recovered in time for the weekend, only to be left off the substitutes' bench for 'tactical' reasons.

"I wanted to have as many offensive players on the bench as possible so if we needed to change things late on or during the game we could," the manager explained.

"Lee's a bit of a warrior, he picks himself up and gets on with it.

"In terms of long-term, we are going to have to look at it because we don't want it popping out every time he falls over."

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Weather alert: Mansfield v Bury preview
10 Feb 2014, By Ben Collins
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/mansfield-v-bury-preview-6692570?

The game at Field Mill is by no means a certainty to go ahead due to the poor weather, and that could mean the Shakers have no game for the second week running.

Bury fans hope to avoid another wasted trip today as they prepare to visit Mansfield in League 2.

The match has already been postponed once while Saturday’s away game at Torquay was called off less than three hours before kick-off.

Susan Tunstall was travelling in a party of 11 with Bury’s disabled supporters club and had got to Bristol by the time the game was called off.

Susan said: “We’d booked a flexible hotel rate because we thought it might be called off, but it was too late for the noon cancellation policy.

“It’s about time away fans are considered when making decisions on postponing matches, compensation should be offered to those who are affected.”

Saturday’s game was postponed after a second pitch inspection and Torquay defended the timing of the decision, saying: “Ground staff work tirelessly to get the game ahead. The club co-operated fully with the Football League and referee.”

Mansfield won 2-1 at home to Southend to go back above Bury but heavy rain was forecast for this morning.

Danny Mayor (suspension) and Danny Nardiello (injury) could return for Bury, who’ve only lost one of their last seven. Rob Lainton has joined Burton on a month’s loan as cover to their first-choice keeper.

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