Archived News from August 2014
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DISAPPOINTING STAGS BEATEN BY DAGENHAM
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Dagenham and Redbridge 2 - 0 Mansfield Town Howell 45, Ogogo 60. Attendance: 1558 (190 from Mansfield) Date: 23 August 2014 Martin Shaw at Victoria Road. Mansfield Town were beaten at Dagenham & Redbridge this afternoon, with a lacklustre performance that got what it deserved. The first half was poor fare from both sides, and the game had the hallmarks of a 0-0 draw written all over it. But that all changed right on the stroke of half time, as poor defending from Rob Taylor and Ryan Tafazolli allowed Cureton to pull back from the byline to Luke Howell who tapped home from 6 yards. It was hard to see where an equaliser was going to come from, especially when Dagenham doubled the lead on the hour. The out-of-sorts Rob Taylor lost the ball not once but twice in quick succession right in front of me, and then conceded a free-kick in frustration, taken quickly by Dagenham who got to the byline for Chambers, via a great back-heel from Hemmings, to cross, the ball deflected out to Abu Ogogo, who got lucky as his shot which was straight at Studer deflected off Beevers and into the net. It looked to me as though it wouldn’t have gone in without the deflection. With substitutes Palmer, Clucas and Fergus Bell looking more lively in the final 25 minutes, the Stags at last started to cause the home side some problems, and had a few good chances, but were unable to break the home side down, and ended up with nothing. In a disappointing team performance, there were plenty of disappointing individual performances too. The crossing was terrible throughout, notably from Fisher, Taylor, Beevers, Clements. Rhead won plenty of balls in the air, but no-one could do anything with them and Fisher was too often pushed off the ball easily. In midfield, Heslop and McGuire really disappointed after fine performances lately, and Clements was almost completely anonymous after his good game against Newport. With the Stags in 11th place, a point behind the play-off zone and five points above the relegation zone, there is no need for panic. The size of the squad, and more specifically not being allowed to bring in replacements for Amari’i Bell and Liam Hearn when the squad size was already small, is a cause for concern though, to me at least. In my opinion, it’s critical that another forward is brought in. And if Clucas has to be sold before the end of the transfer window, then the situation becomes even more critical, and two players would be needed. Paul Cox had been away from Field Mill for the days leading up to the game, at a course at St Georges Park, and elected to go with the same starting XI that beat Newport on Tuesday. In hindsight, this was probably a mistake in my opinion, with some of those players having suffered from a bug since the Newport game, including Rob Taylor. There was very good news on the bench with the return of Martin Riley following his groin injury picked up at Sheffield United. Riley replaced Marsden, out with an ankle injury. A shame for Marsden, who might have started today had he not had the injury. Dagenham were unchanged following a 2-0 win at Hartlepool on Tuesday. The Stags played in the new black away kit for the first time. There was a distinct lack of atmosphere. Full report in the Match Centre ------------------------------------ Dagenham and Redbridge 2 Mansfield Town 0 - 23rd August 2014 report for CHAD by Dagenham reporter A disappointing performance from Mansfield Town saw them fail in their quest to record three consecutive League Two victories, crashing to a 2-0 defeat at Dagenham and Redbridge. The Stags travelled to East London in high spirits having won consecutive home games against first Oxford United and then Newport County. But this assignment proved a test too far as goals in each half from midfielders Luke Howell and home skipper Abu Ogogo proved decisive. Mansfield never got going until they were two goals behind and by that time it was far too late. And as they ultimately failed to find a way back into the game, Paul Cox’s men have still to register a goal on their travels this season, having lost 1-0 at Northampton on the opening day of the new campaign. Not surprisingly, the Stags boss named an unchanged line-up after their Newport success at the One Call Stadium on Tuesday night. The only squad change was on the bench where Martin Riley returned from a groin injury, replacing Liam Marsden, out with an ankle problem. Dagenham put out the same side that recorded their first success of the season with a 2-0 win at Hartlepool in midweek. It meant new loan signing Josh Clarke, brought in from Brentford, was named as a substitute. Christian Doidge, struggling with an ankle knock, dropped out of the Daggers’ 16. The visitors won an early corner when Lee Beevers’ right-wing cross was cleared behind, but Rob Taylor’s inswinging delivery was easily hooked away. Dagenham’s first foray forward saw Matt Partridge whip in a dangerous low centre from the right flank that was not too far away from Jamie Cureton, lurking on the edge of the six-yard box. In the eighth minute, Ashley Chambers did well to trick his way to the right byline and pick out Ogogo, but his weak volley was easily snaffled by visiting keeper Sascha Studer. The Stags’ first shot came from Beevers after a half-cleared throw, with his effort from outside the box flying well over. As the action continued to flow from end to end, Chambers caused Mansfield more problems before the ball broke for Ogogo, whose first time shot was well cut out by Ryan Tafazolli. The Mansfield centre back was again in the right place when Ashley Hemmings got the wrong side of Beevers and attempted to find Cureton with a low early cross. The Londoners looked to be getting on top, but there was some relief for Mansfield when Matt Rhead used his aerial excellence to good effect in the 19th minute. His flick on caused panic in the home ranks and, as Chris Clements laid off to Alex Fisher in the resulting mêlée, the former Oxford man’s shot from around the penalty spot was drilled straight into a crowd of Daggers defenders. Another Mansfield corner soon after was played in from the right by Taylor and though John Dempster rose highest at the far post, his header was well wide. A Tafazolli foul on Chambers in a dangerous position gave Dagenham the chance to whip the ball into the Mansfield box and there was some relief for the visiting fans when Hemmings shanked a shot with the Stags struggling to clear their lines. At the other end, Taylor’s long throw from the left found the head of Rhead whose flicked effort was held low down by Liam O’Brien. It was the same result when Tafazolli was first to Clements’ free-kick, steering an effort into the arms of the grateful Dagenham keeper. As the game moved past the half hour mark, Fisher almost caught out Jack Connors, nicking the ball away from the left-back, only for O’Brien to cover and quell any danger. Mansfield’s players were left holding their heads in the 37th minute when Clements’ wicked, low free-kick from the left wing eluded everyone, including the diving Rhead, and trickled wide of the right-hand post. Next to try his luck was Taylor with an opportunistic effort, but his 25-yard strike was never worrying O’Brien. Just when it looked as if the two teams would head in at the interval with the game still goal-less, the breakthrough came in first half stoppage time - and it was the visitors who got their noses in front. Cureton got away from his marker on the right-hand side of the box and as Studer started to come and then changed his mind, the diminutive striker pulled the ball back to Howell, who could barely miss from eight yards out. Mansfield emerged from the dressing room for the second half looking determined to make amends, but Taylor twice failed to beat the first man with crosses as he advanced down the left. Rhead won consecutive long balls forward to supply first Fisher and then Clements, but neither could use the service wisely enough to trouble the Dagenham defence. With Fisher struggling to make an impact, Cox chose to bring on Ollie Palmer in his place in the 51st minute. There followed a scrappy period of play and when it came to an end, on the hour, it was with the home fans celebrating again as Dagenham doubled their lead. A quick free-kick enabled Hemmings to backheel into the path of Chambers in space and though his low centre was half-cleared, Ogogo was in the right place to follow up and score from 12 yards, with the aid of a deflection. With Mansfield still reeling, Ogogo had the chance to make it 3-0, but he scuffed his shot after being neatly teed up by Hemmings. The Stags’ response was for Cox to haul off Taylor and Clements, replace them with Fergus Bell and Sam Clucas and go 4-4-2. The impact was near instantaneous as Clucas - reportedly a target of Chesterfield - centred from the right for Palmer and the striker brought a fine save from O’Brien down at the foot of his right-hand post with a drilled effort. The Stags went even closer when Clucas tried his luck following a half-cleared corner and beat O’Brien, but not defender Brian Saah on the line. More pressure followed, but Heslop fired too close to O’Brien after Palmer had won a header from Bell’s delivery. But in their efforts to get back in the game, they were leaving gaps at the back and Studer needed to be alert to push away Ogogo’s low shot after he was slipped in by Howell. With 16 minutes to go, Bell required treatment after he felt the full force of a challenge from Saah. From the resulting free-kick, Clucas fired into the defensive wall. Mansfield’s Jamie McGuire wasn’t too far away when his 20-yard volley dipped just over the bar with O’Brien at full stretch. And another free-kick from a central position saw Bell clear the wall but also lift tamely over the bar, to the jeers of the Dagenham fans. With time running out, Dagenham twice might have killed off the game but first Howell blazed over when well placed and then Tafazolli recovered well to block Chambers’ shot as he raced clear through the middle. Another chance came and went for Daggers when McGuire was caught in possession but Chambers was thwarted by Ritchie Sutton’s timely intervention. As four minutes of time were added on, Sutton found Rhead with a deep cross and his header was on target but well claimed by O’Brien. It summed up that it was not Mansfield’s day. Mansfield (3-5-2): Studer, Sutton, Dempster (c), Tafazolli, Beevers, Heslop, McGuire, Clements (Clucas 64), Taylor (Bell 64), Rhead, Fisher (Palmer 51). Subs not used: Evtimov, Riley, Jones, Murray. Dagenham and Redbridge: (4-3-3): O’Brien, Partridge, Doe, Saah, Connors, Boucaud, Ogogo (c), Howell, Hemmings (Labadie 90+2), Cureton (Porter 77), Chambers. Subs not used: Cousins, Green, Goldberg, Gayle, Clarke. Goals: Dagenham: Howell (45+1), Ogogo (60). Bookings: Dagenham: Partridge (37), Saah (76). Mansfield: Tafazolli (27), Clements (44). Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire). Attendance: 1,558 (190 from Mansfield). Stags’ man of the match: John Dempster. ------------------- Dagenham and Redbridge 2 Mansfield Town 0: Match report Nottingham Post report by Matt Halfpenny MANSFIELD Town's good start to the season suffered a dent as they lost 2-0 to Dagenham & Redbridge. Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Dagenham-Redbridge-2-Mansfield-Town-0-Match/story-22810867-detail/story.html?#ixzz3BFAKRRVX Goals by Abu Ogogo and Luke Howell condemned the visitors to a second defeat of the campaign. Dagenham had a great chance to take the lead as they got plenty of joy down the right hand side. Ashley Chambers beat Ryan Tafazolli before the ball was worked to Ogogo with Tafazolli getting back to make a block on the edge of the six yard box. A Mansfield goal almost came against the run of play in the 37th minute. Chris Clements whipped a free-kick across the face of goal and it only needed a touch as it crept inches wide of the post. As the half-time whistle approached, the Daggers took the lead when Jamie Cureton pulled the ball back to Howell who swept it in from six yards out. After a scrappy sell of play Dagenham produced a good move to double their lead. Former Notts County man Andre Boucaud managed to hold the ball up well before producing a sublime back-heel in to the path of Chambers. Chambers' cross fell to Ogogo, who saw his shot find the back of the net via a deflection from Ritchie Sutton. Stags almost got one back when Simon Heslop's shot from the edge was cleared off the line by Scott Dee. Stags: Studer. Sutton, Dempster, Tafazolli, Fisher, Rhead, McGuire, Heslop, Beevers, Taylor, Clements; Subs: Riley, Jones, Bell, Clucas, Palmer, Murray, Evtimov Attendance: 1,558 (190 away supporters). ------------------- |
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