Archived News from January 2015
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STAGS MISS TEN GOOD CHANCES TO BEAT LEADERS
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 0 - 0 Wycombe Wanderers Attendance: 2759 (372 from Wycombe) Date: 24 January 2015 Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town were held 0-0 by League Two leaders Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon in a bad-tempered game that the Stags should have won. The Stags had ten great chances to win the game. They hit the post three times, through Oliver, Raynes and Ravenhill, had a shot by Blair deflected just wide, had a shot from Kee blocked by a defender on the line, forced three great saves from the keeper (through Oliver twice and Raynes), and Oliver put two sitters wide from close range. At the other end, Mansfield defended very solidly, which was hugely important after the previous two games where five soft goals cost us possible wins against Burton and Exeter. Wycombe were restricted to a couple of shots from long range, before a mistake by Sutton in the 95th minute nearly gifted Wycombe the most undeserved of winners as Sutton allowed Matt McClure a free shot in the area which he miscued horribly. Mansfield have now outplayed Wycombe twice this season (remember the game earlier in the season where Mansfield dominated, and had 16 corners to Wycombe’s 2, but a terrible penalty decision was critical for the home side), and Mansfield have come away with just one point. How Wycombe are top of the league is quite a mystery, though there is a big clue in not conceding goals even when they are under the cosh. Wycombe were also a horrible side, with plenty of nasty challenges, five players booked, cynically breaking the game up at every opportunity, and continually surrounding the referee to put pressure on him. Mansfield are now two points above the relegation zone and with 20 games of the season to go, there is plenty of time to pull away from the bottom of the league, but Mansfield need to convert a better ratio of chances and continue to defend solidly as they did today. A crucial game next week away to Carlisle who are a point behind the Stags having played a game more. A real six-pointer. Report in the Match Centre ------------------------------- Saturday, 24th January 2015: Mansfield Town 0 Wycombe Wanderers 0 chad.co.uk report by John Lomas New-look Mansfield Town took a major step forward with a superb display and a vital point from today’s battling 0-0 home draw with League Two leaders Wycombe Wanderers. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/saturday-24th-january-2015-mansfield-town-0-wycombe-wanderers-0-1-7069755#comments-area The Stags again created a wealth of chances only to see the post deny them twice in five minutes, keeper Michael Ingram pull off two superb first half stoppage time saves, and the Chairboys make block after block in front of their goal. Few gave struggling Stags a prayer against a Wycombe side that arrived nine League games unbeaten. But the visitors know they were lucky to leave with a point from a game in which Stags had to be more gritty then pretty on a soaking wet surface that had the match in doubt overnight. However, Wycombe sub Mat McClure almost stole a win right at the end in stoppage time which would have been unjust. Thankfully he put what was the visitors’ only real opportunity in the game straight into the hands of keeper Adam Smith. Ricky Ravenhill celebrated being made skipper with an all-action display in the middle of the park, his early crunching challenge on Peter Murphy getting the crowd going and sparking a feisty afternoon which saw eight bookings. Michael Raynes was a tower of aerial strength at the back while Ryan Tafazolli did well on his return from illness alongside him. Vadaine Oliver won almost everything in the air up front and on another day would have ended the game with a hat-trick. Martin Riley, who made that awful backpass that cost Stags so dearly last weekend, was left out, though said to be injured. He was replaced by fit-again Tafazolli. There was also a full debut for winger Matty Blair, who came in to replace Reggie Lambe. Raynes was almost caught out as he tried to shepherd the ball out for a goalkick in the opening minute, pursued by two opponents, but luckily the ball broke off a Wycombe player for a goalkick. Then Smith’s first touch from a backpass was a little heavy and he had to quickly clear before Wycombe were able to pounce. There was a hold-up on five minutes after Murphy went into a challenge with Ravenhill and came out with a cut head, claiming he had been elbowed. A couple of feisty challenges followed as tempers rose. Stags won the first corner on nine minutes only for Tafazolli to be penalised for holding at the far post. Ravenhill was lectured on 11 minutes after catching Bloomfield in a tackle. The Wycombe players surrounded the referee trying to get Ravenhill booked, but the cards stayed in the pocket. The complaints continued as the game restarted. Clements tried to send Kee through, Mawson slid in and made a challenge which Stags felt was a foul, but the referee felt he’d got the ball. We finally had the first shot at goal after 20 minutes, Jacobson drilling a 30 yard free kick straight to Smith. Three minutes later Smith dived to his left to gather a low Bean shot from 25 yards. With Stags unable to make any impression going forward, Brown and Blair switched flanks. Stags won corner number two on 27 minutes. Before that was taken Murphy was booked for his incessant moaning since the Ravenhill tackle. Jacobson was too high with a looping effort from 25 yards after a poor clearance from Brown. Finally Mansfield created real danger on 34 minutes as Brown’s far post cross reached Oliver who was unable to direct it on target from a great position, the ball coming back off the far post. Encouraged by that, Brown then cut inside and lifted a shot well over. This was much better by Kee and Oliver set up Blair for a shot that was blocked for a corner. Wycombe struggled to clear that as two shots were blocked and then a Raynes shot clipped a defender and hit the post on 39 minutes. Raynes was booked for a trip on Wood in the last minute of the 45. The free kick was half cleared and Mawson swung it back across, Murphy trying to reach it with a diving header but failing to make contact. Three minutes were added on in which Stags piled on the pressure. Kee’s flick set up Oliver for a low shot that Ingram blocked at full stretch. Kee’s first follow-up seemed to strike the hand of Mawson and his second follow-up was kicked off the line by Pierre. A minute later Ingram made a great save from a Raynes header from a left wing corner and then Oliver’s follow-up was blocked as the Stags left the pitch to warm applause. Mansfield came back out in the same mood and quickly forced successive corners. Then Wood went in late on Ravenhill on 49 minutes for a booking. A minute later Ravenhill blazed a first time shot from 25 yards narrowly wide. Wycombe’s first corner came on 55 minutes which Oliver headed away and Sutton cleared. Stags then broke well and Oliver helped the ball on to Clements whose had the sting taken out of his finish by Pierre’s challenge. Brown was in the book on the hour for a late challenge on Jacobson with Wycombe again trying to get him sent off. Onyedinma joined him on 63 minutes for kicking the ball after the whistle had gone. Mawson could have been sent off two minutes later for his studs-showing challenge on Ravenhill but escaped with a booking. Two more home corners followed as the pressure and noise from the stands turned up again. And Oliver should have done better from the second on 67 minutes as he was left free to sidefoot well wide. Pierre’s cynical trip on Brown added his name to the book on 69 minutes. In a rare chance, Wanderers won a corner on 75 minutes which Mawson headed over at the far post. Raynes then did well to get in the way of an Onyedinma shot from a tight angle. Back came Stags and Jacobson did well to outjump Oliver at the far post to concede a corner. Tafazolli was booked on 82 minutes for blocking off the run of Onyedinma - the eighth yellow card of the game. With six minutes to go Rhead took over for Oliver up front for Stags. Stags felt Murphy had dived for his free kick just outside the box in the last minute, but Jacobson’s free kick was straight at the home wall. Both sides made double changes in the first of four added minutes, Blair and Kee replaced by Lambe and Fisher. Chairboys sub McClure might have won it against the run of play in the fifth added minute as he chased a long ball down the left, got goalside of Sutton but then lifted a tame finish at Smith. It would have been a travesty had that gone in and Stags were rightly applauded from the field at the end. STAGS: Smith; Sutton, Tafazolli, Raynes, Elder; Blair (Lambe 90+1), Ravenhill, Clements, Brown; Kee (Fisher 90+1), Oliver (Rhead 84). Subs not used: Studer, McGuire, Heslop, Beevers. WYCOMBE: Ingram, Jombati, Jacobson, Pierre, Bean, Bloomfield, Wood (McClure 90+1), Murphy (Ephraim 90+1), Onyedinma, Holloway, Mawson. Subs not used: Richardson, Craig, Kretzschmar, Senior.?REFEREE: Eddie Ilderton of Tyne and Wear. ATTENDANCE: 2,759 (382 away). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Vadaine Oliver. --------------- Wanderers stayed top of League Two with a hard fought draw against an improving Mansfield side Wanderers were lucky to take a point on Saturday. by Greg Styles, Sports Reporter, bucksfreepress.co.uk Mansfield 0, Blues 0, Wycombe had Matt Ingram to thank as they rode their luck to stay top of League Two and draw with Mansfield at the One Call Stadium on Saturday afternoon. http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/11747835.Wanderers_ride_their_luck_to_draw_against_Mansfield/ The keeper came to Blues rescue on a number of occasions before half-time as he thwarted Vadaine Oliver and Micahel Raynes twice with an array of saves which show just why the 21-year-old is so highly rated. Gareth Ainsworth’s side also had the post to thank, twice, as Mansfield dominated the game for long spells but, incredibly, they could have nicked the points when substitute Matt McClure could only chip the ball straight at the keeper when through on goal. Wanderers named the same starting XI that had drawn 1-1 with play-off challengers Bury a week previously, with skipper Paul Hayes not even travelling as he continues to recover from a calf injury, but they failed to get going against the lowly Stags. Plenty of effort and endeavour was on display in the first 45 minutes but little quality with the crowd having to wait 20 minutes to see the first shot on goal. Both sides seemed more interested in arguing with each other than grabbing a foothold in the game with Peter Murphy and Ricky Ravenhill involved in a running battle that caused the former to sport a bandage round his forehead after an aerial dual with the Mansfield captain. Joe Jacobson drove a free-kick from long distance straight at Adam Smith in the home goal in what was Wycombe’s best chance of the first half. The hosts were equally toothless until Junior Brown switched flanks and began causing Jacobson problems down the right-hand side. Wycombe were saved by the woodwork after 34 minutes as the lively Brown cut inside and crossed to the back post where Oliver had peeled off Alfie Mawson, but the striker could only plant his diving header onto the far post with Ingram beaten. Some last ditch defending was required four minutes later as Matty Blair raced onto Billy Kee’s through ball and struck toward goal only to find his shot cannon off Aaron Pierre and drift away for a corner. The hosts were beginning to crank up the pressure and Matt Bloomfield came to Wanderers’ rescue as he got back on the line to flick Raynes’ drive wide after an almighty goalmouth scramble. Wycombe were rocking and the Stags would have gone ahead but for a superb one-handed stop from Ingram to deny Oliver’s low right-foot drive as the frontman again linked up well with Kee. From the ensuing corner the visiting fans watched with hearts in mouths as Ingram dived at full stretch to keep out Raynes’ bullet header before the stopper sprung to his feet to claw away Oliver’s effort on the follow-up. The second half started in the same vain as the first had finished with the yellows taking the game to Ainsworth’s side and applying early pressure with two corners - one of which Ingram came out powerfully to punch. But the keeper was a spectator five minutes after the restart as Ravenhill unleashed a thunderbolt following Pierre’s poor clearance from 30 yards which clipped the outside of his post. Mansfield forged another opening minutes later this time from a Wanderers corner as a swift counter-attack from Oliver’s defensive clearance saw Blair left one-on-one with Sido Jombati. The winger nutmegged the Portuguese before running into the area where Pierre had made up just enough ground and was able to partially block Blair’s effort as it popped up into Ingram’s grateful grasp. Frustration was mounting for the team with the best away record in League Two and that was evident as Fred Onyedinma volleyed the ball goalwards long after the whistle had gone for offside, picking up a yellow card from the referee for his troubles. Mawson then followed suit, becoming the fourth Wanderers player to be booked this time for a late lunge on Ravenhill after the midfielder had stolen the ball off Wood. Stags fans had their heads in their hands as another chance went begging after 67 minutes with Oliver again the culprit as he failed to hit the target with a first time effort from Chris Clements’ corner. Mansfield were nearly made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when Onyedinma was just unable to get his foot to the ball after Murphy had flicked on a long ball with Smith in no man’s land. Blues began to offer more of an attacking threat with Mawson heading over from a corner before Wood looked to flick the ball home from Onyedinma’s centre but was frustrated to see the ball ricochet off the defender and flicking off him as it rolled out for a goal kick. The Mansfield natives were furious with 89 minutes on the clock as Murphy tumbled, setting up a free-kick just outside the home box. But, in line with Blues’ attacking play all day, Jacobson buried his effort into the wall. Hogan Ephraim and McClure were then thrown on as the clocked ticked past 90 minutes. Deep into stoppage time McClure had the chance to steal all three points for Wanderers but the striker tamely chipped the ball into Smith’s hands from inside the box as Blues clung on for a point. Mansfield: Smith, Sutton, Tafazolli, Raynes, Elder, Blair (Fisher), Ravenhill, Clements, Brown, Kee (Lambe), Oliver (Rhead) Subs: Studer, McGuire, Heslop, Beevers Wanderers: Ingram, Jombati, Mawson, Pierre, Jacobson, Bloomfield, Wood (McClure), Bean, Murphy (Ephraim), Onyedinma, Subs: Richardson, Craig, Rowe, Kretzschmar, Senior, ---------------- No goals as Mansfield and Wycombe battle to stalemate By Tim Street, getbucks.co.uk Ainsworth's men survive a number of scares to earn another point on the road Wycombe survived a Mansfield onslaught to dig out a point in an encounter which won't live long in the memory at the One Call Stadium this afternoon. http://www.getbucks.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/no-goals-mansfield-wycombe-battle-8511144? Mansfield started as they meant to go on, and Alfie Mawson had to make a goal-saving last-ditch tackle on Chris Clements, who would otherwise have been clean through on goal. After a 30-yard effort from Marcus Bean was comfortably saved by home keeper Adam Smith, Vadaine Oliver came closest to breaking the deadlock when his diving far post header from Junior Brown's right wing cross had Matt Ingram beaten all ends up, but came back off the upright. Matty Blair wnet close too soon after, but his shot was deflected wide off Aaron Pierre, before Michael Raynes struck the post following a goalmouth scramble from the resulting corner. In first half injury time, Oliver sliced through the Blues back four but was denied by Ingram, before Mawson and Ingram took it in turns to block two follow up efforts from Billy Kee, and Wycombe were fortunate to be on level terms at the break. After the interval, Ricky Ravenhill was just wide with a 30 yard belter., while Pierre did well to get back and put pressure on Blair as the Mansfield man broke and bore down on Ingram, forcing him into a snatched shot which was easy for the Wycombe keeper. Oliver then fired wastefully wide after being found unmarked in the area from a corner, then after a couple of Wycombe half-chances came to nothing, Joe Jacobson had to head clear as Oliver waited to pounce on a far post cross. There was one final let off in injury time as Brown, who would have had the time and space to pick his spot at the far post had he brought the ball down, instead chose to head the ball tamely to Ingram. Similarly, at the other end, the final chance fell to sub Matt McClure, who found himself clean through on Smith but shot straight at the keeper when he had the time to pick his spot either side. BLUES : Ingram, Jombati, Pierre, Mawson, Jacobson, Bean, Bloomfield, Wood (McClure 90), Murphy (Ephraim 90), Onyedinma, Holloway. Subs not used: Richardson, Craig, Rowe, Kretzschmar, Senior. ------------------ Wycombe escape Mansfield scrap with valuable point Mansfield Town 0-0 Wycombe Wanderers Writer: Dale Jenkins, Saturday January 24 2015 Read more: http://www.wycombe.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=385795#ixzz3PmZNXAj3 A mixture of good old defensive grit and the heroics of goalkeeper Matt Ingram helped Wycombe earn a goalless draw at Field Mill this afternoon. It wasn't pretty to watch but Gareth Ainsworth will no doubt feel the ends justify the means. It is another point to the total which keeps Wycombe Wanderers top of the league for another week at least. It would be generous to describe this as a football match, indeed the ball seemed almost permanently airborne. 26 fouls and 8 bookings dished out by inconsistent referee Eddie Ilderton summed up this bruising encounter. Ainsworth named an unchanged line up with Paul Hayes not named in the 18 man squad as Max Kretzschmar returned to the substitutes bench. The needle was apparent with the game just minutes old as an unimpressed Peter Murphy had to be bandaged up after the first of many aerial assaults, on this occasion dished out by Ricky Ravenhill. After a complete absence of goalmouth action in the opening quarter Alfie Mawson was slightly fortunate not to be punished for scything down Billy Kee as the striker bore down on goal. Wycombe's first attempt was a Joe Jacobson free kick which curled towards the top corner but Smith read it and claimed with ease. Just two minutes later Marcus Bean managed to bring the ball out of the sky and drove another effort low into the arms of the Stags keeper. Murphy found himself in the book for continual backchat as the half hour mark approached, and an almighty let off followed soon after as Junior Brown tricked his way past Jacobson before whipping in a dangerous cross that Vadaine Oliver could only head across goal and against the post from all of four yards out. The hosts were looking increasingly dangerous now and Matty Blair sent Oliver clean through but his shot was deflected for a corner. The resulting delivery was swung in and towering defender Tafazolli was denied by a goalline clearance from Pierre. As first half stoppage time loomed, Kee threaded through Oliver who was denied by a Mawson block, Kee's rebound was saved by Ingram and Pierre blocked a third attempt from Oliver out for another corner. The resulting delivery caused mayhem yet again but Ingram made a world class one handed save to deny Michael Raynes before the rebound header was tipped over by the recovering goalkeeper. There was still time for Oliver to have a shot deflected past the post before referee Ilderton finally blew for half time. Phew. The second half started with more set piece barrages from the Stags and Ravenhill also sent a 25 yard belter inches wide of Ingram's goal. Blair was next through with a sight of goal, but Pierre did well to snuff out the chance. Brown was yellow carded for wiping out Jacobson, Mawson was slightly fortunate to only see yellow for clattering a Mansfield attacker, and Onyedinma was booked for kicking the ball away despite referee Ilderton ignoring an identical offence by Brown earlier in the match. Hardly one for the purist this game. Another Mansfield set piece was hurled into the box but Oliver failed to connect and the ball sailed harmlessly wide. Pierre was then carded for cynically tripping Clements. There was a marked improvement in Wycombe's play in the last third of the match with Holloway holding up play well but a lack of a killer instinct was found in the visitors attack. Ilderton's incompetence was again clear for all to see as he marked out only 8 yards for a free kick, and surprise surprise Jacobson's effort was blocked by the wall. Ainsworth finally changed things up with McClure and Ephraim replacing Murphy and Wood as stoppage time approached. There was one final chance for Wycombe to steal what would have been an undeserved win, but after McClure found himself in the clear he inexplicably chose to limply chip the ball straight into the grateful arms of Smith as the game ended goalless. Ratings: Ingram 9* , Jombati 7, Pierre 7, Mawson 7, Jacobson 7, Bean 6, Bloomfield 5, Murphy 6 (Ephraim 90), Onyedinma 6, Holloway 7, Wood 6 (McClure 90). ------------------- |
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