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Archived News from February 2015

STAGS BEATEN AND DROP INTO RELEGATION ZONE
3rd February 2015 0:22


Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Carlisle United 2 - 1 Mansfield Town
Wyke 72, Dempsey 79. Oliver 45
Attendance: 3827 (192 from Mansfield)

Date: 31 January 2015

Martin Shaw at Brunton Park

Mansfield Town were beaten 2-1 in a fractious relegation six-pointer at Carlisle this afternoon and dropped into the League Two relegation zone for the first time since promotion from the Conference. The Stags took the lead on 45 minutes when Vadaine Oliver headed home from a Reggie Lambe cross. The home players, management and fans were furious thinking that Matty Blair was offside in the build-up but review of the match DVD clearly shows that he was not. Carlisle thought they should have had a penalty on 55 minutes, but review of the DVD suggests the officials got it right again. It seemed to me that from that point the referee gave decisions to appear to even things up, with a series of bad decisions against Mansfield, one of which was to become critical on 72 minutes as Tafazolli was penalised for a clean tackle with a free-kick. Carlisle scored from the set-piece but the Stags defending was very disappointing. Carlisle then took the lead after 79 minutes with a break from a Stags free-kick outside the Carlisle box as Lambe was muscled off the ball too easily and Carlisle swept the ball into the Stags box and into the net. The Stags were unable to claw their way back and fell to a disastrous defeat. In my opinion, the Stags didn’t do enough to deserve victory and the current run of results is very worrying, four defeats and a draw from the last five games. No panic but the Stags need to pick up results soon. Starting next Saturday Mansfield have four games in 10 days, 3 of them at home. It will be a critical period. Come on Mansfield!

Report in the Match Centre.

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Saturday, 31st January 2015: Carlisle United 2, Mansfield Town 1
chad.co.uk report by John Lomas

Two goals in nine second half minutes condemned Mansfield Town to slip into the League Two drop zone after a 2-1 defeat in today’s six-pointer at fellow strugglers Carlisle United.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/saturday-31st-january-2015-carlisle-united-2-mansfield-town-1-1-7082488

Home fans were at the ground early to clear snow off the surface to enable the game to go ahead.

But Stags must have wished they hadn’t bothered as they saw an interval lead wiped out in a much better second half from the Cumbrians.

On a freezing cold afternoon, the first half had little to keep the crowd warm, but Stags grabbed a precious lead right on the stroke of half-time through a Vadaine Oliver header.

At this stage Mansfield keeper Adam Smith had not had a save to make.

But United upped the ante in the second half and when Stags failed to clear a free kick on 72 minutes, Charlie Wyke was able to level.

Worse was to come nine minutes later as Reggie Lambe lost the ball in a Stags attack and a swift break ended with Kyle Dempsey sweeping home the winner.

It left Stags, who were poor after the break, slipping into the drop zone with a return to the Conference a growing concern after only one win in 11 games.

There is also worry over new signing, winger Matty Blair, who was stretchered off after 69 minutes.

There was a surprise in the Mansfield side as recent signing Billy Kee was left out. Kee hasn’t looked fully fit since arriving, but was getting better game by game.

Stags were also without midfielder Chris Clements who has failed to receive from illness in time.

In came Reggie Lambe and Simon Heslop. There was also a place on the bench for teenage youth team midfielder Joe Fitzpatrick.

Stags almost made the perfect start as, within 30 seconds, Brown fed Lambe on the right and his far post cross was headed over by Oliver.

Oliver then headed clear a Grainger free kick in United’s first threat.

Then Smith just managed to grab a Tafazolli backheader before Wyke could sneak in and intercept.

Blair tried to send Brown on his way down the left, but the move was thwarted by an offside flag.

From a long throw from the left Rigg had a header blocked on nine minutes, Ravenhill playing it safe and conceding the first of two home corners.

Tafazolli headed away a long Grainger throw. The ball was then laid wide to Potts who drilled a powerful cross in front of goal where Rigg just failed to connect with a diving header that would have put United ahead.

There was a scare on 23 minutes as United enjoyed a spell of pressure and Rigg poked the ball into the net from 15 yards, but the whistle had already gone for a foul.

Mansfield’s response saw Ravenhill loft the ball in for Oliver, who helped it on to Lambe. However, his finish was poor, weak and wide.

Home skipper Grainger tried his luck from distance but was wildly off target on 28 minutes.

Ravenhill was on target with a 30 yard free kick, but it lacked venom and was low and straight to keeper Gillespie.

A Grainger free kick from the right somehow found its way through everyone at the far post with three home players queuing up, the ball coming off Smith for a corner.

Blair got to the home by-line on the right but was unable to pick out Brown with his low pull-back as United cleared the danger.

It had been a tense first half with neither keeper really tested so far.

United’s fourth corner arrived on 37 minutes, taken short, and when Dempsey finally put it over, O’Hanlon headed wide.

Back came Stags and Oliver set up Brown, who cut inside before screwing a terrible finish well wide off the outside of his right boot.

A minute from the break United wasted the best chance so far as a Dempsey corner dropped for Archibald-Henville seven yards out and he hooked a hurried finish over the top.

The game finally exploded into life with a goal for Mansfield in the 45th minute.

Lambe seemed to take his time about crossing from the right, but swapped to his right foot and sent the ball to the far post where Oliver got up well and powered home a header off the inside of the post.

United was a corner immediately on the restart. And they almost scored.

The corner was pulled bizarrely way back to Grainger who lofted it back forward. Stags called for offside but the flag stayed down and Dempsey forced Smith to parry a powerful on-target blast.

On 50 minutes Dempsey burst into the box and the ball ran for Potts who blazed a rising shot over the bar.

Wyke was furious on 56 minutes after Smith’s challenge on him in the box sent him tumbling to the turf, United winning only a corner.

A half cleared long Elder throw saw Lambe snatch at a volleyed chance and send it well over as Stags got forward for the first time on the hour.

Grainger was well over with a follow-up after a Carlisle corner was half-cleared. Before play could restart treatment was needed for Elder, who had stayed down after the corner.

Young was well over the far angle from well out on the right soon afterwards,

On 66 minutes Helsop became the first player in the book for persistent fouling.

Three minutes later Stags lost new signing Blair with what looked a serious injury,

He held his arm up straight away as he went down after a challenge and, despite the home crowd’s booing, on came a stretcher and his afternoon was over.

He was replaced by Kee while Carlisle sent on Amoo for Potts.

United finally broke through with a 72nd minute equaliser.

A Grainger free kick was sent over long from the right and, as everyone went up for it, the ball dropped invitingly for Wyke to steer home low from close range.

Stags might have gone back ahead on 76 minutes, but Lambe’s cross from the right was behind an unmarked Oliver five yards from goal.

Raynes was too high with a header from a long elder throw.

With 12 minutes to go, ex-Stag Asamoah replaced Rigg.

And a minute later the home side were ahead after a swift counter-attack.

Lambe was slow in taking control in the home half and robbed by Amoo, who began to race away.

Ravenhill tried to hack him down, but he stayed upright and fed Wyke, who drew Smith before rolling a pass to Dempsey to hit the empty net past a defender on the line.

Kee had a first time shot deflect wide for a corner for the increasingly desperate visitors. Lambe floated it in and Raynes got his header on target only to see Gillespie turn it aside for another corner.

Six minutes were added on in which Lambe tried a hopeful long range effort that Gillespie easily smothered to his left.

CARLISLE: Gillespie, Grainger, Archibald-Henville, Meppen-Walter, Potts (Amoo 69), Rigg (Asamoah 78), Dempsey, O’Hanlon, Wyke (Sweeney 90), Young, Griffiths. Subs not used: Kearns, Beck, Brough, Hanford.

STAGS: Smith, Sutton, Tafazolli, Ravenhill, Heslop, Lambe, Blair (Kee 69), Brown (Brown 85), Oliver, Elder, Raynes. Subs not used: Studer, Riley, McGuire, Marsden, Fitzpatrick.

REFEREE: Mark Haywood of West Yorkshire.

ATTENDANCE: 3,827 (192 away)

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Vadaine Oliver.

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MATCH REPORT: United 2 - 1 Mansfield
Author: Andy Hall, carlisleunited.co.uk

A team of volunteers set about the snow covered playing surface at 7am on Saturday morning and the match was confirmed as playable just two hours later when the last wheelbarrow full of compacted sleet had been removed at the Waterworks End.

Read more at http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/article/report-from-the-home-game-against-mansfield-2232319.aspx#Ap1B5vxR9ekd6U2c.99

And they were rewarded with a gritty display which eventually earned them three points as they battled through controversy and debatable decisions to come from behind and grab their dramatic win.

Wide man Blair found two early crosses as Mansfield attacked from the kick off and Oliver went close as he jumped high to nod from eight yards out. He connected well but he couldn't keep it down.

United responded with a long throw and a half clearance was hooked back into the box by an alert Meppen-Walter. Rigg got there but his downward header hit Tafazolli and was guided behind to safety.

Another long throw from Grainger caused more problems as the left back swept the loose ball back into the mix. Potts trapped a headed clearance from Tafazolli and Rigg was a whisker away from getting the touch as the ball whipped across the face of goal.

The Cumbrians had a goal ruled out for a tug from Wyke on Tafazolli as Rigg rattled a nod down into the back of the net from the edge of the box, and a high ball from Archibald-Henville moments later was flicked on by Wyke for Meppen-Walter to cross. He lost his bearings and sent it straight at the keeper.

Lambe dragged a weak shot wide from 19 yards as the Stags mounted a rare attack, and Carlisle should have done better when Rigg touched the ball round the corner for Grainger. The captain went for the long shot but he sent it wide and into the Warwick.

Keeper Mark Gillespie had to be alert when a Heslop free kick crept under the wall. He readjusted and dropped down to smother it as it bobbled along the ground.

An inswinging Grainger free kick from wide on the right deserved better when it split the defence and bounced up high. All it needed was a touch but Rigg and Dempsey had hesitated and the keeper was able to touch it away.

A run from Lambe came to nothing as his cut back was cleared from inside the six yard box, and an intricate short corner routine at the other end brought a cross from Grainger and another close shout from Rigg as he popped his header just past the upright.

Carlisle had another good chance just before the break when a Dempsey corner fell nicely for Archibald-Henville. He shot on the spin and it whistled just over the bar.

The half ended in controversy as Matt Blair ignored offside appeals as he picked the ball up wide on the right. His cross was perfect for Oliver, who made no mistake from close range as the Carlisle back line converged on the referee's assistant to ask for an explanation.

A second intricate corner routine of the day introduced Carlisle into the second half when Dempsey sent the ball back to the centre circle for Grainger. He immediately returned the favour, and Smith did well to beat the unexpected shot away as it angled for the top corner.

Incisive play from the hosts then brought an exchange of passes between Rigg and Dempsey, but Potts took over as the ball reached the edge of the box. The midfielder unleashed a rasping drive and was unlucky to see it climb just over the bar.

The Cumbrians were left stunned as what appeared to be a clear penalty decision was ignored by referee Mark Haywood. Wyke was left to recover on the floor following a late challenge from Smith, but the officials were unmoved despite loud appeals from the vocal home crowd.

The home side dusted themselves off and got the goal they deserved when new boy Charlie Wyke bided his time at another well delivered free kick from Grainger. The flick left the big striker with the relatively easy task of bundling the ball over the line from close range.

The game was turned on its head seven minutes later when Derek Asamoah made a clearance from a Mansfield corner his own. He carried it away, fed it to Amoo, and the substitute kept his head as he looked for support. Wyke called for it but he showed intelligence when he drew the keeper before laying it back for Dempsey to pick his spot.

Gillespie produced a spectacular save from Tafazolli as he powered a header goalwards from a corner, and the home side dug deep to defend in numbers as they protected their vital victory.

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Goals

United - Wyke (72), Dempsey (79)

Mansfield - Oliver (45)

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Bookings

Mansfield - Heslop (66), Ravenhill (79)

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Teams

Carlisle United - Gillespie, Young, Archibald-Henville, O'Hanlon, Grainger, Potts (Amoo 69), Meppen-Walter, Griffith, Dempsey, Rigg (Asamoah 78), Wyke (Sweeney 90). Subs - Hanford, Kearns, Beck, Brough.

Mansfield Town - Smith, Sutton, Tafazolli, Ravenhill, Heslop, Lambe, Blair (Kee 69), Brown (Rhead 85), Oliver, Elder, Raines. Subs - Studer, Riley, McGuire, Marsden, Fitzpatrick.

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Referee - Mr Mark Haywood

Attendance - 3,827 (192 away fans)

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