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Archived News from April 2015

MURRAY AND MICKY MELLON REACTION
10th April 2015 21:09


Murray wants unity in final five games
mansfieldtown.net, 6th April 2015

Gaffer asks supporters to get behind the team in bid to beat relegation.

Manager Adam Murray wants supporters to get behind the team and give them as much vocal backing as possible as they aim to get the points required to stay in Sky Bet League Two.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/murray-wants-unity-in-final-five-games-2378867.aspx#LB46UrKgQFKf8Qb8.99

Our team produced a spirited showing against top of the table Shrewsbury Town, but were undone courtesy of substitute Tyrone Barnett’s winner just after half-time.

The plucky Shrews, who have the tightest defence in the Football League, then soaked up intense pressure as they were camped inside their own half, but hung on to record a victory.

“For the majority of the game we’ve put a team at the top of the league on the back foot,” said Murray. “We dictated the game without being ruthless and [the result] sums it up.

“You can’t put the ball in the danger areas that many times and not come away with something. It’s criminal. Then you get a deflected shot against you [and lose the game 1-0], but that’s the way things are going at the minute.

“I thought the performance and the boys were excellent today. We’ve played a top of the table team and we should have beaten them.”

Our boss continued: “I don’t understand some people’s view on the game. It’s incredible. We took a holding midfielder off to bring on a centre-forward because we’re losing 1-0 and he gets booed.

“I understand that people [are getting worried], but I thought that we were all in the same battle? [In the last five games] just support the team. What we have to do is work hard and stick together.

“There is only that group of 22 or 23 players that are going to do this,” added our manager. “It’s ‘us against the world’ so we’ll work hard, stick together as a squad and we’ll come out the other side. I’ve got no doubts about that.

“Sometimes you come up short, but you’ve got to understand what ball park you’re in and we took a top of the league team to the sword and stabbed ourselves. The boys can’t do anymore than they’ve done today.

“We’ve lost and I understand the frustration and that people are getting worried, but if people are going off on their own tangents and want to fight a different war, then I don’t get what the battle is.

“Today, there were some people more interested in clapping Liam Lawrence than they were getting behind their team. I don’t get that.

“We’re in a battle here and if we don’t all get on the same page then it’s going to be a million times tougher.”

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Murray calls for everyone to stick together after gutsy defeat for Stags
by John Lomas, chad.co.uk

Despite his side turning in a gutsy performance that delighted him, Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray watched a lucky deflection prove the difference as visitors Shrewsbury Town won 1-0 today to go top of League Two.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/murray-calls-for-everyone-to-stick-together-after-gutsy-defeat-for-stags-1-7195418

Tyrone Barnett’s close range finish on 50 minutes gave the Shrews their fifth straight win, but for Murray, it was a fourth defeat in a row that leaves Stags in trouble.?“We have gone up against a top of the table team and dictated the game without being ruthless,” he said. “We should have beaten them.

We have put a top of the table team to the sword today and stabbed ourselves.
“You can’t put that many balls in danger areas that many times and not come away with something - it’s criminal.

“Then you get beaten by a deflected shot, that’s how it is going for us.”

With tension mounting in the stands over the club’s league position, Murray was upset with some of the home supporters, saying: “I can’t understand some people’s views on the game.

“I take a holding midfielder off and bring on an extra striker and get booed?

“I thought we were all in the same battle and I want fans to support the team. I do understand their frustration and panic.

“But more people seemed interested in clapping (former Stag) Liam Lawrence instead of getting behind the team today. If we don’t get on the same page now it is going to be a million times tougher.”

He added: “We have have to work hard and stick together now. Only the group of 22/23 players inside those four walls are going to do this. Let’s be honest, we are up against the world. But if we stick together I am sure we will come out the other side.

“They have all given everything today for the cause. But sometimes you do just come up short. We have put a top of the table team to the sword today and stabbed ourselves.

“They have seven top class strikers. Give us three of those and we’d have won that 4-0. We don’t have the X-factor they have.

“The lads were shattered on their feet by the end. We couldn’t have done any more.

“Ricky Ravenhill has damaged ankle ligaments, Jamie McGuire went over on his ankle today but managed to soldier on till he came off, then Vadaine Oliver has done his shoulder.

“But no one really feels sorry for us. There is no point in me doing press as people don’t want to hear excuses or reasons.”

Shrewsbury manager Micky Mellon said: “People can get carried away sometimes and not understand what football is all about.

“At this time of the season that was what it is all about. You need guts and you need character. You have to defend your 18-yard box. We had so many free kicks come in and we defended them. That was massive.

“You have to stand your ground and fight and win the knock-downs.

“That was probably the story of the game today. We answered the questions that this game asked of us and we scored a goal.

“Not a coach in the world can do anything about that many free kicks coming into your box with four or five 6ft 3ins guys there to get on the end of them. You just have to get on the end of them - and we did.

“The boys protected the keeper superbly well and we have come out of it with an unbelievable result and a clean sheet.”

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Micky Mellon Post Mansfield Town
shrewsburytown.com

There’s noway big Tyrone isn't getting onto the end of that - Micky Mellon

Gaffer pleased with his side grit and determination to get Stags result

Read more at http://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/article/micky-mellon-post-mansfield-town-2379018.aspx#5UBgjyb0reFgB0o7.99

Town traveled to Mansfield looking to keep their winning run going at the One Call Stadium.

It wasn't the most free flowing of performances but it was one where Town showed their guts and fight to get the points.

In the end it was a Tyrone Barnett header that was the difference with him getting the all important goal to see Town go top of the table, for a while.

After the game Micky Mellon spoke to the press to give his thoughts on Town's performances:”I think people can get carried away and not understand what football is all about.

“Today was what it is all about, it was about guts, determination and you have to defend your 18 yard box as there was an awful lot of free-kicks, probably more than I thought there should have been, and you have to stand your ground and fight.

“That was probably the story of the whole game but considering what type of game it was there can't be anyone who can't say we didn't play well with what the game asked us.

“We won those first headers, we won the knock downs and we dug in and we battled and we scored a goal.”

There was pressure from the home side towards the end of the game but Town dug in and worked to get the result. There was another clean sheet for Town to make it 20 so far in the league, one away from equalling the all time record:”It's difficult as there’s no team that can coach about a ball coming into the box from a free-kick into a number of plus 6 foot tall guys trying to get on the end of it.

“That's what the game asked of us today and you have to be good at it and today we were.

“The boys protected the goalkeeper really well and we've come out with another important victory and clean sheet.”

The all important goal came after the restart with substitute Tyrone Barnett getting on the end of a Mark Ellis cross at the back post:”We said at half-time we didn't think we were getting enough men up and around their back four, and we seemed a little hesitant of asking them a few questions.

“Straight away in the second half we got people up and around their back-four, Mark gets a cross in that takes a deflection and there’s noway big Tyrone isn't getting onto the end of that and fair play to him.”

The manager started the game with the same eleven that started in the win over Dagenham & Redbridge on Friday. He got the performance he wanted but was always planning to make changes to add to the energy levels:”You have to understand that we've had two games in three days and the energy levels are going to be down.

“All the ones we asked to go for us on Friday went again today, so it was important that we tried to use the subs well and brought the energy on when we needed it.

“We knew we would bring Mangy and Tyrone on at some time, big Jean-Louis gave us a great shift on Friday and he'd run his race today so it was great to be able to bring Tyrone on to add that little bit of physical presence and energy.”

The Town performance showed the spirit of the side and in the second half when Mansfield were asking questions the defence dug in with five Stags players playing up front at times:”That's what you have to do, and you are asked different questions every week that you have to answer.

“To try and be successful you have to be able to adapt to whatever those questions are thrown at you, and today the boys did that.

“Ten out of ten for them all and for the questions they were asked in headers, knock downs, balls into the box and we've seen an awful lot of battle today.”

The win now makes it five wins on the bounce for Town who are picking up the points at the right time of the season:”Everybody is now coming towards last chance saloon so they can play a type of football where they can throw everything at it.

“It is something that we have to deal with at this time of the season so you have to be able to deal with that, dig in and battle it out.

“I've been in football a long time and it won't be the last time I see that and what you expect from your team is the fight and battle to come away with the result.”

Town ended the game top of the League 2 table but the early kick-off meant that everyone else in the league were kicking off as the Town game finished:”I think we have to just keep looking forward and try to pick up as many points as we can and take care of our own business.

“Of course we will look at the results elsewhere today and if results go our way then that will make things a little bit sweeter.

“We came here today to pick up 3 points from a really tough game and we've done that today to top off a really good Easter.”

765 Town fans travelled to the One Call Stadium and made themselves heard during the game and the gaffer had praised for those who made the trip:”They were magnificent today, I’ve been here just shy of a year now and they have never every surprised me.

“I've always got that support as I’ve expected it as that is what they are all about and they are fantastic.

“They come and they get right behind the players and the best compliment I can give them is that they are always like that.

“When we needed them they knew it was just about guts and determination today and they roared us on and played a big part in that result today.”

Town now sit with 80 points on the board and with five games to go Micky is challenging his team to keep that winning run going:”We keep going, the mentality of the group is that even if someone told us the job was done today we would want to go on and win everyone of those remaining games.

“We will continue to keep trying to win each game half by half, because we don't want to be beaten by anyone and our pride means there is still a lot to do.”

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