Archived News from October 2015
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SENDINGS-OFF & INJURIES COST STAGS IN LATE DEFEAT
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 1 - 2 Bristol Rovers Tafazolli 81. Pearce sent off 60, Hunt sent off 77. Easter 15, Taylor 90+8. Easter sent off 45+2 Attendance: 4196 (847 from Bristol Rovers) Date: 17 October 2015 Martin Shaw and Jeff Barnes at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town were beaten 2-1 by a goal 8 minutes into stoppage time by Bristol Rovers this afternoon. Mansfield were already down to nine men, and had goalkeeper Brian Jensen almost knocked out and virtually immobilised after an injury, when Matty Taylor headed home the winner. It was cruel on Mansfield who had battled back with a tremendous shot from Ryan Tafazolli on 81 minutes to equalise. Mansfield had started the game well with several early chances including a free shot for Matt Green inside the opening minute, but fell behind against the run of play on 15 minutes as Jermaine Easter fired after some poor marking in the box. Rovers were reduced to ten men at the end of the first half when Easter was sent off after a dive in the area to try and win a penalty and then a follow-up little flick at McGuire. On 60 minutes, Mansfield were also reduced to ten men, as Pearce lashed out with a flailing arm into Tom Lockyer as the players waited for a corner to be taken, and then to compound it seemed to aim a kick at the player as he was down as well (though we’ve not seen the replay of that incident). It was a lack of discipline from Pearce that was costly in this game, and he will miss the next three as well. Pearce may have been frustrated as it seemed he had been fouled twice moments earlier but nothing was given. There was a melee as well following the sending off, in which Hunt was also booked and that was to become very costly on 77 minutes when Hunt picked up a second yellow card for a clear foul in the centre circle on Stuart Sinclair. Not particularly sensible from Hunt when he was already on a yellow card, and he immediately held his head in his hands as he knew what he’d done. However, despite being a man down, the Stags showed great character to equalise with Tafazolli’s goal. Jensen and Benning were injured as they collided on 88 minutes defending a through ball. Mansfield had used all three subs, and Jensen had to continue despite clearly being in distress after a long delay, and Mansfield already had Westcarr and Chapman in the back four. With Mansfield trying to hang on for a point, James Clarke crossed from the right and Taylor headed in, on 90+8 minutes. With a fit Jensen, and the normal back four, you wouldn’t have expected Rovers to score from the position. A sickener for the Stags and a game the team didn’t deserve to lose. Clearly there are implications for the upcoming games, with Pearce due to miss the next three, likely to be replaced by Collins we think, Hunt to miss the next game, likely to be replaced by Marsden, and Jensen and Benning clearly huge doubts as well. It was Mansfield’s first home defeat of the season, and they remain in 4th position. With the spirit shown today by the players, and the encouragement from the fans, the Stags are still in a great place. On to Yeovil on Tuesday and a chance to bounce back. Stats note: incredibly, the Rovers winner was the first goal Mansfield have conceded all season in the second half of a league game, apart from two penalties. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE --------------------------------------- Saturday, 17th October 2015: Mansfield Town 1 Bristol Rovers 2 chad.co.uk report by John Lomas There was late heartbreak for nine-men Mansfield Town today as a Matt Taylor goal in the last of eight added minutes ended Stags’ unbeaten home record in an ill-tempered game at One Call Stadium this afternoon. Taylor rose to head home a James Clarke cross at the death, just after it seemed Ryan Tafazolli has rescued an unlikely point nine minutes from time. http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/saturday-17th-october-2015-mansfield-town-1-bristol-rovers-2-1-7521181? There were three red cards in the game, two for Stags after the break as Krystian Pearce was sent off for an off-the-ball kick and skipper Nicky Hunt went for a second bookable offence, those after Rovers had ended the first half with 10 men after Jermaine Easter had been sent off. Rovers had a goal disallowed just before the equaliser and Ellis Harrison hit the bar in a thrilling game you could not take your eyes off. Stags trailed against the run of play at the break to Easter’s 16th minute strike, but in the end Rovers eked out their fourth win on the bounce. Mansfield were unchanged for a fourth successive match. That meant fit-again Chris Clements had to be content with a place on the bench once more. Rovers, managed by ex-Stag Darrell Clarke, had won their last two away League games, scoring seven times. Stags wasted a golden chance inside the first 30 seconds of the game as Jack Thomas nodded the ball over a defender to set up Green 10 yards from goal only to see him volley over with Nicholls at his mercy. Westcarr then had a shot blocked from a long Chapman throw. Soon after Chapman tested the keeper with a low shot from a tight angle on the left, Nicholls down at his post to gather. On eight minutes Easter flicked a header well wide in Rovers’ first attack of note. We had a hold-up after 15 minutes after Lines was left hurt by a rough but fair McGuire challenge. But on the restart, Rovers swept ahead against the run of play. Brown sent over a great cross from the right which Leadbitter helped on and Easter ran in to smash home a rising finish from seven yards. Anticipation was high as a home corner was pulled back towards Benning after his two superb volleyed goals in the last two games. He met it true enough, but this volley was blocked. On 31 minutes Rovers survived a scramble in the box after their keeper and defender collided going for a cross. Lines saw the game’s first yellow card on 35 minutes as he slid in and caught Benning from a loose pass. A poor Tafazolli backpass on 41 minutes left Jensen in trouble as he saw Leadbitter charge down his attempted clearance, but the ball ran to safety. Tempers flared for the umpteenth time as Benning slid in late on James Clarke to earn a booking as the Rovers man rolled around the floor trying unsuccessfully to get the card colour changed to red. However, in the second of three added minutes Rovers found themselves down to 10 men. Stags found themselves under pressure after Chapman gave the ball away in midfield. Rovers worked the ball into the box where Easter threw himself to the floor with Tafazolli behind him. The referee came across as Easter clashed with Tafazolli and McGuire and, having initially planned to show him a yellow card for the dive, ultimately showed him a straight red card for his troubles. Rovers made a double change at the break while, six minutes into the half, Stags withdrew Jack Thomas and sent on Yussuf, hoping for a repeat of his ‘super sub’ goals from the last two games. Four minutes later Murray threw on Clements and Nathan Thomas for McGuire and Lambe in a big roll of the dice. On 59 minutes Jensen kept the ball in but was furious when a corner was given and was booked for his arguing. The game boiled over soon after as Lockyer went down off the ball and Pearce was shown a red card for an apparent kick. Players from both sides piled in and once order was restored Hunt and Harrison were also booked. Mansfield continued to press and Westcarr poked a shot wide after swapping passes in the box with Yussuf while Nathan Thomas was high and wide from distance. However, Stags found themselves with nine men when Hunt tripped Sinclair on a Rovers break and saw his second yellow of the day. Rovers piled on the pressure and on 78 minutes the visitors had a goal ruled out as Taylor tucked away a low Harrison ball across goal only to see an offside flag raised. Instead it was the nine men that roared back level on 81 minutes. The visitors cleared the ball out the box as far as defender Tafazolli who expertly steered a low finish from 18 yards inside the right hand post to spark frenzied celebrations. On the next attack, Harrison smashed a shot against the home crossbar. On 87 minutes Rovers came so close to a winner as Jensen threw himself at the feet of Harrison, getting hurt in the process, and Tafazolli just managed to hook the loose ball away from the unguarded goal. After lengthy treatment, Jensen hobbled on with the game as Stags faced a testing eight added minutes, which they survived. STAGS: Jensen; Hunt, Pearce, Tafazolli, Benning; Lambe (Nathan Thomas 55), Chapman, McGuire (Clements 55), Jack Thomas (Yussuf 51), Westcarr; Green. Subs not used: Shearer, Rose, Collins, Blair. ROVERS: Nicholls, Leadbitter (Harrison HT), Brown, Lockyer, Parkes, Mansell (Gosling 84), Taylor, Lines (Ollie Clarke HT), James Clarke, Easter, Sinclair. Subs not used: Mildenhall, McChrystal, Blissett, Montano. REFEREE: Mark Haywood of West Yorkshire. ATTENDANCE: 4,196 (847 away) CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ryan Tafazolli. ------------------ FULL-TIME : Mansfield 1 Bristol Rovers 2 report By Rob Perkins, bristolpost.co.uk BRISTOL Rovers won their third consecutive away game with a thrilling victory against Mansfield Town at Field Mill. A Matty Taylor goal, his fifth of the season, gave Rovers the points in a game that saw three red cards, a mass brawl and eight minutes of injury time. Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/TIME-Mansfield-Bristol-Rovers/story-28003145-detail/story.html#ixzz3orPv6lxe Rovers had been warned by manager Darrell Clarke that Mansfield who started the day in fourth place would come out fast against his side but his men failed to heed the warning. As early as the first minuted Matt Green should have fired Mansfield in front from 12 yards out but shot over wildly and for the first ten minutes it was all Mansfield. Rovers while not at their best were able to keep Mansfield, who had won their last four games, at bay and looked the more likely to extend their lead. On the stroke of half-time, a flowing Rovers move saw Mansell slot Easter in down the left channel and when the striker checked inside to leave Ryan Tafazolli on the floor, Easter went to ground. Referee Mark Haywood immediately gave Mansfield a free-kick and as Easter remonstrated with the Mansfield defenders, he was shown a straight red card to the astonishment of manager Clarke. Rovers rang the changes at half-time bringing on Ellis Harrison and Ollie Clarke for Lines and Leadbitter and after 13 minutes of the second period the two sides were evened up when Krystian Pearce saw red after kicking out at Tom Lockyer. And it got worse for the home side when Nicky Hunt, booked for a foul in the first half, was given a second yellow card to see Mansfield down to nine men. But Rovers seemed to go into their shelll rather than take advantage of the dismissal and they were punished nine minutes from time when defender Tafazolli fired in from the edge of the box to level the scores. The equaliser elicited a response from Rovers who poured forward in search of a winner. And when the referee indicated there would be eight minutes of injury time, they sensed their chance. And it was Taylor who struck deep into injury time, heading a volleyed cross from James Clarke across Brian Jensen back across the goal to send the Rovers fans into ecstacy. ------------------ |
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