Archived News from January 2018
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STAGS DENIED WIN ATCAMBRIDGE BY WRONG OFFSIDE FLAG
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Cambridge United 0 - 0 Mansfield Town Attendance: 4324 (499 from Mansfield) Date: 13 January 2017 Martin Shaw at the Abbey Stadium Mansfield Town had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Cambridge United this afternoon, and were denied victory when Danny Rose’s clever flick into the net from close range was wrongly disallowed for offside. The incident came on 68 minutes when Jacob Mellis forced his way into the area with good skill, but then lost control of the ball, defender Harry Darling tried to clear the ball, it ricocheted back off Mellis across the edge of the six yard box, where Danny Rose was quicker than defender Greg Taylor to get on it and cleverly flick past the keeper with the outside of his right boot. Studying our pitchside video frame by frame clearly shows that, as the ball came off Mellis, Danny Rose was in an onside position, behind Taylor, who didn’t know where he was, before putting the ball in the net. I have just edited a video for release at midday on Sunday which shows the key seconds frame by frame. Huge frustration for Mansfield. Huge stroke of luck for Cambridge and for Greg Taylor who was beaten to the ball by Danny Rose. However recall that Mansfield were fortunate to beat Cambridge earlier in the season. Aside from the disallowed goal, Mansfield had enough good possession in the final third in the second half to have won the game anyway, but didn’t make enough of it with some poor crosses, final balls and decision making, and certainly not testing the Cambridge keeper enough. The first half had been very even with Jake Carroll firing Cambridge’s best chance over the bar after a great 1-2 with George Maris on the left, as Conrad Logan did well to make himself look big, while Mal Benning fired a couple of 23 yard shots just over the bar, and Danny Rose sent a good effort just wide from a CJ Hamilton pull-back from the byline. For a long spell in the second half, the Stags were right on top. Alex MacDonald sent a 30 yard free kick towards the top corner of the net where the keeper did well to tip it over, and Danny Rose knocked a left-footed effort just over the bar from a Benning cross. Earlier in the half, Conrad Logan made a good save from Uche Ikpeazu’s close range effort on the turn, saving with his legs. Ikpeazu was a threat all game, showing great strength and often occupying several defenders in a way that only Adebayo Akinfenwa also does in League Two. So a point for the Stags, which on the face of it, away to an improving Cambridge, who were unbeaten in four games, with two wins at home and a 3-3 draw at Notts County, was a decent result. Mansfield’s run is now extended to just one loss in the last 20 games in all competitions and it is starting to look a formidable run. The Stags have to take the disallowed goal here on the chin and move onto the next one, and what a next one it is, with Championship high-flyers Cardiff coming to town on Tuesday night in an FA Cup replay, with the massive prize being a game at home to the best side in England, Manchester City, live on BBC1 in round four. It promises to be an exciting occasion. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ---------------------------------------- MATCH REPORT: Hard-earned point on the road for Mansfield chad.co.uk, by Agency, Saturday 13 January 2018 Mansfield Town claimed a hard-earned point on the road as they played out a goalless draw with Cambridge United. Steve Evans’ men looked the more likely scorers in a match of few chances, but were unable to break the deadlock despite dominating for long spells in the second half. The first period saw the Stags forced to withstand early pressure from the home side, who came into the match unbeaten in their last four League Two outings. But they soon got a foothold in the game, with Mal Benning and CJ Hamilton linking up well down the left. A good ball from Jacob Mellis in the tenth minute saw Hamilton get to the byline and cut a cross back for Danny Rose, whose shot trickled wide. Soon afterwards, Benning took aim from distance but saw his shot fly over, but he and his team-mates survived a scare when a nice passing move from Cambridge saw George Maris play in left-back Jake Carroll, who couldn’t keep his shot down. Conrad Logan was a spectator for much of the first half, but was called into action just after the restart, saving an Uche Ikpeazu shot with his legs. But on the whole, it was Mansfield who had the better of things in the second period, with Alex MacDonald seeing a free kick palmed over the bar by Cambridge keeper David Forde, and Rose volleying over from Hamilton’s driven cross. Rose also had the ball in the net, bundling a shot home after determined play from Paul Anderson, but his celebrations in front of the visiting fans were cut short by an offside flag. Referee: Trevor Kettle 6/10 Attendance: 4,524 (499 away). Cambridge: (4-2-3-1): Forde, Halliday, Darling, Taylor, Carroll, Deegan, Phillips (Amoo 64, Dunk 73), Brown, Waters (Corr 79), Maris, Ikpeazu. Subs not used: Mitov, O’Neil, Elito, Davies. Mansfield Town: (4-4-2): Logan, Anderson (Sterling-James 80), Bennett, Pearce, Benning, Potter (White 64), Mellis (Atkinson 86), MacDonald, Hamilton, Rose, Angol. Subs not used: Olejnik, Digby, Atkinson, Spencer, Byrom. Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/match-report-hard-earned-point-on-the-road-for-mansfield-1-8956521 ------------------- Match report: Progress on the pitch as Cambridge United make it five unbeaten against Mansfield Read the tale of the game as the U's pick up another point against Mansfield Town http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/sport/match-report-progress-pitch-cambridge-14152577 cambridge-news.co.uk, By Andrew Georgeson, 13 JAN 2018 Cambridge United’s first home game of the New Year ended in a goalless draw with Mansfield Town in Sky Bet League Two. From the outside, it might seem like a slightly under whelming result, but it was a significant game for the U’s. True, they rode their luck towards the end of the game, and a dubious offside decision denied Danny Rose giving the visitors the winner. But rewind a month and the progress on the pitch is there for all to see. Two players made their debuts in Adam Phillips and Billy Waters. The former showed his skills around dead-ball situations, while the latter hassled and harried the defence all day and, when both get a few more games under their belts, they’ll be a real handful. And Harry Darling was thrown into the deep end on his Football League debut, having to shut out the likes of Lee Angol and a team who had only lost once in 19 games but, with the help of the excellent Greg Taylor, he managed it. Of course, Barry Corr appearing on the bench lifted the spirits of the crowd and, following a few weeks of relative uncertainty, the stability at the club seems to be transferring onto the pitch. More than anything, the players who have come in give head coach Shaun Derry and Joe Dunne real options going forward. The game itself can be boiled down to Cambridge United having the better of the first half, Mansfield having the better of the second, but neither really doing enough to steal a win. In Thursday's press conference Derry said he wanted his side to pick up where they left off against Colchester and they did just that, keeping the ball on the floor and dominating the opening exchanges. It was a brave move from the head coach, who could have understandably played the two holding midfielders instead of the diamond, and it paid off. Admittedly, there were relatively few chances. Alfie Trotter smacking CJ Hamilton’s drag back wide was the visitors only serious effort of the half. Cambridge had a few chances from set-pieces after that, with Phillips drilling one into Darling who was unable to get a proper connection on it, before Waters was a toe away from steering in one of the Norwich youngster's free kicks at the back-post. But Cambridge nearly scored what would have been a goal of the season contender after 37 minutes. Jake Carroll hammered down the left hand and played a wonderful one-two with George Maris, whose chipped ball took out the Stags defence and sat-up perfectly for the left back, who was unable to keep his half-volley below the crossbar as the half ended goalless. Although Mansfield’s attacking movement was a lot better in the second half, it was the U’s that had the first chance. Waters chased the ball down to the goal-line and pulled back a pass to Ikpeazu who got away from his man and blasted a shot at Conrad Logan between the sticks, who did well to turn the ball away with his feet. The Stags then really turned up the pressure on the U’s. Angol was first up, nodding Hamilton’s cross straight at David Forde. The keeper was tested a bit more moments later, acrobatically pawing away McDonald’s cross. Rose then scrambled the ball into the back of the net for it to be ruled offside before hitting Mal Benning’s cross over the crossbar. One of the real disappointments for the U’s on the day, however, was Dave Amoo picking up another injury. They were crying out for a bit of width after the break, and he managed only a few minutes before having to be replaced himself by Harrison Dunk. Barry Corr then came on with just over 10 minutes to go in place of Waters but, despite getting a header on target, it was not to be and the U’s made it five games unbeaten. ---------------------- Player ratings: Greg Taylor stands out in Cambridge United's draw with Mansfield Town Read how the players fared against Mansfield Town cambridge-news.co.uk, By Andrew Georgeson, 13 JAN 2018 http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/sport/player-ratings-greg-taylor-stands-14152391 David Forde: 6 - Not a great deal for either keeper to do. Made a good save from Alex Macdonald’s free kick. Brad Halliday: 6 - Another decent performance from the full-back, particularly in the second half when a lot came from the right-hand side. Greg Taylor: 8* - A commanding performance from the centre-back, constantly talking to Harry Darling next to him and helping the defence through a difficult game. Man of the match. Harry Darling: 7 - A tough ask for the youngster on his Football League debut, but he handled it well and earned a clean sheet. Jake Carroll: 7 - Very impressive in the first half and he worked well with George Maris going forward. Probably had the U’s best chance of the game and if he managed to turn it in, it would have been one of the goals of the season. Gary Deegan: 6 - One of the skipper’s quieter games. Still made a superb block in the second half to deny MacDonald. George Maris: 6 - Great pass to set up Carroll and a good all round display. Adam Phillips: 7 - Very good first half. Cambridge United will really benefit from his set-pieces. When he gets a few more games under his belt you can tell he will be a real asset to this team. Jevani Brown: 6 - A frustrating day for the midfielder. He had a few shots from the outside the area but he was well defended for the most part. Uche Ikpeazu: 6 - Had a snap shot at the start of the second half which was well saved by Conrad Logan, but Rhys Bennett did exceptionally well throughout the game to mark him. Billy Waters: 8 - Great debut from the Northampton Town loanee. Ran himself ragged and was a toe away from getting on the end of Phillips' free kick Subs Dave Amoo: N/A - The biggest disappointment of the day by a long way. It was a massive shame to see him leave the pitch after coming on a sub after a few minutes. Harrison Dunk: 6 - Added some much needed width in the second half. Barry Corr: 6 - Great to see him back and he managed to get a shot off in his short time on the pitch. ----------------- |
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