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Archived News from February 2018

EVANS, POTTER, MICHAEL FLYNN REACTION
19th February 2018 20:43


Boss praises five star Stags' determination in Exiles rout
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 13 February 2018

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans typically maintained his composure after tonight's sensational 5-0 victory over Newport County at One Call Stadium but admitted that spells of his side's display were 'as good as we've been' since he took over as manager in November 2016.

Stags started the encounter in blistering fashion, racing into a 2-0 lead inside the opening ten minutes thanks to strikes from top scorer Danny Rose and winger Alfie Potter.

Potter got his second of the game just before the half-hour mark, converting the rebound from Rose's effort which came off the crossbar, before midfielder Alex MacDonald crashed the ball home from 12 yards out to make it 4-0 before the break.

Former Northampton Town man Potter then completed his evening of wizardry in the second half, rifling the ball home to complete his hat-trick and seal an incredible 5-0 win for the Stags.

And after seeing the his side record their biggest win since he took over as manager 15 months ago, manager Steve Evans commended his players for playing on the front foot and taking the game away from their Welsh counterparts.

"I thought it was a lot of hard work. There was a lot of good work and there was a lot of on-the-front-foot performances," the Stags' chief said.

"It's about the boys having determination, having the ability to live properly and if you live properly and you display it in training, we'll put you in, as we've seen tonight.

"Many times a manager will stand here at five and say it could have been ten; it should have been, not could have been.

"I certainly think that we played very well but I give credit to the opposition. I think, sometimes, you see opposition fold, especially when the fifth goal went in.

"My players get a lot of plaudits; I think they played on the front foot. It was a team that probably none of them expected to be named an hour or so before kick-off.

"We said to them a few weeks ago that the players who produce the performances are going to play and not the players with reputations. If it means that they've got both, like [Danny] Rose, then that helps.

"I think in spells in the first half, it was as good as we've had here."

The boss handed a start to hat-trick hero Alfie Potter after seeing him 'sparkle' in training but the gaffer commended midfielder Alex MacDonald for typifying his recent performances with his third goal of the season this evening.

"If I'm being totally frank, I like Alex MacDonald's goal because he's forced himself into the box but how can you take anything away from the wee man, Alfie. He comes in and nobody would've picked him tonight but we see him sparkle in training and we thought he could get at them a little bit.

"I'm delighted to see Macca get on the scoresheet because I think his performances in recent times have been fantastic for us.

"I've always maintained when this time of the season comes, big players normally come to the fore. MacDonald's come to the fore a month or six weeks ago and it's a good job he did because we needed the wee fella."

MacDonald was partnered in central midfield tonight by loanee Adam King, who made his debut after what the former Leeds United manager describes as a 'stunning' two days of training.

"King's been stunning for two days but I'm not foolish as a head coach, a lot of that credit goes to Paul Raynor (assistant manager), who's been pushing his case for three or four days now. I thought to give us his debut and play in there like that with Alex was fantastic to see.

"You come in from the training ground yesterday and if Paul Raynor says anymore to me about Adam King and MacDonald playing as a partnership, I'm going to choke him because it's all he spoke about for 24 hours. That's why I value Paul so highly, he got it right."

Supporters can login to iFollow Stags to view the manager's full post-match interview.

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Evans delight as Stags bounce back in style
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 13 February 2018

Mansfield Town manager Steve Evans praised his five-goal heroes for bouncing straight back to winnings ways in tonight’s demolition of Newport County. Evans had asked his side to show a reaction after their nine-game unbeaten run was halted by defeat at Swindon last weekend, and the 5-0 win over the Welsh club could have been many more in the end. “That was young men willing to put a wrong right from Saturday,” said Evans.

“We don’t think we should have lost at Swindon and that hurts. “There was a lot of good work and on the front foot performances.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/evans-delight-as-stags-bounce-back-in-style-1-9015777

“In spells in the first half it was as good as we’ve had here. “I’ve always maintained that at this time of the season big players come to the fore. “Many times a manager will stand here at five and think it could have been 10, and it should have been. “But I’m never going to criticise a player for missing a chance as they’ve never stopped going in there. We were creating.” Despite the result, Evans was impressed by the way the visitors fought until the end and never folded. “We’ve beaten a good side,” he said. “Credit to Newport, they never stopped, despite it has to be said, a bit of a battering. They showed character in the second half. “Sometimes you see an opposition fold, especially when the fifth goal goes in. But their lads never stopped running for their club and they go away with a lot of plaudits for me.” Evans was pleased with how well the team selection paid off with the returning Alfie Potter grabbing a hat-trick and loanee Adam King having a neat and tidy debut in midfield. He said: “The boys have been terrific in training. I picked Alfie tonight as I saw him sparkle in training. “And if Paul Raynor says any more to me about Alex MacDonald and Adam King playing in the middle as a partnership I’ll choke him as that’s all he’s spoke to me about! That’s why I value Paul so highly - he got it right. “When Hamilton plays like you’d pay millions for him. When he plays like he did at Swindon you wouldn’t give ten bob for him to turn up and play for you! “A lot of recovery now needs to take place as we have a trip down to the lion’s den at Exeter. We will make changes and freshen it up.”

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Potter rejoices over memorable night
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 13 February 2018

After scoring a fantastic hat-trick in our 5-0 drubbing of Newport County at One Call Stadium, flying winger Alfie Potter enthused that tonight was his best night in a Stags' shirt.

The former Havant and Waterlooville man was the star of the show, bagging a superb hat-trick in addition to strikes from top scorer Danny Rose and midfielder Alex MacDonald as Stags blew away their South Wales counterparts.

Potter's treble was his first career hat-trick and the 29-year-old insists it will be a night he'll never forget.

"It's certainly my best night in a Stags' shirt," said Potter.

"To score a hat-trick at senior level of professional football is something that will live with me. I'd have loved one goal tonight [but] to get three, it's been a great night for me.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/february/potter-post-swindon/

"I've got a brace a couple of times years ago but never come really close to scoring a hat-trick. It's my first one [and it will] probably be my last."

Stags bounced back in style from Saturday's 1-0 defeat away to Swindon Town and Potter believes it was important to prove a point about their promotion credentials.

"It was about proving a point tonight and we couldn't afford to go and drop points.

"Everyone was down after Saturday, we didn't do ourselves justice. It was a big game that we probably didn't perform as well as we should have done [in].

"I think you could sense from the first whistle we weren't going to mess about. [Newport are] a team that [are] in and around us fighting for promotion so to go and put them to bed after fifteen minutes just shows what we're capable of.

"We started on fire tonight. From the first whistle, there was a feeling about the place. Everyone felt on it. Even in the changing room before hand, you could tell the boys were up for it tonight and the gaffer made a couple of changes and it's worked.

"I think we've been waiting to put five past [someone]. We've been saying it for a while, it's a matter of time before we do.

"There were signs at Barnet that the goals were flowing but with the players we've got in the side, we should be doing that to some teams but to go and do it to a team of Newport's stature, it's a great night for us."

Supporters can view Alfie Potter's full post-match interview on iFollow Stags.

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Stags hero Potter celebrates first career hat-trick
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 13 February 2018

Winger Alfie Potter was tonight celebrating his first senior hat-trick as Mansfield Town crushed Newport County 5-0. Potter was recalled to the side and marked his return in style.

“It feels good,” he smiled. “I’ve scored a brace a couple of times years ago but never really come close to scoring a hat-trick, so it’s my first one - and it will probably be my last. I’m happy.

“It was my best night in a Stags shirt and up there in my best career games.

Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/stags-hero-potter-celebrates-first-career-hat-trick-1-9015802

“To score a hat-trick at senior professional level is something that will live with me.”

He added: “I’d have loved one goal so to get three - it’s been a great night for me. “My favourite goal was the first. CJ’s done great down the left. It needed good contact on it and luckily I’ve caught it as sweet as I could and it’s flown in.” Smarting from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at rivals Swindon, Stags had tonight’s game won inside the first half, 2-0 up after nine minutes. “We started on fire tonight. Everyone felt good and we killed the game in the first 15 minutes,” said Potter. “They might not have looked a great side tonight. But that’s a good side we’ve done that to. We need to kick on now and make sure we produce performances like that more often. “There was a feeling about the place from the first whistle. Everyone felt on it. The boys were up for it tonight. “We missed chances but we have to be happy with five.” He continued: “Everyone was down after Saturday as we didn’t do ourselves justice in a big game. It was about proving a point tonight. You could sense from the first whistle tonight we weren’t going to mess about. “It’s not like the team we’ve put to be were bottom. They’re in and around the play-offs so to put them to bed inside 15 minutes shows what we’re capable of. “We’ve been saying for a while we will put five past someone soon. But to do it against someone of Newport’s stature, it’s a great night for us.”

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twitter John Radford @JRadfordMTFC

Incredible victory.
So sorry to miss it tonight but watched it from afar on iFollow Stags and still on a real high.
Sensational attacking football from start to end. A masterful display.
Well done to the gaffer and the boys.
Now let’s keep it going!

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POST-MATCH | Mike Flynn admits defeat to Mansfield Town "wasn't a Newport performance"
newport-county.co.uk

Mike Flynn has affirmed that the 5-0 defeat to Mansfield Town at the One Call Stadium will be the first and only time that his players “let themselves down professionally” this season.

The Exiles remain in 12th following the defeat, although slip a point further back from the play-off positions and are now seven points adrift of the top-seven.

And Flynn admitted the performance wasn’t good enough from his players in Nottinghamshire.

He affirmed: “Let’s not dress it up, six nights ago at Wembley I was one of the proudest managers in the country and unfortunately I’m ashamed tonight.

“Maybe with the team selection, I could go back and do something different.

https://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/2018/february/flynn-post-mansfield/

“But when you concede the goals in the manner that we did tonight, it was the first time and it will be the last time that the players let themselves down professionally this season.”

The result means the Exiles have now lost their last three League 2 games, the first time that has happened so far under Flynn’s guidance.

And Flynn admitted that he wanted his side to go back to basics and become the hard to beat side that they had made themselves into over previous months.

“We’re in it together and they have given me everything,” he stated.

“It’s almost coming up to a year [since I took charge] so the boys who are here now and the new players as-well have given me absolutely everything.

“We’ve just got to get back to basics and make ourselves tough to beat because that wasn’t a Newport performance tonight.”

A magnificent vocal support of 57 away fans made the trip to Nottinghamshire for the game.

And Flynn wanted to place on record his apologies to the fans who travelled all the way to the One Call Stadium on a Tuesday night.

He added: “We win and lose as a group and we’re all very disappointed.

“I have to be honest, I feel sorry for the fans who travelled up.

“None of us want to be tarred with that kind of brush and we’ve just got to put a reaction in on the weekend for them and get a positive performance.”

Flynn had been contemplating making some changes for the game, admitting he almost certainly would have made changes had the Forest Green match on the weekend gone ahead.

And Flynn believes that goes to show no one involved with the playing squad was completely faultless for the result.

“We were poor tonight as a whole group,” he admitted.

“That’s not me singling out the players, it’s us as a whole group.

“I’m not going to make any excuses, the boys had the rest on the weekend, we all had a rest mentally as-well, so like I said I might have gone with a different team on Saturday.

“I wish I had stuck with my hunch so that shows none of us are blameless.

“We’ve got a game to prepare for on Saturday now because like you said, after the first 10-15 minutes it was always going to be an uphill struggle.

“We have to think of when we can put it right and that comes on Saturday.”

The Exiles have four days to rest and recover before trying to put the defeat behind them with a home tie against fellow promotion hopefuls Notts County.

And Flynn says he will certainly be thinking about making changes to his side ahead of the visit of the Nottinghamshire outfit.

“There will definitely be one because Benno is injured,” he confirmed.

“We’ll have to take a good look at it - I’m not going to make any rash decisions tonight and we’ll have a look when they are back in training tomorrow.”

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Flynn ashamed after Stags maul Newport
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 13 February 2018

A week after their proud 2-0 FA Cup replay defeat to Tottenham at Wembley, Newport County tonight found themselves torn apart by Mansfield Town - and boss Michael Flynn was left shellshocked. Stags won 5-0 and might have had 10 in a superb display of attacking football. “Let’s not dress it up. Six nights ago I was probably the proudest manager in the country and I am ashamed tonight,” said Flynn. CLICK HERE TO READ THE MATCH REPORT “If I could go back maybe I’d do something a bit different with the team selection - none of us are blameless. “But when you concede the type of goals we did, it’s the first time and the last time that the players let themselves down professionally this season. “It was the worst performance of the season. But we are in it together and they’ve given me everything in just coming up to a year. “Now we’ve got to get back to basics and be tough to beat as that wasn’t a Newport performance tonight.” After conceding two early goals, the Welsh club saw a glimmer of light quickly extinguished when a Joss Labadie reply was ruled out for offside. “I am not going to make any excuses tonight, but Joss Labadie wasn’t offside and goals change games,” said Flynn. “That would have been 2-1. But we were poor tonight as a whole group. “After the first 10 minutes it was going to be an uphill struggle. Now we need to put it right and that will be on Saturday. “I feel sorry for the fans who travelled up. “We’ve all got to put a reaction in at the weekend and get a positive performance.”

Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/flynn-ashamed-after-stags-maul-newport-1-9015781

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Latest | February 2018