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Archived News from August 2018

FLITCROFT, NEAL BISHOP, MICKY MELLON REACTION
26th August 2018 20:17




Stags' boss 'immensely proud' of defender
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 21 August 2018

Stags’ boss David Flitcroft says he is ‘immensely proud’ of defender Hayden White for his performance against Tranmere Rovers, on an evening where his partner went into labour.

White started on the right-side of a back-three, as he has done so in every game he has featured in this season, and battled to preserve Stags’ clean sheet.

Manager Flitcroft revealed that the defender travelled from the hospital to play in the game, after his partner went into labour.

“Big shoutout to Hayden White tonight,” he said. “It was a bit touch and go and I didn’t think we’d have him.

“His partner has gone into labour tonight and I wanted the win for Hayden. He’s travelled three hours from the hospital. We’re hoping that she will give birth tonight and everything is safe and sound.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/flitcroft-post-tranmere/

“Not many players would do that. I’m immensely proud of the group but I’m immensely proud of Hayden. He’s come up and has become that leader that I knew he could be.

“Hayden’s performance was colossal. The clean sheet does please me coming to a place like this.”

After a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Tranmere Rovers, the manager reflected on the chances his side created during the affair.

“I think it was a really open game in the second-half,” he added. “The first-half was a cagey affair but the start that Tranmere had in the second-half, they came at us.

“The chances that we have then created, Tyler Walker’s header, and the one-on-one. He’s the player you would want to see on that ball at that moment with his finishing quality. I thought we would just see the back of the net ripple.

“We had to work really hard for our opportunities. When you see the game open up and you see Otis [Khan] 12-yards out with just the ‘keeper to beat, he’s just lost his composure a little.

“When you don’t score them [chances], it’s really important that you don’t concede and keep that clean sheet.

“They [Tranmere] got that promotion and have that momentum and this place was rocking. It gets loud. They get a corner and the volume goes up.

“I think that our young players not just coped with that, but dealt with it really well. Their set pieces have real quality and we had to deal with a few of them in the second-half, and I thought we did that brilliantly.

“You reflect on tonight and it becomes a fantastic point if we had won on Saturday.

“We’re unbeaten again, and all credit goes to that group of players that’s gone out there and made sure that we kept that clean sheet.

“You’ll see Otis this season just dispatch that [one-on-one chance]. You’ll see Tyler Walker do the same, and he will. So I’ve no problem with that. It’s just that last little bit of impact and technique, and if you get it right [you win].

“The players are staying out and doing the work. They can’t do any more. I’ve got a group of players here that want to stay out on the training ground and want to improve.”

The manager also discussed his decision to switch goalkeepers for the game, during which Stags’ stopper Bobby Olejnik made a string of fine saves.

“I ask this squad for respect and how we respect each other. We’ve got a good squad with good quality in that squad. It’s probably ten less than last season but I’ve gone for quality.

“There will always be football decisions, never personal. I knew there would be a lot of crosses tonight. It’s a strength of Bobby’s, collecting crosses. But his passing was good [too].

“The save he’s made in the second-half was phenomenal. Bobby has been waiting in the wings as it’s his first league match under me. He has supported and respected Conrad with everything.

“He’s been patient. I felt as though I should give him that chance that I would give an outfield player. He’s done the club proud and the group proud. Conrad’s supported him and that’s again what I want in the group.

“It [respect] is something that you grow over time and something that you have to try and foster in the environment.Then when they come on the pitch they know exactly what they have to do and what they are prepared to do for the group and the cause.”

Lastly, the boss looked ahead to the rest of the week, before Mansfield’s fixture against Macclesfield Town at the Moss Rose on Saturday.

“We have a game behind closed doors up at Doncaster tomorrow, so the lads that have had less game time, like Omari, Rose, Atkinson, they’ll all play in that with the younger players.

“It’s important that we get Gibbens a game along with Jordan Graham and [Nyle] Blake.

“It’ll probably be a recovery day on Thursday. It’s been a big shift but that doesn’t end. It’s Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday. We have to be mindful of that.

“There could potentially be changes to the starting lineup but again, we will plan that out tomorrow and Thursday.

“It’s tight [at the Moss Rose] and the supporters are on top of you. It’s a ground where again, they have the momentum from last season. But I’m going there with an excitement.

“We’ve shown a lot of good signs tonight that we’re a good team, but we just didn’t have that ruthless edge.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow.

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Flitcroft praise for White as he plays for Mansfield Town while wife goes into labour
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 21 August 2018

Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft was full of praise for centre half Hayden White, who risked missing his wife giving birth to help Stags to a hard-earned 0-0 draw at Tranmere Rovers tonight. While lamenting missing a handful of great second half chances, Flitcroft was delighted with the clean sheet and the contribution made by White.

“A big shout out to Hayden,” said Flitcroft. “It was touch and go if we’d have him. His missus has gone into labour tonight.

“I wanted us to win for Hayden as he’s travelled here three hours from the hospital - his phone has been with us all the time - and we are hoping she will give birth tonight and everyone is safe and sound.

“Not many players would do that in the modern game. “Hayden didn’t travel with the team. He travelled on his own.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/flitcroft-praise-for-white-as-he-plays-for-mansfield-town-while-wife-goes-into-labour-1-9312856

“I am immensely proud of him. He has grown up and become that leader I knew he could become. His performance was colossal.

“For a couple of weeks we’ve been worrying if we’d have him and we’d put young Lewis Gibbens in the set pieces this afternoon.” On the game, he said: “The second half was really open.

“The first half was a cagey affair where they sat off. “But they came at us in the second half and that seemed to suit us and the game became stretched.

“We had five phenomenal open chances we created second half. But we just didn’t have that ruthless edge tonight. “In a one v one the only person you want on that ball is Tyler Walker with his finishing quality. I thought we’d see the back of the net rippled.

“We had to work really hard for our opportunities. Davo (Craig Davies) has had two chances, it was just his connections and executions. “Then we had Otis (Khan) 12 yards out with the keeper to beat and his technical ability, but he just lost his composure a bit going inside the goalkeeper. “We didn’t score, but it’s really important you don’t concede and keep that clean sheet. “Tranmere epitomise their manager’s qualities and have momentum from their promotion last season. “This place starts rocking - it’s loud. But our young players not only coped with it but dealt with it really well. “This would have been a fantastic away point if we’d won on Saturday. “But we are still unbeaten so all credit to that group of players.”

One big talking point tonight was the dropping of first choice keeper Conrad Logan, at fault for Colchester’s equaliser on Saturday, and the inclusion of Bobby Olejnik between the posts. Flitcroft said: “We have quality in this squad and I don’t mind making big decisions. “They will always be footballing decisions - never personal, always professional. “I knew there would be a lot of crosses in the game tonight. Tranmere throw it in early and it rains in. “Collecting crosses is a strength of Bobby’s. The save he made second half was phenomenal. “He has been waiting patiently in the wings and supported and respected Conrad. “I thought tonight we’d give him the chance we’d give an outfield player and he’s done the club proud. “Conrad supported him too and it shows the respect we all have for each other.” Stags substitutes and other fringe players will make up a side to play behind closed doors at Doncaster Rovers tomorrow in a friendly to keep everyone match sharp.

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Mansfield Town stay fresh and sharp on hectic run of games
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS

Mansfield Town manager David Flitcroft has spent the rest of this week ensuring his squad are all fit and sharp but also fully refreshed as their hectic early season schedule takes them to EFL new boys Macclesfield Town on Saturday (3pm). In the midst of a gruelling run of four weeks with midweek fixtures, Flitcroft said it was important to rest some of the players this week while making sure the fringe players were fit and sharp through a behind-closed-doors friendly Doncaster Rovers. Despite three draws in a row, Mansfield remain unbeaten while National League champions Macclesfield have begun life back in the EFL with three defeats and a draw. “My players need recovery as we are playing Saturday/Tuesday, Saturday/Tuesday, Saturday/Tuesday, so we have to be mindful of that,” said Flitcroft after a hard-earned 0-0 draw at Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday. “Hopefully everyone will be refreshed and ready for another massive shift on Saturday. “There could potentially be changes to the starting line-up but we’ll plan that today.” On Macclesfield Town, he added: “It is one of those grounds. It’s tight up there - the supporters are on top of you. “They have the momentum from last season, but I am going there with an excitement. “The lads will be fresh and ready to show they are a good team and show our philosophy and the way we want to play at its best. “When it is we are a very good team. We showed that at times at Tranmere on Tuesday without having that ruthless edge.”

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-stay-fresh-and-sharp-on-hectic-run-of-games-1-9316396

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We showed a desire to remain unbeaten - Bishop
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 21 August 2018

Stags’ midfielder Neal Bishop says Mansfield showed a ‘desire’ to preserve their unbeaten run in last night’s clash at Prenton Park, but conceded that the team are ‘disappointed’ not to have won a game in which they had the better chances.

Mansfield created more clear-cut opportunities in the contest, with Otis Khan twice forcing good saves from Tranmere goalkeeper Scott Davies, and Tyler Walker narrowly missing the target when put through on goal ten minutes from time.

Bishop spoke of how his team-mates were determined to keep hold of the clean sheet in the match, following Colchester midfielder Sammie Szmodics’ late equaliser in the previous game.

“You’ve got to put your body on the line,” said Bishop. “It’s got to be everything not to get beat, you saw that tonight.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/bishop-post-tranmere/

“The last five minutes, they’ve tried to throw the kitchen sink at us, but the boys stood up brilliantly well. So, credit to the lads, and you can see the desire is there not to get beat.

“Saturday stung us when we conceded the goal, but we’ve learnt from that and been doubly determined to ensure that it doesn’t happen [again].

“We’re unbeaten a long time now but we are hard on ourselves and performances like this, we want to start turning into wins.”

The Stags’ midfielder went on to explain how his side might feel slightly aggrieved to have only come away with a point.

“I think overall we had the better chances,” added Bishop. “In the first-half we carved out one or two great opportunities, and in the second-half as well.

“We were the team on the front foot, on the ascendency and the ones trying to win. They were falling back into their shape and didn’t really press us high-up.

“We strung lots of bits together, created enough chances and on another day, we might win that game.

“On reflection, it’s maybe two points lost, but you can’t be too dismissive of an away point and a clean sheet. [However] we do want to kick on this season, so we’re quite disappointed that we didn’t win it.”

Up next for the Stags is a trip to the Moss Rose to face newly-promoted Macclesfield, and Bishop explained that his side must be wary of the momentum that the league’s newcomers have following their promotion-winning seasons.

“I’ve played here [at Prenton Park] before,” he said. “It’s always been a tough place to come, the crowd are right on top of you.

“Teams on the back of a promotion want to get off to a good start. They’ve got that enthusiasm and momentum of getting promoted and want to carry on.

“We’re under no illusions it’s going to be another tough game on Saturday.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Neal Bishop’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow.

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Two points dropped? But Bishop proud of Mansfield Town’s unbeaten run
chad.co.uk by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 21 August 2018

Mansfield Town midfielder Neal Bishop felt tonight’s 0-0 draw at Tranmere Rovers was probably two points dropped on chances created. But he remained immensely proud of Stags’ lengthening unbeaten run from the start of pre-season. “I think overall we had the better chances and Bobby (Olejnik) has only had the one shot to save so, on reflection, it’s probably two points lost,” he said.

“But it’s a difficult place to come - the crowd are always behind them - so you can’t be too dismissive of a clean sheet and point here.

Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/two-points-dropped-but-bishop-proud-of-mansfield-town-s-unbeaten-run-1-9312889

“They threw the kitchen sink at us near the end. But Saturday really stung us in the manner we conceded the goal and I think you have seen tonight we were doubly determined that didn’t happen again. “We do want to kick on this season though, so we are disappointed not to win it tonight.” He continued: “We were the team on the front foot and trying to win it. “They made us work for it, but we created enough chances and, if we’d scored, we might have got two or three. “Having just been promoted Tranmere have got that enthusiasm and that momentum.” Stags sit 10th after four unbeaten League Two games and an EFL Cup win and Bishop said: “It’s been a solid start but could be better. “If we’d held onto that result on Saturday this would have looked like a better point. “We’ve been unbeaten a long time now, all through pre-season and into the start of the season, so we have to build on that. “We want to turn performances like this into wins now.”

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Tranmere draw 0-0 with Mansfield Town in League Two clash
By Richard Garnett
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/16591014.tranmere-draw-0-0-with-mansfield-town-in-league-two-clash/

Tranmere Rovers 0, Mansfield Town 0

TRANMERE had to settle for a point after an entertaining goalless draw against unbeaten Mansfield Town at Prenton Park.

Rovers' boss Micky Mellon said afterwards: "It was a very good game of football.

"We're looking for a measurement of where we're at and we knew that the Swindon and tonight's game would possibly show us where we are in the pecking order in terms of the division.

"To come out and play the way we did, with the tempo that we did for the whole game was terrific.

"Did anyone team really deserve to lose in a game like that?

"A good sportsman would probably say that it would be harsh on either one.

"I think we shaded it second half.

"We were certainly the one on the front foot but they had a chance when we slipped and they had a one-v-one with Scotty, but all in all we represented the fans properly and played some terrific football.

"We probably shaded it in a really good game but credit to both sets of players."

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"It was a very good game of football" - Micky after Mansfield
https://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/news/2018/august/it-was-a-very-good-game-of-football---micky-after-mansfield/

We spoke to Micky Mellon after a hard fought point at home to Mansfield

"It was a very good game of football. We're looking for a measurement of where we're at and we believed that tonight would show us a pecking order in terms of where we are at in this division.

"Swindon and Mansfield are two big hitters in this division so to come out and play the way we did with that tempo tonight, was terrific.

"Did any team deserve to win or lose? I wouldn't say so. I think we shaded it second half but they had a good chance so all in all I think it was a fair result.

"You could see from the reaction of the fans, we represented them properly and played some good football. Credit to both sets of players.

"Banks has hit some pearlers into the box which are right out of the top drawer, we just needed someone to knock them in but it wasn't to be.

"We defended really well which I was pleased with after Saturday and we looked threatening so there was a lot to be pleased with.

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Latest | August 2018