Archived News from September 2018
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FLITCROFT AND DARREN MOORE REACTION
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Stags' boss 'proud' of players and fans after spirited performance
mansfieldtown.net, Tuesday 28 August 2018 Stags’ boss David Flitcroft has described the pride he feels for his players and Mansfield’s fans following the valiant performance by his side against West Brom this evening. Mansfield fans turned up in their numbers for the game, 1,183 to be exact, and were vocal throughout the contest. Following the narrow 2-1 loss, the manager explained how ‘proud’ he felt of the fans, and commended his players for the way they performed, in a game that they may have won on another night. “I’m proud of the players and I’m proud of the club,” he said. “The way we’ve represented each other tonight, the way the supporters have sung for the team, the way they’ve supported and sang louder than West Brom. “The ovation at the end tells you what the players committed to. It was a committed performance. We had some glorious moments to go and win the game. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/august/flitcroft-post-west-brom/ “There was a lot of quality on show from both teams. We did go toe-to-toe on the quality levels. How we’ve not scored three or four tonight is beyond me. You get those games. “We’re creating chances and going to try and win games. We’re taking a risk every single game. “You get it to 1-1 and we just kept going for it and trying to find a way to win the game, and we’ve not been able to pull it off. “I desperately wanted for the owners to get in that next round and I’ve not achieved that. It’s not just disappointment, I’m gutted. “The team tonight displayed characteristics that I wanted them to display. I’ve just said to them that it’s a mindset to come here and represent their families, represent the town in such a manner that it makes Saturday [against Macclesfield] even more disappointing. “It’s hard to say the words ‘pride’ and ‘positives’ when we’ve not won, but I think the supporters that have come to the game saw and felt that power. They were brilliant. Absolutely outstanding. “It’s just that calmness and that execution [that we’re missing]. When we get it, the draws will turn into wins. They’ve shown good quality and worked hard as well.” Stags’ boss Flitcroft also spoke of Neal Bishop’s performance, in a game where his stunning strike levelled the score 20 minutes from time. “The kid [Bishop] is a goal machine, that’s what I brought him in for [laughs]. No, it was a fantastic strike,” said the manager. “That sums his performance up, that professional strike. He’s at the age he is, but he just gets better with age. “He comes to these places and wants to make a memory and get the boys through it. He’s absolutely on the floor in there [dressing room]. “He’s come here tonight to represent and he’s done that. He’s done everything he can. But the strike is just Neal Bishop. He’s pristine in his work and pristine in what he does.” Mansfield carved out plenty of chances to win the game, with Danny Rose hitting the post and an opportunity even falling to the feet of Stags’ ’keeper Bobby Olejnik in added time. “I’m thinking he [Rose] has caught it right,” said the Stags’ boss. “When the luck is on your side, that hits the first post and it hits the second and it goes in. When it doesn’t, you think ‘is it our night?’ “Young Jordan came on and had a chance. Even Bobby Olejnik had a chance! Pearcey, it just opened up for him. Those key moments, you just have to make the right decision. “It was the bravery that the boys showed, it was the running that they showed. We’re talking about a Championship team here, but it’s a Premier League club. We took them on and tried to go toe-to-toe but like I said, we’re not in the next round. That kills me. “I have to make sure the players believe they are good players. I’ve just told them that. That they’ve heightened their senses and their focus levels. “We didn’t make enough impact from the bench on Saturday. I got a couple of decisions wrong when I look back. Bringing Otis off was a poor decision from me. We’ve assessed our role in not getting three points at Macclesfield. “But tonight our subs have made a real impact. Bobby might get his chance up front on Saturday! “He [Olejnik] has waited for his chance and he’s waited patiently. He’s been supportive and unbelievably professional. “He’s got his chance and he’s taken it. I thought his performance was outstanding in everything he did. His distribution, his knowhow, his thought, his movement off the line. A lot of positives.” iFollow Stags can watch David Flitcroft’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow. --------------------- Mansfield Town boss proud of players and fans in battling defeat chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 28 August 2018 Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft spoke of his glowing pride of his players and Stags’ army of supporters as they bravely bowed out of the Carabao Cup with a narrow 2-1 defeat at Championship outfit West Brom tonight. A spectacular 30-yard strike from Neal Bishop wiped out Albion’s interval lead only to see Kyle Edwards restore the Baggies’ advantage. With huge vocal backing from the away fans, Stags threw everything at the home side, Danny Rose hitting a post and West Brom riding their luck as they clung on for victory. Flitcroft said: “I was proud of the players and proud of the club with the way we’ve represented each other tonight - the supporters and the way they’ve sung tonight. They were outstanding. “They out-sung West Brom for large parts of this game and the ovation at the end probably tells you what a committed performance it was. “We had some glorious moments to go and win the game. It wasn’t blood and thunder - it was calculated and it was executed well. Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-boss-proud-of-players-and-fans-in-battling-defeat-1-9323946 “There was a lot of quality on show from both teams and we went toe to toe on the quality levels. “How we’ve not scored three or four tonight is beyond me, but you get those games. We are creating chances and going out to win games, taking a risk every single game, and we’ve come unstuck tonight.” He added: “We got it back to 1-1 and we just kept going, trying to find a way to win a game. But we’ve not been able to pull it off. “I desperately wanted to for the owners to get in that next round, but I’ve not achieved that. I am gutted for them and our supporters. It kills me not to be in the next round. “But the team displayed the characteristics I want them to display tonight and I’ve said to them afterwards that Macclesfield was about mindset if we can play like that tonight. It makes Saturday all the more disappointing.” On Bishop’s strike, he said: “The kid is a goal machine, that’s what I brought him in for. “It was a fantastic strike and summed his performance up. He was focused. “He gets better with age and comes to these places and wants to make a memory.” Sub Rose then struck a post near the end, Flitcroft saying: “He caught it right and when luck is on your side that hits the first post and then hits the second and it goes in. When it doesn’t you wonder if it’s your night.” The manager also had high praise for keeper Bobby Olejnik, who made some excellent saves and, going up for a late corner, almost grabbed an unlikely equaliser. “He has waited patiently for his chance and been unbelievably professional and kept himself in immaculate nick,” said Flitcroft. “He’s taken his chance and I thought his performance was outstanding. He might even get a chance up front on Saturday!” -------------------- What Darren Moore had to say about his West Brom starlets after Carabao Cup success By Joseph Chapman https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-darren-moore-say-west-15084021 Darren Moore applauded the young crop of West Bromwich Albion players for their resilience as the Baggies booked their place in the third round of the Carabao Cup with a hard-earned 2-1 win over Mansfield. Academy products Jonathan Leko and Kyle Edwards scored in either half, either side of Neal Bishop’s stunner for the Stags, to round off a memorable evening for the club’s youth system. There were also impressive performances by Sam Field, in defence once again, and in particular Rekeem Harper in midfield. It was the young Baggies’ ability to revisit the visiting goal, just minutes after being pegged back, to put their noses back in front that particularly pleased Moore - though the head coach did point out that they could have avoided the unnecessary pressure at the end by killing the game off earlier. “There were some eye-catching performances and we’ve shown flashes and glimpses of what they can do,” Moore said. “I think we played well. We changed it up again, with new formations and I thought the work we did in training and what we asked them, we did it. “I can’t ask anymore. The only thing we didn’t do was that we wasn’t ruthless enough in front of goal to put the chances to bed, which would’ve meant at the latter end of the game, as their chances came, we could have controlled it better. That’s the one small critique I would have.” It was Albion’s fourth win in five after a sticky start to the season, but they had to earn it. There was a plucky nature to League Two Mansfield that was reminiscent of Oxford, Port Vale and Northampton - all of whom have taken Albion to penalties in recent seasons in this competition. Moore did, though, feel his side were good value for their progress here - though he admitted the final whistle was most welcome! “I think I was relieved in the end,” he continued. “The big thing for me was having made so many changes, we had five or six academy graduates involved and the pleasing thing for me is that we got through the next round, we’re into the third round. “I’m very pleased with the way they acquitted themselves; we dominated for the first hour and should have put the game to bed with the chances we’ve created. “Invariably, the way Mansfield pegged us back and got the goal, I thought the boys for a young group showed a lot of resilience and character to get go up the other end and get the winning goal but not only that but hold on. “It was a bit frantic the last few minutes. Boaz came and took a lot of pressure off us and punched things, he played his part in that. Overall I’m really happy and we can take a lot of positives out of tonight’s performance and the result.” ---------------------- Howkins reaps rewards of persistent hard work https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2018/august/howkins-reaps-rewards-of-continued-hard-work/ KYLE Howkins has had to overcome difficult times in his quest to breach Albion's first-team setup. The Baggies' latest debutant took to the field for the first time against Mansfield Town, a club at which he spent a period on loan early in his fledgling career, on Tuesday evening. It was a special moment for a young defender who's battled setback after setback in his journey to the top. "It was very special to make my debut," said the 22-year-old. "I've been at the club since I was 12 and there have been very frustrating times for me having spent time out injured. "To come through those hard times and injuries to make my debut is great. 'I've had to wait for it. I've been out on loan for the last three seasons so I have been trying to get my experience of senior football away from the club. "I was at Mansfield about two years on loan so it was nice for my debut to be against them. I still know some of the lads. They're a great club." And there was a family touch for Kyle, producing an assured cameo against the Stags as his grandmother proudly watched on from the stands. He added: "My nan drove from Wales to watch me tonight! "It took her two-and-a-half hours to get here so it was nice to get on and make her proud. "I'm hoping to crack on and stay fit without picking up any more injuries." --------------------- Ryan Sweeney @RyanSweeney97_ Thank you to the fans that travelled last night. The support was incredible @mansfieldtownfc --------- |
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