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Archived News from October 2018

STAGS DRAW 0-0 WITH OLDHAM
8th October 2018 10:48


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 0 - 0 Oldham Athletic
Attendance: 3829 (411 from Oldham)

Date: 2 October 2018

STAGS PLAY OUTSTANDING FOOTBALL BUT CAN’T SCORE AGAINST OLDHAM

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town were held to a 0-0 draw this evening by Oldham Athletic in as one-sided a game as there is likely to be in League Two all season. The Stags were absolutely outstanding from open play with a wonderful exhibition of passing football, and battered Oldham, but couldn’t convert any of the host of glorious chances. It was so frustrating for the Stags to put in a performance like this and come away with yet another draw, the sixth in 10 league games this season. However over the course of a season, if the Stags keep this performance level up, then wins should follow and the Stags should climb the table. But the finishing has to improve. And if there is one criticism other than finishing, it would be that set pieces need to be better and the Stags should be scoring more goals from set pieces.

The Stags near-misses started early, as Oldham veteran defender Peter Clarke nearly turned an Otis Khan free-kick into his own net on 4 minutes, with keeper Daniel Iverson making a great save to turn it wide. On 8 minutes, Khan somehow hit the bar from 6 yards when it looked easier to score. It was a great move as Danny Rose found CJ Hamilton on the right with a fabulous diagonal pass, Hamilton then laid a great ball across to Khan who only had to knock the ball into an empty net with the keeper out of position, but instead hit the bar. On 19 minutes, Rose flicked a header on perfectly into the path of Tyler Walker. Walker’s first touch was good but he fired wide from a great position just inside the box when he should have scored. On 28 minutes, a great run down the right by Hamilton, he cut inside and fired in a powerful left footed shot which the keeper tipped over. On 34 minutes, the keeper saved well again from Walker’s powerful shot from the right. Walker flicked a header wide from Elsnik’s cross on 42 minutes. On 44 minutes, Rose found Hamilton and again his powerful shot from the right was tipped wide by the keeper. From the resulting corner from Elsnik, Walker flicked wide of the far post. An outstanding first half from the Stags, 45 minutes of superb football with 8 near misses. Certainly the best 45 minutes of football in the league since the Stags beat Newport 5-0 last season under Steve Evans. If it had been a boxing match, the referee would have had to have stopped it because Oldham had been battered.

Will Atkinson replaced Walker at half time, with Hamilton moving further forward. On 50 minutes, Hamilton floated a wonderful cross from the right to the left where Benning smashed a volley from a tight angle into the side netting. On 54 minutes, Hamilton cut inside from the right, and his left footed shot was on target and deflected for a corner. On 57 minutes, Timi Elsnik tried his luck with a shot, it looped up off a defender, over the keeper, and landed just wide of the post. Great skill from Atkinson on 72 minutes and he was brought down but it was a foot outside the area. Elsnik fired the resulting free kick disappointingly over the bar. On 85 minutes, Atkinson should have won the game. Davies and Hamilton combined on the left and Davies crossed to Atkinson who headed wide of the left post when he should have scored. Total frustration for the Stags not picking up the three points but what a great performance this was. The Stags however need to improve their finishing and set pieces. On to Bury on Saturday, and hopefully another performance as good as this one, but with a better result!

Mansfield were unchanged from the side that beat Northampton 4-0. Alex MacDonald and Hayden White remained out with injury. MacDonald had his operation this morning and is expected to be out for 6 weeks. Get well soon Macca! Jacob Mellis was back in the squad after his three match suspension, replacing Jordan Graham. The Stags again lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation with Elsnik alongside Bishop in front of the defence, and Khan in a floating role behind Walker and Rose. Craig Davies, who signed for the Stags from Oldham, was again on the bench.

Oldham included Callum Lang, who scored for Morecambe against the Stags in both league games last season. They also included Chris O’Grady who spent last season helping Chesterfield get relegated to the Conference.

Oldham had only conceded one goal in five league away games before tonight, so it is one league goal in six away games now. That might point to a tight defence. But the number of chances the Stags created suggests anything other than a tight defence.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

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MATCH REPORT: Oldham dig deep to deny Mansfield Town
chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Tuesday 02 October 2018

Despite an excellent performance and a string of chances that had visiting Oldham Athletic on the ropes, Mansfield Town had to settle for a 0-0 draw this evening. The Stags, who won so impressively on Saturday, again dominated the game, particularly in a magnificent first half. But the dogged Latics, who rarely got out their own half in the first 45 minutes and only had a couple of half-chances all game, stuck to their task and came away with a point that looked unlikely at times as Mansfield piled the pressure on. Not surprisingly the Stags were unchanged from the side that beat Northampton 4-0 at the weekend. Midfielder Jacob Mellis, back from a three week suspension, was on the home bench. Oldham skipper Clarke almost put Mansfield ahead on four minutes when he got a head onto Khan’s free kick into the box that forced his own keeper to turn it round for a corner. Khan then missed a sitter on eight minutes. Rose’s perfect pas into the path of Hamilton down the right saw him cross to Khan who, from six yards out and with the goal at his mercy, hit the crossbar. It was all Mansfield in the early stage and another great chance went begging on 19 minutes when Rose headed on to put Walker away only for the striker to fire his low finish inches wide. Rose was then too high after controlling a long Preston ball forward and making space. Then Rose was wide at the far post from a Benning cross as Stags continued to pile on the pressure in impressive fashion. Iversen made a superb save on 28 minutes to claw away a powerful drive from Hamilton after he had cut in from the right as the breakthrough continued to elude them. On 34 minutes Rose won a loose ball and laid a pass to Walker to his right who forced another save from Iversen with his vicious drive. Bishop halted an attempted break from that with a foul and was booked. CJ backs close friend Rose to bloom again for Mansfield Town Play continued after a foul on Rose and Hamilton forced Iversen to turn round his near post a minute from the break as the chances continued to come the home side’s way. Walker was withdrawn for the second half with Atkinson coming on at right wing back and Hamilton pushed forward. The Latics made a double change throwing on Baxter and Graham in place of Lang and Dummigan. Stags fashioned the first opportunity of the half on 53 minutes as Atkinson floated the ball deep to the far post where Benning fired into the sidenetting. Baxter then volleyed a Pearce header back over the back on 54 minutes - the first real shy at goal all night for the Latics. Two minutes later Stags defence was opened up and Hunt was only inches over as the visitors began to step up a gear. On the hour Khan saw a deflected shot loop goalwards but drop narrowly wide. Then Sweeney and Elsnik set up Rose, but he was too high from 25 yards as the frustration continued. Taylor’s trip on Rose on 69 minutes earned him a yellow card and, before the free kick was taken, Davies replaced Khan to face his old club. On 77 minutes Stags made a final change as they sent on Mellis for Elsnik. Two minutes from time Davies crossed hard from the right and Atkinson somehow sent a diving header wide from four yards, which proved to be their final chance to snatch victory.

MANSFIELD: Olejnik; Preston, Pearce, Sweeney; Hamilton, Bishop, Khan (Davies 70), Elsnik (Mellis 77), Benning; Rose, Walker (Atkinson HT). Subs not used: Logan, Butcher, Sterling-James, Gibbens.

OLDHAM: Iversen, Dummigan (Graham HT), Taylor, Edmundson, Gardner, O’Grady, Miller (Maouche 79), Missilou, Lang (Baxter HT), Hunt, Clarke. Subs not used: De La Paz, Benteke, Branger-Engone, Nepomuceno. ?REFEREE: Thomas Bramall of Sheffield. ATTENDANCE: 3,829 (411 away).??CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Neal Bishop.

Read more at: https://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/football/match-report-oldham-dig-deep-to-deny-mansfield-town-1-9377578

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MATCH REPORT: Unbeaten Away Run Continues As Latics Pick Up Another Point On The Road
2 October 2018
https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/2018/october/match-report-for-mansfield-town-vs-oldham-athletic-on-02-oct-18/

Oldham Athletic picked up back-to-back draws to extend their unbeaten run away from home to six games along with their fifth straight away clean sheet.

It was a stern defensive display from Oldham in the first half, but Frankie Bunn had Daniel Iversen to thank for keeping the scores level.

The Dane had to be alert as Otis Khan whipped in a freekick that was creeping in at the far post, but Iversen turned it behind for a corner.

Danny Rose flicked a ball into the path of Tyler Walker, but the striker shanked his effort horribly wide in a promising position.

Iversen was again at his best as CJ Hamilton cut inside from the right unleashing a powerful strike with the Latics keeper tipping it over the bar.

Walker then found himself bearing down on goal and forced Iversen into another smart stop low to his right.

Latics didn’t have much joy going forward in the first period as Mansfield goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik was quick to sweep up anything coming into his penalty area.

There was still time for Iversen to make another stop as Hamilton this time tried his luck at the near post, but of course Iversen was well behind it to push it out for a corner.

Bunn wasn’t messing about at half time with Sam Graham and Jose Baxter introduced and Latics switched to a 3-5-2 in the second period.

Baxter’s eyes must have lit up when it set up nicely for a volley on the edge of the Mansfield box, but he couldn’t keep the effort down.

Baxter then slid Rob Hunt in down the right and he curled an effort just over the bar before Baxter himself dragged a left-footed effort wide.

Mansfield probably should have taken the three points after Jacob Mellis crossed into Will Atkinson late on, but Atkinson headed wide from just a few yards out.

Chris O’Grady was almost played in by Stags goalkeeper Olejnik, but the ball wouldn’t sit right for the Latics striker and Mansfield managed to recover in time.

Latics are now four unbeaten ahead of the home clash with Carlisle United this weekend.

Attendance: 3829 (411 Away)

Mansfield Town

Olejnik, Benning, Preston, Pearce , Bishop, Khan (Davies 67'), Sweeney, Walker (Atkinson 45’), Elsnik (Mellis 74'), Hamilton, Rose

Oldham Athletic

Iversen, Hunt, Clarke , Edmundson, Taylor, Dummigan (Graham 45’), Gardner, Missilou, Lang (Baxter 45’), Miller (Maouche 76'), O’Grady

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