Archived News from January 2019
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WHITE INJURY MARS INCREDIBLE COMEBACKAT COLCHESTER
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Colchester United 2 - 3 Mansfield Town Eastman 14, Senior 30. Ajose 51, Walker 64, Hamilton 79. Attendance: 3546 (426 from Mansfield) Date: 19 January 2019 Martin Shaw at the Community Stadium A bad injury to Hayden White in stoppage time marred an incredible comeback from Mansfield Town who were 2-0 down at half time, but won 3-2 thanks to a fantastic second half performance. Hayden White was on crutches after the game with what manager David Flitcroft described as a “99% chance broken ankle”. I’m sure all Stags fans are hoping beyond hope that the news is not as bad as feared and that it might not be broken. The injury came from a challenge by Frank Nouble. I haven’t seen the main camera video footage yet. From the pitchside footage (which is from the far end of the ground), in my opinion it was not a red card tackle by Nouble, though it was a foul for which Nouble was booked, and it was unlucky that White’s injury looks so serious. Whether it looks different on the main camera footage, I don’t know. UPDATE: from the main camera footage, it looks more of a lunging challenge from Nouble, and perhaps could be argued to be a red card challenge. As for the game, well wow what a comeback from Mansfield! It was the first time Mansfield had come from two goals down to win a game since the 4-3 at Dagenham in October 2015. The Stags were poor in the first half as Colchester roared into a 2-0 lead. Colchester took the lead on 14 minutes. Senior’s ball into the box was headed up in the air by a combination of the leaping Mikael Mandron and Krystian Pearce. As the ball came down, Pearce didn’t know where it was and then he and Benning got in each other’s way as Tom Eastman nipped in to poke it into the net from 3 yards. I was initially critical of the defending but I think it was also a little bit unlucky. Colchester made it 2-0 on 30 minutes as Courtney Senior danced into the box on the right past Mal Benning and Jacob Mellis and fired a shot under Jordan Smith from 12 yards. It was a superb goal from Senior. Smith got a hand on it but not enough to keep it out. I think it would be harsh to blame the keeper. It could have been worse for Mansfield in the first half, and could have been 1-0 after 10 minutes when Jordan Smith made a fantastic one-handed save from Sammie Szmodics’ shot from 10 yards after good play on the left from Nouble. And Smith made another great save on 19 minutes, when Brennan Dickenson tried an audacious shot to the near post from wide on the left and Smith turned it behind for a corner. Mansfield’s best chance of the first half came when Hamilton made a great run to the byline on the right on 12 minutes and delivered a sensational cross to the far post where Nicky Ajose headed down from 4 yards and against the outside of the post. Then on 42 minutes, great play by the Stags outside the box on the left involving Benning, Bishop and Mellis, and Benning fired a wonderful shot with the outside of his left boot from 24 yards which was heading for the top corner before keeper Rene Gilmartin tipped it over the bar. Colchester were good value for the two goal lead at the break. The Stags pulled a goal back after 51 minutes. White slid a nice ball inside to Walker on the edge of the area on right. Walker steadied himself and put in a magnificent cross, across the six yard box to the far post where Ajose chested it into the net from close range. Majestic from Walker, and Ajose made sure he was in the right place to score. Walker had put in a majestic cross for Ajose against Crawley as well but Ajose had missed that one. It was a great moment for Ajose with his first Mansfield goal. If that was good, the second goal was even better, on 64 minutes. Walker slid a ball forward on the right for Jorge Grant to run on to towards the byline, Grant pulled the ball back and across for Walker to run on to it to simply place it left footed into the bottom left corner of the net from 12 yards. What quality and almost telepathic instinct between Walker and Grant. And Mansfield’s third goal, the eventual winner, on 79 minutes, was just as good. Ajose turned 30 yards from goal, and chipped a magnificent ball into the box which CJ Hamilton gambled on with the defence static and turned it past the keeper from 6 yards. What a moment as the Stags players celebrated in front of the joyous travelling fans. After that, Colchester put the Stags under some pressure but created only one chance as Smith comfortably saved Pell’s header on his line. Great celebrations from players, management and fans at the full time whistle. But everyone with a Stags connection was absolutely gutted to learn moments later of the likely extent of White’s injury. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ------------------------------------ MATCH REPORT: Mansfield Town come back from two goals down to beat Colchester United chad.co.uk, by SPORTS REPORTER (Agency), Saturday 19 January 2019 Mansfield pulled off a scintillating comeback win to beat promotion rivals Colchester United for the first time since 2002. The Stags looked down and out at 2-0 down before coming from behind to secure a memorable victory. First-half goals from Tom Eastman and Courtney Senior had all but secured the U’s a place back in the top three. But Nicky Ajose, Tyler Walker and CJ Hamilton secured a dramatic turnaround after the break. The Stags struggled to create any meaningful chances in the first half as loanee Jordan Smith had plenty to do. Smith was called into action early on to deny Sammie Szmodics. And minutes later the young shot-stopper pulled off a stunning save to once again keep out the frontman. But Smith’s hopes of a first clean sheet for the club went out of the window in the 14th minute when stabbed home after Mikail Mandron’s touch fell kindly for him. It was two on the half-hour mark as Senior drove into the box and fired home his second goal is as many games. The visitors only chance before the break came when Malvind Benning forced Rene Gilmartin into a fantastic one-handed stop from the edge of the box. Szmodics headed over early in the second half before Chris Hamilton’s cross-cum-shot was tipped over by Gilmartin. Ajose headed home his first goal in Stags’ colours to give the visiting fans some hope. And 13 minutes later the visitors were level as Walker found the back of the net after being teed up by Jorge Grant. With 11 minutes left Ajose turned provider as Hamilton put the visitors in front. Late on Smith did well to keep all three points in the Stags’ grasp when he kept out Harry Pell’s header. Hayden White provided a late injury scare when he was stretchered off in stoppage time. Colchester: Gilmartin, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Dickenson (Vincent-Young, 67), Lapslie (Ogedi-Uzokwe, 81), Pell, Senior (Comley, 72), Szmodics, Nouble, Mandron. Unused subs: Barnes, Gondoh, Wright, Kensdale. Mansfield: Smith, White (Atkinson, 90+6), Pearce, Sweeney, Hamilton, Mellis, Grant (Rose, 87), Bishop, Benning, Walker, Ajose (Preston, 82). Unused subs: Logan, Smith, Graham, Khan Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/match-report-mansfield-town-come-back-from-two-goals-down-to-beat-colchester-united-1-9546652 ------------------- U’s surrender two-goal lead to lose to Mansfield Town Colchester United 2 Mansfield Town 3 by Carl Marston @Carl_Marston, East Anglian Daily Times, 19 January 2019 https://www.greenun24.co.uk/colchester-united/colchester-united-2-mansfield-town-3-u-s-surrender-two-goal-lead-in-home-defeat-1-5858563 Colchester United surrendered a two-goal lead as Mansfield Town came storming back with three second-half goals to complete a remarkable comeback at the Jobserve Community Stadium this afternoon. Goals from Tom Eastman (14 minutes) and Courtney Senior (30) put the U’s in a commanding position at half-time. But this game was then turned on its head by three Mansfield goals. Nicky Ajose (51), Tyler Walker (64) and CJ Hamilton (79) all hit the target with deadly finishes to seal the U’s fate. The goal action began on 14 minutes. Senior swung over a free-kick, from which Mikael Mandron rose high to head goalwards. There was a scramble inside the six-yard box before Eastman was on hand to sweep the loose ball over the line. It was a real predator’s finish from the experienced centre-back. And creator Senior turned finisher on the half-hour mark, to double the U’s lead. Mansfield defenders failed to get close to Senior, who was able to dart into the box and make room for himself before crashing home a low shot in at the near post, seeming to surprise keeper Smith. Mansfield halved the deficit, six minutes into the second half. Leading scorer Tyler Walker delivered a deep cross from the right and an unmarked Nicky Ajose chested the ball over the line, from point blank range. And it was level pegging in the 64th minute, Tyler directing home a low shot from Jorge Grant’s accurate delivery to chalk up his 14th league goal of the season, and 17th in all competitions. Mansfield completed their comeback in the 79th minute. Ajose whipped over a marvellous cross for Hamilton to stick out a boot and prod the ball home from six yards out. The U’s were unchanged from last weekend’s 3-0 victory at Port Vale. Centre-half Frankie Kent continued to be sidelined with a back injury, while striker Luke Norris was out of the squad due to an ankle problem. It was a bright start from the U’s, against a side who had only lost three league games all season and had the best defence in League Two. Tom Eastman scooped a shot over the bar from 10 yards out, in the fourth minute, and Sammie Szmodics then got the better of centre-half Krystian Pearce on the right-edge of the six-yard box, eventually forcing a corner off keeper Jordan Smith. Szmodics was a real livewire during these early stages, and he saw his close-range shot superbly kept out by an alert Smith in the 10th minute, following a fine run and low cross by Frank Nouble. At the other end, recent signing Nicky Ajose, recruited on loan from Charlton, had a downward header graze the bottom of the far post, from close in on 12 minutes. However, just two minutes later and Eastman broke the deadlock for the U’s, by bundling home from inside the six-yard box. And it was very nearly 2-0 in the 16th minute, as Brennan Dickenson’s surprise curling shot, from an acute angle on the left-side of the penalty area, was only just kept out by the late reactions of Smith, who managed to claw the ball around his near post. Smith caught a shot by Pell under his bar in the 22nd minute, and then made sure that Mandron’s snap shot did not sneak in at his near post, five minutes later. But Smith was powerless to prevent Senior from doubling the U’s lead, on the half-hour mark, the winger’s low shot flying in at his near post. Gilmartin preserved the U’s two-goal advantage by launching himself to his left to divert Mal Benning’s shot over the bar, in the 42nd minute. Szmodics went close, inside the first 60 seconds of the second period, as his header from Nouble’s cross flew over the bar from 10 yards out. But it was Mansfield who scored the next goal, Ajose chesting the ball over the line from a matter of a few feet out. And Walker then directed home a first-time shot to bring the Stags level in the 64th minute, before Hamilton poked home Ajose’s inch-perfect delivery to complete the turnaround in the 79th minute. Squads COLCHESTER: Gilmartin, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Dickenson (sub Vincent-Young, 66), Lapslie (sub Ogedi-Uzokwe, 81), Pell, Senior (sub Comley, 72), Szmodics, Nouble, Mandron. Unused subs: Barnes, Wright, Gondoh, Kensdale. MANSFIELD: Smith, White (sub Atkinson, 90+6), Pearce, Sweeney, Hamilton, Bishop, Mellis, Benning, Grant (sub Rose, 87), Walker, Ajose (sub Preston, 82). Unused subs: Logan, Khan, Graham, Smith. Referee: Brett Huxtable (Devon) Attendance: 3,546 (426 away fans) -------------------- U’s Talking Points: an afternoon of big contrasts by Carl Marston @Carl_Marston, East Anglian Daily Times, 19 January 2019 https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/talking-points-after-colchester-united-s-3-2-defeat-to-mansfield-an-afternoon-of-stark-contrasts-1-5858768 The U’s were scintillating in the first half, and were good value for their 2-0 lead at half-time. But the wheels came off the bandwagon in spectacular fashion in the second period, as Mansfield plundered three unanswered goals with some devastating football and some clinical finishing. The U’s could simply not cope, and were left very deflated at the final whistle. They are now five points adrift of the Stags, who occupy the third and final automatic promotion berth - David Flitcroft’s men also have a game in hand - but the U’s remain in the play-off zone, and they won’t be up against a team of Mansfield’s calibre every weekend until the end of the season. Contrast in squads Saturday’s clash exposed the difference in squads, in terms of strength in depth. Mansfield had recruited a couple of new players the previous week, with striker Nicky Ajose signing on loan from Charlton, and midfielder Jorge Grant arriving on loan from Nottingham Forest. Both had a big impact, especially during the second half. Ajose scored the Stags’ first goal, to halve the deficit, and then provided the killer pass for CJ Hamilton to net the winning goal, while the inspirational Grant was behind Tyler Walker’s equaliser. Manager Flitcroft was also able to call upon some experienced players off the bench, once his team had turned the tide and got their noses in front, to kill the game. By contrast, the U’s bench was inexperienced, due to the absence of the injured Frankie Kent (back) and joint leading scorer Luke Norris (ankle). Also, they have yet to replace loanee Aaron Collins, who returned to Wolves earlier in the month. The U’s will always struggle to compete with some of the clubs with their bigger budgets, and bigger squads, like Mansfield. Hopefully, though, McGreal will recruit at least one new loan signing (an attacker) before the transfer window closes at the end of this month, because that might be the difference between making the top seven, and missing out altogether. Dazzling first half The U’s produced probably their best half of football, during the first 45 minutes, to put them on course for inflicting what would have been only Mansfield’s fourth league defeat of the season. They nearly took the lead on 10 minutes. Sammie Szmodics was a real livewire during the early stages, and his close-range shot was heading for the net until keeper Jordan Smith intervened with a fine save. Four minutes later and the hosts did get their noses in front. Courtney Senior swung over a free-kick, from which Mikael Mandron rose high to head goalwards, and Tom Eastman controlled inside the six-yard box before sweeping home in some style. It was a goal that any striker would have been proud. The U’s doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark. The tricky Senior received Mandron’s pass outside the box, but was able to dart past a couple of defenders and make room for himself before crashing home a low left-footed shot in at the near post, seeming to surprise keeper Smith. The first half ended with Rene Gilmartin clawing away Mal Benning’s fierce long-range shot. At this stage, the U’s were certainly in the box seat. Key moment Sammie Szmodics went very close to increasing the U’s lead to 3-0, inside the first 60 seconds of the second period. His header from Frank Nouble’s cross flew over the bar from 10 yards out. It would be harsh on Szmodics to suggest that this was a turning point, because the U’s defence should never have leaked three goals. But you had the feeling that a third goal at that time would have knocked the stuffing out of the visitors. Demoralising second half Mansfield were potent, of that there is no doubt, but they cut the U’s defence to ribbons with disturbing ease. It began with Tyler Walker delivering a deep cross for an unmarked Nicky Ajose to chest the ball over the line, from point blank range, in the 51st minute. Walker directed home a low shot from Jorge Grant’s accurate delivery to equalise on 64 minutes, and the comeback was complete when Ajose whipped over a marvellous cross for CJ Hamilton to stick out a boot and prod the ball home. --------------------- Colchester United v Mansfield Town - five talking points By Jonathan Waldron JonWaldron1 https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/17371537.colchester-united-v-mansfield-town-five-talking-points/ IT has been some time since Colchester United had two more contrasting halves of football than those they experienced against Mansfield Town. The popular consensus at the midway point at the JobServe Community Stadium was that the U’s excellent first-half performance was the best they have produced all season. But as soon as Mansfield had reduced the deficit five minutes after the break, their comeback seemed almost an inevitability and John McGreal’s side could do little to prevent the visitors from turning the contest around, in the second half. That was a real shame, particularly as all of their impressive first-half efforts against one of the best sides in League Two ultimately went to waste. A fractious finale THE final stages of Colchester United’s thrilling game with Mansfield Town were somewhat bad tempered. There was little love lost between the two sets of players come the final whistle, with both U’s boss John McGreal and his Mansfield counterpart David Flitcroft of the opinion that referee Brett Huxtable was partly to blame for the fractious nature of the closing minutes. “You could feel something happening out there and the referee is there to manage the game,” said Flitcroft, who felt his defender Hayden White’s suspected broken ankle following a challenge by Colchester’s Frank Nouble might have been avoided by better ‘refereeing game management’. ------------------- |
Latest | January 2019