Archived News from July 2019
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DEMPSTER,PEARCE,MOWBRAY REACTION TO BLACKBURN GAME
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We gained ‘a lot’ from friendly - manager mansfieldtown.net, Wednesday 17 July 2019 Stags’ boss John Dempster says his players gained ‘a lot’ from this evening’s friendly against Blackburn Rovers, a match he described as a ‘good exercise against strong opposition.’ Although on the receiving end of a 3-1 scoreline, the Stags showed plenty of positive signs, especially during the second-half, when they created several chances. The manager says that tonight’s exercise was a worthwhile one. “[We got] a lot [from the game],” he said. “Blackburn are a strong side and had good calibre players on show tonight. “I think they played through us a bit too easily at times, but they are quality players. The boys got to grips with it better in the second-half and we created some chances. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/july/gaffer-post-blackburn/ “These games are to address any issues that we’ve got and hopefully to get the mistakes out of the way. “In terms of returns, we got a lot out of the game. They [trialists] did okay - we probably want to have a closer look at them before we make any major decisions. “All-in-all, it was a good exercise against strong opposition. We move onto the next one.” All but one of John Dempster’s players made it through the game ‘unscathed,’ the manager confirmed, with midfielder Willem Tomlinson being replaced in the second-half after jarring his knee. The boss says that he will know more on the extent of Tomlinson’s injury in the morning. “He [Tomlinson] went into a tackle and jarred his knee,” added the manager. “We’re hoping it’s just a jar and there’s no damage. “If it’s swollen tomorrow, we’ll probably look at a scan. But the medical team are with him now having a closer look. “We thought it was important to bring him off and not risk anything, because he was playing really well. “Everyone else has come through it [unscathed]. Danny [Rose] got a bit of a knock on the head as he usually does - I thought he was excellent when he came on.” The gaffer also looked ahead to Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Championship outfit Hull City, a game he sees as a ‘tough challenge.’ “We’ll assess the situation in the morning to see how players are feeling [ahead of Saturday’s match against Hull City]. “We’ll expect similar in terms of calibre of players who are coming to the One Call [Stadium] on Saturday. “My assistant manager Lee Glover knows Grant McCann [Hull’s head coach] very well, and I’ve got no doubt that he’ll have one or two trialists that he’s looking at more closely. “I’m sure it will be a tough challenge.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later tonight. ------------------ Mansfield Town hoping for good news on Willem Tomlinson injury chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Wednesday 17 July 2019 Mansfield Town will be hoping Willem Tomlinson’s injury is not a serious one after he limped off during tonight’s 3-1 home friendly defeat by Blackburn Rovers. Midfielder Tomlinson, up against his old club, came on as a second half sub but lasted only half an hour before getting hurt. Manager John Dempster said: “He jarred his knee in a tackle and tried to run it off but, rather than risk anything, we go him off pretty sharpish. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-hoping-for-good-news-on-willem-tomlinson-injury-1-9884051 “We will assess him in the morning to see if there is any major swelling. “If there is, we will get him in for a scan. It’s disappointing as I thought he was playing well when he came off.” Stags battled hard after going 2-0 down and, after skipper Krystian Pearce pulled one back, only a post and three good saves by Rovers keeper Andy Fisher denied them an equaliser before a late goal killed the home side off. Pearce completed a full 90 minutes and Dempster said: “Krystian did well. I thought it was important for him to stay on the pitch and look after Gibbo when the U21 players came on. “All in all it was a good exercise against strong opposition and we move on to the next one. “We did cause them more problems second half, but I was really disappointed with the goals - so were the players which was good. “You want to see that kind of reaction. Those goals were unacceptable and we will be looking to eradicate those. “These are the things we need to iron out over the next 17 days as that’s when we kick off against Newport. It’s come round quickly.” The Mansfield side included three trialists, one in the first half and two in the second, and Dempster said: “I will now sit down with the staff and discuss how we think they did and decide if we are going to get them back in next week to look at them more in training or even in the games we’ve got. Stags next face Hull City at home on Saturday and Dempster is not yet sure what side he may start with against the Tigers. “We will assess the situation in the morning and see how players are feeling,” he said. ---------------------- UPDATE: Willem Tomlinson ruled out after scan on injured knee as Mansfield Town prepare for Hull City visit chad.co.uk Mansfield Town midfielder Willem Tomlinson will be out for up to a month after a scan on his knee injury and so misses Saturday’s home friendly with Championship club Hull City. Tomlinson jarred his knee is a crunching midfield tackle in last night’s 3-1 home defeat to his former club Blackburn Rovers, and after the club’s medical staff looked at the swelling today it was decided to have it scanned to see the extent of the damage. The scan has revealed minor knee ligament damage but the club hope he will be fit before the worst-case-scenario of four weeks. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/update-willem-tomlinson-ruled-out-after-scan-on-injured-knee-as-mansfield-town-prepare-for-hull-city-visit-1-9886228 Boss John Dempster said he would see how the rest of the players were recovering today before he decided on a starting XI to face the Tigers as Stags continue their tough spell of three home games in seven days against Championship opposition. Stags played their part in an exciting friendly last night and Dempster said: “We’ll expect something similar in terms of calibre of players who are coming to the One Call Stadium on Saturday. “My assistant manager Lee Glover knows Grant McCann (Hull’s head coach) very well and how his teams like to play. “I’ve got no doubt that Grant will have one or two trialists that he’s looking at more closely. “I’m sure it will be a tough challenge.” --------------------- Skipper sets clean sheet target mansfieldtown.net, Wednesday 17 July 2019 Mansfield Town skipper Krystian Pearce marked 25 clean sheets as his target for the upcoming 2019-20 campaign following impressive defensive displays last season. The Stags’ centre-half was part of a defensive unit that recorded 19 clean sheets in all competitions last time out - a statistic that Pearce desperately wants to better. Mansfield’s number 5 featured for 90 minutes against Sky Bet Championship side Blackburn Rovers, and despite scoring his side’s only goal, he instead shifted attention to the opposite end of the pitch. “I haven’t set a number for goals but my personal goal for the season is 25 clean sheets - that’s the target,” Pearce stated. “I probably should have [had a hat-trick] but ultimately, while I will try and score goals, it’s all about the clean sheets. “We [Preston and Sweeney] know each other well after playing the majority of last season together, and hopefully we can have both the best defence and most clean sheets again next time around.” https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/july/pearce-post-blackburn/ The ex-Torquay defender also spoke about the test that Tony Mowbray’s side posed as one of three second-tier sides to visit One Call Stadium in pre-season. “It was a good workout. We’re a little disappointed with the goals we conceded but it’s 90 minutes for myself and a lot for the boys - so we’re happy. “We are trying to focus a lot on team shape and getting play wide rather than through the middle. I think we did that a bit better in the second period but there’s still a lot of work to do.” Chief, as he has been fittingly named, believes that Mansfield’s summer recruits have bedded into life in Nottinghamshire with ease. “Everyone has settled in well. All of the signings bring something different and they’ve added a lot of quality,” he continued. “The gaffer is trying to implement his style of play into the team. It’s early days and there’s kinks to remove but overall I think we’re doing well. “For me personally it was my first 90, and that was important for me, too. “Hopefully I can kick on and the team as a whole will continue to work on its shape and get better with each game.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Pearce's interview by heading to mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later tonight. ---------------------- Mansfield Town skipper Krystian Pearce targets 25 clean sheets for the division’s meanest defence chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Wednesday 17 July 2019 Mansfield Town skipper Krystian Pearce has set himself targets of promotion and at least 25 clean sheets for the new season. The big centre half was on the scoresheet in last night’s 3-1 home friendly defeat by Blackburn Rovers and was delighted to get his first full 90 minutes under his belt. “It was a good work-out. We were a bit disappointed with the goals we conceded, but it was 90 minutes for myself and a lot of minutes for the boys,” he said. “I felt good. Obviously there are a few more pre-season games to go before the season starts. So hopefully I can get some more 90s in and get firing for the season.” https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-skipper-krystian-pearce-targets-25-clean-sheets-for-the-division-s-meanest-defence-1-9886703 A mistake by Pearce allowed Rovers in for their second, but he smashed home an unstoppable shot seconds later and came close to more from set pieces.“I probably should have had a hat-trick,” he smiled. “For my goal, I saw it drop down and just thought I would get it on target, luckily it went in.” On his error for the Rovers’ second goal, he added: “I would rather that happened now than during the season, so let’s get the bad one out now and go from there. “After their second goal I was probably trying to make up for it. I will be trying to score goals this season but I am more concerned with the clean sheets. Here's how you can quiz John Dempster and Lee Glover “I have not set a target for goals, but my goal for the season is 25 clean sheets - that’s the main target after promotion.” As part of a back three alongside Matt Preston and Ryan Sweney, Stags had the meanest defence in the division last season and achieved 18 clean sheets. “Obviously we all know each other well,” he said. “We played together for the majority of last season. “So hopefully we can have the best defence in the league again and the most clean sheets.” With four new faces added to the dressing room so far this summer, Pearce said: “I think everyone has settled in well. “All of them bring something different to the team and I think they have added a lot of quality. “The gaffer is trying to implement his style of playing onto the team. It’s still early days and we are trying to iron a few kinks out, but overall I think we are doing well. “It was important for me to get my first 90 last night and hopefully I can kick on from here. “As a team we’re still working on the shape and hopefully we will get better with each game. “Against Blackburn we were trying to focus a lot on the team shape and playing wide rather than through the middle. We did it a bit better in the second half, but we still have a lot of work to do.” ------------------ Impressed Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray backing Mansfield Town for success this season chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Wednesday 17 July 2019 Experienced Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray was impressed by Mansfield Town in last night’s friendly and believes they are capable of achieving their promotion dream this season. A youthful Rovers won 3-1 at the One Call Stadium, but Stags pushed the Championship side hard all the way “Mansfield have some good footballers and they are a good team,” he said. “I thought our young team competed really well tonight against a side who, as I read in their programme, hope to be in the top three to get out of their league this year. “They are extremely competitive - as with the demands of a club who have an expectation to get promoted. “The players have to reflect that on the pitch and I think Mansfield reflected a real work ethic and camaraderie among the group tonight. “I think they are a credit to the club and I wish them well throughout the season.” He added: “Mansfield have big ambitions and they have a big, strong, physical team. “But I thought in spells of the game we managed them pretty well and gave them some problems. “The game got a bit physical at times, but that was good for our young players to know what it takes if they want to have loans in League Two or League One. “They’ve got to get used to the physicality, size and strength of players they would play against week in, week out. So it was a good test for everybody.” Rovers had the edge in the first half but came under some severe Stags pressure after the break. “Mansfield clogged our system up a little bit in the second half and frustrated us,” said Mowbray. “So we were not as fluent second half, but it’s good for the young players to face a team that are clogging it up and not allowing us to get the ball through or spread the pitch out. It was a good exercise for them. “Mansfield were good. They were physical, they stuck at it, they were competitive and they threatened us. “They have some real pace and obviously Hamilton on the left wing is really fast. “Preston at right centre half was extraordinarily strong and looked like an old school footballer. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/impressed-blackburn-rovers-boss-tony-mowbray-backing-mansfield-town-for-success-this-season-1-9884999 “Of course we know Willem Tomlinson and I thought he played some lovely passes before he got himself injured.” Some of the young Rovers players on show last night may be available on loan over the next two weeks as Mowbray whittles down his large squad into a core he will polish for this season’s Championship challenge. “We had a game this morning as well. We’ve been training with 30 young players this week,” he said. “We have three games this week and will start with a different XI in each and utilise the subs as and when needed, though players need 90 minutes now. “My job is to create competition and their job is to get into the team. “It’s only two weeks to go this weekend until the season starts so we’ve got to try to start putting our group together. “The phone has already started ringing for some of our young players on loan. Yet we have a games programme to fulfil and we need to get through those games. “When the time is right some of our young players will go out on loan and develop their careers and play some minutes. “The squad we are working with now will drop from 32-33 down to the low 20s after the weekend and we’ll spend two weeks focusing on a team that is going to play against Charlton at home.” Mansfield Town will now prepare to face Hull City at home on Saturday in their next friendly. ------------------------ Mowbray: Our youngsters stood up to be counted The boss was impressed with what he saw from Rovers young stars after a comfortable win over Mansfield rovers.co.uk Tony Mowbray was a happy man after seeing his young side earn a comfortable win over Mansfield Town in the second pre-season outing. John Buckley and Adam Armstrong got on the scoresheet in the second half after an early own goal, with Krystian Pearce's fierce strike proving to only be a consolation for The Stags, as Rovers registered a 3-1 away win at Field Mill. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/july/mowbray-our-youngsters-stood-up-to-be-counted/ A youthful looking side included the likes of Academy quartet Andy Fisher, Joe Rankin-Costello, Tyler Magloire and Joe Grayson in the back five, with fellow rookies Buckley and Dan Butterworth playing further forward. Mowbray's post-match thoughts were positive, and rightly so with Rovers largely bossing the encounter against their League Two opponents. “We had a young team out there and I felt they competed really well against a side that hope to be in the top three in League Two this season," he reflected. "We were up against a strong, physical team with big ambitions. “For long spells of the game we managed our opponents very well and gave them some problems. The game got a bit physical at times, but that’s good for our young players. “If some of the young players need to go out on loan to League One or Two then they need to get used to the physicality, the size and the strength of the opposition. “It was a good test and I’m pleased for all of them." It was Rovers' second game of the day, with another side fielded earlier this morning against Macclesfield Town. The likes of Sam Gallagher, Joe Nuttall and Scott Wharton were all given game time against The Silkmen in another 3-1 victory, and Mowbray explained the thinking regarding the behind closed doors clash against Sol Campbell's charges. “We’ve been training with 30-odd players and had a game this morning, playing another young team," he added. “We’re going to have three games this week and we will have started with a different XI for every one of those games. “We’ll utilise the players as and when we see fit, but players do need 90 minutes under their belt. We need to give every player as many minutes on the pitch as we can. “The young boys need games, so the likes of Wharton, Platt, Chapman, they all played this morning. "If they aren’t going to play in pre-season games then we need to arrange behind closed doors matches." ------------------- Tony Mowbray on Mansfield win and Rangers preparations By Rich Sharpe @richsharpe89 https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17778500.tony-mowbray-mansfield-win-rangers-preparations/ Tony Mowbray felt his young side competed well and will take a lot from their friendly win at League Two side Mansfield Town. Mowbray named a starting XI which included just two players, Joe Rothwell and captain for the night Richie Smallwood, over the age of 22, with a number of the Under-23s squad involved. Ben Brereton and Lewis Travis were other more senior players in the side with Stewart Downing and Adam Armstrong, who scored the third goal late on, the only substitutes to be used. Rovers led 2-0 thanks to an own goal and John Buckley close-range finish but had to weather plenty of Mansfield pressure which saw them get a goal back through Krystian Pearce before hitting the post. “I thought a young team competed really well against a side who are hoping to be in the top three to get out of League Two,” Mowbray said. “They have a big ambition with a big, strong, physical team and for long spells I thought we managed it well, gave them some problems. “It got a bit physical at times but that’s good for our young players because they need to know what it’s like if they are to have loans in League One and League Two they have to get used to the physicality and size and strength of the players they play against week in, week out. “It was a good test for everyone and I'm pleased for them.” A number of players didn’t travel to the One Call Stadium having featured in a behind closed doors game at Brockhall earlier in the day where two goals from Charlie Adam, who is still training with the club, gave them a 3-1 win. New signing Sam Gallagher, as well as Ryan Nyambe and Harry Chapman, were among those players to feature. “We had a game before with another young team,” Mowbray added. “We’ve been training with 30-odd players and have three games this week so will start with a different 11 in every one and utilise the substitutes as and when. “Players need 90 minutes so that’s what we have to try and do, get them as many minutes as we can. “The young lads need games. Wharton, Platt, Chapman, young players need games and if they weren’t going to start then we need to find ways of getting them football.” Danny Graham, Corry Evans and Elliott Bennett didn’t travel to Mansfield, but along with the likes of Darragh Lenihan, Charlie Mulgrew and Bradley Dack, who were unused substitutes, are expected to start in Sunday’s friendly at Rangers. Explaining the trios absence, the boss added: “They weren’t going to play. They’ve had little knocks. “They will all be available for Sunday at Ibrox so there was no point bringing them two-and-a-half hours down the road to sit on the bench and not play so we left them at home. “Sam and Ryan will travel. There will only be two weeks to go until the new season this weekend so we have to start bringing our group together. “The squad we are working with will drop from 32 to low 20s and that will be after the weekend and get towards focusing on a team that will start against Charlton at home.” ---------------------- |
Latest | July 2019