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Archived News from August 2019

DEMPSTER, JAMES CLARKE, MAAMRIA REACTION
28th August 2019 22:22



We needed to be more ‘clinical’ - boss
mansfieldtown.net, 24 August 2019

Stags’ boss John Dempster was pleased with the number of opportunities his side created in this afternoon’s 0-0 draw against Stevenage, but says that the lack of a clinical edge in front of goal was the difference between one point and three.

The amber and blue crafted a number of chances, especially in the second-half, in which striker Danny Rose was denied by a fine Paul Farman save and midfielder Alex MacDonald saw his effort blocked on the line by Luther Wildin.

The manager says that the Stags can ‘build’ on the clean sheet they earned this afternoon.

“It’s the first time we’ve fallen short at that [attacking] end of the pitch,” he said. “We’ve been very clinical this season.

“You want a level of performance but you also want to make opportunities and take them. I think today we created those opportunities but we just didn’t take them.

“The players put a shift in today. I thought James Clarke (pictured below) did well on his full debut and it was great to see Jimmy Knowles come on and make his league debut as well.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/august/gaffer-post-stevenage/

“We’re thin on the ground with numbers but I thought that the young lads who appeared today did themselves proud.

“Krystian Pearce and Kellan Gordon did a fitness test at midday today and both failed. Then we had to put a plan together around that - it’s been really frustrating the amount of injuries we’ve picked up.

“The majority of the injuries have been impact ones and there’s not a lot you can do about them.

“The boys’ fitness levels are good. Some of the players are hitting their personal bests in games - [Alex] MacDonald (below) did it in midweek and [Ryan] Sweeney did it against Morecambe.

“We were doing some work on the back three in training yesterday when KP [Krystian Pearce] picked up his injury. He went in for a block tackle and it opened his ankle up a little bit. He did everything he could to make himself available.

“He made the call that he wouldn’t have been right to play and he put the team first, which is what you expect from your captain.

“When you keep a clean sheet you only need [one] chance to go in. Conrad [Logan] didn’t have too much to do.

“If you get a clean sheet you can build on it. We haven’t played many games and there’s a long way to go.”

The manager spoke highly of the performance of James Clarke, who made his full league debut this afternoon.

He was also full of praise for striker Jimmy Knowles, who made his first EFL appearance as a late substitute.

“I thought he [James Clarke] did really well. When you’re at a club of this size and the supporters are willing you to win, that comes with pressure.

“I thought Clarkey dealt with that really well and the supporters were excellent getting around him with shouts of encouragement.

“That’s what a young player needs when making his debut or featuring at any point, they need encouragement. I thought the supporters gave that to the younger players today.

“It was good to see Jimmy [Knowles] feature. He’s a cracking lad and a local lad who I have a lot of time for. I think he has a bright future in the game.

“I could’ve possibly got him on earlier, but we were creating opportunities. We’re disappointed not to get all three points.

The boss also looked ahead to Tuesday evening’s Leasing.com Trophy clash against Everton under-21s at One Call Stadium, a game he says that Mansfield’s under-21 players may be prominent in.

“If players fail a fitness test on a Saturday, the likelihood of them passing a fitness test for Tuesday is slim.

“We are looking to bring in some bodies and some reinforcements to help the group. If we can get those in quickly they could feature on Tuesday.

“But as you’ve seen today we’ve got some good under-21 players who might need to step up on Tuesday in particular.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the defender's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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John Dempster rues missed chances as Mansfield Town draw at home to Stevenage
chad.co.uk, by STEPHEN THIRKILL, Saturday 24 August 2019

Mansfield Town boss John Dempster rued his side’s missed opportunities following their 0-0 draw with battling Stevenage.

The home side enjoyed plenty of possession throughout but were unable to apply the killer touch with Alex MacDonald, Danny Rose and Otis Khan all going close.

Conrad Logan pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Paul Taylor on 12 minutes as the visitors came closest to scoring.

Ryan Sweeney had a goal ruled out for offside on 36 minutes after a close range finish.

Otkis Khan and Rose had goalbound shots blocked before Stevenage scrambled the ball to safety on 58 minutes.

Paul Farman pulled off a brilliant one handed reflect save to deny Danny Rose on 77 minutes.

MacDonald was then denied by a stunning goal-line clearance by Luther James-Wildin with two minutes to go.

Dempster said: “It is frustrating to keep a clean sheet and not win. We had plenty of chances and that is the first time we have fallen short in that end of the pitch this season.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/john-dempster-rues-missed-chances-as-mansfield-town-draw-at-home-to-stevenage-1-9955285

“You want a level of performance, but you also want to create chances and put your chances away. This is a missed opportunity, we did not take our chances

“It is disappointing not to be walking away with all three points, but the players put a shift in today, especially James Clarke on his debut.

Catch up with all the events from the One Call Stadium today as the Stags draw at home to Stevenage

“The injuries we have been picking up are frustrating, they are impact injuries and there is nothing we can do.

“The boys fitness levels are good though, we have just been unfortunate with the injuries.

“We are looking at bringing in some bodies to reinforce the group. We have got some strong U21 players.

“I felt Danny Rose was going to get a goal at any point today, but it didn’t happen. Alex MacDonald had chances and it was a great block on the line.

“Conrad Logan has not had a lot to do other than that one safe so we are disappointed not to win.

“There is a long way to go though and we have another point and something to build on.”

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Full debut a 'proud' moment - defender
mansfieldtown.net, 24 August 2019

Teenage right-back James Clarke described his full debut for Mansfield Town as a ‘proud’ personal moment after featuring in the starting line-up against Stevenage.

The 19-year-old was handed his first start in amber and blue by manager John Dempster on Saturday afternoon, and subsequently played the full 90 at One Call Stadium.

He was part of a back-four that limited Boro to few chances, which showed as the Stags emerged with a second clean sheet in Sky Bet League Two.

And the full-back subsequently revealed his pride after featuring from the outset.

“When I signed, it was as an under-21 player,” he told iFollow Stags. “So I decided that I wanted to push on and get as much first-team action as possible.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/august/clarke-post-stevenage/

“I got on against Leyton Orient for a few minutes the other night but I was very proud to make my full debut.

“It’s very special for me with my first start in the Football League. Hopefully there’s many more to come.

“A lot of my family were here today to watch so that was good. I wanted to play my normal game and do the best for the team.”

Clarke, who signed from Burnley in the summer, also detailed how his fellow teammates helped guide him through the contest.

“My positioning defensively [was good]. Matt Preston talked to me to keep tight and not allow many through balls behind us, which showed in the clean sheet.

“I thought I could have done better on the ball but that’ll come with time.

“All of the back four - Mal [Benning], [Ryan] Sweeney and Preston did well today - they spoke to me all game. The positioning and communication from them all was very good.

“It’s big [the step up], it’s different from the under-21s of course, it’s a lot more physical.

“It’s quicker but I thought I coped quite well with it today. If I get more game time I’ll get used to it.”

The youngster also thought his side were unlucky not to take three points against Dino Maamria’s men after dominating large parts of the game.

“I think it was just one of those days, really,” he continued.

“We didn’t have the best of luck but that happens in football. You’ve just got to learn from it.

“We’ll go again against Everton on Tuesday where we can hopefully put it right.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the defender's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Maamria: "It is always a positive result"
https://www.stevenagefc.com/news/2019/august/dino-maamria-reaction-mansfield-town-vs-stevenage-saturday-24-august-2019-efl/

Dino Maamria was pleased to see his side come away from a tough away trip to Mansfield with a clean sheet and a share of the points, while remaining confident for the remainder of the season…

One or two shaky moments, but solid throughout

“I thought first half we were very good. We had the best chance of the half, (Paul) Taylor should have scored - there is no doubt about it. Through one-on-one with all the time in the world, he hit the ‘keeper. If we had have scored that, it would have been a different game.”

“We knew that when Mansfield kick into their own fans, it is always going to be difficult. We were trying to win the game, they chucked one of two bodies forward and they were hitting us on the counter attack.”

“Apart from that, a very good draw for us. Take everything from the last three or four games, when you come to Mansfield and get a nil-nil, clean sheet, it is always a positive result.”

Luis Fernandez injury

“It is a new one today. We have got players getting injured in the warm-up. We lost Kurtis and Luis in fitness tests today. Well, Luis got past the fitness test but was then injured in the warm-up.”

“Obviously, that continues the injury list. We have got eight first team players out. I know we are not in a great position, but you have got to see the circumstances we are facing right now, and I think people know that. To get the result we got today, the draw we got last week at (Leyton) Orient, they are big results for us.”

“The problem that we are facing, any other team that we face would do a lot worse. Imagine Liverpool with seven of their first team players not playing, and see how well Liverpool perform.”

“Because we have not got the personnel to put the team out we would like, we have got a lot of young players. To be fair to them, they are putting their bodies on the line. Every week we have a new debutant, today we had Charlie Lakin. Kelland has done well again. Those 17/18-year-old lads, sometimes the games catch up with them.”

“The biggest point for me today was that our experienced players were absolutely magnificent. I have got to single out Paul Farman. Probably the best performance in the Football League today. Luther Wildin looked like a man mountain today as a centre back. Tom Soares as well, he is a midfielder. He was a man mountain at centre back as well. Joel Byrom’s performance today was outstanding. He was struggling with his groin, carried on the game, took the captain’s armband, rallied the troops and was outstanding. Chris Stokes, left wing-back, he was magnificent. Danny Newton, lead the line, dropped deep at the end and never stopped running.

“Those experienced lads carried the young ones through. It was brilliant to see because that goes a long way.”

Charlie Lakin

“What Lakin will do is give us that bit of brightness going forward. We saw today what he was capable of. He skipped past one or two midfielders there to put Paul Taylor through one-on-one first half. That is what he is there for. It caught up with him at the end there as well. Last fifteen minutes he was flagging a little bit because we had made our three subs.”

The gaffer remains confident that while injuries keep setting Stevenage back, goals and wins will come in the near future.

“While getting some bodies back, let us keep nicking points, let us keep getting some points on the board. I know, when we get everybody back together, we are capable of winning week after week after week. Which we will do.”

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Dino Maamria delighted with experienced players as Stevenage cling on against Mansfield Town
chad.co.uk, by STEPHEN THIRKILL, Saturday 24 August 2019

Delighted Stevenage boss Dino Maamria praised the efforts of his side’s more experienced players.

Stevenage clung on at the death against a Mansfield onslaught to claim a valuable point as the injury-hit side look for their first EFL win of the season.

And Maamria was left delighted by his battling side and hailed his players for putting their bodies on the line.

“We knew Mansfield would make it hard for us and this is as brilliant point,” he said.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/dino-maamria-delighted-with-experienced-players-as-stevenage-cling-on-against-mansfield-town-1-9955323

“We were very good in the first half and had the best chance, we should have scored and it would have been a different game.

“The experienced players were magnificent for us today. Joel Byrom was outstanding, Chris Stokes was magnificent, Darren Newton never stopped running and they carried the young players through.

“We have had a lot of injuries and if you lose so many key players any team will struggle.

Catch up with all the events from the One Call Stadium today as the Stags draw at home to Stevenage

“We have eight first team players out, we are not in a great position but you have to look at the circumstances

“If any other team was facing these problems they would do much worse.

“We have got a lot of young players and they are all learning and putting their body on the line.”

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twitter
Jimmy Knowles @jimmy_K10
Unreal feeling today making my league debut

JamesClarke @James31Clarke
Fantastic Experience on Saturday
... forwarding:
Mansfield Town FC @mansfieldtownfc
Full EFL debut
Clean sheet
Voted man of the match
Not a bad weekend for @James31Clarke

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Latest | August 2019