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Archived News from October 2019

TEN MAN STAGS WIN IN STOPPAGE TIME AT GRIMSBY
9th October 2019 18:57


English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Grimsby Town 0 - 1 Mansfield Town
White sent off 60. Pearce 90+6
Attendance: 5087 (681 from Mansfield)

Date: 5 October 2019

Martin Shaw at Blundell Park

Mansfield Town won 1-0 at Grimsby this afternoon with a goal from captain Krystian Pearce in the 6th and very final minute of stoppage time. The goal came right in front of the 681 travelling Stags fans, a great following despite the poor run of form, and sent them into raptures for a rare moment of unbridled joy this season. In a tight game with few chances for either side, the Stags were reduced to ten men after 60 minutes when Hayden White was sent off for sliding in on Ethan Robson in the middle of the park. White got the ball but his studs were showing and it was a poor challenge. Tellingly, from the pitchside video footage, Danny Rose, who had a great view of the incident, immediately put his hands on his head fearing what was to come as White made the challenge and well before the referee had decided what to do. Incredibly, it was Mansfield’s 5th red card (Preston 2, Sweeney, White and Mellis) in just 12 league games this season, a ridiculous record, albeit Sweeney’s was undeserved and rightly over-turned.
However rather than folding badly as they did against Cambridge, the Stags showed true grit to dig in and make it difficult for Grimsby to take advantage of the extra man. CJ Hamilton was brought on to provide pace on the break and it was he who won a free kick deep in stoppage time, as he was cynically and deliberately chopped down by Luke Hendrie. Mal Benning took the free kick into the middle from the left, 25 yards out. It was a good delivery and it was headed down by a combination of sub Andy Cook and Ryan Sweeney who got to the ball at the same time, it fell kindly for Krystian Pearce who turned and gleefully hammered the loose ball into the net from 6 yards. Pandemonium amongst the Stags players and fans, and indeed in the Stags dugout where assistant manager Lee Glover was booked for over-celebrating. It’s been a tough season for the Stags so far and especially for new manager John Dempster, but you have to enjoy these moments when they come along, and everyone of a Stags persuasion certainly did that.
This win should give the Stags some confidence and belief, and of course Mansfield have to build on this in the league to kickstart the season, starting with a game against Oldham next Saturday, in order to cut the gap to the top sides. Before that, the Stags have a game in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night at home to Crewe, which will give some players who haven’t been playing regularly, a chance to stake a claim to start in the league.

Under pressure Stags boss John Dempster made two chances to the side that lost at home to Plymouth. Hayden White was back from illness (stomach cramps). He was replaced Conor Shaughnessy. Nicky Maynard also returned from injury as CJ Hamilton, who was very poor last week, dropped to the bench. It was a 3-4-1-2 formation with Khan behind the front two of Maynard and Rose. With White coming back into the 18, the player dropping out of the 18 was Jacob Mellis.

Grimsby included former Stags centre half Luke Waterfall. Matt Green started on the bench, but was to come on due to injury midway through the first half and was, in truth, ineffective.
Before the game, I had a good chat with Green. We talked about very good times when he played for us. The club has a special place in his heart.

FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE

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MATCH REPORT: Grimsby Town 0-1 Mansfield Town - Late drama as Stags sneak away win
chad.co.uk, by Agency, Saturday 05 October 2019

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/match-report-grimsby-town-0-1-mansfield-town-late-drama-as-stags-sneak-away-win-1-10035770

Krystian Pearce dramatically ended Mansfield’s four-game winless run as the ten-man Stags stunned Grimsby at the death.

The defender was playing only his second game since the middle of August during his return from injury.

With virtually the last kick of the game Pearce poked home from close range to pick up a vital three points.

White was one of two changes for Mansfield manager John Dempster. He returned to the fold in place of Conor Shaughnessy, whilst striker Nicky Maynard came in for winger CJ Hamilton.

Stags’ stopper Conrad Logan had an early sighter as he claimed Luke Waterfall’s header.

Top Grimsby goal getter James Hanson saw his effort ruled out by the linesman’s flag as the hosts started brightly.

Mansfield were let off when former Bradford ace Hanson hammered wide when one-on-one with Logan.

The Stags’ best chance of the first half fell to Danny Rose.

The striker saw his header denied by James McKeown after Otis Khan expertly found him with a free-kick.

Minutes later Malvind Benning blasted a free-kick over from an inviting position, before Rose’s scuffed an effort well wide.

The Stags started well after Dempster’s half-time team talk.

Rose could only nod Khan’s cross wide, with Khan then having an audacious long-ranged strike easily saved.

Down the other end Logan watched on as Jordan Cook’s free-kick went sailing over his bar on the hour mark.

An moments later the visitors were reduced to ten when White was shown a straight red for a rash challenge on Hessenthaler.

With 15 minutes left the Stags almost stole the spoils.

Substitute Hamilton fired a ball across goal, but no one in a yellow shirt could turn it home.

Mansfield had to defend resolutely at the death, before stealing all three points as Benning’s ball finally fell to Pearce to stab home the winner.

Grimsby: McKeown, Hendrie, Davis, Waterfall, Gibson, Hessenthaler, Robson, Cook (Whitehouse, 85), Hanson, Wright (Green, 27), Ogbu (Rose, 76).

Unused subs: Russell, Pollock, Hewitt, Clifton.

Mansfield: Logan, White, Pearce, Sweeney, Gordon, Bishop, MacDonald, Benning, Khan (Shaughnessy, 84), Rose (Cook, 83), Maynard (Hamilton, 63).

Unused subs: Stone, Tomlinson, Afolayan, Smith.

Referee: Paul Marsden

Attendance: 5,087

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Grimsby Town 0-1 Mansfield report from today's League Two clash at Blundell Park
Mansfield defender Krystian Pearce scored in the 96th minute as the ten-man visitors snatched victory at Grimsby Town

grimsbytelegraph.co.uk, By James Findlater, 5 OCT 2019
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/grimsby-town-mansfield-result-report-3396883

Ten-man Mansfield snatched victory with a stoppage time winner as Grimsby Town suffered a 1-0 defeat at Blundell Park.

Krystian Pearce grabbed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to give the visitors the win after Hayden White had seen red, with the EFL League Two clash marred by some terrible refereeing.

Going in search of a hat-trick of league wins, Michael Jolley made two changes to the side that had performed so impressively at Exeter seven days earlier.

Harry Davis and James Hanson returned to the line-up in place of Mattie Pollock and Ahkeem Rose, who both took their place on the bench - where they were joined by Harry Clifton after his latest call-up to the Wales Under-21s squad.

Town set the tone early as they looked to hit their visitors early, with Jake Hessenthaler picking out Luke Waterfall from deep, but the defender couldn’t beat Conrad Logan with his header.

The Mariners thought they had the lead just before the quarter-hour mark when Jordan Cook picked out Hanson from the edge of the box, with the targetman heading beyond Logan - but finding himself denied by the linesman’s flag.

Hanson went close again moments later as Town won a succession of corners, although he couldn’t direct his header goalwards after meeting Hessenthaler’s cross from the right.

The big striker almost made amends instantly as he found himself through one-on-one with Logan, but with the Mansfield goalkeeper quick to charge out of his area, Hanson could only chip his effort wide.

The Mariners were forced into an early change when Max Wright, who had appeared to be struggling with a thigh problem during the opening 25 minutes, was forced off - making way for Matt Green.

The brief stoppage to make that change looked to have disrupted the hosts’ flow, and the Stags began to claw their way into the game.

At first, Danny Rose headed straight into the hands of James McKeown, before Mal Benning was presented with a great opportunity to test the long-serving stopper from a free-kick, but sent his effort well over.

There wasn’t much to write home about towards the start of the second half - that was until the hour-mark when White went over the top in a challenge on Hessenthaler, with the referee brandishing the red card to reduce the Stags to ten men.

Despite their numerical advantage, Town continued to struggle to make any inroads in the game, not helped by some poor decision-making from man in the middle Paul Marsden.

And deep into stoppage time, the sickening blow came as Pearce popped up at a free-kick to poke the ball home, giving his side a much-needed win at the foot of the table.

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Grimsby Town 0-1 Mansfield Town
Town fall to last-minute winner

https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2019/october/match-report-for-grimsby-town-vs-mansfield-town-on-05-oct-19/

Grimsby Town were beaten as 10-man Mansfield Town snatched a last-minute winner at Blundell Park.

The Mariners had the better of a scrappy, bad-tempered contest but were unable to force a breakthrough.

The visitors showed little as an attacking force for most of the game and were left with more defending to do after Hayden White was shown a straight red card.

But they had the final say as a free kick deep into added time fell for Krystian Pearce and he scored from close range to claim all three points.

Two changes were made to the Town starting XI after last week's fantastic win at Exeter, with Harry Davis and James Hanson returning in place of Mattie Pollock and Ahkeem Rose.

James McKeown started in goal, behind a back four of Luke Hendrie, Davis, Luke Waterfall and Liam Gibson.

Ethan Robson, Jake Hessenthaler and Jordan Cook were the midfielders, with Hanson joined by Max Wright and Moses Ogbu in attack.

Pollock and Rose were both named on the bench, along with Elliott Whitehouse, Harry Clifton, Matt Green, Sam Russell and Elliott Hewitt.

Mansfield made the relatively short journey to Cleethorpes sitting sixth frrom bottom of the League Two table and looking for a much-needed victory.

They would look to attackers Otis Khan, Danny Rose and Nicky Maynard to cause problems for the Grimsby defence, with former Mariners striker Andy Cook among the substitutes.

Town won the first corner of the game wihin 25 seconds of the kick-off but were unable to make it count. They retained possession though and and as their fast start continued, a diagonal ball from Hessenthaler on the left found Waterfall at the far post but his header was stopped by keeper Conrad Logan.

A cross from Wright proved too high for Hanson, before Mansfield started to come into the game and they won their first corner on 11 minutes, although the short delivery led only to a throw-in.

A home penalty appeal was turned down after the ball struck the arm of Pearce inside the box before being put out of play but the decision was to award a corner, which was cleared.

Soon afterwards, the Mariners had the ball in the net when Hanson's header from a cross by Cook beat Logan but the offside flag had already gone up against the striker.

Davis won a corner on the left on 17 minutes as the hosts continued to dominate. Hessenthaler's delivery was headed back to him, with the midfielder's follow-up cross headed behind by midfielder Kellan Gordon for a corner on the right. This time, Hanson headed wide of the far post.

A good chance came on 20 minutes when Gibson put a ball through for Hanson to run onto. The striker was left one-on-one with Logan but as the keeper advanced, Hanson could only direct his shot wide of the far post.

At the other end, Alex Macdonald was given an opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box but his effort deflected off Maynard to safety.

Ogbu battled well with defender Hayden White to win another Grimsby corner on the left and Hessenthaler's ball from the flag was headed away as far as Robson on the edge of the box but his volley flew well over the bar.

Wright went down with an injury on 26 minutes and was deemed unfit to continue, with Green sent on in his place in the game's first substitution.

Khan was brought down by Robson to give Mansfield a free kick midway inside the Town half but Rose's header from it was straight at McKeown and the keeper made a comfortable stop.

Another free kick came in a dangerous position when Maynard was fouled on 33 minutes but it caused no problems as Mal Benning fired over the bar.

The home side's next attack saw Gibson win a corner on the left but Hessenthaler's delivery was cleared by Rose.

A cross from Hendrie on 40 minutes was blocked for a corner on the right but after the ball fell for Robson on the edge of the box, he lost possession and the visitors broke through Macdonald but the move ended with Rose shooting tamely wide.

Cook became the first of the afternoon to be shown the yellow card for a foul as the game became scrappy with the clock ticking towards half-time.

Two added minutes were played at the end of the half and with no further chances created by either side, the score remained goalless at the interval.

No further changes were made before the restart and a shot by Khan from distance three minutes in proved easy for McKeown.

Good defending by White denied Cook after Green had taken the ball into the penalty area, before Hessenthaler saw a shot blocked after a long throw by Hendrie.

Green was spoken to by the referee after Mansfield were given a free kick on the right but again, the away side did not take advantage of the opportunity from the set piece.

Town had a free kick of their own soon afterwards when Ogbu was brought down 25 yards out by Bishop, who was booked. Cook's strike cleared the bar.

Mansfield were reduced to 10 men on the hour when White was dismissed after the referee deemed his challenge on Hessenthaler near the halfway line to be worthy of a straight red card.

CJ Hamilton replaced Maynard three minutes later and the visitors won a corner on 68 minutes but it led to an offside decision after the ball was played short.

Green was booked for a foul soon afterwards, before a shot from Hanson was blocked after a looping cross had fallen for him.

Rose was sent on in place of Ogbu with 15 minutes to go as the Mariners continued to look for a moment of quality that could provide a breakthrough.

A cross from Rose was cleared for a corner but with Mansfield's Ryan Sweeney down, the referee instead opted to restart the game with a drop-ball after he had received treatment.

Mansfield's Rose was replaced by Cook with eight minutes left to play, before Conor Shaughnessy came on for Khan soon afterwards as the away side looked to an extra defender.

Town's last change saw Whitehouse replace Cook and they continued to search for a winning goal as the game moved into six added minutes.

Hanson headed the ball down after a cross from th eleft but it was cleared before it could reach Green.

Hendrie was booked for bringing Hamilton down as the attacker looked to break clear into the box in the last of the added minutes. An the visitors took full advantage as Benning's ball into the box was not dealt with and PEARCE was there to turn and fire past McKeown from close range in front of the travelling supporters.

That proved to be the final, decisive say and the Mariners must now pick themselves up for the midweek Leasing.com Trophy fixxture at Sunderland and next Saturday's trip to Stevenage in the league.

Town: 1. James McKeown (C), 2. Luke Hendrie, 3. Liam Gibson, 6. Luke Waterfall, 4. Harry Davis, 8, Jake Hessenthaler, 11. Jordan Cook, 12. Ethan Robson, 9. James Hanson, 19. Max Wright, 20. Moses Ogbu

Subs: 23. Sam Russell, 22. Elliott Hewitt, 25. Matthew Pollock, 15. Harry Clifton, 10. Elliott Whitehouse, 7. Matt Green, 14. Ahkeem Rose.

Mansfield Town: 1. Conrad Logan, 17.Ryan Sweeney, 5. Krystian Pearce (C), 2. Hayden White, 20. Kellan Gordon, 3. Malvind Benning, 7. Alexander MacDonald, 6. Neal Bishop, 10. Otis Khan, 32. Danny Rose, 11. Nicky Maynard.

Subs: 31. Aidan Stone, 15. Conor Shaughnessy. 30. Alistair Smith, 16. Willem Tomlinson, 18. Oladapo Afolayan, 19. Andy Cook, 22. CJ Hamilton.

Referee: Paul Marsden

Attendance: 5,087 (681)

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