Archived News from October 2019
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DEMPSTER, MAYNARD, AFOLAYAN, MAAMRIA REACTION
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Boss delighted with ‘outstanding’ display
mansfieldtown.net, 12 October 2019 Stags’ boss John Dempster described his side’s display as a ‘performance to be proud of’ as they recorded an emphatic 6-1 victory at home to Oldham this afternoon. A hat-trick from Nicky Maynard in the opening period was added to by second-half strikes from Mal Benning, Dapo Afolayan and Jimmy Knowles - the latter’s first ever league goal. The Latics were hindered by a double sending off to Tomas Egert and Filipe Morais in the first-half, with the Stags leading 2-0 at the time. The Mansfield manager spoke of his side’s ‘outstanding performance’ post-match, adding his delight of seeing 17-year-old forward Knowles net for the first time in league matters for the Stags. “It was an outstanding performance which we have felt has been coming over the last month or so,” said the boss. “People will look at the result and see that there were two red cards, but make no mistake we were outstanding when it was 11 versus 11. “We were on the front foot and were full throttle. I’m pleased for everyone involved today, but if I had to pick out two players it would be Nicky Maynard for his hat-trick and of course, the icing on the cake was Jimmy Knowles getting his first league goal. “I’m chuffed to bits for him [Knowles] and all his family that were here watching. Hopefully that will be the first of many. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/october/gaffer-post-oldham/ “The performance [pleased me most]. It was a performance to be proud of and one that we felt was coming. “Hopefully now, we’ll start transforming the doubters into believers. It’s not going to happen overnight, but that’s something I’m passionate about doing. “We can be a force this season, but if we are going to be a force, we’ll be together - the supporters, the players, the staff, the board - everybody here. “Let’s stick together, change that doubt into belief, and let’s go to Forest Green and do our best.” John Dempster also described what the emphatic nature of today’s victory means for his troops: “It [victory] backs up what the staff and I have been saying about what’s needed to win football matches. “It gives the players belief and emphasises that, if we play to our potential and give everything, we’ll be a match for anyone. “The players are still getting to know me and I’m getting to know the players. I haven’t got the best out of the players thus far but I’m going to give my all to make sure we have a successful campaign, as this is a football club that I care about.” After opting for a back-three formation for most of the campaign, the Mansfield chief altered his lineup to start with a 4-4-2 this afternoon, something he says may have had an impact on the final result. “I think Oldham would have expected a back three so it might have taken them by surprise [that we lined up 4-4-2]. “But formations mean nothing unless you have that spirit and drive - those are your foundations for any game. “It [formation] did have an impact because we had Macca [Alex MacDonald, below] and Otis [Khan] going into pockets and our full-backs out wide. “The players that started the game were creative and the players that came on continued that. I think Oldham would be first to admit that they found it difficult to handle.” Speaking of Oldham’s double sending off in the first-half, the boss praised the actions of referee Lee Swabey, who he says ‘handled it well.’ “I’d have to see it [Tomas Egert challenge back]. I wasn’t happy with the challenge when I first saw it. “I think the second yellow [for Filipe Morais] was a second yellow - of course, when the player is already on a yellow card and commits a second yellow offence, he’s going to be off the pitch. “It was a bit of a bizarre situation which you don’t often see, but I think the referee handled it well. “It would have been easy to overlook one of the offences, but he has to play to the rules, and I think he did that.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the gaffer’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ------------------ ‘It was a performance to be proud of’, says Mansfield Town boss John Dempster after hammering Oldham Athletic 6-1 chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 12 October 2019 Mansfield Town boss John Dempster hopes back-to-back wins and a massive 6-1 demolition of nine-men Oldham today will see Stags fans start to believe. Dempster had been under pressure after a poor start to the season, but recent form has been much-improved and culminated in a clinical win today with Nicky Maynard scoring a hat-trick. “It was a performance to be proud of and hopefully now we will start transforming the doubters into believers. It won’t happen overnight but it’s something I am passionate about doing,” said Dempster. “When the crowd goes up like they did today and chant yellows it gives you a real tingle down your spine. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/it-was-a-performance-to-be-proud-of-says-mansfield-town-boss-john-dempster-after-hammering-oldham-athletic-6-1-1-10048230 “We can be a force this season. But if we are going to be a force it will be together - supporters, players, staff and the board. Everybody here.” Oldham had Tomas Egert and Filipe Morais sent off on 37 minutes for two bad tackles in a row and Dempster said: “I wasn’t pleased with the straight red tackle and I think the second yellow was a second yellow. “It was a bit of a bizarre situation and you don’t often see that. But I think the referee handled it well as it might have been easy to overlook one of the offences when he’s got to play to the rules and I think he did that.” He added: “It was an outstanding performance and we felt that had been coming over the last month or so. “People will look at the result and see there were two sending-offs, but make no mistake we were outstanding when it was man v man and 11 v 11. “We were on the front foot and on full throttle and I am pleased for everybody involved. “It can be difficult to play against 10 men. But they were down to nine so there were a lot of spaces. “At times we could have shifted the ball quicker but let’s not take any negatives out of that one today. Today will give players belief. We can be a match for anyone.” Maynard was the hero with a hat-trick and an assist and Dempster said: “It was brilliant to see Nicky go home with the match ball in front of his young family here watching. “He was blowing kisses to them over my shoulder and I thought they were for me initially so I blew one back. But then I realised they were sat behind me! “I think Nicky showed his quality today, not just his finishing but his one-touch play and some of his set-up play. “The icing on the cake was young Jimmy Knowles getting his first league goal and how composed he look when he came on and took that penalty. “I am chuffed to bits for him and his family who were here watching today. Hopefully that will be the first of many for him. “Mal Benning is adamant it was a shot on target that took a slight deflection so he is claiming his first goal of the season.” --------------------- Hat-trick hero speaks after emphatic win mansfieldtown.net, 12 October 2019 Hat-trick hero Nicky Maynard believes Mansfield Town’s recent work on the training ground came to fruition this afternoon as they condemned Oldham Athletic to a heavy 6-1 defeat. The striker stole the headlines after hitting two goals in quick succession - before Tomas Egert and Filipe Morais were dismissed for the Latics. And the forward then secured the match ball by netting a classy third at the end of the opening period. The Stags built upon their two-man advantage in the second half, with Maynard citing the hard yards on the training pitch as the main reason behind the victory at One Call Stadium. “I think even when they and 11 men on the field we were always looking a threat in the final third,” he told iFollow Stags. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/october/maynard-post-oldham/ “It’s something we’ve worked on over the past few weeks so it’s nice to see it come to fruition. “It’s nice to get on the scoresheet too and even better to get three goals. I enjoyed it today. “When they get their two men sent off it makes it even easier for us to create those chances and it was good that we never let our foot off the gas." The 32-year-old then compared the differences between this afternoon’s victory and last week’s win at Grimsby, where his side notched a last-minute winner. “I think we got an ugly win last week against Grimsby and we’ve worked on how we want to create chances and get [everyone] on the same wavelength. “It proved today, especially with my goals, that it’s something that we’ve worked on so hopefully it can continue throughout the season. “It’s probably the first time I’ve enjoyed the chances we’ve created. Grimsby was disappointing for me personally because I don’t think I had a shot or chance, then I was substituted for the red card. “It was frustrating in a way but we know what everyone’s capable of. I’m just happy to get the three points and the match ball.” The former West Ham man also joked about where he would keep the match ball following a superb individual display. “It’ll probably go alongside the other three or four match balls I have,” he said. “My boys wanted to play around with it but I definitely won’t be letting them do that! “It was nice to see them here at such a young age, seeing their dad score a hat-trick, I don’t think they’ve seen one yet. I’m happy that I’m scoring goals.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Nicky's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. --------------- Mansfield Town striker Nicky Maynard delighted to hit hat-trick in front of his family against Oldham Athletic chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 12 October 2019 Nicky Maynard proudly clutched the match ball at the end of today’s 6-1 hammering of nine-men Oldham after his young family saw their dad net a hat-trick for the first time. “It’s nice to get on the scoresheet and even better to get three goals,” he smiled. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-striker-nicky-maynard-delighted-to-hit-hat-trick-in-front-of-his-family-against-oldham-athletic-1-10048241 “I enjoyed it today. I think it’s the first time I have played and enjoyed the chances we have created - it’s been frustrating for me at times. “I am happy to come away with the match ball and three points. “It will go along with the other three or four match balls I’ve got. “My boys wanted to kick it around but I wasn’t let them do that. It was nice to see them here at such a young age and see their dad score a hat-trick. “I don’t think they have seen it since they’ve been born and they are seven and eight now so it’s obviously been a while since my last hat-trick.” On the three first half goals he netted, two before Oldham’s double sending-off on 37 minutes, he said: “It was great to score a third but the second goal was one of the type I am more used to scoring. “The gaffer calls me the sniffer dog - always in and around the box looking for a place to get on the end of the ball. “Headers are very rare in the goals I have scored through my career but it got the lads off to a good start, which was massive.” He also managed to set up Dapo Afolayan for a goal, despite being fouled as he did so. “The referee said well done for staying on my feet as he thought I might have tried to get a free kick but I told him I was hungry to score more goals,” he smiled. “I was falling over before I got connection to the ball but it was nice to see Dapo get his goal. “I was a bit frustrated the gaffer brought me off with so long left, but everyone went home happy.” On the overall performance, Maynard said: “The lads were very ruthless and kept doing the right things well. Everyone was a good eight or nine out of 10. “We got an ugly win last week against Grimsby but we’ve worked hard on final third play and creating chances and we were on the same wavelength today. “Even when they had 11 men on the field we played something like we can in the final third and we were always looking a threat. “Obviously when they had two men sent off it made it even easier for us to create more chances and it was good we never let our foot off the gas and scored a few more.” --------------------- That's the best I've seen Stags play - forward mansfieldtown.net, 12 October 2019 Forward Dapo Afolayan maintained that Mansfield Town’s quality shone through against Oldham Athletic, regardless of their two-man advantage after both Tomas Egert and Filipe Morais were dismissed. The West Ham loanee climbed off the bench on the hour mark, replacing midfielder Alex MacDonald, to make an immediate impact against the Latics. He initially took just six minutes to find the back of the net against his former club, before winning a penalty that was duly converted by 17-year-old Jimmy Knowles for his first goal in Sky Bet League Two. And while two red cards were brandished in quick succession to the visitors, Afolayan remained adamant that a big victory was still entirely possible without either. “Before they went down to nine men we dominated the game,” he began. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2019/october/afolayan-post-oldham/ “We were two goals up, pressing them, creating chances and I felt like we were the better team eleven versus eleven. It’s the best we’ve played since I’ve been here. “Obviously, people will look at how many players they had, but no matter what we probably would have run the score up anyway. “The Stags fans were great, they’re always great here. It’s always nice to have their support and coming off you can see the appreciation they had for us.” The 22-year-old also paid homage to striker Nicky Maynard, whose fine, individual run from the halfway line eventually teed up the frontman to net his first goal for Mansfield. “He did really well. He worked hard to get the ball from the halfway line. I just knew I had to keep myself onside. “He almost put it too wide for me but luckily I was quick enough to get there! “It’s nice to get my first goal for Mansfield but the Oldham fans were unbelievable today. “Considering they lost 6-1, they were probably the best set of fans I’ve seen here today. “I feel sorry for them in the way the game panned out but for us it’s brilliant to get back-to-back wins. It feels like we could go on a roll now.” The former Solihull Moors man recognises the Stags’ recent upturn in form as they look towards an away trip to face Forest Green Rovers in Sky Bet League Two, next Saturday. “It [the win] gives us massive confidence,” Afolayan continued. “We know that the start to the season wasn’t the best, we have too much quality to be where we are. “We have some good fixtures coming up and teams will start looking at our form and fearing us. “We need to go to Forest Green now and cement the performances we’ve been having recently. “Get another win and see where it takes us. The games coming thick and fast will help us because we’re in great form at the minute." iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Dapo's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ------------------ Mansfield Town’s demolition job on Oldham Athletic ‘the best we’ve played,’ says on loan West Ham United forward Dapo Afolayan chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 12 October 2019 Dapo Afolayan says Mansfield Town’s demolition job on Oldham Athletic was the best he has seen from the Stags since joining the club. The 22-year-old scored within minutes of replacing Alex MacDonald in Saturday’s rout and was later tripped to earn a penalty which Jimmy Knowles tucked away. Afolayan impressed during his half-an-hour cameo against a club he represented during the second half of last season, on loan from his parent club West Ham United. And the on loan forward is looking to continue his recent form. “It was a good game for me to come on in,” he said. “There was space for me to attack the other team’s defence and I just wanted to make an impression. “I played well on Tuesday night [against Crewe in the EFL Trophy] and I wanted to carry that on. I feel like I need to get game-time and to keep pushing. “I’m hitting really good form in training as well, so it’s good to get a goal and an assist.” A Nicky Maynard hat-trick set Stags on their way against Oldham who were reduced to nine men towards the end of the first half, but Afolayan believes the sendings off had little impact on the overall outcome. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-s-demolition-job-on-oldham-athletic-the-best-we-ve-played-says-on-loan-west-ham-united-forward-dapo-afolayan-1-10049278 “It was a great performance and the best we’ve played since I’ve been here,” he said. “Even before they went down to nine men we dominated the game. We were 2-0 up and the team were creating chances. 11-v-11 we were still the better team. “People might look at how many men they had and make false things up but we were the better team no matter what.” Stags’ victory sealed back-to-back wins in League Two for the first time this season to move within five points of the play-off spots. “It gives us massive confidence,” he said. “We know out start to the season hasn’t been the best. We’ve got way too much quality to be where we are in the league. “I know we’re going to keep climbing the league. We’ve got some good games coming up. “Teams are going to look at our form and going to start to fear us and so they should because we’ve got too much quality in this squad to not be towards the top of the league.” -------------------- Jimmy Knowles @jimmy_K10 What a win! unreal feeling scoring my first league goal Otis Khan @OtisKhan63 What a result!!! let’s kick on now and keep this momentum going the fans were class John Radford @JRadfordMTFC Ecstatic after that magnificent performance and result. Fully deserved and excellent to see us playing some superb football. Well done to John and the players. Now let’s kick on and build momentum! Drewe Broughton - High Performance Coach @DreweBroughton Wonderful stuff. To see players getting the blend between fight and sweat and huge intensity in ALL they do and the courage to take the ball and pass the ball is the best feeling . So pleased for the manager --------------------- Oldham Athletic boss furious with his team’s lack of discipline as Latics have two men sent off in 6-1 hammering against Mansfield Town chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 12 October 2019 Oldham boss Dino Maamria was furious with his side’s moment of madness that saw two players sent off on 37 minutes in today’s 6-1 hammering at Mansfield Town. Successive bad tackles saw Tomas Egert shown a straight red and Filipe Morais his second yellow and, already 2-0 down, it left them a mountain to climb. “To have two players sent off so early is always going to lead to a heavy scoreline,” said Maamria. “We did well getting back to 2-1, but gave a silly goal before half-time and that has changed things. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/oldham-athletic-boss-furious-with-his-team-s-lack-of-discipline-as-latics-have-two-men-sent-off-in-6-1-hammering-against-mansfield-town-1-10048232 “The red cards were bemusing to say the least. Sometimes you get a wrong red card decision, but to get two inside the same minute is bizarre “I hope the referee will look back on that and get questioned because it is a huge decision. “The moment of madness has changed the game.” However, he was unhappy with his side’s overall discipline. “We are not winning games, we are lacking in many areas. Our discipline is poor,” he said. “Like any team in the bottom four or give, we lack discipline. “The top teams have discipline, they have fitness, they do the basics well and they have a togetherness.” Despite the score, the travelling fans stayed with them to the end and Maamria said: “Oldham is a big club with history, the supporters were brilliant today and we have a duty to give them something to shout about. “The fans have inspired me from day one, the way they support the players and get behind the team is second to none. “It is a big responsibility for me and I have to build a team for them to be proud of. “This is a wake-up call for us, the positives we take from this is that is a wake-up call that we need. “We cannot keep performing how we have done in the first 13 games of the season and be at the top end of the league. We need to improve in every area.” --------------------- Maamria Determined To Make It Better https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/2019/october/13102019-maamria-post-mansfield-a-transcript/ The Head Coach gave his honest thoughts after seeing his side succumb to a disappointing 6-1 defeat at the hands of Mansfield Town. At the full-time whistle Maamria was left quite emotional after seeing the away support and their reaction throughout the game when things seemed to go from bad to worse. "My emotion. I'm quite touched with our fans, they were absolutely outstanding. I keep reminding my players that this is Oldham Athletic. A club with history, with tradition and we had some glory days in the past. "We are a League Two club right now, but if we carry on doing what we've been doing for the past couple of years probably, certainly the past six weeks, seven weeks anyway. I think we won't even be in League Two. "So we've got to earn the right to that and I think it's a wake-up call really. I think it's probably, the biggest thing I'm going to take from it, it's a proper wake-up call for everybody. Certainly the players." He added: "I've seen it and I've spoke about a lack of discipline from day one when I came in. A lack of discipline goes everywhere off the pitch, on the pitch you've seen it. "And if we have people with a no-care mentality I think they're going to get found out sooner or later. "The good news it's mid-October, we've got plenty of time to fix it. I know exactly what needs fixing, I know exactly who the players I'm going to carry forward with me. Our hands are tied right now until January anyway. But I've got to work with what I've got. "Some of the players, I think everybody has seen them the lads who wear their hearts on their sleeve." He continued: "And I've got to speak about Tom Hamer. Oldham through-and-through, outstanding performance. I'm not sure how much distance he covered today from right-back and he deserved his goal as well. "So players like Tom Hamer they inspire me to come in everyday and make sure that I raise the standard of every corner of the football club." Touching on the support again he has received since joining the club last month, the Head Coach is fully aware that he wants the club to have a team the town can be proud of. "They inspire me. I promise them that I'll get them a team they can be proud of. I promise them I'll get them a team that are fighters, play on the front foot and stand up and be counted during adversity. "A team full of characters, personalities. A team that I can be proud of. We lose some games, win games but a team they'll always be proud of. We haven't got that team right now, we haven't got that team. "As you see, I have nothing to hide. So we need to start building to get them that team they deserve because they were absolutely outstanding and you see throughout the 95-100 minutes we play, they back the team. "A standing ovation to them after the game, I made sure all our players, if there's anything today, I want to thank those fans because they keep turning up in numbers and some of us have to got to stand up and be counted. "It's two things. I pay people good money to perform. If you're not performing then really it's not fair really is it. I'll get it sorted, I know what needs doing and I'm already on the way of sorting that out and I'll crack on." The game had a huge turning point when referee Lee Swabey brandished two red cards in the space of 60 seconds towards the back end of the opening half. Tomas Egert receiving a straight red, with Filipe Morais getting a second yellow for a challenge that was timed late. Maamria was left bemused at the first decision but agreed on the whole with the second after forcing Swabey's hand. "I think everybody's seen it. It's quite very, very unfair. It's very, very soft to say the least. It's certainly to send two off at the same time. I'm not sure what angle the referee is coming from because for me he became very, very strong to make those decisions and you've got to be certain to send two players off at the same time. "I thought Tomas got the ball. Definitely got the ball without a shadow of doubt, we've all seen it. Filipe Morais, maybe passion I think, but if you're looking to send someone off you send him off on the back of that. "Filipe put him in that position to send him off after he's just got booked, he should know better than that Filipe Morais, he's an experienced player and he shouldn't put the referee in that position there. But Tomas' wasn't a sending off." Finding his team down to nine and two behind, Latics pulled an unlikely goal back just before the interval but Maamria was left disappointed again at his sides reaction, conceding a third which would be Nicky Maynard's hat-trick in added time to put the Stags completely out of sight. "I'm disappointed with that minute before half-time. I was screaming from the sideline keep your shape and keep it tight. And then we give the ball away in silly areas and again I think some of our players have a lack of game intelligence and lack of understanding. "We've got a lot of players that they're just happy go players. They just like there's no consequences, they're just playing without any consequences, like they're playing with their mates in the park. "And that what happened. We get caught in possession and they go and score the third goal just before half-time, it kills us a little bit." He commented. "If we go in at half-time, 2-1 it gave me time to change one or two things and stay tight in the game and see what happened. "But to get two sending offs within 35-36 minutes and then to give that silly third goal away, I think we got we deserved overall which is nothing. Embarrassing performance, embarrassing scoreline. I'll stand up and take it on the chin like I do. "But I know what I need to do and I'll get it sorted." On what was a difficult afternoon, Maamria admitted he can only use the experience now to build on what he's learnt since taking the Boundary Park hot-seat and is very close to making his mind up on how to change things for the better. "It's been a good week apart from today with the two sending offs that played a key part in the scoreline. Despite what I'm saying, the two sending offs, that's why the scoreline is like it is. "Against anybody, you get two sending offs after 36 minutes you're going to struggle especially against a good Mansfield team with their frontline as well. "But it's good learning for me. Like I said, I'm more or less 90% know exactly what I've got, what I inherited and who I'm going to carry forward with me and who I'm not going to carry forward with me." --------------- |
Latest | October 2019