Season 06/07 Stagsnet Match Report
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Torquay United
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Mansfield Town
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Ward 37
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Attendance: 2660 (322 from Mansfield)
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Date: 16 September 2006
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Sean Beastall at Plainmoor
On a glorious sunny mid September afternoon Peter Shirtliff made two changes to the starting line up that started against Harlepool United last Tuesday night. In came Giles Coke for only his second start of the season, for Stephen Dawson, who took a place on the bench after overcoming a calf injury and in came Danny Reet for the lacklustre Adam Birchall, who dropped out of the squad altogether. Mickey Boulding reverted back to the left wing. At the Kick Off the Stags fans congregated behind the goal and in the main stand seating area, many of whom had come down to Torquay for the weekend, were in fine voice getting right behind the team. Torquay United were the first team to mount an attack in the very first minute and won a throw down near the corner flag, fortunately the long throw came to nothing. The game was end to end stuff with both teams resorting to playing long balls from defence by passing midfield, which was food and drink for both sets of central defenders. On 3 minutes The Gulls managed to force the first corner of the game taken on their right hand side by ex-Stags player Adam Murray, a recent acquisition for £10,000, but it was dealt with expertly by Alex John-Baptiste. Stags managed to get the ball on the ground and started to play the ball to feet through midfield with Mickey Boulding and Jonathan D’Laryea combining to try and penetrate the Torquay 18 yard area, but the attack fizzled out. Stags were looking travel weary after their long trip down from Nottinghamshire and conceded another corner, which was taken short and the ball was whipped into the penalty area where a very commanding Jason White caught the ball and quickly despatched a long drop kick down field, which very nearly caught his opposite number, Nathan Abbey, with Reet and Boulding running in to make a challenge, but they failed in their attempts. Mansfield persisted with the long punts of the ball over midfield up to their striking partners Barker & Reet, but Torquay central defenders Lee Thorpe & Steve Woods had them in their pockets all game. Two Torquay players caught the eye, both Adam Murray and pint sized striker Jamie Ward, who much to my amusement the Stags fans were chanting “you should be at school” were starting to have a big influence on the game and caused our back line a torrid time, but they stood firm. The game flowed from end to end without any real threat on either goal. Both teams were starting to cancel each other out. After half an hour the Torquay fans suddenly found their voices and starting to sing, I thought they were in a library!! I think this had something to do with the Stags fans singing “your just a small town in France”!!! The game turned on its head in calamitous style when Stags won a free kick just inside the Torquay half Giles Coke took it quickly to Alan Sheehan, who handled the ball thinking the free kick hadn’t been taken. Referee Russell awarded Torquay a free kick. From the resulting free kick it was pumped down the middle and flicked on by veteran Mickey Evans over the flailing central defence, which dropped to Jamie Ward at the far post, who hammered the ball into Jason White’s top left hand corner to give Torquay a 1-0 lead. This was a sucker punch to the Stags because the game was very evenly balanced, if not a bit lacklustre. Stags tried in vain to get back on level terms before the half time, but were thwarted with resolute defending and poor finishing. Half Time Torquay United 1 Mansfield Town 0 Torquay had the brighter start to the second half with pint sized goal scorer Jamie Ward going close with a quick shot on the turn from the edge of the area, which Jason White watched out for a goal kick. Torquay United goalkeeper Nathan Abbey was being given a torrid time from the Stags fans behind his goal, but was first to everything when he was called into action. Stags had a penalty appeal turned down when Giles Coke raced onto a right wing ball from Hamshaw, only to be flattened by Stephen Reed, Referee Russell immediately waved away these claims. On the hour mark Peter Shirtliff made a double substitution with Dawson replacing a ring rusty Giles Coke in midfield and Gareth Jelleyman replacing Mickey Boulding wide left. Frustrated Stags started chanting “you should be playing with pride” Both Dawson & Jelleyman added passion and guile to the team helping the attacking options down the Stags left wing. On 62 minutes a great one-two between Jelleyman and Sheehan resulted in the Torquay defence to panic and concede a corner, which was cleared very quickly by Torquay, who mounted a breakaway attack with Mickey Evans and Torquay Man of the Match Jamie Ward combining to force yet another corner, which came to nothing. The final roll of the dice by a now very animated Shirtliff came on 66 minutes when Chris Beardsley replaced an inept Danny Reet. Mansfield poured forward in search of an equaliser, but were met by a stout Torquay defence. Stags wasted corner after corner, but could not hit the target. On 87 minutes Captain Richie Barker missed a golden opportunity to equalise when Jake Buxton flicked on a right wing free kick from Hamshaw to him only for him to hit his tame shot straight at Nathan Abbey. Even though 4 minutes of injury time was played Stags could not find a way to score, therefore extending our scoreless league away record to three games. It was very hard to choose a Stags MOTM as to many players had another off day. My MOTM was Stephen Dawson, who showed pride and passion when he came on as a second half substitute |
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Report by: Sean Beastall at Plainmoor
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Line Up:
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1) Jason White 6 commanded his area well, but had very little to do
2) Johnny Mullins 5 very ordinary and didn’t really get into the game 12) Jake Buxton 6 was caused problems by pint sized MOTM Jamie Ward 6) Alex John-Baptiste 6 ok performance, but nothing to write home about 20) Alan Sheehan 6 at fault for the goal but linked up well with Jelleyman 7) Matthew Hamshaw 6 made a couple of good crosses but that was about it 4) Jonathan D’Laryea 5 lost the battle in midfield and was second to the ball 15) Giles Coke 4 Ring rusty and out of his depth a shadow of himself 11) Mickey Boulding 4 Inept lacks vision and fitness very disappointing 9) Richie Barker 5 lost out on every header and should of taken his chances 31) Danny Reet 5 very disappointing and failed to lead the line |
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Sub Line Up:
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8) Dawson for Coke (60 mins) 8 showed pride and passion
3) Jelleyman for Boulding (60 mins) 7 linked up well in a more forward position 14) Beardsley for Reet (65 mins) 6 showed more passion than Danny Reet Subs Not Used: Muggleton, Lloyd. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Abbey, Evans, Hill, Andrews, Hockley, Murray (Taylor 90+1), Mansell, Reed, Ward (McPhee 70 mins), Thorpe, Woods. Subs not used Phillips, Garner & Motteram
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Referee:
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M Russell 7 allowed the game to flow and showed no cards
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