Season 07/08 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Dagenham & Redbridge
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Huke 63.
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Attendance: 2028 (146 from Dagenham)
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Date: 29 September 2007
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CATASTROPHE AS STAGS GO BOTTOM
Martin Shaw at Field Mill Mansfield Town fell to a catastrophic defeat at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday afternoon, providing the visitors with their first ever league goal away from home and their first ever away league win. The Stags were dominant in the first half, creating lots of chances, many of which were blocked by a packed Daggers defence, but the visitors’ goal just after the hour, which was their only chance of the first 90 minutes, took the wind out of Mansfield who failed to find a grandstand finish. The defeat took the Stags to the foot of the table, a position they occupied after 11 and 12 games in the 2005/2006 season. The crowd of 2028 was the lowest at Field Mill for a league match since May 2001. The afternoon started with a protest on the unused training ground of over 100 fans, organised by SFFC, SSA, TM and OSSC, against owner Keith Haslam. Billy Dearden made 4 changes from the side that lost at lowly Accrington, with Baptiste and McAliskey returning from injury and Bell and Buxton returning from suspension. They replaced the injured and out-of-form Jelleyman, along with McIntosh (out for several weeks), Holmes and McAllister. Wood played at right back and Mullins at left back. The first half was one way traffic with the Stags completely dominant against a Dagenham side that defended in numbers. After 6 minutes, Baptiste headed wide after Hamshaw’s ball back to Dawson and Dawson’s cross. On 12 minutes Boulding teed up Dawson but he mishit his volley horribly. Two minutes later, Boulding broke well and his powerful left footed shot from 20 yards was well-saved by Tony Roberts to his right. Two minutes after that, Boulding shot wide with a soft effort, and on 19 minutes he shot over the bar after McAliskey’s good head-down. On the half hour, from a Mansfield corner, Buxton’s shot was blocked by about 3 Daggers defenders on the line after a scramble. On 38 minutes, it seemed as though the Stags couldn’t miss. Hamshaw crossed from the right, Boulding flicked on, and McAliskey stretched out a leg in the six yard box in front of an empty net, but somehow managed to send the ball nearer the corner flag than the goal. Two minutes later, more incredible stuff as Dagenham cleared off the line twice in 10 seconds. From Mansfield's ninth corner, first Boulding's header was cleared off the line, and then Mullins’ shot was also blocked on the line. Just before the break, Bell had a shot blocked from the edge of the box, and then Wood’s superb cross from the byeline picked out McAliskey, but he fouled a defender in trying to head goalwards. Half time 0-0 On 51 minutes, Wood went down with what looked a very bad injury and was eventually stretchered off. It was terrible for the player and for the Stags as he had been playing well in recent games. Later on Billy Dearden said that Wood had not broken any bones which was good news. After a five minute hold-up the game re-started. In a shocking miscalculation by the referee later, he was only to add on 5 minutes injury time despite 4 substitutions and other injuries. Arnold came on and went into right midfield, with Bell going to right back, and Hamshaw to left midfield. This meant we had two right side players, in Mullins and Hamshaw, on the left. Straight away Arnold upped the tempo for the Stags and shot just wide from a tight angle. But on 63 minutes, Dagenham had their first attempt on goal and wouldn’t you just know it, they scored. A fine cross from the right found Huke unmarked six yards from goal and his weak header was wide of Muggleton who couldn’t get to it and it nestled into the net. It was bad marking from the Stags though I could not tell who had lost his man. Two minutes later, Hamshaw’s weak shot from the edge of the box produced an easy save for Roberts. Straight after, Boulding and McAliskey shared a fine one-two, but Roberts got to the ball just as Boulding was about to poke the ball over him. Then Dawson made a great run and played in Boulding whose left footed shot was saved by Roberts with his fingertips. Brown replaced McAliskey on 68 minutes and went straight up front. Brown soon found Boulding inside the box, but Boulding turned and shot wide. Martin replaced Bell on 84 minutes, as Baptiste moved to right back, but the Stags were unable to create any more chances and the expected grandstand finish never materialized. The referee inexplicably only added on 5 minutes stoppage time, and after 3 of those minutes, Dagenham created their second chance of the game as Muggleton saved well from Sloma and Saunders blasted the follow-up into the side netting. The game ended with boos from the Stags faithful. In truth the Stags created so many chances that they should have won the game easily but the lack of a genuine goalscorer (dare I say a Richie Barker) again proved critical and with Boulding looking out of form in front of goal (he had 6 good chances today), it’s hard to be confident of the bottom side beating leaders MK Dons on Tuesday night at Field Mill. But we live in hope. Come on Mansfield! Man of the Match: Wood |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Field Mill
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Line Up:
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Muggleton 6 As quiet afternoon an afternoon as he'll get all season.
Wood 6 Defended well and one superb cross when going forward. Nasty injury. Baptiste 6 Good to see him back but looked a touch rusty. Buxton 6 Did ok. Mullins 6 Didn't look a natural at left back but did ok. Hamshaw 5 Some reasonable crossing but not contributing enough. Bell 6 Did ok in midfield and slotted in well at right back after Wood injury. Dawson 6 A couple of great runs. Bullock 6 Won a couple of good headers, but too anonymous otherwise. M.Boulding 6 Had 6 good chances and forced some good saves, but finishing needs to be better. McAliskey 5 Contributed little though showed one or two nice touches. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Arnold (for Wood, 55) 6 Lively when he first came on but unable to break through.
Brown (for McAliskey, 68) 6 So much was expected, but he couldn't deliver. Martin (for Bell, 84) - Subs Not Used: White, McAllister. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Roberts, Foster , Smith, Uddin, Griffiths, Saunders, Huke, Southam, Rainford, Strevens, Moore (Sloma 46). Subs Not Used: Thompson, Green, Taylor, Boardman.
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Referee:
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Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear) Handled the game well. But why only 5 mins injury time?
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