Season 11/12 Stagsnet Match Report
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Southport
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Mansfield Town
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Lever 50, pen 90, Brown 90+3.
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Dempster 48.
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Attendance: 1006 (98 from Mansfield)
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Date: 17 December 2011
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IMPRESSIVE STAGS SO UNLUCKY TO LOSE AT SOUTHPORT
Martin Shaw at Haig Avenue Mansfield Town were very unlucky not to come away from Southport with a point, if not all three, on a bitterly cold afternoon on the North-West coast. The Stags dominated the opening 35 minutes and had 6 decent chances including Luke O’Neill striking the bar from a free kick but couldn’t break the deadlock. Southport had a good spell of 10 minutes before the break without troubling Alan Marriott but were very much second best in the half. After the break Matt Green nearly put the Stags in front from a super run, but from the resulting corner on 48 minutes John Dempster headed home a much deserved goal. Just two minutes later a Southport free kick ricocheted off the Stags wall and fell kindly for full back Lever to sweep the ball home from 10 yards. I described it as a lucky goal on the radio commentary which earned me a look from a member of the Southport press - he looked daggers at me. Having looked again at the goal in the match DVD, it was a lucky goal as the ricochet fell fortunately for Southport. On 62 minutes, Ross Dyer was through on goal but missed a golden chance, then Green was nearly through but the keeper got there first. Moments later Richie Sutton picked up a second yellow card, for a slight tug at the shirt of Whalley in the middle of the park. Even with ten men, the Stags continued to be the better side and were nearly in front when O’Neill’s terrific cross just missed everyone. But disaster struck on the stroke of 90 minutes as Alan Marriott, who had had almost nothing to do, inexplicably pushed away a Lever cross rather than try to catch it, the ball went straight to Whalley, who took one touch to push the ball past Marcus Kelly (on as a sub only 3 minutes earlier), and Kelly stuck out a leg and clearly brought his man down. No question it was a penalty and probably due to the fact that Kelly had not yet picked up the pace of the game. Full back Lever dispatched the penalty for his second goal. The Stags tried to push forward even more and Southport created probably their only good chance of the game from open play on 93 minutes and scored to give the scoreline a ludicrous feel. Hard lines on the Stags who played well throughout, and heartbreaking at the end, but you have to take your chances and the Stags need to get in another goalscorer to compliment Matt Green in my opinion or else we won’t be going anywhere this season. Paul Cox made four changes to the side that lost at Droylsden. Dropped were John Thompson, Marcus Kelly, Lee Stevenson, and Aman Verma. In came Luke O’Neill and Keiron Freeman as full backs, with Richie Sutton reverting to centre half. Anthony Howell returned to central midfield, with Louis Briscoe on the right of midfield for his first start for some time. Ross Dyer moved up front alongside Matt Green. There was no place in the 16 for Nialle Rodney who tweeted before the game “Pointless me being at this club lol. You come on loan to play right?! #WhatAmIDoingHere”. Southport were missing their 12 goal leading striker Tony Gray through injury. Former Stags centre half Simon Grand was in the side. The Stags were playing for the first time in a new third kit of sky blue shirts, with navy shorts and navy socks. Certainly a nice looking shirt. The Stags came into the game on the back of an unbeaten run away of 10 games - a club record, the last 5 of which were all draws - another club record. The Stags were very nearly ahead in the first minute as John Dempster’s shot from the edge of the box took a deflection and whistled inches past the left post. Then on 7 minutes, Luke O’Neill’s free kick from 20 yards struck the top of the bar. The first site of Southport as an attacking force came on 10 minutes when Owen’s very long throw was punched away by Marriott. On 12 minutes, an O’Neill corner from right was flicked over his own head by Briscoe and over the bar. On 16 minutes, the Stags were again within a whisker of the lead, as a Freeman long throw from the left reached Murray and his left footed shot was just past the right post from 14 yards. Then on 22 minutes, Dyer turned well in the box and his left footed shot was blocked. On 33 minutes a good move from Mansfield and O’Neill’s fine ball into the middle was back-heeled by Green straight at the keeper. A really positive start from Mansfield and 6 decent chances, four of which were so close. All that was missing was a goal. Southport had a good ten minutes before the break. On 40 minutes Whalley made a good run and fired left-footed over the bar. On 43 minutes, Whalley and Freeman both went down in the Stags box, and the linesman indicated it was a free kick to Mansfield. Seconds later and straight to the other end as Green had a left footed shot blocked on the edge of the box. Super stuff from Mansfield in the first half. So unlucky not be ahead and out of site against a Southport side that, despite sitting fourth in the league, was made to look poor by the Stags. Half time 0-0 On 47 minutes, a great run from Matt Green who then switched the ball from his right foot to his left, before shooting towards the bottom right corner of the net, where keeper McMillan pulled off an outstanding save to tip it round for a corner. The resulting corner from O’Neill from the right was headed home by John Dempster who was more or less unmarked in the middle. Great stuff from Dempster and so good to have a defender who looks a real threat in the opposition box. But just two minutes later Southport were level. The Stags gave a way a free kick 29 yards from goal. The free kick ricocheted off the Stags wall and fell kindly for full back Lever to sweep the ball home from 10 yards. Unlucky for the Stags that the ricochet fell fortunately for Southport, but I suppose we can think back to the Darlington away game and the Stags got a similar goal when Murray’s free kick landed for Green who scored. Southport had the ball in the net on 52 minutes but the offside flag was long-since up. On 60 minutes, good play from Green to get into the box, but his shot was blocked. Then on 62 minutes, Ross Dyer was through on goal, goalside of the defence, but missed a golden chance, as his shot was saved. A minute later Green was nearly through on goal but the keeper got there first. Moments after that Richie Sutton picked up a second yellow card, for a slight tug at the shirt of Whalley in the middle of the park. Mansfield players, and Sutton in particular, protested vociferously. Meikle was sacrificed, as John Thompson came on into central defence, with Dyer moving to the right of midfield and Briscoe to the left, as the Stags went 4-4-1. On 72 minutes, fine play from Green as he chased what seemed a lost cause to retrieve the ball on the byeline, cut back inside and fired wide. On 73 minutes, Southport had the ball in the net by Simon Grand but he was well offside. Even with ten men, the Stags were continuing to be the better side and were nearly in front when O’Neill’s terrific cross into the corridor of uncertainty across the six-yard box, just missed everyone when any sort of touch would surely have taken it into the net. Keiron Freeman went down on 87 minutes just inside his own box as Marriott just retrieved a headed ball forward. Freeman had to go off, possibly for cramp. It was to prove costly as Kelly came on at left back and was not immediately up to the speed of the game. Disaster struck on the stroke of 90 minutes as Alan Marriott, who had had almost nothing to do, inexplicably pushed away a Lever cross rather than try to catch it, the ball went straight to Whalley, who took one touch to push the ball past Kelly, and Kelly stuck out a leg and clearly brought his man down. No question it was a penalty and probably due to the fact that Kelly had not yet picked up the pace of the game. Full back Lever dispatched the penalty for his second goal. Three minutes onto stoppage time, Southport created probably their only good chance of the game from open play when substitute Brown fired home following a decent move, as the Stags pushed men forward. Heartbreaking for Mansfield and rough justice. But you don’t always get what you deserve - think back to the Alfreton home game when we were so fortunate to win 3-2. A double header against York is up next and if both games go ahead, it will be the first double header the Stags have taken part in over Christmas. Come on Mansfield! Man of the Match: Luke O’Neill |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Haig Avenue
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Line Up:
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Marriott 5 After his inspirational performance in the last league game, his mistake today cost us a point in my opinion. That’s the way it goes though and he’s still the best in the division in my opinion.
O’Neill 7.5 Defended well, and put in some good crosses including the corner for the goal and one super cross towards the end. Hit the bar with an excellent free kick early on. Sutton 6 Defended ok, but injudicious tug at the shirt of Whalley cost him a second yellow card. Dempster 7 Played well, and scored his second goal from a header in only four league starts. Freeman 7 Defended well. Had to go off with cramp on 87 minutes. Briscoe 6 Not back to his form of last season. But we know his quality so deserves a run in the side. Howell 6.5 Did ok as the Stags bossed the game for long spells, even with 10 men. Murray 7 Hard-working as usual, and got a grip of the game without doing anything outstanding. Meikle 6 Worked very hard indeed with tracking back and winning the ball. Didn’t produce enough quality going forward though today. Green 7 Worked very hard and made some super runs. Great effort just before the Stags scored. Dyer 6.5 Won some good flick-ons for Green. Not sharp enough on one occasion to get onto a through ball, and later missed a great chance in a 1-on-1. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Thompson (for Meikle, 65) - Slotted well into defence.
Kelly (for Freeman, 87) - Hadn’t touched the ball when he brought down Whalley for the penalty - probably as he wasn’t up with the pace of the game. Subs not used: Redmond, Verma, Stevenson. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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McMillan; Smith, Akrigg (Davis 20), Grand, Lever; Whalley, Moogan, Poku, Carden (Guthrie 70), Ledsham (Brown 87); Owens. Subs not used: Nemes, Parry.
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Referee:
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Seb Stockbridge (Gateshead) 6 Won’t be on the Christmas card list for Stags fans. However the penalty was the right decision, and you can see why he gave Sutton a second yellow. Was inconsistent in his use of yellow cards though as at least two bad Southport fouls went without yellow cards.
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