Season 11/12 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Luton Town
|
|
Mansfield Town
|
||
|
|
|
|||
|
Attendance: 5261 (111 from Mansfield)
|
||||
|
Date: 25 January 2012
|
||||
|
IMPRESSIVE STAGS HELD AT LUTON
Martin Shaw, Jeff Barnes and Simon Chamberlain at Kenilworth Road Mansfield Town produced a solid display for much of this game at Kenilworth Road before dominating the later stages, and in the end being denied the 3 points by a controversial goal-line clearance, and earlier being denied a stonewall penalty. Recent league encounters between the sides at Kenilworth Road have been horrible niggling affairs with sendings off galore. But this was a quieter game as the Stags becalmed the home crowd with fine defending and solidity in midfield. In the first half, Adam Smith had an excellent effort acrobatically cleared off the line by Luton centre-half George Pilkington. Luton’s best chance came when Kovacs struck the bar with a shot from 6 yards following a corner. Mansfield were denied what, from TV replays, was a stonewall penalty when George Pilkington controlled the ball with his arm in the box, following Luke O’Neill’s chip into the area. The second half started fairly evenly, but the Stags came on strong towards the end and were the only side going to win the game in the last 15 minutes. The Stags were denied a winner on 84 minutes when Luke O’Neill’s free kick was headed down by Ross Dyer and Matt Green flicked the ball goalwards. George Pilkington got back to hook the ball away, but my immediate reaction was that it had crossed the line. TV replays later proved inconclusive, as there was no camera along the line. Mansfield made two changes from the side that beat Hayes & Yeading, with Martin Riley coming in for Joe Kendrick, with Sutton moving to right back and O’Neill to left back. And Ben Hutchinson came in for his first start after his impressive 25 minutes on Saturday, in place of Meikle, with Dyer moving to right midfield. Luton included former Stags Kevin Pilkington in goal, and Aaron O’Connor in midfield. The Stags were nearly in front on 10 minutes. Green held on to the ball as Kevin Pilkington rushed out of his area. Green played the ball back to Smith who chipped a fabulous effort goalwards but defender George Pilkington stretched his neck to head off the line spectacularly. A good header away from Sutton on 13 minutes, to get the ball away from Morgan-Smith. An easy save for Marriott on 16 minutes as Watkins shot was Luton’s first effort. A double chance for Luton on 21 minutes as Kovacs fired against the bar following a corner and then headed over. On 23 minutes, Mansfield were denied what, from TV replays, was a stonewall penalty when George Pilkington controlled the ball with his arm in the box, following Luke O’Neill’s chip into the area. A comedy moment in the press box on 29 minutes, as my lights were very nearly turned out by a ball blasted towards my nose from 5 yards inside the touchline by Adam Murray, listen here . O’Connor’s cross found Crow on 37 minutes and Crow’s flick was deflected just wide. On 39 minutes, home fans were calling for a penalty as O’Neill challenged Watkins, but TV replays showed it was a good tackle. On 40 minutes, Smith’s cross from the left was headed over by Dyer. A minute later, Green was flagged offside but TV replays showed he’d timed his run perfectly, and he would have been clean through. Sutton deflected away an O’Connor effort on 42 minutes, and then Marriott blocked O’Connor’s shot from a tight angle on 45 minutes. A minute into stoppage time, Kovacs headed over as Marriott came out for a corner but didn’t get to it. Half time 0-0 Dempster used his backside to sit on a cross from O’Connor on 50 minutes and snuff out the danger. A minute later, Marriott saved low to his right from Taylor. A Stags short corner on 54 minutes to Murray, who found Smith and Smith’s effort was deflected just wide. On 61 minutes, Lawless tried a Paul Scholes or Alan Mullery volley from a corner to the edge of the box, but although he made a decent connection, he sent it well wide. On 66 minutes Hutchinson got on the end of an O’Neill cross with a header but there was no power in it. Straight to the other end and a glorious chance for Crow but Marriott was out quickly to make himself big and made a fine save. A good take by Marriott from Taylor’s cross on 75 minutes. On 79 minutes, Hutchinson turned and shot straight at Pilkington. Back to the other end and Craig McAllister pulled a shot wide of the right post with his left foot. Briscoe replaced Hutchinson on 81, The Stags were denied a winner on 84 minutes when Luke O’Neill’s free kick was headed down by Ross Dyer and Matt Green flicked the ball goalwards. George Pilkington got back to hook the ball away, but my immediate reaction was that it had crossed the line. TV replays later proved inconclusive, as there was no camera along the line. Straight back to the other end and Marriott saved comfortably. On 86 minutes, with the Stags completely on top, O’Neill’s cross was deflected just out of the reach of Dyer. Briscoe burst into the box on 88 minutes, and moments later he got great body shape to fire in a good effort from an awkward position. The final whistle saw mixed emotions for Stags fans who would have been pleased with a point before the game, but were left frustrated by goalline clearances and missed penalty decision. Man of the match: Gary Roberts |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw, Jeff Barnes and Simon Chamberlain at Kenilworth Road
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
Marriott 7 Good handling, and a couple of good saves.
Sutton 8 Fine game at right back, some good clearing headers. Riley 6 Had a good game but gave the ball away twice in dangerous positions that could have cost us. Dempster 7 Good game. O'Neill 8 Defended excellently, with some great challenges. Set pieces let him down. Dyer 7 Did ok on the right wing albeit out of position, and worked hard tracking back. Roberts 8 Ran the midfield, with some great ball winning. Rarely wastes a pass. Class. Murray 7.5 Looking a great player alongside Roberts. Smith 6.5 Unlucky with early shot cleared off the line. Decent game. Hutchinson 6 Lacking in match sharpness, but looks like he could take the weight off Green. Green 6.5 Didn’t quite get going. Unlucky with the chance cleared off the line near the end. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
Meikle (for Smith, 76) - Did well, as the Stags pushed forward in the last 10 minutes.
Briscoe (for Hutchinson, 81) - One fine effort from an awkward position, and one good burst into the box. Subs Not Used: Redmond, Howell, Worthington. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
K.Pilkington, Gleeson, Kovacs , G.Pilkington, Taylor, Lawless, Howells, Watkins, O’Connor, Morgan-Smith (Fleetwood 57), Crow (McAllister 67). Subs not used: Tyler, Dance, Poku.
|
|
Referee:
|
Michael Bull (Essex) 6 Handled the game well, but did miss a stonewall penalty for the Stags in the first half. Had to rely on his assistant for the Green effort that may or may not have crossed the line.
|
|
|