Season 14/15 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Accrington Stanley
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Murray sent off 82.
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Joyce (pen) 10
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Attendance: 2699 (125 from Accrington)
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Date: 4 October 2014
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DREADFUL STAGS BEATEN BY RESURGENT ACCRINGTON
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield put in a dreadful performance to fall to a 1-0 defeat against a resurgent Accrington side that have won three games on the trot under returning manager John Coleman, and won a total of five games from their last six. The Stags were abysmal in the first half, with hesitancy at the back, poor distribution throughout the team and a general lack of urgency. Accrington could have already been ahead when they did take the lead after 10 minutes through a mistake by returning keeper Sascha Studer. A ball was played forward from the halfway line by Accrington and Studer looked favourite to get it in my opinion, but instead of coming out to clear it, he waited for it to come to him to try to pick it up, and in the meantime Marcus Carver nipped in, got to the ball first, and went over Studer. It was a clear penalty and there were no complaints from the Stags. Luke Joyce converted the penalty. Accrington could have been further ahead by the break but Studer made two good saves. Just before half time, the Stags did at last put together a good move setting up Beevers for a good chance but he didn’t bury it. The Stags couldn’t be as bad in the second half and for 20 minutes played some reasonable football and had a succession of chances to pull level. But they couldn’t find the net. The Stags had more of the possession in the final 25 minutes than Accrington but didn’t create enough clearcut chances as keeper Chapman was only called upon to make one save, a very good save from Palmer. There was controversy on 82 minutes, when Adam Murray was given a straight red card for an innocuous challenge on the byline, that looked nothing more than a yellow card to me. It looked very harsh. After the game, the referee said he didn’t see the incident and was going on the say-so of his linesman. It was Murray’s first red card in the Football League/Conference since October 2002 (for Derby against Bradford) and only the third of his career in total (the other being on loan for Rainworth last season). There was a much more dangerous tackle later in the game, by Accrington’s Molyneux on Jamie McGuire, for which the referee only gave a yellow. A very disappointing result for the Stags and overall a poor performance, especially in the first half when the Stags just didn’t show enough urgency, and that was inexcusable. The Stags drop 4 places and are now 3 points behind the play-off places and 6 points above the relegation zone. The Stags need to bounce back at Portsmouth next week and then at home to Cambridge. Come on Mansfield! Mansfield made 4 changes to the side which lost at Stevenage. Sascha Studer returned in goal in place of Dimitar Evtimov who had a groin injury. Kieron Freeman, having signed on a 3 month loan from Derby yesterday, came in at left wing back, with Lee Beevers moving to the right, and Liam Marsden dropping to the bench. Jamie McGuire came in for Simon Heslop in central midfield, and Fergus Bell returned from injury in place of Reggie Lambe. The Stags had the first chance of the game on 3 minutes as a cross from the right by Beevers was missed by a defender, giving Bingham a half chance but he sent a slow motion scissor kick well wide. Straight to the other end and Sean Maguire slipped a ball in for Carver who fired wide. But it was an early warning sign for the Stags who were carved open. On 5 minutes, the Stags were rescued by Studer who made a good save with his legs after Kal Naismith broke into the penalty area and fired goalwards. The Stags had a claim for a penalty as Freeman went down in the area but the referee waved away the appeals. Accrington were ahead on 10 minutes and it was a mistake by keeper Studer. A ball was played forward from the halfway line by Accrington and Studer looked favourite to get it, but instead of coming out to clear it, he waited for the ball to come to him to try to pick it up, and in the meantime Marcus Carver nipped in, got to the ball first, and went over Studer. It was a clear penalty and there were no complaints from the Stags. Luke Joyce converted the penalty, down the left, as although Studer dived the right way, the ball went above him. Accrington had a chance to extend the lead when Freeman gave the ball away, O’Sullivan crossed from the right and Carver shot wide. On 24 minutes, a good move from Accrington as Sean Maguire got into the area and shot towards the roof of the net but Studer made a comfortable save above his head. A rare good moment for the Stags on 27 minutes as Studer’s goal kick was superbly controlled by Rhead, he then turned inside and shot at keeper Chapman. On 29 minutes, poor play from Riley who left a back-pass to Studer short and Studer sprinted out quickly, just in time to clear. Poor and unnecessary from Riley. On 33 minutes, Freeman broke forward and had a shot blocked, there were half-hearted appeals for a penalty, turned down. Studer was called upon to make his second good save of the match on 33 minutes as Naismith made a good run down the left, found Sean Maguire who forced Studer to save well. The Stags defence was asleep, Accrington were winning the 50-50 balls and looking dangerous with every attack. The Stags didn’t get their first corner of the game until the 37th minute but it didn’t come to anything. Mansfield’s best move of the game came on 40 minutes as Rhead found Bell who in turn found Beevers in space on the right. Beevers broke into the area but fired wide when he should have scored. On 45+1, Beevers was booked for an off the ball incident. There were boos for the Stags as they came off for half time after an abysmal display, with hesitancy at the back, poor distribution and a general lack of urgency. Freeman had a poor half on his return to the club losing the ball on three occasions while Studer’s return to the side was disastrous, conceding the penalty. Half time 0-1 The Stags switched to four at the back at the start of the second half as Tafazolli, who had been injured in the first half, was replaced by Lambe. Beevers and Freeman were at right and left back respectively, with Sutton and Riley in the centre of the defence. Reggie Lambe played on the left. A chance for the Stags came on 47 minutes. Murray played a great ball from the right hand side and Rhead nodded down into the path of Lambe who should have hit it first time but dallied and the chance was gone. On 51 minutes, there was a half chance for Bell who didn’t need a second invitation to shoot but put his first time effort well wide. On 53 minutes, Freeman’s long throw was headed on by Rhead and Murray turned and fired just over. A good effort from Murray. A minute later, Sutton sent a free kick into the penalty area, Rhead nodded down, Murray showed great determination to win the ball, played it across to Bingham who fired wide. On 59 minutes, a Stags corner was headed goalwards by Rhead but hit one of his own players. This was much better from the Stags who were playing with urgency now and Kieron Freeman was having a much better half. On 67 minutes, a free kick from 40 yards by Murray was nodded down by Rhead but nobody got on the end of it and it went wide. On 67 minutes, Palmer replaced Rhead. Rhead had been winning everything in the air and creating danger and in my opinion, it was a mistake to take him off, but boss Paul Cox said after the game he can’t play every minute of every game. Bingham was by now playing on the right, which didn’t seem to be his best position - I’d prefer to see him in the centre. On 74 minutes, Bingham crossed from the right and it looked to be in a good area but Palmer didn’t gamble on it and it rolled out for a goal kick. A minute later, Bingham sent a shot from 24 yards over the bar. Another chance for the Stags came on 77 minutes as Accrington goalkeeper Chapman made a great save, his only save of the game. The ball was played forward for the Stags and Palmer flicked it goalwards but the keeper stuck out a hand to save it. On 79 minutes, Bell made a good run at goal and had a shot but it took a deflection and ran tamely through to the keeper. The Stags went close on 80 minutes as Murray’s corner was headed back across goal by Beevers and the ball was put inches wide of the left post by a combination of Palmer and a defender. Murray was given a straight red card on 82 minutes for an innocuous challenge on the byline, that looked nothing more than a yellow card to me. It looked very harsh. After the game, the referee said he didn’t see the incident and was going on the say-so of his linesman. It was Murray’s first red card in the Football League/Conference since October 2002 (see details above). The Stags came close again on 84 minutes as Lambe’s corner from the left resulted in a massive scramble and the ball was cleared off the line. On 85 minutes, a rare chance for Accrington in the second half, in fact, their first of the half, as Windass got the ball on the left, turned inside and fired over. A double chance for Bell came on 88 minutes as first, his left foot shot was blocked, the ball came back to him and he fired over the bar. On 90+1, from an Accrington free kick, Sean Maguire’s shot was blocked over the bar. A sight of goal for Palmer came on 90+2 minutes when he had space to shoot from the edge of the box but it was a weak effort straight at the keeper. On 90+5, a bad foul by Accrington sub Molyneux on Jamie McGuire in the centre circle. It was two footed with studs upwards and looked much worse than Murray’s foul but the referee only produced a yellow card. Jamie McGuire was injured by the foul and was immediately replaced by Heslop. A minute later, there was a final chance for the Stags with a free kick 32 yards out but, when it needed a moment of magic, Bell fired over the bar. So defeat for the Stags, which was really based on a very poor first half performance. The Stags did at least respond in the second half and dominated as Accrington didn’t create a chance until the 85th minute. Nevertheless, not good enough from the Stags who will need to bounce back. Accrington were good going forward in the first half, and Republic of Ireland U21 international John O’Sullivan, in his third game on loan from Blackburn Rovers, caught the eye. Sean Maguire, on loan from West Ham, also caught the eye. Manager John Coleman, the man who took Accrington back into the league some years ago, is doing a fine job on his return to the club with his third win out of three and the resurgence was highlighted by an away following of 125 compared to last season’s 73. I don’t recall seeing Accrington fans arrive on a coach at Field Mill before, as some did today, though I may be mistaken. Man of the match: Adam Murray |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
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Line Up:
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Studer 5 At fault for the decisive penalty, should have come out to clear rather than wait for it. Made two good saves.
Sutton 5.5 Part of a poor defence in the first half; better in the second half. Riley 5 Some hesitant defending including a poor back-pass to Studer. Tafazolli 5 Part of a poor defence in the first half. Pulled his hamstring in the first half. Subbed at half time. Beevers 6 Did ok. Freeman 6 Started slowly with a poor first half, giving the ball away 3 times, but improved a lot in the second half. Today was his first competitive match of the season; he’s a talented player as we’ve seen before and he’ll come good I think. Murray 7 Tried to get things moving in the second half with some real determination. Some good passes and had one of the best efforts on goal. Harshly sent off. McGuire 4 A very poor game with several misplaced passes. Bell 6 Had one or two shots but couldn’t produce a bit of magic. Bingham 5 After looking so good in his previous games, he was poor today. Rhead 6.5 Had been winning everything in the air and creating danger and in my opinion, it was a mistake to take him off. Was one of the only players to do anything in the first half. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Lambe (for Tafazolli, 46) 5 Disappointing.
Palmer (for Rhead, 67) - Unfortunate when the keeper made a fine save from one effort. Another effort in stoppage time was disappointing. Needs a goal. Helsop (for McGuire, 90+6) - Sub not used: Evtimov, Marsden, Thomas, Fisher. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Chapman; Hunt, Atkinson, Aldred, Winnard; Joyce, Proctor; O’Sullivan, Maguire, Naismith (Windass 73); Carver (Molyneux 58). Subs not used: Simpson, McCartan, Hatfield, Mingoia, Bowerman.
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Referee:
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Scott Mathieson 6 Got the Accrington penalty right in my opinion. But the sending off of Murray was harsh and the foul on McGuire later was worse which only got a yellow.
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