Season 14/15 Stagsnet Match Report
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Southend United
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Mansfield Town
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Corr 21, Atkinson 28
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Attendance: 5,925 (188 from Mansfield)
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Date: 3 April 2015
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MISTAKES COSTLY FOR STAGS AT SOUTHEND
Martin Shaw at Roots Hall First half mistakes left Mansfield Town playing catch-up this afternoon and led to defeat at play-off chasing Southend. After a decent opening 20 minutes in which Mansfield more than held their own, had some good possession of the ball, and were doing well closing down and making things difficult for the home side, an error by Clements on 21 minutes gave Southend a chance to take the lead. Clements gifted the ball to Timlin 30 yards out, Timlin found Corr in the area and he beat Pidgeley from close range. It was a bad blow for the Stags after a decent start. Just 7 minutes later and another blow as Leonard shot from 20 yards and Pidgeley parried the shot straight to Atkinson in a central position, who fired home. Pidgeley had to be doing better from here, either pushing it away from the danger area, or catching it. The Stags continued to play some decent stuff going forward without finding the right final ball, and on 32 minutes should have pulled one back with a fine corner straight from the training ground. Hawkridge’s corner beyond the far post found Riley unmarked who headed back across goal perfectly for Oliver who volleyed over the bar. The half ended with more mistakes from the Stags: first Elder gave the ball away and was rescued by Sutton; then Beevers gave the ball away cheaply halfway inside his own half - I noticed Murray turn around towards his assistants Moore and Cooper in utter frustration. Then in the final minute of the half an error that took the biscuit as Heslop totally unnecessarily passed the ball back into his own area, Corr latched on to it but somehow stood on the ball when he should have done better. A terrible half for mistakes from the Stags, two of which saw Southend with a two-goal lead. Mansfield needed a goal back in the second half and were so unlucky when from a Hawkridge corner, Oliver got up well and smacked a header against the bar, with sub Bingham unable to convert the rebound. Mansfield had other chances through Clements who shot wide, Bingham with a shot deflected wide, sub Rhead with a shot blocked, and Bingham again who flicked narrowly wide. But the goal wouldn’t come and Southend ran out worthy winners. Southend had chances of their own in the second half with Corr firing over, and a cross from Leonard that hit the top of the bar. An improved display from the Stags overall from the limp display against York, but mistakes today were so costly against a good side. The Stags are up against one of the best sides I have seen this season in Shrewsbury on Easter Monday. If the Stags can build on the some of the play here, crucially cut out the mistakes, and take some chances that are being created, then we can get something from the game. We’re at the time of the season when everyone needs to stick together to get the Stags over the line, so get to Field Mill if you can. Come on Mansfield! Adam Murray made five changes to the starting eleven that was so poor against York. In came Sutton, Ravenhill, Heslop, Lambe (back from international duty), and Hawkridge. Out went Tafazolli, Raynes, McGuire, Bingham and Kee. Kee travelled but was dropped from the 18. Liam Hearn also travelled with the squad following his 45 minutes and a goal for the reserves during the week, but was not in the 18. Raynes did not travel and was presumably (though I didn’t ask for confirmation of it) unfit. It was a return to the 4-1-4-1 formation, with Ravenhill in front of the back four of Beevers at right back, Elder at left back, and Sutton and Riley in central defence. Southend included former Stags Adam Barrett and Will Atkinson in their side. The Stags started quite well. On 3 minutes, Clements played a nice ball into Lambe in the area and Lambe went down under an attempted tackle from Coker, but no foul was given (from the DVD, it’s hard to tell if Coker makes contact with Lambe’s leg). A minute later at other end, a good tackle by Hawkridge on the edge of his own area. On 5 minutes, Sutton passed back to Pidgeley, onto his left foot, and Pidgeley miscued out for a throw. A good Stags move on 9 minutes as the team held onto the ball for at least a minute before the ball went out for a throw. On 11 minutes, Barrett found Corr on the right and he curled a left footed shot goalwards which Riley headed away for a corner. It was a spikey opening 20 minutes. Ravenhill was letting Southend know he was there. Mansfield were more than holding their own, with some good possession of the ball. But an error by Clements on 21 minutes gave Southend a chance to take the lead. Clements gave the ball away with a sideways pass straight to Timlin 30 yards out, Timlin found Corr in the area with a diagonal pass, with Beevers asleep possibly looking for offside, and Corr beat Pidgeley from close range. After the game Murray made a valid point to me that had Clements just launched the ball, fans would be complaining about hoofball, and that if you attempt to play a passing game sometimes it won’t come off. I accept this point completely and that possibly comes in part from pressure from our own fans, but in my opinion we should not be to trying play a passing game around the back line in our own final third of the pitch. A personal opinion, and I realise that others might not agree. On 24 minutes, Leonard got past Sutton and Ravenhill, and got in a low shot that was well saved low down by Pidgeley. A chance for the Stags on 27 minutes as Hawkridge was fouled in a central position 32 yards out, but Heslop sent the resulting free kick over the bar. On 28 minutes, another mistake and another goal. Leonard shot from 20 yards, Pidgeley parried the shot straight to Atkinson in a central position, who fired home. Pidgeley had to be doing better from here, either pushing it away from the danger area, or catching it. On 32 minutes Mansfield should have pulled one back. Following a corner, Clements put the ball back in to the mixer, Lambe’s shot was deflected for a corner. From that corner, straight from the training ground, Hawkridge’s delivery beyond the far post found Riley unmarked who headed back across goal perfectly for Oliver who acrobatically volleyed over the bar. On 35 minutes, a great pass from Lambe to Beevers, and Beevers was in a great position to put the ball in, but his low cross was poor and cut out. On 39 minutes, Clements got past Coker and got in a shot but he was stretching as he did so and put it over the bar from 18 yards. On 40 minutes, Elder gave the ball away and was rescued by Sutton who did well to usher Pigott into touch. At the other end, Elder put a terrible cross into the stand behind the goal. On 44 minutes, Beevers gave the ball away cheaply halfway inside his own half - I noticed Murray turn around towards his assistants Moore and Cooper in utter frustration. Then on 45+1 minutes, an error that took the biscuit as Heslop totally unnecessarily passed the ball back into his own area, Corr latched on to it but somehow stood on the ball when he should have done better. A half littered with mistakes from the Stags, two of which saw Southend with a two-goal lead. But the Stags played some decent stuff going forward without creating many chances. Half time 2-0 On 51 minutes, a long ball forward by White into the Stags box, it looked like Sutton was fouled by Barrett, but no free kick was given, and Corr fired over from a great position. On 53 minutes, a free kick from the right by Coker swung into the Stags box and Pidgeley did well to parry it away. On 57 minutes, Clements lost the ball, Barrett crossed and Pidgeley couldn’t hold it but Corr couldn’t get a header on target. Poor from Clements and Pidgeley. Bingham replaced Heslop on 60 minutes, as the Stags switched to 4-4-2. On 63 minutes, Coker sent a free kick from 30 yards over the bar. On 66 minutes, Mansfield were so unlucky when from a Hawkridge corner from the left, Oliver got up well and smacked a header against the bar. Bingham got the rebound, took a touch and the chance was gone. A minute later, Clements got the ball 22 yards out, stepped inside a defender and fired low, wide of the post. On 71 minutes, a good tackle by Elder as the ball came in to Cassidy in the box. Rhead replaced Oliver on 73 minutes. On 74 minutes, a cross from the right by Leonard hit the Stags bar, and then a low cross back in from the left was well-parried by Pidgeley. Straight to the other end, and Bingham had a shot deflected just wide. On 82 minutes, a good move from Mansfield, with Clements and Bingham involved, but Lambe was tackled by Barrett as he was about to shoot. From the resulting corner, a shot from Rhead was cleared. A minute later, Hawkridge fired a cross in powerfully and it flicked off a defender for a corner. The resulting corner came out to Beevers whose left footed shot was on target, though not powerful, and was cleared. Then from another corner, Rhead headed down and it was cleared. On 88 minutes, Cassidy did well to get in a cross from the left, and Riley did well to put over his own bar. On 89 minutes, Clements was fouled 25 yards out in a central position, Ravenhill immediately had a left footed shot blocked. The referee could have pulled play back but didn’t. Beevers had to go off, holding his shoulder, on 90 minutes. Tafazolli replaced him. Sutton moved to right back. On 90+1 minutes, a chance for Bingham as he reached a Rhead knock-on, and poked it narrowly wide. Good from Rhead and Bingham. A minute later, Rhead nodded down well to Clements who was smashed down in the box sandwiched between two defenders, the referee looked at it closely but decided it was not a foul. It certainly could have been given as a penalty, but the Stags still haven’t been given one since November 2013. On 90+3 minutes, Leonard got to the edge of the area and fired over the bar. A good second half from Mansfield but the damage had been done with errors in the first half. Elsewhere, Cheltenham lost, Tranmere drew and Hartlepool drew. With six games to go, Mansfield are 8 points above Cheltenham, 6 above Tranmere, and 5 above Hartlepool. Man of the match: Sutton/Riley/Bingham |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Roots Hall
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Line Up:
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Pidgeley 5 Should have done better for the second goal. Made a couple of decent saves.
Beevers 5 Asleep possibly looking for offside for the first goal. Poor going forward. Went off holding his shoulder late on. Sutton 7 Pretty solid at centre half. Riley 7 Solid game. Elder 6 Gave the ball away badly once, and some poor crosses. Otherwise ok. Ravenhill 6 Ok. Hawkridge 7 Some good corners and crosses. Heslop 5.5 Crazy backpass gifted a sitter to Corr that he fluffed. Didn’t get involved enough. Clements 5.5 Bad error in my opinion for the first goal which changed the game. Some good incisive movement going forward. Good second half. Lambe 6 Did ok. Oliver 6.5 Fine effort against the bar and acrobatic volley over the bar in the first half. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Bingham (for Heslop, 60) 7 Lively and had a few chances.
Rhead (for Oliver, 73) 7 Won everything in the air; good knock-downs. Tafazolli (for Beevers, 90) - Replaced in the injured Beevers. Subs not used: Studer, McGuire, Thomas, Fisher. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-2): Bentley; White, Thompson (Bolger, 8), Barrett, Coker; Atkinson, Leonard, Timlin, McLaughlin (Weston, 87); Corr, Pigott (Cassidy, 67). Unused substitutes: T. Smith, Payne, Deegan, Binnom-Williams.
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Referee:
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Stephen Martin 6 Did ok. Could have given the Stags a couple of penalties but neither was nailed on.
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