Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Yeovil Town
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Green pen 64
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Attendance: 2503 (130 from Yeovil)
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Date: 16 August 2016
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MAGNIFICENT MANSFIELD WIN DESPITE PLAYING WITH TEN MEN FOR 93 MINUTES
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Magnificent Mansfield Town pulled off a sensational victory over Yeovil Town at Field Mill this evening despite playing for 82 minutes plus a total of 11 minutes of stoppage time with ten men after Danny Rose was sent off. The only goal of the game came after 64 minutes when Matt Green emphatically slammed home a penalty after Mitch Rose had been tripped by the keeper in the area. That foul came after a brilliant diagonal ball from Adam Chapman to Green on the right, who powered forward and had his shot parried out by the keeper to Mitch Rose. It was a blatant penalty and the keeper was correctly booked, rather than sent off. The Stags were reduced to ten men on 8 minutes after Danny Rose’s two footed lunge inside his own half right in front of the Stags’ dugout. I said immediately during full match commentary on StagsPlayerHD that Danny Rose would be in trouble for that, and the referee duly showed him the red card after giving himself a few seconds to consider his decision. Looking at the incident again on our pitchside footage, it still looks like a red card to me. For most of the rest of the game, you could be forgiven for not knowing which side had ten men as Mansfield more than held their own. Inevitably as the game wore on in the final few minutes, Yeovil put Mansfield under a lot of pressure but Mansfield heroically hung on for a fully deserved victory. Indeed Brian Jensen barely had a save to make such was the quality of the defending in front of him. Mansfield had the two best chances of the night other than the goal with Green firing over from 8 yards in the first half, and then Mitch Rose sent a free header from 7 yards over the bar. There were heroic performances throughout the Stags side. Rhys Bennett was the sponsors’ man of the match for some surging runs and great defending. Mitch Rose put in some great challenges including two memorable ones in quick succession in the second half. Kyle Howkins and Lee Collins were superb in central defence. Matt Green must have covered every inch of turf on the pitch. But my man of the match was Adam Chapman who was fantastic in the front of the back four from the first minute to the last. At the end of the game, the fans stayed behind to cheer the team off in one of the best and most passionate atmospheres I can remember for some time as the crowd really got behind the team. I don’t think Mansfield have ever won a game before having played for so long with a man down, though I have not been able to check. I think this game will rank second only to the win at Cambridge in 2003 when Mansfield had players sent off on 35 and 42 minutes, before Cambridge had a player of their own sent off on 77 minutes, and the Stags won 2-1, as the most spirited of all Stags performances. And it ranks alongside and perhaps just ahead of winning 1-0 at AFC Wimbledon in 2014 when Rob Taylor was sent off after 31 minutes and the Stags won 1-0 with a Dimitar Evtimov 10 out of 10 performance in goal. It was a special night and showed that Adam Murray’s current crop of players have spirit in abundance. I spoke to Greenie afterwards and suggested it might be difficult for the players to recover by Saturday. He’d told me they’d be ready! So the Stags are off to a great start with 7 points from 3 games, and on to Plymouth on Saturday. If you can’t make the journey, join me for exclusive full match commentary on StagsPlayerHD. Mansfield made three changes to the side that drew with Cheltenham. Scott Shearer missed out with concussion, suffered in the challenge from Amari Morgan-Smith on Saturday. In came Brian Jensen. There was no keeper on the bench. Adam Chapman returned to the side to give more creativity from the back. He replaced Taft, with Collins slotting into the back four. Ashley Hemmings replaced Hurst, in a change to freshen things up with Mansfield playing Sat/Tues/Sat/Tues/Sat. Yeovil arranged having made an impressive start with a win and a deserved draw at Luton, along with a League Cup win at Walsall. The Stags were off to a positive start. On 3 minutes, a really good move, and Mitch Rose backheeled to Clements who fired goalwards and his shot was deflected for a corner. From the West Stand, it looked in all the way. From the corner to the far post, Danny Rose headed wide. On 6 minutes, a long throw from Adam Chapman was headed on by Danny Rose, but cleared. Noticeable that, as expected, the advertising hoardings on the West Stand side had moved back to their normal position, after being moved in on Saturday to counteract Cheltenham’s monster long throw merchant. The Stags were reduced to ten men on 8 minutes after Danny Rose’s two footed lunge inside his own half right in front of the Stags’ dugout. I said immediately during full match commentary on StagsPlayerHD that Danny Rose would be in trouble for that, and the referee duly showed him the red card after giving himself a few seconds to consider his decision. Looking at the incident again on our pitchside footage, it still looks like a red card to me. The ground was stunned. 82 minutes with ten men. Pre-match hopes of a Stags win in tatters. If the Stags could come out of this with a draw it would be a fantastic effort. On 14 minutes, another long throw from Chapman was flicked on to Green, who turned and fired over from 8 yards. A good chance and that was close. At the other end on 17 minutes, Hedges broke down the right, and put in a dangerous cross, well cleared by Mitch Rose, which was an important clearance. On 26 minutes, Clements fired in a left footed volley from 25 yards and caught it well, but it was straight at the keeper. Yeovil had their first effort on goal on 27 minutes as Otis Khan cut in from the left and fired from 25 yards straight at Jensen. A great tackle by Chapman on 35 minutes typified his outstanding first half performance. A minute later, a rare chance for Yeovil as Hedges fired in a low shot and Jensen saved low down to his side. The Stags should have been in front on 38 minutes. Great play from Bennett down the right and a perfect cross for Mitch Rose who had a free header from 7 yards right in the centre of the goal, but he headed over the bar. Straight to the other end and great defending from Howkins as Yeovil broke into the Stags box. 5 minutes of stoppage time added on, for the sending off and for a long stoppage for a Yeovil injury. On 45+5, a free kick for the Stags just outside the area on the right. Benning took it and curled just over the bar. Half time and good applause for the team. The ground had been stunned by the early sending off but the crowd were really getting behind Mansfield now. Hugely impressive from the Stags and you wouldn’t have known they were down to ten men. Chapman was outstanding from the offset. The Stags should have been in front with the best two chances, for Green and especially for Mitch Rose. Yeovil created very little. Half time 0-0 On 46 minutes, Benning crossed right footed from the left, it was headed up in the air by a defender, and Green sent an overhead kick well over the bar. Two minutes later, Benning got to the byline and crossed to the far post where Mitch Rose volleyed well wide. On 51 minutes, Chapman sent in a shot from 35 yards well over the bar. On 54 minutes a brilliant half-volley from Chapman from 30 yards and the keeper saved above his head. Huge applause from the fans which turned into a minute’s applause for Stags fan John Harrison who has died at the age of 53. Deepest condolences to John’s family and friends. On 55 minutes, Howkins was booked for a foul. A free kick for Yeovil 26 yards out, to the left of the centre. It was dinked into the box and claimed by Jensen. Moments later Lawless played a ball in from the right which flashed wide of the left post. That was as close as Yeovil had come. On 57 minutes, Green had a chance from a tight angle but could only loft the ball across the face of goal. At the other end on 60 minutes, Dawson scuffed a shot well wide from the right. The Stags made their first change on 61 minutes as Hamilton replaced Hemmings. Outstanding play from Bennett on 62 minutes as he surged from the halfway line to win a corner. From the corner from the right by Chapman, Howkins headed over the bar. The Stags were deservedly ahead after 64 minutes when Matt Green emphatically slammed home a penalty down the middle after Mitch Rose had been tripped by the keeper in the area. That foul came after a brilliant diagonal ball from Adam Chapman to Green on the right, who powered forward and had his shot parried out by the keeper to Mitch Rose. It was a blatant penalty and the keeper was correctly booked, rather than sent off. On 71 minutes, a Yeovil ball across the face of goal but no-one on the end of it. On 73 minutes, Mitch Rose put in a brilliant challenge to charge down a shot from distance, showing he’d learned his lesson from Saturday. Seconds later another brilliant challenge from Mitch Rose. Bennett was booked for time wasting on 74 minutes. A free kick for the Stags 30 yards out on the left hand side on 76 minutes. Benning tried his luck with a shot and curled just wide of the right post. On 79 minutes, Yeovil had the ball in the net through Hedges but the flag was up for offside well before. On 81 minutes Eaves headed over the bar. Then on 84 minutes, Campbell shot straight at Jensen from 25 yards. The Stags were now under pressure, and it was amazing that it had taken this long for Yeovil to put the Stags under a spell of pressure. Another change for Mansfield on 85 minutes. Yeovil were starting to launch balls into the Stags box so Taft came on in place of Green. On 87 minutes, a Yeovil corner from the left and Alex Lacey headed wide as Stags fans held their breath. 5 minutes of stoppage time added on, amid unbearable tension but a wonderful atmosphere generated by the superb crowd. On 90+4, Chapman was booked for a foul. Darius Henderson replaced Hamilton to give more height as the Stags defended in their own box. On 90+6 minutes, Benning was booked, I think for dissent. (update, from the video, it was clearly for dissent). Finally the final whistle after more than 6 minutes played in stoppage time. A tremendous roar from the crowd and a magnificent reception for the players. Adam Murray told his players to wait in a huddle until the Yeovil players had left the pitch, so they could rightly soak up the deserved applause. No-one had left the ground. An absolutely incredible evening. Man of the match: Adam Chapman |
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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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(4-1-3-2)
Jensen 7 Good handling. Surprisingly few shots to save, one good save low down. Seamlessly replaced Shearer. Bennett 9 Excellent game. Surging runs, great cross for Mitch Rose’s header, great defending. Two misplaced crosses early on were soon forgotten. Howkins 9 Excellent display of defending. Collins 9 Superb game alongside Howkins. Benning 8 Defended well and got forward positively. Chapman 9 Fantastic in front of the back four from the first minute until the last. M.Rose 9 Won the critical penalty. Some great challenges including two memorable ones in quick succession in the second half. Clements 8 Very good game. Put in a tremendous shift. Hemmings 7 Worked hard. D.Rose 4 Irresponsible challenge put his team in huge trouble and will now also miss the next 3 games. Green 9 Emphatically slammed home the winning penalty. Must have covered every inch of turf on the pitch. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Hamilton (for Hemmings, 61 mins) - Brought on to provide a bit of pace and provide an outlet.
Taft (for Green, 85 mins) - Henderson (for Hamilton, 90+4 mins) - Subs not used: McGuire, Hurst, Baxendale, Hakeem. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-5-1): Krysiak; Mugabi, Butcher, Smith (Campbell 46), Dickson (Lacey 32); Hedges, Lawless, Dawson, Dolan, Khan (Zoko 67); Eaves. Subs not used: Maddison, Sowunmi, Lea, Bassett.
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Referee:
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John Brooks 6 Got the big decisions right, the red card and the penalty. Otherwise didn’t have a great game in terms of managing the game.
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