Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
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Derby County academy
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Mansfield Town
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Hanson 24, Weimann 84.
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Hemmings 2, Henderson 5, Clements 90+3
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Attendance: 870 (357 from Mansfield)
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Date: 8 November 2016
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STAGS WIN AT PRIDE PARK TO PROGRESS IN EFL TROPHY
Martin Shaw at the iPro Stadium, Pride Park Mansfield Town won 3-2 against Derby County’s academy side at Pride Park to progress to the second round of the Checkatrade Trophy. Derby included several players with first team experience including Andreas Weimann who played a lot in the Premier League for Aston Villa, 34 year old keeper Chris Weale, Chris Baird and Jason Shackell. Plus Mason Bennett, born in Langwith, who’s played on loan at Chesterfield, Bradford and Burton, as well as 28 games in Derby’s first team. Mansfield were quick out of the blocks and took a two goal lead inside 5 minutes. Ashley Hemmings continued his fine form from Saturday with a low shot through the keeper on 2 minutes after a good flick on from Darius Henderson. Henderson himself doubled the lead on 5 minutes rolling the ball into an empty net after Hemmings created panic between the goalkeeper and defence. Mansfield’s 357 travelling fans enjoyed the two goals, which were both scored right in front of them. Derby pulled a goal back on 24 minutes as Jamie Hanson’s free kick from the edge of the D took a deflection off the wall to wrong foot Scott Shearer in the Mansfield goal. Henderson nearly restored Mansfield’s two goal lead but his good turn and shot ended in the side netting. The second half was fairly even, Weimann fired over from 30 yards for Derby, while for Mansfield, CJ Hamilton had a shot blocked, Howkins headed well wide, and Benning and Clements shot wide. But, unexpectedly, Derby levelled on 84 minutes with a freak goal as Weimann’s shot looped up off Oscar Gobern, over Shearer, and just under the crossbar. Matt Green was nearly presented with a goal by keeper Weale, but Mansfield saved the best for last and grabbed a deserved winner on 90+3 minutes as Chris Clements curled in a wonderful shot from 22 yards into the top right corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any game. The 357 Stags fans celebrated and so they should given the quality of Clements’ effort. So Mansfield pick up £10,000 in prize money for this victory, not to be sniffed at, to add to the £10,000 for the win at Port Vale, and progress to the second round. The draw is on Thursday morning at 10.30am live on Sky Sports News, and Mansfield will be away from home, having finished second in the group to Doncaster. The win is a confidence booster for Mansfield, who head to Fratton Park on Saturday back in the league. It was a small crowd, as expected, at Pride Park given the general dissatisfaction with the tournament. I don’t think the format will be the same next year. Before the first game in the EFL Trophy against Doncaster Rovers, I wrote extensively on Stagsnet and in the CHAD why I thought the whole idea of the EFL Trophy this season is flawed, but why I thought we will not see Premier League U23 sides in the Football League in the future. Subsequently, the EFL indeed confirmed that it has completely ruled out the possibility of including Premier League U23 teams in the Football League as part of its Whole Game Solution. The EFL though is still considering restructuring to 4 divisions of 20 clubs because the clubs are playing too many games. That’s utter nonsense in my opinion especially given the ludicrous inclusion of extra games in the EFL Trophy this season. It was the third and final game in the round-robin stage of the competition. Mansfield knew a victory would take them through, and a defeat would send them out. A draw would mean a penalty shoot-out for a bonus point, and qualification would then depend on the result in the other game, between Doncaster and Port Vale. Mansfield made five changes from the side that lost to Plymouth in the FA Cup on Saturday. In came Scott Shearer, Kyle Howkins, Oscar Gobern, Jack Thomas and Darius Henderson. Out went Brian Jensen, Lee Collins, Jamie McGuire, Mitch Rose and Matt Green. Clements was captain, in the absence of Collins and Green, as reward for recent fine form and to encourage him to take his leadership and talking on the field to another level. Youth team centre half Kieran Harrison was in the 18 man squad for the first time, though didn’t come on. Mansfield were ahead after 90 seconds. Rhys Bennett’s long ball forward was well flicked on by Darius Henderson, Ashley Hemmings ran onto it and from 14 yards, to the left of centre, fired low and goalwards, keeper Weale got a hand on it but it went through him and into the bottom right corner of the net. The keeper should have done better, but nevertheless a good finish from Hemmings, continuing his super shooting form from Saturday when he had six decent shots. Henderson doubled the lead on 5 minutes. Jack Thomas headed the ball down to Henderson, who dribbled forward and slid a forward pass to Hemmings. Derby skipper Rawson was favourite to get there first, but instead tried to shield the ball and leave it for his keeper. The keeper slid to collect the ball, but didn’t take it cleanly, the ball ran loose, and Henderson rolled it into the empty net from the edge of the box. Once again poor keeping from Weale, but credit to Henderson and Hemmings. Mansfield’s 357 travelling fans enjoyed the two early goals, which were both scored right in front of them. The atmosphere was surreal in a terrific stadium, with so few home fans. After the goal, the Stags rather lost their way for 20 minutes or so, trying to play too much tippy tappy stuff. Derby had a spell of pressure, culminating in a corner from the right on 19 minutes, Shackell rose above his marker Pearce, and headed just wide of the right post. Derby then pulled a goal back on 24 minutes. Pearce gave away a free kick on the edge of the D with a foul. Jamie Hanson’s free kick took a deflection off the wall to wrong foot Scott Shearer in the Mansfield goal. Nothing Shearer could do about it. Henderson nearly restored Mansfield’s two goal lead on 26 minutes but his good turn and shot after Baxendale headed on Bennett’s throw-in, ended in the side netting. Straight to the other end, a quick break from Vernam, who played Weimann in in the box, Weimann went down under a challenge from Jack Thomas, but the referee waved away penalty appeals. Thomas certainly touched him but it shouldn’t have been enough for Weimann to go down, On 31 minutes, good play on the left by Hanson and he crossed to the far post where Benning made a good clearance. On 35 minutes, Jack Thomas was brought down 23 yards out. Clements took the free kick, straight into the wall and into the face of a defender, who had to receive attention. On 41 minutes, a free kick for the Stags 35 yards from goal on the right. Benning curled it into the area, but no-one got on the end of it and it ended in the keeper’s arms. Straight to the other end and Callum’s Guy’s shot was blocked. Half time and the Stags ahead thanks to those two early goals, with Derby pulling one back. Derby had plenty of possession but Derby’s academy team had struggled with the physical presence of Henderson. Half time 1-2 Mitch Rose replaced Jack Thomas on 48 minutes. Pearce was booked on 56 minutes for a foul. The booking looked harsh. The free kick, from 30 yards out, was wasted by Derby. CJ Hamilton replaced Baxendale on 59 minutes. On 60 minutes, Clements went down in the area, but the hopeful appeal was correctly turned down. Then a great touch by Hamilton, but having made space, he wasted his cross. Gobern was booked for a late tackle on 63 minutes. On 66 minutes, Weimann sent a powerful shot from 30 yards over the bar. On 70 minutes, Henderson headed down Benning’s dinked ball forward, to Hamilton, whose goalbound shot was blocked. On 72 minutes, Howkins headed tamely wide from Benning’s corner from the right. Green replaced Henderson on 73 minutes. On 76 minutes, Benning’s shot from the edge of the D was well wide of the right post. Two minutes later, Clements was well wide from 30 yards. A brilliant run from Hamilton on 81 minutes, but then trying to find Green on the right wing, he put his pass in to touch. It rather summed Hamilton’s current form up. But, unexpectedly, Derby levelled on 84 minutes with a freak goal as Weimann’s shot looped up off Oscar Gobern, over Shearer, and just under the crossbar. On 86 minutes, Green cut inside but his shot was blocked. On 90 minutes, a great tackle by Pearce inside his own area. To the other end, and Green nearly capitalised on a loose touch by keeper Weale as Weale tried to control the ball inside his area. Moments later, Hamilton crossed from the left but Green could only head the ball in the wrong direction. But Mansfield saved the best for last and grabbed a deserved winner on 90+3 minutes as Chris Clements stepped inside a defender and curled in a wonderful shot from 22 yards into the top right corner. It was a goal worthy of winning any game. Overall quite a decent performance from Mansfield against a fairly strong Derby side. Mansfield mixed up styles through most of the game, with some nice passing mixed up with going long and using Henderson effectively. In truth the Derby defence couldn’t cope with those balls to Henderson. Man of the match: Darius Henderson |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at the iPro Stadium, Pride Park
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Line Up:
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Shearer 6 No chance at all with the two deflected goals. Didn’t have any other shot to save.
Bennett 7 Defended solidly. Pearce 6.5 Allowed Shackell a header from a corner in the first half. One good tackle near the end. Howkins 7 Solid. Benning 7 One good clearance. Some decent balls into the box. Clements 8 Good game. Goal was worthy of winning any game. J.Thomas 6 Not at his best, but ok. Won a free kick just outside the area. Gobern 7 Decent game. Didn’t waste possession. Unlucky that the second Derby goal looped in off his good block. Baxendale 6 Did ok. Hemmings 7.5 Continued his super shooting form from Saturday with another goal. Persistence also helped with the second goal. Henderson 8 The Derby defence couldn’t cope with him. Assist for the first goal and scored the second. |
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Sub Line Up:
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M.Rose (for J.Thomas, 48 mins) 7 Did well on the right.
Hamilton (for Baxendale, 59 mins) - A couple of good pieces of play, but wasted the ball both times, which rather summed up his season so far. Green (for Henderson, 73 mins) - Subs not used: Jensen, Kieran Harrison, Hoban, D.Rose. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Weale, Baird, Rawson, Shackell, Stabana, Hanson, Guy, Vernam (Walker, 84), Gordon (Santos, 66), Weimann, Bennett (Jakobsen, 85). Subs not used: Ravas, Cover, Lelan, Mitchell-Lawson.
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Referee:
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Trevor Kettle 5 Didn’t have a great game.
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