Season 16/17 Stagsnet Match Report
|
|
|
||
|
Mansfield Town
|
|
Oldham Athletic
|
||
|
Hoban 84, 90+2
|
|
|||
|
Attendance: 1343 (149 from Oldham)
|
||||
|
Date: 10 January 2017
|
||||
|
HOBAN DOUBLE SENDS STAGS INTO QUARTER-FINALS
Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town are through to the quarter-finals of the Checkatrade Trophy after a 2-0 win over League One Oldham Athletic on Tuesday evening. After a fairly forgettable opening 84 minutes, the Stags won the game with two similar goals from striker Pat Hoban in the final few minutes. On 84 minutes, Hoban started the move that led to the first goal, as he knocked a ball down the left for CJ Hamilton, Hamilton beat his man and lifted a cross to the far post where James Baxendale controlled the ball, and dinked a little ball up into the middle for Hoban to head home from 3 yards. And Baxendale and Hoban combined again for the second goal two minutes into stoppage time. Baxendale took a free kick from the right with great quality which Hoban attacked to head home. Earlier the first half had been lacking in much goalmouth action, with Chris Clements going closest for the Stags, as he sent a left footed volley from 20 yards just wide of the left post after Hoban played a fine 1-2 with him. While at the other end, Mal Benning made a great goalline clearance from Osei’s shot from just 5 yards out. In the second half, Hoban flicked a left footed volley just wide of the right post after Benning crossed from the left. Then Baxendale should have done better when he fired over from 20 yards after Hoban knocked back to him. Oldham had two good chances to take the lead as Edmundson headed over from a corner which was misjudged by Jake Kean, and Clarke headed wide from a Banks corner. On the stroke of 90 minutes, with Mansfield leading 1-0, Oldham nearly equalised when Edmondson fired wide from 12 yards. But Mansfield deserved the win overall in my opinion, thanks to the two pieces of quality for the goals. Some good performances in the Mansfield side. Pat Hoban was my man of the match for his two goals, going very close with another chance, and setting up chances for both Clements and Baxendale. Baxendale showed two pieces of quality in setting up the goals, though didn’t show too much quality throughout the rest of the game. The defence played well, and Lee Collins had a very fine game in front of the back four including a few great tackles. The down side of the evening was an injury to Kyle Howkins. Steve Evans hoped it wouldn’t be too serious but said we will know more in the coming days. Mansfield pick up £40,000 in prize money for this victory, not to be sniffed at, to add to £40,000 for the earlier wins in the competition. The draw for the quarter-finals is on Thursday morning at 11.30am live on Sky Sports News. It is a free draw, so Mansfield could play any other side that is also through, home or away. Mansfield are just two games from Wembley. I’ve written several times before about general dissatisfaction with this tournament and won’t bore you with it again. But clearly the format won’t be the same next year. It was a windy evening in Mansfield, though not as windy as Boxing Day and it did not appear to affect the game on this occasion. Mansfield made three changes from the team that beat Crewe. Two of these were enforced with Byrom and Whiteman cup-tied. In came Clements and Baxendale. The only enforced change saw Green rested, replaced by Hoban. Oldham included Josh Law, son of Alfreton boss Nicky Law, at right back. In the 1st minute, an early shot from Law for Oldham, that deflected off a teammate who was offside. Then great skill from Hamilton on the left to win a free kick. On 14 minutes, Hamilton started on another great run, before being brought down by Edmondson, who was booked. Then on 17 minutes, Hamilton cut inside onto his right foot, but scuffed a low shot straight at the keeper. On 21 minutes, McLaughlin broke down the left for Oldham and his shot from a tight angle was well-saved by Kean. A minute later, Collins got a bash on the head on the halfway line but play continued, Oldham broke forward, and Wilson fired over from 20 yards. Mansfield’s best chance of the first half came on 25 minutes. Clements sent a left footed volley from 20 yards just wide of the left post after Hoban played a fine 1-2 with him. On 33 minutes, a free kick from Baxendale 28 yards out, on the left, floated to the far post, where Pearce tried to pull the ball back across but could only put behind for a goal-kick. On 37 minutes, a good tackle by Collins on Paul Green. On 42 minutes, Benning made a great goalline clearance from Osei’s shot from just 5 yards out. McLaughlin had got past Bennett to the byline, his crossed sailed over Kean, and Law pulled the ball back to Osei. Benning was booked for dissent on 43 minutes. Referee Drysdale lectured Steve Evans, meanwhile an Oldham player bizarrely took the free-kick, which Drysdale pulled back. On 45+1 minutes, Kean managed to push a Wilson low powerful shot from 25 yards around the post with his knee. It was an awkward shot and he did well. Oldham were in the ascendancy. On 45+2 minutes, Baxendale’s high free kick into the box was headed across by Howkins at the far post, and the keeper just managed to put behind for a corner as Bennett looked to pounce. From the resulting corner by Baxendale from the right, Pearce misdirected a volley well wide. Oldham had the better of the latter stages of the half. The best chance of the half was Benning’s goalline clearance to block Osei’s shot. But overall it wasn’t great entertainment. Half time 0-0 It was a poor start to the second half. Nothing happened until 56 minutes when Benning completely scuffed a shot from 28 yards that was going wide but took a deflection for a corner. Clements was harshly booked for a trip on 57 minutes. On 60minutes, good play by Collins to win the ball. On 62 minutes, Hamilton cut onto his right foot and his shot was blocked. The ball came back to him, he found Benning, who crossed from the left and Hoban flicked a left footed volley just wide of the right post. Two minutes later, Hamilton made a long run down the left, to the edge of the area, but then shot well wide. On 66 minutes, Howkins made a great tackle on Fane as Fane burst forward from the halfway line. Hoban and Arquin hadn’t been on the same wavelength. But on 69 minutes, Hoban shot from 20 yards and Arquin back-flicked on target but straight at the keeper. However the offside flag was up against Arquin. Howkins had to limp off on 70 minutes as a result of his great tackle 4 minutes earlier. After the game, Steve Evans said we would not know the extent of the injury for a day or two. Mitch Rose came on and slotted in at right back with Bennett moving to centre half. On 72 minutes, Clements curled a shot from 20 yards straight at the keeper. A good move from the Stags on 73 minutes. Hamilton squared in the air to Hoban, who chested down and laid off to Baxendale, who fired over from 20 yards. That was a good chance. On 77 minutes, a Fane cross from the right, McKay flicked goalwards and it came off Pearce for a corner. From that corner, Edmondson lost his marker Benning and was unmarked as he headed over. Then on 80 minutes, an Oldham corner from the left by Banks, and Clarke lost his marker Pearce to head wide at the far post. A minute after that, McLaughlin pushed forward and scuffed a shot straight at Kean. On 82 minutes, Clements was bundled over 24 yards out, to the right of centre. He sent the resulting free kick miles over the bar. Terrible from Clements. Jack Thomas immediately replaced Clements, and Green replaced Arquin, on 83 minutes. On 84 minutes, and within seconds of the substitutions, the Stags were ahead. Hoban started the move that led to the goal, as he knocked a ball down the left for Hamilton, Hamilton beat his man and lifted a cross to the far post where Baxendale controlled the ball, and dinked a little ball up into the middle for Hoban to head home from 3 yards. Seconds after the goal, Hamilton broke down the left as the Stags had men over, and his cross was dummied by Hoban but then cleared. On 90 minutes, a free from Banks from the left, dropped kindly for Edmondson who fired wide from a great position 12 yards out. A minute later, McLaughlin knocked the ball over Mitch Rose and surged into the area and went down. Referee Drysdale waved away the penalty appeals. The correct decision from looking at the replay on video. Mansfield made the game safe on 90+2 minutes as Baxendale and Hoban combined again. Green won a free kick on the right as he was hacked down by Wilson, who should have been booked (which would have been his second booking) but wasn’t. Baxendale took a free kick from the right with great quality which Hoban attacked to head home. On 90+5 Edmondson left a header back to his keeper short and Green intercepted, but Green had earlier come back from an offside position and was duly given offside. So a good win. Not the best game and not the best performance, but just about deserved. Three wins and three clean sheets in a row for Mansfield. On to the big one at Meadow Lane on Saturday. Footnote: Oldham sacked manager Stephen Robinson 2 days after this game. So that’s twice in 3 days that a club has sacked their manager after losing to Mansfield. Man of the match: Pat Hoban |
||||
|
Report by: Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
|
||||
|
Line Up:
|
(4-4-2)
Kean 6 Made a couple of good saves. But also misjudged a couple of crosses. Bennett 7 Good game. Just one problem when McLaughlin got past him to the byline. Howkins 7.5 Good game. One great tackle on the dangerous Fane. Limped off injured. Pearce 7 Lost his man Clarke who had a free header from a corner. Other than that, very good game. Benning 7.5 Critical goalline clearance in the first half. Good cross for Hoban flicked effort just wide. Baxendale 7.5 Two high quality crosses to set up the goals, though didn’t show too much quality throughout the rest of the game. Collins 8 Very fine game in front of the back four including a few great tackles. Clements 6 One good effort in the first half. Otherwise not at his best and one free kick was dreadful. However on reviewing the game again, it was noticeable that he set a few good moves going. Hamilton 7.5 Continued his good form. Numerous penetrating runs. Involved in the build-up to the first goal. Also involved in setting up chances for Hoban and Baxendale. Won several free-kicks. Hoban 8 My man of the match for his two goals, going very close with another chance, and setting up chances for both Clements and Baxendale. Arquin 6 Didn’t link with Hoban too effectively. Didn’t get involved in enough. |
|
Sub Line Up:
|
M.Rose (for Howkins, 70 mins) -
J.Thomas (for Clements, 83 mins) - Green (for Arquin, 83 mins) - Subs not used: Shearer, McGuire, Hurst, Hemmings. |
|
Opposition Line Up:
|
(5-3-2): Ripley; Law, Wilson, Clarke, Edmundson, Croft (sub Mckay 61); Fane, Green (sub Winchester 70), Flynn (sub Banks 61); McLaughlin, Osei. Subs not used: Kettings, Dummigan, King, Glackin.
|
|
Referee:
|
Darren Drysdale 6 Correctly waved away Oldham penalty appeals in stoppage time. Should have given Wilson a second yellow for a cynical foul on Green.
|
|
|