CARLISLE UNITED

0-1

MANSFIELD TOWN

    Greenacre 28

Saturday 10th November 2001 - kick off 12 noon

Nationwide League Division 3

Attendance:  2, 546 

The Stags were without striker Shayne Bradley who suffered a last minute hamstring injury, he was replaced by Danny Bacon, otherwise the Stags were unchanged from the side that beat Luton last week.  A 28th minute striker by Chris Greenacre, his 14th goal of the season, proved decisive as the Stags claimed all three points at Brunton Park.   An error from Carlisle keeper Keen who mis-kicked a Rogers pass-back gave the Stags the points in what was otherwise a very poor game.  Despite the win Stags boss Bill Dearden was disappointed with his sides display saying he was "disappointed with the way we played" but also praise defender Adam Barrett saying "Adam Barrett looked a good defender today and Chris got his goal but the lads haven't done themselves justice today".

From Teamtalk:  Mansfield's prolific striker Chris Greenacre scored his 14th goal of the season after capitalising on a glaring error by Cumbrians keeper Peter Keen.  Despite the slippery surface, both teams started the game well and played some good football, but it was all very tight in the midfield and neither keepers were really tested.  For the visitors, forward Danny Bacon had a couple of good moments, shooting over the bar early on and then sending in a dangerous cross which was turned behind.  The home side's first real chance came from an in-swinging corner which Steve Halliday got on the end of, but under pressure from the opposition, he was unable to direct his header goalwards.  After this warning, Mansfield asserted themselves as the higher-placed team and began to take control as they built up the pressure by expertly retaining possession. Lee Williamson's effort from inside the box was smartly turned round the post by Keen, and from the resulting corner, Bobby Hassell launched a rocket from 25 yards that just whistled past the wrong side of the upright.  It was always going to take something out of the ordinary to open the scoring and on 27 minutes, Keen provided that opening when he completely miskicked a back-pass from Dave Rogers. The ball trickled to the alert Greenacre and he simply rounded Keen before rolling it into the back of the net.  Halliday tried his luck with a delicate chip from just outside the area but it dropped onto the roof of the net, and, although The Cumbrians finished the stronger in the first half, they rarely threatened Kevin Pilkington's goal.  15 minutes after the break, Rogers, already on a yellow card, made a rash challenge by the sideline and he could have no complaints when he was dismissed, leaving Roddy Collins's men with a mountain to climb.

From Sports.com:  Carlisle United pushed the self-destruct button to give Mansfield Town victory and bring to an end their four-game unbeaten run.  "We were absolutely awful," said Carlisle boss Roddy Collins. It highlights how important Ritchie Foran is to the team because we don't have players who can score goals.  We realise we need new players and I'm going to sign three before the next home game, there'll be a midfielder, a wide left player and a centre forward.  All my thoughts are on the next home league game, its more important then playing Barnet in the FA Cup."  Mansfield boss Bill Dearden was in agreement with Collins' summing up saying: "It was the worst game we've been involved in this season. We had no sharpness and we looked lethargic.  "Both sides were poor and I don't think either keeper had a really difficult save to make. I felt sorry for the Carlisle keeper, but these sorts of things happen."  A scrappy game had few moments of incident and there appeared to be no danger when David Rogers played a routine backpass to Peter Keen in the 27th minute, but the keeper slipped and the ball fell to Stags danger man Chris Greenacre, who kept his cool to slot the ball home for his 14th goal of the season.  Steve Halliday tried to put United back on level terms with a 34th minute effort, but his curling shot finished on the roof of the net with Kevin Pilkington in no-mans land.  Then a mistake by Adam Barrett gave Jon Allan sight of goal, but Pilkington was out sharply to punch the ball off the striker's head on the edge of the area.  Another Mansfield error this time from their man of the match Craig Disley allowed Brendan McGill to thread a ball to Halliday in the danger zone and only a superb tackle by Bobby Hassell stopped the Carlisle striker getting his shot away.  Any chance of a Carlisle comeback evaporated in the 55th minute when Rogers, who had already been booked for a foul in the sixth minute, made a late challenge on Greenacre and the referee had no option but to send him off for a second yellow card offence.  Minutes before Rogers' dismissal a thrilling eight-man passing move by Mansfield from one end of the park to the other ended with Keen forced to make a diving save from Daniel Bacon's header.  Despite being down to ten men United did well to prevent Mansfield from adding to their tally, but the Cumbrians own strikeforce, minus the suspended Foran, was never more than powder-puff and a McGill effort in the 68th minute was their only shot on target during the game.

From BBC:  Mansfield's top scorer Chris Greenacre scored the only goal of the game as
the Stags beat Carlisle.  A mistake in the 28th minute by Carlisle goalkeeper Peter Keen, who slipped as he came out to collect the ball, gave Greenacre the chance to chip it
into an empty net.  The Stags had chances earlier to take the lead.  Danny Bacon's cross in the 13th minute was collected by Keen with several Carlisle players waiting in the penalty area. A minute later another Bacon cross was cleared by Carlisle defender.
Carlisle almost equalised four minutes before half-time.  A sloppy header by Mansfield's Adam Barrett set up young striker Jonny Allan.  But alert goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington snatched the ball away from his head.  Carlisle's only shot on target came in the 58th minute when Pilkington held Brendan McGill's snap-shot under the crossbar.

From ITV:  Mansfield's top scorer Chris Greenacre hit his 14th goal of the season to give his side a 1-0 victory at Carlisle.  A mistake in the 28th minute by Carlisle goalkeeper Peter Keen, who slipped as he came out to collect the ball, gave Greenacre the chance to chip it into an empty net.  The Stags had chances earlier to take the lead and in the 13th minute Danny Bacon wriggled through to the byline but his soft cross went straight to Keen.  A minute later, Carlisle defender Stuart Whitehead nodded another Bacon cross away for a corner.  Carlisle had their best chance of the first half four minutes before the break. A sloppy back-header by Mansfield's Adam Barrett set up young striker Jonny Allan but alert goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington snatched the ball away from his head.  Carlisle's only shot on target came in the 58th minute when Pilkington held Brendan McGill's snap-shot under the crossbar.

STAGS RATINGS (by Rich Parkes)
Pilkington 7 A very sound performance, reacted well when required   
Hassell  7 Distributed the ball down the channels, worked well with Liam
Pemberton 7 His mistake could have proved costly, but coped well enough
Barrett 9 Man of the match, a solid display with the odd rummage forward 
Robinson 8 Mr Consistency as ever, easily handed Carlisle's bombardment 
Lawrence 7 Assisted Bobby Hassell when required, worked well in the last quarter
Corden 6 Cut inside a time or two to give Carlisle problems. Wasn't his type of match
Disley 7 Fortunate not to get sent off, but tackled well throughout    
Williamson 7 Harried and unsettled the Sausage Eaters midfield for all 90 mins  
Greenacre 8 Carlisle's tackling overly aggressive but class shone through by scoring the only goal
Bacon  7 Surrounded by over zealous defenders throughout, but stuck to his task
Subs:
Tankard  6 (For Disley, 77)  He evaded Carlisle's right flank attacks
Subs Not Used:  Reddington, White (A), Jervis, Bingham
Carlisle:  Keen, Birch, Murphy, Whitehead, Rogers, Winstanley (Friars 54), Morley, Hopper (Andrews 70), McGill, Allan (Jack 64), Halliday.  Subs Not Used:  Weaver, McAughtrie

Cautions:  Carlisle:  Rogers (6), Birch (36) -  Stags:  Disley (56) - Sending Off:  Rogers (55 - 2nd yellow)