Mansfield Town Football Club

Saturday 18th August 2001

Worthington Cup, Round One

Attendance: 4, 533

The Stags started with the same eleven that began the previous two league games, with striker Shayne Bradley still ruled out through a heel injury and Adam Barrett still missing through a lack of match fitness. County included ex-Stag Ian Baraclough who rejoined County in the summer from QPR.

The Stags began brightly and took the lead on 18 minutes when Greenacre latched on to a deadly Hassell through ball and slid the ball under the legs of Mildenhall. However, the home fans joy was to be short lived as within an incredible and disastrous 15 minutes spell the Stags found themselves unbelievably 4-1 down. First came the County equaliser, Allsop looking very off-side latched on to a through ball and slotted the ball past Pilkington. Stags defenders, notably Reddington were clearly furious at the assistant referee. Then just 5 minutes later another border line off-side decision went the way of Allsop who again finished well. Then County scored a third and skipper Les Robinson must shoulder full blame after being dispossessed on the edge of his own penalty area and Pilkington was left in no-mans land as Allsop completed a ten minute hat-trick, handed to him on a plate!! However, the madness was not to end there as Pilkington came up with a real howler. The appalling referee penalised White some ten yards inside the County half. Keeper Mildenhall launched the ball into the Stags area and Pilkington mis-judged the flight of the ball and completely missed it and could only watch in despair as the ball bounced into the empty net. No-one would have given the Stags a chance after this incredible series of calamities, however such is the talent and spirit in this young side that the last hour of the game was totally dominated by the home side. The real key to the Stags fight back was Greenacre heading home another perfect Lawrence cross on the stroke of half time. The team went in at half time 4-2 down, but with the boost of that goal they knew another one early in the 2nd half would set up a grandstand finish.

Half-Time 2-4

The goal the Stags needed came on the hour and it was another mistake that provided the chance. Mildenhall had scurried to the edge of his box and seemed to handle the ball outside the area, not for the first time the assistant on the far side was clearly looking somewhere else and failed to spot the infringement, however, Mildenhall inexplicably rolled the ball onto the back of one of his own defenders and White picked up the loose ball and fired home with a powerful 20 yard shot from quite a tight angle. It was now all Mansfield and Pilkington was a spectator. Greenacre scissor kicked over the bar from a Lawrence cross and Hassell's low shot almost ricocheted to Greenacre. More chances came and went as the Stags pressed forwards. Bacon replaced Disley as the Stags switched to a 3-4-3 formation and still the home side continued to dominate, Lawrence far more effective than he had been all match. With five minutes remaining Liburd was sent off after kicking Hassell off the ball, though for some reason the Stags defender was also booked having seemingly done nothing. Lawrence was then outrageously booked after very poor sportsmanship from Baraclough, the Stags player retrieved the ball and threw it to Baraclough who allowed the ball to go under his legs, the inept referee believed Lawrence had thrown the ball away and so booked the Stags youngster. In the five minutes of added on time the Stags almost snatched a deserved equaliser, Corden's shot bounced all over the place inside the County area but sadly for the home side the ball was scrambled clear and the chance to force extra time was lost.

So a first half littered with schoolboy errors was followed by a terrific fight back which at the very least deserved an extra half hour. The Stags totally dominated the 2nd half though County did defend well and kept the Stags chances to a minimum. Bad errors from Pilkington and Robinson cost the Stags two goals, with off-side doubts over the other two goals. Hassell had a fine game at right back and as the game wore on Lawrence became more of a threat. Corden again showed touches of class, though didn't get the ball as often as he should. However, man of the match is easy, Chris Greenacre's overall play was excellent and his two goals were both superbly finished.

Man of the Match: Chris Greenacre

Report by Rob Wheldon

Click here for Martin's report