Archived News from July 2006
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MANSFIELD TOWN 1 DERBY COUNTY 1
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MANSFIELD TOWN 1 DERBY COUNTY 1
19 July 2006 ---------- BOULDING RETURNS TO SNATCH THE LIMELIGHT Evening Post, by MATT HALFPENNY Last night may have seen the debut of Mansfield's three summer signings, but it was the name of another new player on the home fans' lips come the final whistle. Michael Boulding is familiar to many Stags fans following a previous two-year spell at Field Mill from 1999 to 2001. Now five years later at the age of 30 he is back training at Field Mill - and capped a fine substitute performance against Derby with an equalising goal. Of course, the burning question after the game was whether the Manchester-born player will be signing for the club for a second time. But the answer is still unclear - even though Mansfield boss Peter Shirtliff is very keen to sign Boulding, particularly as he can play in the problematical left-midfield slot. "I'm hoping he will be a Mansfield Town player come the start of the season but there are things to sort out," said Shirtliff. "He's a lovely lad but now he has to make a decision." The career of Boulding has been an interesting one and, had things worked out differently, he might not have played football at all. As a youngster he was a promising tennis player who was good enough to gain a world ranking on the ATP tour where he roomed with Tim Henman. But things did not work out and he went to play for Sheffield side Hallam in the Northern Counties East League. Boulding was then plucked from that relative obscurity by Billy Dearden in the summer of 1999 as a raw talent with electric pace. He went on to establish himself as a popular figure at Mansfield and often partnered Chris Greenacre in attack, making 65 appearances and scoring 12 goals before joining Grimsby. Spells at Sheffield United, Aston Villa, Barnsley and Cardiff followed until Boulding quit the game in 2005 to concentrate on business ventures. But he has since had a change of heart and returned after just seven months away by finishing 2005-2006 with Rotherham. On the evidence of last night, Mansfield fans will hope that he will continue his comeback. However, Boulding's input was not the only positive. The new right-hand side combination - consisting of right-back Johnny Mullins and midfelder Matt Hamshaw - looks full of promise. The other new boy - goalkeeper Carl Muggleton - had little to do for 90 minutes as Derby kept possession adeptly but did not threaten too often. Mansfield made the better start in the first half hour and should have gone in front, but both Richard Barker and Adam Birchall missed good chances. Skipper Barker also had the ball in the net with a header from Hamshaw's free-kick but his effort was ruled offside. Derby came back into the game towards the end of the first period and got on top after the restart. But it took a goal that is likely to be as good as any seen at Field Mill this season to break the deadlock - Inigo Idiakez cracking home a thumping 30-yard half volley. Mansfield ringed the changes throughout the second half, but it was Boulding's introduction that proved decisive. After firing a warning by shooting inches pat the left-hand post in the 63rd minute he found the right-hand corner after picking up substitute Giles Cokes pass and turning sharply on the edge of the box. In stoppage time another replacement Danny Reet forced a good save out of Lee Grant that might have seen the Stags seal a surprise win. Shirtliff added: "I thought we played quite well, especially in the first half and it was a pleasing performance." Mansfield: Muggleton, Jelleyman (Collins 73), Hjelde (McIntosh 73), John-Baptiste, Mullins, Birchall (Boulding 63) D'Laryea (Coke 57), Dawson (Lloyd 57), Hamshaw (Arnold 63), Barker (Reet 73), Brown (Beardsley 57). Subs not used: R. Boulding, Sleath. Derby County: Grant, Edworthy (Jackson 45), Nyatanga, Bolder (Thirlwell 45), Moore, M. Johnson (Holmes 45), Smith, Bisgaard (S. Johnson 45), Peschisolido (Idiakez), Barnes, Meredith (Boertien 45). Sub not used: Camp. Referee: R. Booth. Attendance: 2,971 (1,032 visitors). --------------- Boulding leveller rocks Rams CHAD report STAGS fans will have gone home happy after tonight's entertaining 1-1 friendly draw with Championship club Derby County at Field Mill. And Stags boss Peter Shirtliff will be hoping he can sort out a deal to bring Mansfield old boy Michael Boulding back to the club as the trialist sparkled and grabbed a late equaliser. Mansfield Town failed to capitalise on their impressive first half showing and fell behind to a stunning 30 yard thunderbolt from Inigo Idiakez on 59 minutes. However, former Stags star Boulding had the final say, capping a lively second half substitute's showing with his well-taken 88th minute leveller. Also impressive in the first half were new boys John Mullins, who caught the eye at right back, and Matt Hamshaw, who caused Derby numerous problems on the right wing and put in some pinpoint corners and free kicks which could be a major threat for the club this season. Stags dominated the first half hour and could and should have been ahead. New boy Mullins's neat turn and drag-back in the box in only the second minute forced Grant to smother at his feet. Barker then had the ball in the net as early as the 12th minute with a firm header from Hamshaw's free kick at the far post only to see it ruled out for an offside flag. Adam Birchall was inches wide on 23 with a low finish before Barker wasted a perfect chance a minute later as he planted a free header wide from Simon Brown's cross, eight yards from goal and in a central position. Another superb Hamshaw free kick saw Barker head just over and then Camp had to stretch an arm to tip over a venomous Brown shot on the turn from 25 yards. The Rams had only threatened once when Lewin Nyatanga's glancing header passed the far post on six minutes. But too often their neat passing fizzled out as they got into the final third with the home defence in good shape. However, as the pace dropped in the heat, Derby stepped things up in the last 15 minutes of the half and it took a superb header from D'Laryea to intercept Paul Peschisolido's cross before Morten Bisgaard headed home from five yards. And Peschisolido poked a chance inches wide just before the break. The Rams made six interval changes, bringing on the likes of Idiakez and Seth Johnson. And Johnson almost made a quick impact, firing narrowly wide on 51. As Stags rang the changes at regular intervals, the visitors began to boss the game much more and Muggleton finally had to make a save to get down to Barnes' low drive. But on 59 there was nothing he could do as Idiakez let fly with a 30 bullet shot that beat him all ends up. Mansfield were perked up by the introduction of Michael Boulding on 63 and he twice came very close before setting up Chris Beardsley for a shot that Grant could only hold at the second atempt and a header that Danny Reet glanced wide. But, after Barnes had twice gone close to netting a second for the Rams, Boulding got his reward for his endeavours with an equaliser two minutes from the end as he accepted a square pas from Giles Coke before slamming a 20 yard finish past Grant. Stags even almost snatched a win in stoppage time as Reet volleyed a Paul Collins cross straight at the keeper. --------- FULL-TIME: MANSFIELD TOWN 1 RAMS 1 http://www.dcfc.premiumtv.co.uk MANSFIELD TOWN 1 Micky Boulding 87 DERBY COUNTY 1 Idiakez 58 From Field Mill The Rams were three minutes away from a hat-trick of pre-season victories after a dominant second half display was capped by a stunning Inigo Idiakez strike. But Stags sub Michael Boulding popped up in the 87th minute to fire home an equaliser the Field Mill side will feel they deserved after creating the better chances in the first half. This encounter saw Billy Davies maintain his unbeaten run as Derby boss. It was a tale of two halves, with the Rams emerging the brighter to score and dominate the second half after a first 45 that saw Mansfield carve out more chances. The Rams, sporting last season's black-and-white strip, lined up with Lee Grant in goal, Edworthy at right-back, and Nyatanga on the left with the experienced Johnson and Moore in the centre. Barnes, Bolder and Meredith were in support of Bisgaard, Smith and Peschisolido. John Mullins was clear in the box with only Grant to beat on two minutes - the Rams stopper spread himself and saved well from point-blank range. Mullins threatened again three minutes later with a powerdrive from outside the box on the right which Grant gathered well. The home side were proving lively and netted in the 12th minute, although Dawson was judged offside as skipper Barker headed home from a Hamshaw free-kick. Birchall's low drive flew past Grant's right-hand post on 21 minutes and seconds later Brown beat the offside trap on the right but his cross into the box was squandered by Barker whose header from close range flew over the crossbar. D'Laryea headed away at the expense of a corner as Bisgaard rose in the box to meet a Peschisolido cross from the left on the half-hour mark, but the Rams, while playing decent possession football, were struggling to fashion decent chances - unlike the home side, who won a corner after Grant was forced to tip over the bar from Brown's strong shot from the edge of the box seconds later. Peschisolido fired wide across the face of the area from a Bisgaard right-hand corner on 40 minutes - a move that summed up Derby's first 45. Davies once again chose to ring the changes at half-time as he continued his 'fact-finding' mission with Jackson, Idiakez, Thirlwell, Holmes, Boertien and Seth Johnson joining the action in place of Peschisolido, Bisgaard, Meredith, Michael Johnson, Bolder and Edworthy. Mansfield remained unchanged despite a 10-man bench. Seth Johnson's low shot trickled inches past ex-Forest kepper Muggleton's left-hand post on 50 minutes and Smith ended a super solo run a minute later by shooting high and wide under pressure from John-Baptiste. Barnes' shot on 54 took a deflection and was gathered well by Muggleton at his near post. The Rams had started the second half brighter. Mansfield boss Peter Shirtliff opted for fresh legs on 56 minutes, Brown, Dawson and D'Laryea being replaced by Beardsley, Coke and Lloyd. Idiakez's 30-yard screamer opened the scoring on the hour mark. Boertien's cross into the box from the left was headed down and cleared to the feet of the Spaniard who fired the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of Muggleton's net. It was another stunning strike from the classy midfielder. Two minutes later Arnold was on for Birchall with Boulding replacing Hamshaw. Boulding was involved within seconds, firing just wide of Grant after an impressive solo run. Smith was down in the Mansfield box on 65 after clashing with Hjelde - the referee waved away penalty calls but the Derby frontman was clutching his ankle and required physio attention. Barker was replaced by Reet on 72 minutes. Beardsley's shot from range flew through four players and forced a good save from Grant who dived to his right to palm away on 80 minutes. At the other end, Barnes' speculative volley from the right hit the side-netting a minute later. Smith headed into Muggleton's arms from a Johnson corner on 84 before Boulding levelled the scores two minutes from time with a low shot from inside the box. RAMS (from) Grant, Edworthy, Nyatanga, Bolder, Moore, M Johnson, Smith, Bisgaard, Peschisolido, Barnes, Meredith, Idiakez, Camp, Jackson, Thirlwell, Holmes, Boertien, S Johnson MANSFIELDTOWN Muggleton, Mullins, Jelleyman, D'Laryea, Hjelde, John-Baptiste, Hamshaw, Dawson, Barker, Brown, Birchall. SUBS Coke, Beardsley, Lloyd, McIntosh, Sleath, Arnold, Reet, Boulding, Collins 1032 2971 ----------- HT: MANSFIELD TOWN 0 RAMS 0 http://www.dcfc.premiumtv.co.uk MANSFIELD TOWN 0 DERBY COUNTY 0 From Field Mill The Rams by no means outclassed their League Two neighbours in the first half of this pre-season friendly - indeed the home side created the better of the chances. It's 0-0 at the break with Billy Davies hoping his side's talent will tell in the second half as he looks to maintain his winning run. The Rams, sporting last season's black-and-white strip, lined up with Lee Grant in goal, Edworthy at right-back, and Nyatanga on the left with the experienced Johnson and Moore in the centre. Barnes, Bolder and Meredith were in support of Bisgaard, Smith and Peschisolido. John Mullins was clear in the box with only Grant to beat on two minutes - the Rams stopper spread himself and saved well from point-blank range. Mullins threatened again three minutes later with a powerdrive from outside the box on the right which Grant gathered well. The home side were proving lively and netted in the 12th minute, although Dawson was judged offside as skipper Barker headed home from a Hamshaw free-kick. Birchall's low drive flew past Grant's right-hand post on 21 minutes and seconds later Brown beat the offside trap on the right but his cross into the box was squandered by Barker whose header from close range flew over the crossbar. D'Laryea headed away at the expense of a corner as Bisgaard rose in the box to meet a Peschisolido cross from the left on the half-hour mark, but the Rams, while playing decent possession football, were struggling to fashion decent chances - unlike the home side, who won a corner after Grant was forced to tip over the bar from Brown's strong shot from the edge of the box seconds later. Peschisolido fired wide across the face of the area from a Bisgaard right-hand corner on 40 minutes - a move that summed up Derby's first 45. RAMS (from) Grant, Edworthy, Nyatanga, Bolder, Moore, M Johnson, Smith, Bisgaard, Peschisolido, Barnes, Meredith, Idiakez, Camp, Jackson, Thirlwell, Holmes, Boertien, S Johnson MANSFIELDTOWN Muggleton, Mullins, Jelleyman, D'Laryea, Hjelde, John-Baptiste, Hamshaw, Dawson, Barker, Brown, Birchall. SUBS Coke, Beardsley, Lloyd, McIntosh, Sleath, Arnold, Reet, Boulding, Collins |
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