Archived News from August 2006
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EARLY PREVIEWS AND TRANSFER NEWS
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SHIRTLIFF AIMS FOR NEW FACE
Evening Post, MATT HALFPENNY, 30 August 2006 Peter Shirtliff is keen to add another new face to his Mansfield squad before the permanent transfer window closes. The Mansfield boss made four new signings in the summer in his bid to improve a Stags side that finished 16th in League Two last season. But he is keen to bring in another player as soon as he can to add competition for places. The window for permanent deals closes tomorrow and does not open again until January. But there is still the option during that time of drafting in new blood on loan. Shirtliff is looking at permanent and loan deals. He is delighted with the way the new boys - Carl Muggleton, Johnny Mullins, Matt Hamshaw and Mick Boulding - have acquitted themselves so far. And he believes the quartet will only get better as the season goes on. He said: "Mugsy [Muggleton] is a calming influence in goal and has made some good saves too. "The two lads down the right have slotted in well and got a good understanding going while Boulding looks to be a threat whenever he gets on the ball in advanced positions." ----------- Stags ready for Wycombe after 'freak result' CHAD, 29 August 2006 STAGS boss Peter Shirtliff takes his side to Wycombe Wanderers this Friday (7.45pm) happy to chalk off last weekend's 4-2 home defeat by neighbours Lincoln City as a 'freak result'. Saturday afternoon had begun on a high as the Carling Cup second round draw paired Mansfield at home to Premiership high-flyers Portsmouth. But it quickly deteriorated as Lincoln romped into a 4-0 lead with all four goals by Jamie Forrester, despite Stags creating many more chances than the visitors, and eventually they had to settle for a 4-2 defeat and the end of their unbeaten run. However, Shirtliff said: "It was an amazing game on Saturday and I actually believe we could have won it 7-4. "I watched the video with the players on Monday and we played well. The players didn't actually realise how well they had played. "So we will put it down as a freak result and look forward to the game at Wycombe. "You can't legislate for the two rash tackles that gave them penalties and poor defending for the other two, although all credit to him for finishing them off well and we didn't take our chances. "Four penalties awarded in one game was just unbelievable too. The statistic were ridiculous for a league game." Stags' squad for Wycombe is boosted by the return of injured duo Giles Coke and Jon Olav Hjelde. Both came through Tuesday's reserve 4-0 friendly reserve game against Chesterfield on a soggy Field Mill surface after a heavy downpour. Chris Beardsley (2), a Nathan Arnold penalty and Danny Reet scored the goals. Coke played the full 90 minutes and Hjelde did the first half hour. Shirtliff only has until tomorrow (Thursday) to sign a player on a permanent deal or loan, though could still bring in a loan player after a seven-day wait the following Thursday. However, he said: "I do have Jon and Giles back which brings other things into the equation. "If I brought in a loan player, how that would help us I am not sure. We will just have to wait and see but I am certainly not panicking. "The lads are looking forward to Friday and want to bounce back. And they are capable of doing that. "I think this division will be like last year's with everyone capable of beating everyone else." Stags keeper Carl Muggleton is also looking forward to the Wycombe trip and agreed: "I think Saturday was a bit of a freak result - I certainly hope it was. We just have to chalk it off as a bad day at the office. "It is going to be a test of the young players here now to see if they can lift themselves at Wycombe. "We have to get out heads down, work hard and hope the next time we play at home we can put on a performance and get the crowd behind us." After starting the season with a draw, a win and a defeat, Wycombe have roared into life with three straight wins, including a Carling Cup success away to League One Swansea City. Unless Sky TV want to move the game to screen it, it seems likely Portsmouth will visit Field Mill in the Carling Cup round two on Tuesday, 19th September. Boss Harry Redknapp was knocked out of the same competition at the same stage at Field Mill last season when he sent out an under-strength Southampton only to see Stags beat them in Shirtliff's first game in charge. But Shirtliff is not thinking about the Portsmouth game. "It looks a decent draw as they are second in the Premiership," he said. "I don't know what sort of side they will bring but we will just have to get on with it whatever. "But I am more interested in the League than the cup and I am not giving it any thought until it comes around. "I don't need to tell the lads to do the same. They know what is required." Mansfield Town Ladies continued their preparations for the coming league campaign with a trip over the motorway to near neighbours and Midland Combination side Chesterfield Ladies and came back with a 1-1 draw. Stags took the lead on 15 minutes. Sarah Chapman sent the ball into the area, and after attempts by Kay Ayres and Kay Campbell, the ball finally fell to the feet of Shelley Smith. And she had time to set up her shot, which was drilled low under the diving keeper. However, Chesterfield were level before the break. Stags keeper Emma Horsnall collected an inswinging corner. But, she fell into the back of the net while under pressure from the players from both sides around her. The first minute of the second half saw a speculative effort come back off the foot of the Chesterfield goalpost and rebound into the keeper's arms. The Chesterfield keeper was having a blinder of a game, pulling off save after save to keep the Stags at bay, In the last minute, Mansfield looked to have won the game when Tiffany Musgrove followed up a shot and found herself in the back of the net after colliding with a defender. The ball hit the foot of the post and looked to have crossed the line, but it was cleared away. The league season for Stags Ladies begins next Sunday when newly-promoted Leicester City Women visit Blidworth Welfare for the opening fixture in the East Midlands Women's Football League Premier Division. |
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