Archived News from December 2009
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HOLMES, BROUGH, ANDY PERRY, JULIAN DICKS REACTION
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Gareth Holmes video interview at mansfieldtown.net here
Brough and Perry video interview at mansfieldtown.net here Sunday Supplement with Nigel Pinnick, Andy Perry, Martin Shaw and Mark Kearney at mansfieldtown.net here ---------- from CHAD.co.uk : "It's great to get a point from a tough place to come like this, especially after that second half onslaught," said Grays boss Julian Dicks. "My heart was in my mouth the whole 45 minutes. "To be honest I gave the keeper a bit of a roasting at half time after a couple of saves which he dropped or punched when he should have caught the ball. But in the second half he was absolutely magnificent. "All I ask of them is 110 per cent and recently we've not had a lot of luck and we should have beaten Histon. So I am very happy with this point today. -------------- Brough is frustrated Evening Post MICHAEL Brough was disappointed his battle against the pain barrier was not rewarded by a Mansfield win. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Brough-frustrated/article-1579291-detail/article.html The versatile former Notts County man picked up an ankle injury in the 3-1 win at Gateshead. It left him needing treatment all week and he only past a late fitness test with the aid of a pain-killing injection. That allowed Brough, who has previously figured in midfield, to play in the centre of defence in place of the suspended Scott Garner. "When you stand at the back and watch that unfold it is so frustrating, because we had so many chances to win," he said. "From what the rest of the boys tell me, it was similar to what happened at Grays. The amount of chances we created was fantastic. "Yes, the result was disappointing, but it was an encouraging performance because we passed the ball well. "We didn't get the win, but there was a lot to take from it. "I prefer to play at centre back these days, so I was happy to slot in there. "It had been a bit of a tough week what with me doing my ankle and I didn't know whether I'd get through the game. "But, as a back four, we were saying we wanted a clean sheet and we got that." Brough admits Mansfield feel they should have collected more points from their last few games. He said: "If you'd said we would be on 41 points at halfway a few weeks ago then we would have wanted a few more than that. "We'd set a higher target, but we're still in the mix and have a very strong squad of players. You only have to look at those who weren't in the 16 for this game to see that." -------------------- Dicks praise for keeper Robinson Evening Post BOSS Julian Dicks admitted fortune favoured his Grays Athletic side as they took a point away from Field Mill. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Dicks-praise-keeper-Robinson/article-1579260-detail/article.html? The former Liverpool and West Ham full-back feared the worst when the Essex club were under the cosh for long periods. But they held on to claim a morale-boosting 0-0 draw as they bid to pull themselves clear of the drop zone. "It is a tough place to come and was especially hard in the second half," said Dicks. "My heart was in my mouth for the whole of the second 45 minutes, but we have not had a lot of luck recently, so it's swings and roundabouts. "It's great to get a point and it should give us a lift. We have only lost one in our last four now, so it is something like a run. I have been here three months and all I have asked for is the players to give me 100 per cent. Sometimes, if you put the hard work in then it can pay off for you." Dicks paid tribute to goalkeeper Stuart Robinson. He said: "I gave him a bit of a roasting at half-time after he spilled one or two things in the first half. "But in the second half he was magnificent and pulled off some great saves for us." --------------------- Grays delight as hard point is earned Monday 7th December 2009 http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/sport/4780265.Stags_fail_to_breech_Grays_Athletic_s_defences/? Mansfield Town 0, Grays Athletic 0 GRAYS' boss Julian Dicks admitted that his heart was in his mouth as his troops successfully fought off a second-half bombardment from promotion-chasing hosts Mansfield. After a disappointing first-half, the Stags launched an Alamo style siege on the visiting goal after the break. But the New Rec side escaped with a share of the spoils to help their bid to beat the drop with goalkeeper Stuart Robinson eventually emerging a hero. Dicks said: “To be honest I gave the keeper a bit of a roasting at the half-time break after a couple of saves which he dropped or punched the ball when he should have caught it. “But he was absolutely magnificent in the second-half. It's great to get a point from a tough place to come like this, especially after that second-half onslaught. “My heart was in my mouth the whole 45 minutes of the second-half.” Dicks was delighted at his side's response to midweek home defeat by Histon and added: “All I ask of the players is to give 100 per cent. Recently we've not had a lot of luck so I'm very happy with today's point.” Rugged Grays earned four of the five bookings they picked up during the game in the first-half and were only really threatened at this stage when Lewis Briscoe missed a good chance. Grays, followed by a travelling contingent of just eight fans, had second-half efforts from Ryan James and Billy Bingham hitting the side netting, but apart from that it was the Stags consistently hunting a winner. Mansfield were awarded their spot-kick when Gavin Hoyte was judged to have fouled Kyle Perry, but Robinson reached high to push away Rob Duffy's 57th-minute penalty and then ensure there was no danger from the rebound. Robinson then pushed an Ollie Hotchkiss' effort onto the bar after 82 minutes and made a superb double save to thwart Lee Morris and Andy Burgess as the action neared an end. ------------------------- Brough - don't blame Duffy for Grays draw CHAD.co.uk, 05 December 2009, By John Lomas Stags defender Michael Brough said striker Rob Duffy's penalty miss was not to blame for Saturday's 0-0 home draw with struggling Grays Athletic. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/Brough--don39t-blame-Duffy.5887665.jp Duffy saw his 57th minute kick saved by Man of the Match, Grays keeper Stuart Robinson, and Brough said: "Rob was bound to miss a penalty at some point. "But we had plenty of other chances so there is no one player to blame. On another day we would have had five or six. "Standing at the back and watching that, we were very unlucky not to score with the number of chances we created. "We feel a bit robbed but encouraged by the performance. "I thought we passed the ball well and there were some good performances in midfield. Defensively we looked really good. "Centre back is where I prefer playing these days so I was happy to start there. "It has been a bit of a weird week for me, getting injured on Tuesday, having a late fitness test and an injection today and not knowing if I would get through the game. But I felt fine and I enjoyed it," Stags first team coach Gareth Holmes added: "We created a good amount of chances. It was the same as when we created 22-23 chances at their ground. Unfortunately we were unable to put one away. "But you have to get there to miss them so at least we created those chances. "There are a lot of disappointed players in that dressing room as we want to be able to beat teams like Grays. "I don't think they really troubled us at the back. The second half was like the Alamo to be honest. But you get games like that and have to react to it and learn from it. "You are never going to dominate teams for the full 90 minutes and you have to be patient. "I thought the fans got behind us well today and could see we were trying to get the ball and pushing bodies forward. It just wouldn't go for us. If we'd scored one we'd have probably scored two or three. "But we have gone level on points with Kettering and at least we have sustained our fourth position. "Players will eventually miss a penalty kick and at least Rob is brave enough to step up and take them. I am sure he will step up and take the next one. "Nothing is won in December or February for that matter. We just have to make sure we are up there come April. We need to pick up points consistently and not got beaten and at least we ended today with a clean sheet." "It's great to get a point from a tough place to come like this, especially after that second half onslaught," said Grays boss Julian Dicks. "My heart was in my mouth the whole 45 minutes. "To be honest I gave the keeper a bit of a roasting at half time after a couple of saves which he dropped or punched when he should have caught the ball. But in the second half he was absolutely magnificent. "All I ask of them is 110 per cent and recently we've not had a lot of luck and we should have beaten Histon. So I am very happy with this point today. -------------- Stags' Perry thrilled with Duffy partnership Evening Post, December 08, 2009 KYLE Perry is thrilled with the way his strike partnership with Rob Duffy has developed at Mansfield Town. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-Perry-thrilled-Duffy-partnership/article-1582103-detail/article.html? The two front men only joined forces in the summer, when the 23-year-old completed a move from Port Vale. But they have hit it off, scoring 22 goals between them already, many of those playing in tandem. Perry feels he and Duffy owe a debt of gratitude to boss David Holdsworth for breaking with tradition and throwing in two big men together. "I think Rob and I have got a good partnership going. We are linking up well with each other," said Perry. "Most managers don't like to play two big men up top, but I think it works well and we hope to keep doing it. "We both contribute in our own way and we are pleased at the moment. "We are still arguing with each other – I asked him the other day if I could take a penalty if I was on a hat-trick and he said 'No'! But it's all good banter." Perry feels Mansfield have also upped their game defensively – and believes he and his fellow frontmen have played their part. He said: "It has been a massive effort from us defensively and that has started from the front. "As front players you sometimes get dragged out of position but we are covering for each other. If I get caught out of position then Speighty (Jake Speight) and Duffers have been dropping in for me. "We are not the finished article yet and we are practising things on the training ground. It's still a new team, so it's pleasing how we are doing." Perry admits he has been sneaking a look at the Blue Square Premier table, even though it is still only halfway through the season. "You see so many teams fade after Christmas, but I don't see that happening with our dressing room," he said. -------------------- |
Latest | December 2009