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Archived News from October 2011

COX, MARRIOTT AND LIAM WATSON REACTION
19th October 2011 22:44


interviews from Mansfield 103.2

http://soundcloud.com/mansfield-103-2-sport/

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We spent the game chasing shadows, admits beaten Stags boss
chad.co.uk

MANSFIELD Town boss Paul Cox may bring in new faces in time to face Lincoln City on Tuesday after today's latest home flop, a 3-1 defeat by in-form Southport.

http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-fc/we_spent_the_game_chasing_shadows_admits_beaten_stags_boss_1_3877588

“From start to finish we were not good enough today. We didn't do the basics, we didn't win battles and didn't play any football,” said Cox.

“We spent the game chasing shadows and kicking the ball up into the air and that is not going to win football matches.

“I haven't shouted at them this time as I know one or two things need to be done.

“I think this has been coming. Last week's win over Grimsby just papered over the cracks and I think we need to freshen things up. We are missing some ingredients and that could mean new faces.

“I am speaking from the heart now but will go home and have a think over the weekend.

“I have irons in the fire and if I want to bring certain individuals in I know they are going to be there. We could even have some in by Tuesday. But I won't make rash judgements.

“The nitty gritty of the season is coming now, pitches will start to deteriorate and teams will come here and make it uncomfortable for us. If we can't do the basics and deal with it, then it's going to be a long season. We never turned up today.”

Stags suffered an additional headache in that defender Tom Naylor, unluckily sent-off twice this season, limped off with a hamstring strain.

“We might have caught it in time but you can't play on with a hamstring pull,” said Cox.

“I don't know what Tom has done this season, I think he might have killed a few black cats with his bad luck so far.

“Tom has had a stop-start season but it opens up a chance for someone else.”

“I thought we deserved to be in front at half-time and the third goal killed it off,” said Southport manager Liam Watson.

“But it also killed us off a bit as I think we took our foot off the pedal a bit, gave Mansfield a lot more of the ball and, to be honest, we have got to learn to shut the game off a lot better.

“Maybe I am being too harsh, though, as we had a very tough game with York in midweek when we played with 10 men for an hour so they had every right to feel tired in the last 20 minutes.

“The first was an own goal but the second was Shaun Whalley's all day. It was a great team goal.

“We haven't mentioned Mansfield all week. We have just spoken about the confidence we have been showing. We are scoring goals freely way from home.

“After 16 games the table starts to take shape, but we are not getting carried away. We have made a lot of changes but the lads have bought into what we are trying to do and are reaping the rewards.”

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We got just what we deserved, says Cox
Nottingham Post

PAUL Cox said his Stags side got exactly what they deserved against Southport.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-13580263-detail/story.html

The Mansfield boss saw his side go into the break 2-0 down. And when Tony Gray struck three minutes after the interval, it was all over before Stags pulled one back through an own goal.

It was a fifth straight away win for the visitors, who leapfrogged Mansfield in the table as a result.

Cox said: "We got just what we deserved. We told them what to expect and they came here, ran harder than us, worked harder than us. We got away with it against Grimsby last weekend, that is how I see it. We got out of jail.

"Southport won the second balls, chased balls when they needed to and we just ran around.

"It is my job to put it right, it was not acceptable. We worked for a hour on set pieces and if we cannot defend balls like that, we are in trouble.

"I would be struggling to pick a man of the match. We cannot put in performances like that. It has happened once too often for my liking."

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Cox looks to ring changes
Nottingham Post

PAUL Cox is set to move to strengthen his Mansfield Town squad today after he declared: "We cannot paper over the cracks any longer."

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/story-13580245-detail/story.html

The Stags boss watched on as his lacklustre side went down 3-1 at home to in-form Southport.

It came hot on the heels of a poor first 45 minutes at home to Grimsby, when they were 1-0 down but battled back to win 2-1.

Despite an encouraging start to their Blue Square Bet Premier season, Cox says there cannot be further repeats of the weekend's poor performance if they want to push for promotion.

Cox said: "It has happened three times now, twice at home, where we were just not at the races.

"There might be one or two changes, players brought in. We have papered over the cracks the last couple of games and got away with it. I do not want to try to get away with it for the next couple of games. It is my job to put it right.

"Players can give me a response or I can do something about it.

"We cannot pick and choose the games we play. Do I think these players can be successful? Yes. But we may need to add some ingredients to it."

Cox says players could arrive before tomorrow night's trip to struggling Lincoln City.

He added: "I do not want any more days like this. You can go into the dressing room and shout and bawl but after a bit things just need doing.

"Some tough decisions need making and if I am honest, we need fresh faces into the team.

"It is something that has been on my mind. I have made enquiries about players because

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