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Archived News from August 2015

MANSFIELD BEATEN AT ACCRINGTON IN POOR GAME
23rd August 2015 23:58


Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Accrington Stanley 1 - 0 Mansfield Town
McConville 33
Attendance: 1,073 (187 from Mansfield)

Date: 18 August 2015

Martin Shaw at the Wham Stadium, Crown Ground

Mansfield Town were beaten 1-0 at Accrington tonight in a poor game that was decided by one goal that took a crucial deflection to send it past Brian Jensen in the Stags goal. Mansfield were the better team in the opening 30 minutes without creating good chances in front of goal. But out of the blue on 33 minutes Accrington were in front. A throw-in was signalled Mansfield’s way by the referee inside Mansfield’s half. As the Stags players set up expecting the throw their way, the referee changed his mind, and awarded it to Accrington who took it quickly. Mansfield won the ball back but lost it again as Chapman gave the ball away, and McConville was able to get in a shot from the edge of the box. I was right behind it and a deflection took it away from Jensen and into the bottom right corner of the net. Without the deflection I think it would have gone straight at Jensen. Stags players Hunt and Tafazolli complained to the referee, presumably about the throw-in, but to no avail and in my opinion Mansfield had had time to regroup after the throw-in and won the ball back, so I don’t think we can blame the goal on that decision. The goal changed the momentum of the game though. Mansfield never looked like equalising, even with three substitutions around the hour mark. It was a poor performance from the Stags, to follow on from Friday’s wonderful performance at Notts County. The Stags barely created a chance worthy of the name with the closest being a shot from Nathan Thomas on 55 minutes that the keeper saved low down but from looking at it again on the match DVD seemed to be going just wide anyway.

Four points from the opening three games, of which two were away from home, is certainly a very reasonable start. But performances need to be better than this.

So defeat for the Stags. I didn’t think we deserved anything from the game. It was a poor performance after Accrington took the lead after we had started the game quite well. Accrington had chances to extend the lead but in the end were very happy to preserve their one goal lead. In truth, it seemed like Mansfield wouldn’t score if we were there all night, there was a lack of quality in the Stags’ play going forward. No doubt that Matt Green was missed hugely even though he hasn’t scored himself this season.

Man of the match: Chris Clements

Full report in the Match Centre

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Tuesday, 18th August 2015: Accrington Stanley 1 Mansfield Town 0
chad.co.uk report by John Lomas

A night of high frustration saw seven Mansfield Town players booked and the Stags beaten 1-0 by a deflected goal in League Two at Accrington Stanley tonight.

But Adam Murray’s men could have few complaints as they rarely looked capable of conjuring an equaliser at the Wham Stadium.

http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/tuesday-18th-august-2015-accrington-stanley-1-mansfield-town-0-1-7416656

The visitors, warned against an ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ display by boss Murray after Friday’s imperious 2-0 win at Notts County started on the front foot.

But the game became scrappy and physical and Stanley had luck on their side as Sean McConville’s low strike on 33minutes deflected past Brian Jensen - the home side’s first real attempt of the night.

However, it proved enough as Mansfield huffed and puffed without any end product on a night to forget against a club they have not beaten since Stanley’s reformation.

The game ended on a sour note as a mass altercation saw four more names added to referee Darren England’s final list of 10 bookings with Pearce, Hunt, Benning, Clements, Jack Thomas, Westcarr and Jensen all yellow-carded.

Mansfield were shorn of the services of striker Matt Green on the night - and how they missed him.

Green’s back had stiffened up after the 2-0 derby win at Notts County on Friday and Murray decided to leave him out as he was only said to be ‘99 per cent fit’ and save him for the weekend.

In came Chris Beardsley for the only change to the side.

Accrington included striker Billy Kee, who was on loan at Mansfield last season.

After some scrappy early play from both sides, Mansfield were first to try for goal as Beardsley laid the ball off for Lambe to let fly with a shot that took a deflection for a corner on eight minutes.

But there were few early chances for either side.

Stags were happy to see an offside flag up as Windass was sent clear.

Then Clements, Lambe and Beardsley all seemed reluctant to pull the trigger in the box, Beardsley’s eventual effort half-blocked and bouncing through to the keeper.

But on 33 minutes, with their first real shot, the home side grabbed the lead.

McConville took a pass from his right and sent in a low shot from 20 yards that took a deflection and found its way just inside the right post.

The home side suddenly had their tails up and began to probe harder.

Three minutes from the break Pearce was booked for bringing down Windass as he tried to charge past him and go clear. Windass then sent his free kick into the wall and Buxton’s low follow-up was wide.

In stoppage time Windass had another low effort deflect for a corner as Mansfield went in happy to hear the whistle to give them a chance to regroup.

On the restart, Beardsley was unable to do much with a powerful Benning cross from the left, the ball coming off him to the keeper right in front of goal.

But the build-up to the chance had been better with a string of passes from right to left.

Tafazolli then had to throw himself in the way of a McConville shot after he had won the ball off Pearce in the box.

On 54 minutes it was almost 2-0. Buxton sent a Stags clearance back over the defence and Kee was onside. He tried to poke the ball through Jensen’s legs, but the Dane closed his legs and managed to deflect the finish wide for a corner.

At the other end Nathan Thomas got one on target from a tight angle on the left but the keeper was able to dive and grab the ball.

Murray shook things up on 56 minutes as he withdrew Nathan Thomas and Chapman and sent on Yussuf and Jack Thomas.

Five minutes later Westcarr took over from Lambe in the visitors’ final change.

Hunt almost set Stanley on their way after a poor touch gave the ball to Conneely, the former Accrington man then hacking him down for a booking.

A nudge on Pearce that the referee missed saw Crooks race forward with the ball and send in a low ball that Hunt was happy to hack away in front of goal.

On 70 minutes Windass laid the ball back from the by-line and Conneely crashed a first time shot over the bar.

Home fans were unhappy to see their star man on the night, Windass, withdrawn for Barry on 76 minutes and there were some boos for the decision.

The home side continued to do more of the pressing and Kee was inches over with a rising drive in the box.

Tensions in a physical game boiled over two minutes into the six added at the end as almost every player was involved in an altercation after a Stanley played went down off the ball.

After much deliberation, three Stags players, Jack Thomas, Westcarr and Jensen, were booked as well as the home keeper, Mooney.

Stanley then struggled to clear a Clements free kick and Tafazolli headed down for Pearce to hook a high ball at goal that dropped straight to Mooney.

Jack Thomas went for glory from distance but was well over to the jeers of the home fans.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY: Mooney, Pearson, Winnard, Davies, Mingoia, Windass (Barry 76), McConville (Bruna 84), Crooks, Buxton, Conneely, Kee. Subs not used: Etheridge, Morgan, Gornell, Wakefield, Wright.

STAGS: Jensen, Benning, Rose, Pearce, Chapman (Jack Thomas 56), Clements, Beardsley, Nathan Thomas (Yussuf 56), Tafazolli, Hunt, Lambe (Westcarr 61). Subs not used: Marsden, McGuire, Caton, Fitzpatrick.

REFEREE: Darren England of South Yorkshire.

ATTENDANCE: 1,073 (187 away).

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Clements.

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