Archived News from December 2015
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STAGS EARN POINT AT IN-FORM CAMBRIDGE
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Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Cambridge United 1 - 1 Mansfield Town Donaldson 36. Chapman 23. Attendance: 4589 (297 from Mansfield) Date: 19 December 2015 STAGS EARN POINT AT IN-FORM CAMBRIDGE WITH SOLID PERFORMANCE Martin Shaw at the Abbey Stadium Mansfield Town picked up a good point at in-form Cambridge this afternoon with a solid performance. Cambridge came into the game in tremendous form with 3 straight league wins under new boss Shaun Derry. But it was Mansfield who started the game better and were deservedly in front on 23 minutes as Adam Chapman fired home a low free-kick from 35 yards. It was a good shot from Chapman but as he admitted afterwards, the keeper Sam Beasant probably should have saved it. Chapman also admitted afterwards that he initially intended to cross from the free-kick but boss Adam Murray suggested from the sidelines that he should shoot, with the wind behind him. It was Chapman’s first goal of the season and he became Mansfield’s 12th scorer of the season. Cambridge were level on 36 minutes. Blair Adams tried to intercept a square ball but he only deflected the ball to Ryan Donaldson. Donaldson took advantage, got past Adams too easily and shot goalwards from the edge of the box. Donaldson got a very lucky break as the shot took a deflection off Krystian Pearce’s heel, wrong-footing Brian Jensen, and ended up in the back of the net. Plenty of luck involved in the goal but poorly defended as well. The goal gave Cambridge confidence and for the remaining 10 minutes of the half they created enough chances to go in front but the Stags somehow held out until half time despite uncertain defending. The half-time whistle came at a good time for the Stags, who were on the ropes in truth, and Cambridge were unable to continue with that momentum in the second half as the Stags nullified the threat. Indeed it was Mansfield who came closest to winning the game with two chances near the end: firstly Matt Green’s shot was well-saved by Beasant on 88 minutes, and then on 90+2 minutes, following a Stags corner, Krystian Pearce’s left-footed shot from close range was somehow blocked on the line by Beasant, when it seemed likely to be the winner. Beasant certainly making up for not saving Chapman’s free-kick with those two late saves. And so both sides had to settle for a point, and in my opinion it was a fair result. A strange incident earlier in the game on 16 minutes as Mansfield nearly scored through a bizarre goal as Cambridge keeper Sam Beasant fired a kick from his hands straight at Matt Green and it nearly rebounded into the net. All the more strange as Cambridge themselves benefitted from a goal in very similar circumstances against Notts Country recently when Roy Carroll kicked the ball out. To add to the craziness, a clearance from Stags keeper Brian Jensen just two minutes later cannoned off Ben Williamson and also could have gone in. So the Stags go into Christmas in 8th place, just outside the play-off zone that they’ve occupied for almost all of the last 3 months. A great achievement by Adam Murray, Micky Moore, Richard Cooper and the players considering where the club came from last season. And so on to Morecambe on Boxing Day, but until then Merry Christmas everyone! FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE -------------------------------------- Match report: Cambridge United 1 Mansfield Town 1 chad.co.uk report by sports agency Mansfield Town extended their unbeaten run to three matches after earning a 1-1 draw at Cambridge United and move into the top seven. Adam Chapman’s first goal since returning to the club in May was cancelled out by a heavily-deflected Ryan Donaldson effort in the first half. Read more: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/sport/local-sport/match-report-cambridge-united-1-mansfield-town-1-1-7634458#ixzz3uo9Mv2zr Mansfield twice came close to winning the match late on, but a second straight draw keeps the club in the hunt for a spot in the play-offs. The Stags began the match in seventh place, four points ahead of the hosts, and they started brightly with top scorer Matt Green - on seven goals this term - heading Matt Blair’s right-wing cross over the bar. And they were rewarded on 23 minutes when Chapman’s 35-yard free-kick caught Sam Beasant wrong-footed at his near post with the goalkeeper only able to turn the ball into the net. Cambridge’s in-form player Luke Berry then had a goal ruled out for offside, but the equaliser came on 36 minutes through substitute Donaldson after his 20-yard shot took a heavy deflection and left goalkeeper Brian Jensen with no chance. And it could have been worse for the visitors heading into the break, but Jensen turned Ben Williamson’s shot wide from a narrow angle and Barry Corr stabbed wide. Mansfield regrouped at half-time and were far more solid in a second half where goalmouth action was at a premium. As both prodded and probed to little effect, Cambridge’s Leon Legge headed wide and Luke Berry volleyed over. But Mansfield nearly stole it late on as Green had an effort saved by Beasant, before Krystian Pearce found space from a corner only to see the goalkeeper make an excellent low save. Cambridge: Beasant, Gayle (Donaldson 19’), Legge, Roberts, Taylor, Berry, Newton, Ledson, Dunk, Corr, Williamson. Substitutes: Dunn, Slew, Kennedy, Coulson, Simpson, L Hughes. Mansfield: Jensen, Collins, Tafazolli, Pearce, Adams, Rose, Blair (N Thomas 66’), Chapman, Clements, Lambe (Yussuf 89’), Green. Substitutes: Shearer, Beardsley, Westcarr, J Thomas, McGuire. Ref: Ross Joyce. Att: 4,589. --------------------- MATCH REPORT: CAMBRIDGE UTD 1 MANSFIELD 1 report by cambridge-united.co.uk Donaldson levels for the U’s in 1-1 draw with Mansfield Cambridge United extended their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League Two to four games following a 1-1 draw with Mansfield Town at the Abbey Stadium. Read more at http://www.cambridge-united.co.uk/news/article/match-report-cambridge-utd-1-mansfield-1-2859459.aspx#zWVbyMeAT8eGilO3.99 Ryan Donaldson’s deflected first half strike cancelled out Adam Chapman’s goal earlier in the clash for the Stags, ensuring Shaun Derry’s side clinched a point against their play-off chasing opponents. Derry’s team selection remained unchanged from the side that beat Plymouth Argyle at Home Park a week earlier, with Jordan Slew taking up a place on the bench. The U’s boss was forced into an early substitution when Cameron Gayle picked up a hamstring injury on 15 minutes, with Ryan Donaldson replacing the right back. Both sides enjoyed spells of possession during the open 20 minutes, with Barry Corr and Ben Williamson coming close to forcing errors from formidable Mansfield keeper Brian Jenson that would have given United an advantage. However, the Stags broke the deadlock when Adam Chapman’s 35 yard free kick skipped through all players in the 18 yard box and past Sam Beasant in the U’s goal on 23 minutes. United looked to have equalised within minutes of the opener, when Greg Taylor’s sweeping cross found Corr at the back post who cushioned a header down for Luke Berry to poke home, however the offside flag was up quickly against the 23-year old. Ryan Ledson was the next to be denied the equaliser, when the Everton- loanee opened up his body inside the Mansfield 18-yard box before curling an effort towards the far left corner, which Jenson stretched well to push away from goal. United persisted and were rewarded on 36 minutes, when substitute Donaldson drove in a central position from the right and struck a left footed shot which deflected off a Mansfield centre back into the back of the Stags’ net. Williamson then twice had the opportunity to put the U’s ahead before the break, when Ledson picked out his runs in behind with two exquisite passes. However, the Gillingham loanee saw his first effort bounce off Jenson and was denied the chance to shoot on the second occasion by a last ditch tackle from Pearce. Corr also came close when the U’s broke up field in added time at the end of the first half, but the Irishman stretched and directed an effort wide of the mark which meant the sides walked down the tunnel on level terms. Much like the first, both teams stuttered into the second half with action in front of goal limited, the U’s looking the more likely to create an opening though. Leon Legge glanced a header off target on the hour mark from an in swinging Donaldson corner, which was as good a sight on goal as any. And an acrobatic effort by Berry from 12 yards out with 15 minutes left to play which drifted over the bar, meant that the U’s were edging the chances on goal tally but were unable to drag themselves into the lead. Sam Beasant saved well to secure a point for the U’s when Matt Green broke with pace for the visitors in search of a winner during the dying embers of the match. Cambridge United: Beasant, Gayle (Donaldson, 15 mins), Legge, Roberts, Taylor, Berry, Ledson, Newton, Dunk, Corr, Williamson Mansfield Town: Jenson, Rose, Pearce, Collins, Chapman, Clements, Green, Tafazolli, Blair (N.Thomas, 65 mins), Lambe, Adams Attendance: 4,589 (297 away) Vindis Man of the Match: Ryan Donaldson ----------------- |
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