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Archived News from July 2016

MANSFIELD 2-1 BOLTON
21st July 2016 17:39


Pre-Season Friendly
Mansfield Town 2 - 1 Bolton Wanderers
D.Rose 11, Pearce 23. Clough 54.
Attendance: 1481 (216 from Bolton)

Date: 16 July 2016

Martin Shaw at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill

Mansfield Town beat Bolton Wanderers, who were relegated from the Championship last season, 2-1 in a pre-season friendly at Field Mill this afternoon. It was a promising performance from the Stags with lots of players impressing, and the result, although not the most important aspect in itself, was nevertheless deserved. Mansfield were ahead on 11 minutes when Matt Green chested down a nice Chris Clements ball forward, Green got the benefit of a bad touch from a defender, and squared a perfect pass for Danny Rose to score into an empty net from close range. It was very encouraging to see the two strikers combine well for the goal. Mansfield increased the lead on 23 minutes. Danny Rose won a free kick on the right, one of several he won all afternoon. Mal Benning curled in a lovely cross and Krystian Pearce headed into the net from 6 yards. Scott Shearer made a brilliant save from Mark Davies on 33 minutes, from point blank range, to preserve the lead at half time. Bolton pulled a goal back on 54 minutes, as Adam Chapman gave the ball away, a ball was played forward to Zach Clough, who fired past Scott Shearer. Bolton showed some urgency in the latter stages to push for an equaliser but Mansfield deservedly hung on for the win in what turned out to be a good competitive game.

Full report in the match centre

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Mansfield Town impress in defeat of Bolton Wanderers
chad.co.uk report, by Stephen Thirkill, Saturday 16 July 2016

Mansfield Town opened their pre-season home campaign with a comfortable 2-1 win over a lacklustre Bolton Wanderers.

Danny Rose and Krystian Pearce gave Stags a well-deserved 2-0 lead inside the first 25 minutes.

Zach Clough pulled a goal back with a cool finish for the League One side on 54 minutes, but they never looked like finding an undeserved equaliser as the game lost its flow and tempo in the closing 30 minutes.

Read more: http://www.chad.co.uk/news/mansfield-town-impress-in-defeat-of-bolton-wanderers-1-8018058#ixzz4Ee6xcRIw

The win was a just reward for Mansfield, who can take many positives from the workout.

Matt Green showed he’s lost none of his strength and determination in setting up the opening goal after he easily shrugged off a defender.

As well as his goal, Danny Rose showed a superb work-rate and the very useful knack of winning plenty of free-kicks.

Out wide Ashley Hemmings showed he can be a more than useful winger, with bags of pace and trickery there for the taking if it can be harnessed correctly.

Adam Murray may have been hoping for a tougher test from Bolton with his rearguard rarely threatened by the lacklustre visitors.

But, on the few occasions Bolton got it together up top, George Taft and Krystian Pearce were rock-solid both on the deck and in the air, showing they have all the makings of a commanding partnership.

Mansfield enjoyed long spells of possession as they dominated the midfield areas with their superior work-rate and fitness levels.

Danny Rose flashed a diving header a yard wide inside two minutes as Stags threatened to catch Bolton napping.

But Rose didn’t have to wait much longer to open his account when Matt Green showed great strength to shake off a defender and roll the ball across goal for the easiest of tap-ins on 10 mins.

Bolton’s Mark Davies could count himself lucky that it was only a pre-season friendly after he lost his rag and shoved referee Gary Sutton after he had prevented a flare up following a late challenge by Rose.

Mansfield were growing in confidence and were next to threaten when Kevan Hurst had a swerving effort from distance saved by Ben Amos on 19 minutes.

It was 2-0 three minutes later when Krystian Pearce powefully headed home from close range after a pin-point free-kick from Mal Benning.

The goal was nothing more than Stags deserved as they continued to dominate the game in the midfield area with their superior energy and work-rate.

Scott Shearer saved brilliantly from Davies at point-blank range on 32 minutes to keep the two goal cushion in tact as the visitors sprung into life.

Stags survived a penalty shout after Chris Taylor went down too easily after a collision with Benning on 36 minutes.

Benning was withdrawn from the action six minutes later and replaced by Adam Champan after picking up an injury.

Bolton pulled a goal back nine minutes after the restart when Zach Clough cooly slotted past Scott Shearer after a perfect slide-rule pass from Max Clayton created an opening.

The goal signalled a spell of increased possession and pressure from the visitors as Mansfield struggled to get into the game.

Stags withdraw Matt Green and Danny Rose, with James Baxendale and CJ Hamilton entering the action as Mansfield switched to a 4-4-2 line up.

The changes worked well as Stags once again got a foothold in midfield and looked the likelier of the two teams score.

But the game lost all of its tempo and flow in the closing 30 mins as a raft of substitutions killed the game as Mansfield saw out the win.

Mansfield Town: Shearer (Jensen 64), Bennett (Yussuf 80 mis), Benning (Chapman 42), Collins, Pearce (Shires 71 mins), Taft (Danquah 79 mins), Clements (McGuire 75), Green (Hoban 58 mins), Hurst (65 mins), Hemmings (Hamilton 56 mins), Rose (Baxendale).

Bolton Wanderers: Amos (Howard HT), Moxey (Honeyball 75 mins), Dervite, Beevers, Vela, Taylor (Clayton HT), Clough, Davies (Walker 71 mins), Trotter, Proctor, Wilson.

Subs: Spearing, Madine, Pratley, Twardzik, Woolery, Wheater, Newell, Finney, Spooner.

Ref: Gary Sutton.

Chad man of match: Kyrstian Pearce.

Attendance: 1,481 (216).

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Report: Mansfield Town 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
bwfc.co.uk

OVERVIEW

Wanderers' second pre-season fixture ended in a narrow reverse at the hands of Mansfield Town at the One Call Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Read more at http://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/report-mansfield-town-2-1-bolton-wanderers-3189112.aspx#Kbtbjlzg9MKXTi70.99

Following an even start to proceedings, the hosts opened the scoring through Danny Rose in the 11th minute of the game with the forward converting from close range, while the Stags doubled their advantage halfway through the first period when Krystian Pearce nodded home.

The deficit was halved not long into the second half however, with Max Clayton and Zach Clough combining well for the latter to slot home, but it was to prove only a consolation at the final whistle as Town held out.

TEAM NEWS

Wanderers’ starting XI boasted a handful of changes to the team who began against Helsingor a week ago, while new signing Mark Howard took his place on the bench after completing his move to Macron Stadium in midweek.

FIRST HALF

With Mark Beevers handed the captaincy for the Whites, the game got underway in the Nottinghamshire sunshine and it was Wanderers who started strongly, with Zach Clough being dispossessed at the death after forcing his way into the six yard box.

After a relatively tentative opening ten minutes however, the hosts proceeded to capitalise on a loose ball in the Bolton box, Matt Green eluding Ben Amos to pass the ball to an unmarked Rose who slotted home from a yard out.

The first real goalmouth opportunity for either side, the opening goal appeared the open the game up a little more with Kevan Hurst trying a shot from 30 yards with 20 minutes gone that had Amos back-peddling.

Shortly after though, the Stags doubled their lead as Pearce nodded home a free-kick in a crowded penalty area to put the home side in a commanding position in the game.

With 13 minutes of the half remaining, Wanderers enjoyed their best opportunity so far as a combination of Clough and Mark Davies forced the ball into the six yard box, with the latter seeing his point-blank effort saved by Scott Shearer.

Chris Taylor and Bolton were left calling for a penalty kick shortly afterwards after the midfielder was seemingly fouled in the box, but the referee waved play on to the Whites’ dismay.

With the clock ticking down to half time, Phil Parkinson’s men attempted to halve the deficit while Mansfield almost had a third, only for Green’s glancing header to fly just wide of the upright, but the first period ended with Wanderers two down.

SECOND HALF

With just two changes at the break for Wanderers - Howard replacing Amos between the sticks and Max Clayton coming in for Taylor - the game got back underway.

And it was Bolton who were seeing more of the ball inside the opening stages, although opportunities in front of goal were few and far between.

Eventually though, their perseverance paid off as Clayton slipped a clever ball into the path of an advancing Clough who slotted home with ease into the bottom corner in the 53rd minute to halve the deficit.

Buoyed by their goal, the Whites proceeded to push forward at every given opportunity in a bid to pull themselves level in the clash.

Six substitutions in one go for Wanderers just after the hour mark saw some fresh feet come into the clash, with the likes of Madine and Spearing coming into the mix for the Trotters - the former of which almost made the perfect introduction, only to be dispossessed at the vital moment.

Despite controlling possession for the most part though, the visitors were struggling to test Brian Jensen in the Mansfield goal as the game fell to a somewhat tepid pace.

With ten minutes to go, Wanderers looked certain to draw level as a bouncing ball in the 18-yard box found Madine, but the striker’s close range effort took a wicked deflection off a Mansfield body and fell kindly for the Town keeper.

Inside the closing stages, it was all Bolton as they rallied to equalise with Woolery the main outlet of attacks as the team attempted to exploit his wicked pace as four minutes of additional time were indicated.

Despite their best efforts however, Mansfield's defence stood firm to ensure that the Stags held out for a narrow victory.

FULL TIME

LINE-UP

Bolton: Amos (Howard 46’), Moxey (Honeyball 73’), Dervite (Wheater 64’), Beevers (Finney 64’), Vela (Pratley 64’), Taylor (Clayton 46’), Clough (Woolery 64’), Davies (Walker 70’), Trotter (Spearing 64’), Proctor (Madine 64’), Wilson (Spooner 78’)

Subs not used: Twardzik, Newell

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