Season 20/21 Stagsnet Match Report
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Oldham Athletic
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Mansfield Town
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McCalmont 6, McAleny 84.
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Charsley 36, Sweeney 38, Reid 49. Bowery missed pen 45+4
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Attendance: behind closed doors
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Date: 13 January 2021
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4 WINS ON THE TROT AS STAGS WIN AT OLDHAM
Martin Shaw at Boundary Park Mansfield Town made it four league wins on the trot, for the first time in 4 years, with a 3-2 victory at Oldham Athletic last night. In an eventful and thoroughly enjoyable game, the Stags put in a fine performance and should have won by a more comfortable margin, but it didn’t matter in the end. The game didn’t start well for Mansfield who were shell-shocked after 6 minutes, as Aidan Stone, one of three changes from Sunday to freshen things up, allowed a soft shot from Alfie McCalmont from 10 yards to go straight through him and into the net. A calamitous return for Stone, but he was to make up for it later on. Stone saved with his legs from another McCalmont effort after 11 minutes, but the Stags took over after that and could have had 5 goals by half time. After 19 minutes, Stephen McLaughlin put in a great cross from the left, which was perfect for the returning Andy Cook and the sort of chance he normally thrives on, but Cook headed wide. Then on 23 minutes, Kellan Gordon put in an equally fine cross from the right, Jordan Bowery got up well, but headed over the bar. The Stags levelled on 36 minutes. McLaughlin’s free kick from the left was cleared to George Maris who lifted a high ball back into the area. Oldham keeper Ian Lawlor came well out of his six-yard area to try to punch clear but hardly got anything on it, only clearing as far as Harry Charsley 17 yards from goal, and Charsley smashed the ball into the net with the keeper still on the ground. A fine finish from Charsley for his 5th goal of the season. And just over 60 seconds later, the Stags were in front. George Maris’s free kick from 45 yards out was headed across the area by Cook to Bowery who headed back to the far post where Ryan Sweeney was unmarked to slide the ball into the net from 5 yards. Sweeney’s 3rd goal of the season. It was so nearly 3-1 after 40 minutes as Gordon put in another great cross from the right, Cook headed towards the roof of the net and the keeper pushed it over the bar. Then on 45+4 minutes, the Stags missed a penalty. Maris surged into the area from 35 yards out and was blocked off by Raphael Diarra who made no attempt to play the ball. The referee was well-positioned and immediately pointed to the spot. Daft defending by Diarra. Jordan Bowery, who had converted both his spot kicks this season, stepped up and fired wide, the ball just clipping the outside of the right post. A fantastic 35 minutes of football from Mansfield, who could have been 5-1 up at the break, or 5-0 up without Stone’s error. The Stags were nearly made to pay after 47 minutes when half time substitute Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who made 10 first team appearances for Manchester United, crossed from the left and it flicked off Farrend Rawson and rolled inches wide of the far post. That was so close to an own goal. Two minutes later, the Stags made it 3-1. Bowery’s long diagonal ball forward from inside his own half saw Reid battle for the ball with Borthwick-Jackson. Reid headed the ball forward, muscled his way past the defender, and gave himself a one-on-one with the keeper, sliding the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from just inside the area. A super and composed finish from Reid, and just about the first time he has had such an opportunity this season that I can recall. It was the sort of goal he has scored plenty of in the Conference and Conference South. It was nearly 4-1 after 67 minutes as Cook chested down to George Lapslie who fired against the top of the bar from 23 yards. Kellan Gordon also went close after 76 minutes when his deflected shot was well saved by the keeper at his near post. The Stags should have been out of sight, but from nowhere Oldham were back in it at 2-3 after 84 minutes. Substitute Danny Rowe’s shot from 24 yards was blocked by Rawson and ricocheted kindly to Conor McAleny, who fired past Stone from 16 yards with just the keeper to beat. The Stags appealed for offside, but from the video, as Rowe shot, McAleny was played onside by Gordon. Oldham could have equalised and committed daylight robbery after 88 minutes but Stone turned from villain to hero with a tremendous save to preserve the points. Dylan Bahamboula crossed from the right and Rowe headed down from 7 yards towards the bottom left corner but Stone got down quickly to turn it wide. The Stags hung for the 3 points and made it harder than it should have been but this was a very good performance, against an Oldham side who were made to look poor. It was great to see both full-backs Gordon and McLaughlin putting in some excellent crosses, the midfield was tremendous despite missing the influential Ollie Clarke, with Lapslie, Maris and Charsley all having fine games. Up front, Cook won some important headers, though should have scored from one, while Reid took his goal in great style. Bowery, who missed the penalty, did provide an assist for Sweeney’s goal with a header across goal. And Stone of course atoned for his bad error for Oldham’s first goal with that excellent late save from Danny Rowe’s header. A great shift from the Stags players, who played 120 minutes on Sunday and had played two games on a heavy pitch immediately before that. So, no wins in the opening 11 games of the season before Nigel Clough took over, but now 6 wins in the 12 games since he took over is a remarkable turnaround, and indeed since he took over, the Stags have picked up more points (22 points) than any other team in League Two. The Stags have moved 9 points clear of the relegation zone, into the top half of the table, and can now look up the table with genuine optimism, albeit having played more games than most teams in the league. DETAILED REPORT: Mansfield made three changes from the side that lost in the FA Cup at Cheltenham on Sunday after extra time, in order to freshen things up. In came Stone, Gordon and Cook. Stech, O’Keeffe and Benning moved to the bench. Nigel Clough explained afterwards that Benning was shattered after Sunday and had a dead calf as well, while O’Keeffe had played 120 minutes having not played for a while. McLaughlin slotted in at left back. Up front, Reid was on the right and Bowery on the left, either side of Cook. As well as Ollie Clarke still missing, Perch was also still missing having not recovered from illness. But Nicky Maynard returned from his hamstring injury to the bench and was to come on as substitute late on. Also on the bench was Jason Law, who would have been on the bench at Cheltenham but was cup-tied. Oldham have got the best away record in League Two but had struggled at home with just two wins, one draw and eight defeats in the league at home prior to this game. I spoke to Mickey Moore at Cheltenham on Sunday, he’s the director of football at Cheltenham. He watches a lot of other League Two games in a sort of scouting role and he told me that Oldham are like two different teams, at home and away. It had rained all day in Manchester. But there was no problem with the pitch. Oldham’s iFollow commentator Roy Butterworth, a real character in the media in League Two who is now 80 but still going strong having volunteered for Oldham for 60 years, told me that the Boundary Park pitch drains very well and can take any amount of rain. As a complete aside, Roy had dashed back from Bournemouth on Saturday after Oldham’s FA Cup game, to get his vaccine in a pre-arranged appointment on Saturday night that he didn’t want to miss! It continued to rain throughout the game. After 4 minutes, Charsley put in a good cross from the right and Reid headed wide of the left post. Mansfield were shell-shocked after 6 minutes, as Aidan Stone allowed a soft shot from Alfie McCalmont from 10 yards to go straight through him and into the net. 1-0 to Oldham. A calamitous return for Stone, but he was to make up for it later on. McLaughlin sent a free kick from 31 yards so far over the bar after 9 minutes that it went over the stand, and it was no small stand. Stone saved with his legs from another McCalmont effort after 11 minutes, after Sweeney lost the ball in the area with sleepy defending. Nearly another calamity for the Stags. Charsley cut inside and fired well wide after a good advantage played by the referee after 17 minutes. After 19 minutes, McLaughlin put in a great cross from the left, which was perfect for the returning Cook and the sort of chance he normally thrives on, but Cook headed wide. Cook put his hands on his head. Stone saved from Bahamboula after 22 minutes, though he didn’t hold the shot. Then on 23 minutes, Gordon put in a fine cross from the right, Bowery got up well, but headed over the bar. After 27 minutes, from McLaughlin’s corner from the right, Sweeney knocked over the bar from about 3 yards, under pressure from Harry Clarke. At the other end two minutes later, Bahamboula headed well wide under pressure from Gordon following a corner. Cook was booked for a late challenge after 34 minutes. The Stags levelled on 36 minutes. McLaughlin’s free kick from the left was cleared to Maris who lifted a high ball back into the area. Oldham keeper Ian Lawlor came well out of his six-yard area to try to punch clear but hardly got anything on it, only clearing as far as Charsley 17 yards from goal, and Charsley smashed the ball into the net with the keeper still on the ground. A fine finish from Charsley for his 5th goal of the season. And just over 60 seconds later, the Stags were in front. Maris’s free kick from 45 yards out was headed across the area by Cook to Bowery who headed back to the far post where Sweeney was unmarked to slide the ball into the net from 5 yards. Sweeney’s 3rd goal of the season. It was so nearly 3-1 after 40 minutes as Gordon put in another great cross from the right, Cook headed towards the roof of the net and the keeper pushed it over the bar. Then on 45+4 minutes, the Stags missed a penalty. Maris surged into the area from 35 yards out and was blocked off by Raphael Diarra who made no attempt to play the ball. The referee was well-positioned and immediately pointed to the spot. Daft defending by Diarra. Bowery, who had converted both his spot kicks this season, stepped up and fired wide, the ball just clipping the outside of the right post. The Stags were shell-shocked at the beginning of the half with the nature of the early goal conceded, and ended the half shell-shocked with Bowery missing the penalty. In between, a fantastic 35 minutes of football from Mansfield, who could have been 5-1 up at the break, or 5-0 up without Stone’s error. Half time 1-2 The Stags were nearly made to pay after 47 minutes when half time substitute Cameron Borthwick-Jackson crossed from the left and it flicked off Rawson and rolled inches wide of the far post. That was so close to an own goal. Two minutes later, the Stags made it 3-1. Bowery’s long diagonal ball forward from inside his own half saw Reid battle for the ball with Borthwick-Jackson. Reid headed the ball forward, muscled his way past the defender, and gave himself a one-on-one with the keeper, sliding the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from just inside the area. A super and composed finish from Reid, and just about the first time he has had such an opportunity this season that I can recall. It was the sort of goal he has scored plenty of in the Conference and Conference South. It was nearly 4-1 after 67 minutes as Cook chested down to Lapslie who fired against the top of the bar from 23 yards. At the other end after 69 minutes, Sweeney did well to put a cross behind for a corner. Lapslie headed away the corner and then closed down the follow-up cross. Gordon went close after 76 minutes when his deflected shot was well saved by the keeper at his near post. Brilliant defending by Maris after 79 minutes as he blocked Garrity’s cross-shot. Maris was hurt as he crashed into the advertising hoardings but eventually was ok to play on. Benning replaced Bowery after 80 minutes. It was Benning’s 200th appearance for the Stags. A loyal servant to the club. McLaughlin stayed at left back. Benning went to the left of midfield. The Stags should have been out of sight, but from nowhere Oldham were back in it at 2-3 after 84 minutes. Substitute Danny Rowe’s shot from 24 yards was blocked by Rawson and ricocheted kindly to Conor McAleny, who fired past Stone from 16 yards with just the keeper to beat. The Stags appealed for offside, but from the video, as Rowe shot, McAleny was played onside by Gordon. Lapslie was booked for a foul after 87 minutes. Oldham could have equalised and committed daylight robbery after 88 minutes but Stone turned from villain to hero with a tremendous save to preserve the points. Bahamboula crossed from the right and Rowe headed down from 7 yards towards the bottom left corner but Stone got down quickly to turn it wide. McLaughlin did well to intercept an Oldham pass after 89 minutes and made a great break forward from halfway inside his own half to the edge of the area at the other end and his goalbound shot was blocked. The ball rebounded to Reid whose shot was also blocked. Maynard replaced Cook after 90 minutes. It was Maynard’s 50th appearance for the Stags. 4 minutes of stoppage time added on. Gordon made a good block on a Borthwick-Jackson cross during stoppage time. And the Stags ran the clock down well preventing Oldham from creating any further chances. Only Mansfield’s 3rd ever win at Oldham in the league and the first since 1978, albeit it was only our fourth visit since then. Man of the match: Kellan Gordon |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Boundary Park
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Line Up:
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(4-3-3)
Stone 6 Allowed a soft shot from McCalmont from 10 yards to go straight through him and into the net for the early goal. But he was to make up for it late on with a tremendous save from Rowe to preserve the points. Stone tweeted after the game “I’ll learn from the mistake and move on”. Gordon 8.5 Put in some excellent crosses, and defended well. Rawson 6.5 Did ok. Sweeney 7 Scored his 3rd goal of the season. One sleepy piece of defending when Stone rescued him. Some other good defending. McLaughlin 8 Also put in some excellent crosses. Put one free kick over the stand though! Some fine defending, and one fabulous run in the final minute. Charsley 8 Had a fine game. Super finish for his 5th goal of the season Maris 8.5 Very good game. Won the penalty. Some very good defensive work. Lapslie 8 Hit the bar with a great shot. Reid 8 Played on the right. Took his goal in great style. Cook 7.5 Won some important headers, though should have scored from one of them. Chested down to Lapslie for his shot against the bar. Bowery 7 Missed the penalty, but did provide an assist for Sweeney’s goal with a header across goal. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Benning (for Bowery, 80 mins) - Benning’s 200th appearance for the Stags. A loyal servant to the club.
Maynard (for Cook, 90 mins) - Maynard’s 50th appearance for the Stags. Back from injury. Subs not used: Stech, O’Keeffe, Menayese, O’Driscoll, Law. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-2): Ian Lawlor; Raphael Diarra (Dylan Fage 46), Harry Clarke, Carl Piergianni, Jordan Barnett (Borthwick-Jackson 46); Alfie McAlmont, Ben Garrity, Callum Whelan (Zak Dearnley 45) (Andrea Badan 69), Davis Keillor-Dunn (Danny Rowe 56); Dylan Bahamboula, Conor McAleny. Subs not used: Laurence Bilboe, Tom Hamer.
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Referee:
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Richard Bartlett (replaced Scott Oldham in the warm-up) 8 Very good game. Got the penalty right. One very good advantage played.
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