Season 20/21 Stagsnet Match Report
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Bradford City
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Mansfield Town
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Rowe 32.
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O.Clarke sent off 90+4
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Attendance: behind closed doors
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Date: 2 March 2021
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STAGS BEATEN AT BRADFORD
Martin Shaw at Valley Parade Mansfield Town were beaten 1-0 at in-form Bradford City on Tuesday evening, and like the defeat at Harrogate a week earlier, it was a moment of poor defending that proved decisive. A free kick after 32 minutes to the edge of the Stags area from 45 yards out was headed back across and into the area by Niall Canavan, who beat Farrend Rawson to the header, and then striker Danny Rowe got away from his marker Jordan Bowery to fire past Aidan Stone from 9 yards. Poor defending from Rawson and then a lack of concentration from Bowery to let Rowe get away from him. After the game Stags boss Nigel Clough was once again left fuming with one of his central defenders “not doing his job”. In a tight game, the Stags didn’t have too many chances but came desperately close right at the start and right at the end of the game. After just 2 minutes, Jason Law, who had another good game, chested the ball down 16 yards from goal and did well to create enough space for a shot from the right which he curled left-footed against the inside of the left post. It was a tremendous effort and he was so unlucky not to score. Then, on the stroke of 90 minutes, Ollie Clarke came within a whisker of equalising as he rose well to meet Jason Law’s corner from the right with a glancing header that was inches wide of the far post. Aside from that, Jordan Bowery had a shot deflected wide after an hour. And substitute Harry Charsley had a goal disallowed in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Jamie Reid did well just outside the area to tee him up for a shot past the keeper, but Charsley was a yard offside. Bradford had plenty of shots from distance and Aidan Stone had to make some good saves. After 7 minutes, Danny Rowe’s free kick from 20 yards on the left was saved by Stone at his near post. Callum Cooke shot wide from 16 yards after 19 minutes. Another free kick from Rowe, this time from 35 yards, was again saved by Stone at his near post. In the second half, a mistake by Ryan Sweeney after 50 minutes allowed Danny Rowe a shot from a tight angle on the right and Stone managed to get something in the way of it to turn an absolute blockbuster over the bar. Rowe sent yet another powerful effort from 25 yards over the bar after 58 minutes, and Callum Cooke brought another good save from Stone with a shot from 25 yards after 83 minutes. Six decent shots from distance from Bradford, four from Danny Rowe and two from Callum Cooke. But in the end, it was that single goal from Rowe after poor defending that was the difference between the sides. To make matters worse for the Stags, skipper Ollie Clarke was given a straight red card ten seconds from the end of stoppage time at the end of the game after putting an arm in the face of Connor Wood on the right touchline. Nigel Clough said after the game that the club will be appealing the red card tomorrow as it was an arm to hold off Wood (as opposed to an elbow in the face), and as Clough discussed it with one of the Bradford joint managers afterwards the Bradford joint manager was agreeing with him. The Stags will be hoping to overturn the red card as losing Ollie Clarke for three matches, with George Lapslie still out for another week or so, and possibly George Maris out too (he limped off with a sore groin this evening after just 20 minutes, in what was a blow to Mansfield as he has been playing very well), will see the midfield resources stretched very thinly. A disappointing night for Mansfield, while Bradford march on after their 10th win in 14 games (and 5th win on the trot) since their joint managers Mark Trueman and Connor Sellars took over. The Stags remain 11 points above 23rd placed Barrow as the bottom three teams all lost. The Stags visit Barrow on Saturday in a game where we will hope to bounce back with a victory but as a minimum must not lose. DETAILED REPORT: Mansfield named an unchanged side and bench from the side that beat Morecambe. Sarkic, McLaughlin and Lapslie remained out injured. Jason Law continued on the right of the front three. Jake Wright, the new free agent signing, was again on the bench. Bradford made an enforced change from their win at Walsall. Andy Cook, on loan from Mansfield of course and who scored at Walsall, was not allowed to play according to the terms of the loan deal. He was replaced up front by Danny Rowe, who played against Mansfield in January for Oldham just prior to his transfer to Bradford. It was a still and cool evening in Bradford. After just 2 minutes, Law chested the ball down 16 yards from goal and did well to create enough space for a shot from the right which he curled left-footed against the inside of the left post. It was a tremendous effort and he was so unlucky not to score. After 7 minutes, Maris conceded a free kick 20 yards out on the Bradford left after an error by Gordon. Danny Rowe’s free kick was saved by Stone at his near post. Rawson blocked Crankshaw’s shot as he broke into the Stags area on the left after 12 minutes. Then Callum Cooke shot wide from 16 yards after 19 minutes, the ball reaching Charles Vernam on the left, but he was offside. A blow for the Stags after 20 minutes as Maris limped off with a groin injury. He was replaced by Charsley. Law dropped back into midfield, Charsley went on the right of the front three. Law had a shot blocked after 29 minutes. A moment of poor defending proved decisive as Bradford took the lead. A free kick after 32 minutes to the edge of the Stags area from 45 yards out was headed back across and into the area by Niall Canavan, who beat Rawson to the header, and then striker Danny Rowe got away from his marker Bowery to fire past Stone from 9 yards. Poor defending from Rawson and then a lack of concentration from Bowery to let Rowe get away from him. After the game Stags boss Nigel Clough was once again left fuming with one of his central defenders “not doing his job”. Another free kick from Rowe, this time from 35 yards, was again saved by Stone at his near post. Benning was booked for a foul on Crankshaw after 44 minutes. From the resulting free kick, Watt’s delivery found Paudie O’Connor who was left unmarked to head over the bar. Charsley had a goal disallowed after 45+1 minutes when Reid did well just outside the area to tee him up for a shot past the keeper, but Charsley was a yard offside. It was a tight first half, but a costly mistake at the back from the Stags. Law was unlucky early on and Charsley had the ball in the net just before half time but it was ruled out. Two Danny Rowe free kicks were saved by Stone. Half time 1-0 A mistake by Sweeney after 50 minutes allowed Danny Rowe a shot from a tight angle on the right and Stone managed to get something in the way of it to turn an absolute blockbuster over the bar. Bowery got into the Bradford area on 51 minutes but didn’t pull the trigger and the half-chance was gone. Rowe sent yet another powerful effort from 25 yards over the bar after 58 minutes. Bowery had another chance to shoot after an hour and this time he did pull the trigger, with his shot deflected wide. Ollie Clarke gave the ball away after 71 minutes but got away with it. After 75 minutes, good play on the right from Mansfield involving Clarke and Law, and Gordon’s cross into a good area was put behind for a corner. From that corner, Sweeney headed down and Reid tried to turn it in but couldn’t get a boot on it. Two minutes later, good play from Reid and Law on the right, Law got into the area but was unlucky as he was tackled and the ball came back off him for a goal-kick. Callum Cooke brought another good save from Stone with a shot from 25 yards after 83 minutes. Tyrese Sinclair was brought on for Quinn after 86 minutes. On the stroke of 90 minutes, Ollie Clarke came within a whisker of equalising as he rose well to meet Law’s corner from the right with a glancing header that was inches wide of the far post. Two minutes later, a good one-two between Gordon and Sinclair on the right and Gordon got in a good cross but it was cleared. To make matters worse for the Stags, Ollie Clarke was given a straight red card ten seconds from the end of 4 minutes of stoppage time after putting an arm in the face of Connor Wood on the right touchline. Nigel Clough said after the game that the club will be appealing the red card tomorrow as it was an arm to hold off Wood (as opposed to an elbow in the face), and as Clough discussed it with one of the Bradford joint managers afterwards the Bradford joint manager was agreeing with him. A disappointing night for Mansfield, with a mistake at the back costing the only goal of the game. Nigel Clough’s comments after the game “We’ve given too many soft goals away and we haven’t had enough clean sheets, end of story” suggest he has run out of patience with his central defenders. At the other end, not enough going forward to create many chances Sam Hornby in the Bradford goal did not have a save to make, though the Stags did go close with the Law shot against the post, Clarke’s late header, and the disallowed goal. On to Barrow. Man of the match: Jason Law |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Valley Parade
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Line Up:
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(4-3-3)
Stone 7 Three saves from Rowe and one from Cooke. No chance with the goal. Gordon 7 An early error but some good play down the right after that. Rawson 5 Poor defending for the only goal of the game. One good block. Given Nigel Clough’s comments after the game, for the second time in 3 games, it will be a surprise if he retains his place in the side at Barrow, perhaps allowing a debut for Jake Wright. Sweeney 5.5 Mistake early in the second half allowed Rowe a shot at goal which Stone just about kept out. His place is also in danger at Barrow, and could be replaced by Perch, though Perch may be needed in midfield. Benning 6 Did ok. Maris - Limped off after 20 minutes and was a big miss. O.Clarke 6.5 Came within a whisker of equalising with a glancing header in stoppage time. Sent off just before the final whistle, a red card which will be appealed. Quinn 6.5 Did ok. Law 7 Good game. Used the ball well. Tremendous effort after 2 minutes against the post, unlucky not to score. Good corner that was glanced a whisker wide by Clarke. Reid 6 Good play to tee up Charsley for the disallowed goal. Bowery 5 Lack of concentration to let Rowe get away from him for the only goal. Had a shot deflected wide not long after he had another chance to shoot and didn’t pull the trigger. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Charsley (for Maris, 20 mins) 5.5 Had a goal disallowed when he was a yard offside. Otherwise didn’t make much of an impact.
Sinclair (for Quinn, 86 mins) - Subs not used: Stech, O'Keeffe, J.Clarke, Wright, Perch. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-2-3-1): Hornby, A O’Connor, P O’Connor, Canavan, Wood; Sutton, Watt; Vernam (Stevens 77min), Cooke (Cousin-Dawson 90min), Crankshaw (B Clarke 58min); Rowe (Donaldson 77min). Subs (not used): O’Donnell, Burrell, Scales.
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Referee:
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Paul Howard 6 Went with his linesman’s call on the Clarke red card.
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