Season 10/11 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Southport
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Higginson 30, Briscoe 44. Connor missed pen 54
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Turner 57, McGinn pen 83
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Attendance: 1467 (38 from Southport)
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Date: 5 April 2011
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Mansfield Town threw away a two goal lead, and Paul Connor missed a penalty for a chance to make it 3-0, as Southport left Field Mill with a 2-2 draw. On the plus side, young Conor Higginson scored his first Stags goal, and Louis Briscoe scored his 17th goal of the season to become the club's top scorer this season. Paul Connor had not taken a penalty for the Stags before, but Briscoe had said after he missed against Luton and Histon that he would step down from penalty taking, so Connor stepped up, but had his penalty saved.
Stat by Martin Shaw: The attendance of 1,467 was the lowest league crowd for a Stags game at Field Mill since 1,293 watched the Stags beat Torquay 2-1 in December 1982. Report by Jake Allsop at Field Mill: The Stags made one change to Saturday’s team that beat Rushden and that was David Grof came back in goal for the injured Alan Marriott and Neil Collett took Grof’s place on the bench. The match was definitely a game of two halves with Mansfield having the better in the first. The Stags started brightly winning an early corner only for Tyrone Thompson’s strike from long range to be turned over by Paul Connor. Moment’s later Stags stopper David Grof spilled the ball to the feet of Southport striker Ledsham who put his chance well over when it looked easier to score in the open net. Half way through the first half 12th Stag Luke Medley had a powerful strike saved from the edge of the box by Southport keeper McMillan. On 30 minutes Steven Istead delivered a cross from the right into the hands of the Southport keeper, who then spilled the cross into the path of Conor Higginson who calmly slotted the ball into an open goal before running away in absolute delight at scoring his first goal for the club. Then it got worse for Southport on the stroke of half time as Luke Medley played a lovely through ball into the feet of Louis Briscoe who was one on one with the Southport keeper before placing the ball low and hard to the keepers left to put the Stags into a 2 goal lead. Half time 2-0 The Stags first real chance came 5 minutes into the second half when Luke Medley's header from Steven Istead’s cross when just wide however the flag had already been raised as Medley was caught offside. 5 minutes later and the Stags had a chance to put the game to bed, Adam Murray burst into the box before being caught late by Southport centre back David and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Paul Connor took the spot kick and went to the keepers left and it was a poor penalty as the keeper guessed right and pushed the ball away from danger. Southport then stepped up the pressure and tested David Grof with a long range effort which he could only parry infront of him and Southport’s Turner found the net with ease to give Southport a lifeline. On 70 minutes Southport Shaun Whalley chipped a delightful ball over the top of the defence for John Paul Kissock who blazed over from 12 yards out. On 80 minutes Duncan Russell bought on Niall O’Rafferty for Louis Briscoe. A change some of the crowd did not agree with as it was greeted with a few boo’s. Then 3 minutes later Shaun Whalley was taken down in the box by Paul Stonehouse and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time tonight. Matty McGinn stepped up to take it and went low to the keepers right, and despite Grof going to right way the ball went under him to bring Southport level. There was time for one more Stags effort on goal in the final minute of stoppage time when Steve Foster had a powerful strike from inside the box saved by Southport keeper. So two points dropped after a dismal second half performance infront of our lowest league crowd since 1982. Will be expecting much better on Saturday with a trip to Hayes & Yeading coming up. Man of the match: Conor Higginson |
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Report by: Jake Allsop at Field Mill
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Line Up:
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Grof 7 – One fantastic save in the first half
Istead 6 – Prepared to put body on the line, did ok out of position Foster 7 – Great shot at the end to nearly win the game Naylor 7 – Good game Stonehouse 6 – Did ok Higginson 8 – Another good performance scored a goal as well. Thompson 4 – Anonymous Murray 7 – Best player on the pitch first half, went missing 2nd Briscoe 7 – Another goal for him to take him to 17 now Medley 6 – One good chance, great ball for Briscoe’s goal Connor 5 – Missed the penalty, largely anonymous. In need of a rest |
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Sub Line Up:
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O'Rafferty (for Briscoe, 79) -
Hall (for Higginson, 88) - Subs not used: Collett, Sandwith, Preece. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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McMillan, Williams, Marsh-Evans, Davis (Flynn 58), McGinn, Kissock, Turner, Moogan, Ledsham (Whalley 46), Daly, McNeil. Subs Not Used: Dickinson, Tony Gray, Blakeman.
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Referee:
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Russell Fletcher (Derbyshire)
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