Season 11/12 Stagsnet Match Report
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Mansfield Town
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Barrow
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Briscoe 9, 17, 67, Howell 28, Meikle 41, Green 55, Rhead 77.
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Attendance: 2510 (70 from Barrow)
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Date: 17 March 2012
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STAGS HIT SEVEN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1994
Martin Shaw at Field Mill Mansfield Town turned in a fabulous display to hit hapless Barrow for seven at Field Mill. The Stags were rampant, with Louis Briscoe knocking in a brilliant hat-trick including two terrific goals, one curled in from 14 yards, and another chipped up for himself to volley in from 20 yards in the style of Matt Le Tissier in his pomp. Matt Green scored his 24th of the season, and Lindon Meikle capped an excellent performance with a fine goal. Meanwhile Anthony Howell and Matt Rhead scored their first goals for the club. The Stags missed a host of glorious chances, including Green missing a penalty. After the game Barrow manager Dave Bayliss said "I'm glad it was only seven. I want to make the players sit through that DVD tomorrow morning". The Barrow players won’t enjoy our commentary on the match DVD as we repeatedly described Barrow as the worst side we had ever seen in the Conference. But that should not detract from what was a sublime performance from the Stags. This was the first time the Stags have scored seven since Boxing Day 1994, in a 7-1 win over Hereford, and is our biggest win since the 7-0 thrashing of Scunthorpe in April 1975. The Stags made one change from the side that drew with Fleetwood, as Briscoe came back in for Worthington, in a more attacking line up. Barrow had Paul Edwards at left back, on loan from Fleetwood. Edwards had been on loan at Field Mill just a few weeks ago. In the first minute, Marriott came out and cleared the ball onto the roof of the West Stand. I can’t recall that ever happening before. On 2 minutes, Geohaghon’s long throw had a low trajectory and Dyer flicked against the right post via a deflection, On 3 minutes, Meikle played a nice ball forward to Green , and the keeper just got there ahead of Green. Another Geohaghon long throw on 4 minutes, which fell to Meikle whose shot was deflected for a corner. The Stags were ahead on 9 minutes. Green got in on the left, and his ball across the goal came to Briscoe’ whose first effort from close range hit a defender on the line, but it came back to Briscoe who fired into the top left corner from two yards. The Stags had a penalty on 13 minutes as Meikle broke into the box and was tripped by Edwards. A clear penalty. Matt Green stepped up, with a couple of breaks in his run, and fired just to the right of centre. The keeper guessed correctly and saved easily. It was 2-0 on 17 minutes. Green cut in from the left, and squared for Briscoe on the right of the penalty area 14 yards out. Briscoe curled a fabulous left footed shot into the top right corner. On 23 minutes, Geohaghon’s long throw dropped to Meikle, who fired over the bar. Howell set up Briscoe on 25 minutes, and Briscoe’s piledriver from an angle, was well saved by the keeper. Green got past the keeper on 27 minutes and went down, but the keeper had got a touch on the ball and the referee correctly waved away appeals. It was 3-0 on 28 minutes. Yet another long throw from Geohaghon, and Howell flicked it in with his head from close range for his first goal for the club. On 30 minutes, Geohaghon took a short throw to O’Neill who crossed from the right and Dyer flicked a shot just wide. A minute later, Barrow made a double substitution including taking off Paul Edwards to complete a humiliating return to Field Mill. A rare effort for Barrow on 32 minutes as a shot was blocked by Riley but the Stags broke straight to the other end and Green cut inside from the left before firing wide of the right post. Barrow keeper Shaun Pearson went down injured and appeared badly hurt as he was stretchered off. He was replaced by Stuart Dixon. On 42 minutes it was 4-0 as Meikle fired a precision shot just inside the right post. Three minutes into stoppage time, Briscoe went down in the area but again the referee correctly did not give a penalty. It was first time the Stags had scored four in the first half of a game since the game against Stockport in September 2007. Half time 4-0. On 50 minutes, Briscoe got down the right and fired a powerful cross from the byeline which whizzed across the 6 yard box and no one could get on the end of it. On 52 minutes, Meikle cut in from the left and his shot was deflected off Bolland over the bar. O’Neill’s corner on 53 minutes was headed down by Geohaghon, flicked on by Green and deflected wide for a corner. It was 5-0 on 55 minutes, as O’Neill’s corner from the right was headed back by Riley and Green headed in from two yards. A great cross from Briscoe on 57 minutes and Dyer headed back but it was cleared away. On 58 minutes, O’Neill’s corner was met by Geohaghon who headed just over. Rhead replaced Green on 63 minutes. It was 6-0 on 67 minutes with the goal of the game. A defender headed the ball away, and 20 yards from goal Briscoe took one touch to flick the ball up in the air and volleyed it into the top right hand corner. On 69 minutes, Danny Andrew came on for his debut in place of Sutton at left back and two minutes later, Hutchinson replaced Dyer. It was 7-0 on 77 minutes. Meikle did well to tee up Rhead just inside the box on the right and Rhead’s low shot, which was on target, was deflected past the keeper. On 80 minutes, Geohaghon’s header from another O’Neill corner was palmed around the post by the keeper, then, following another O’Neill corner, Howell turned a shot goalwards and the keeper kept it out by sitting on the ball. An O’Neill free kick on 85 minutes from 45 yards was headed goalwards by Howell and the keeper saved well. Then on 87 minutes, O’Neill broke forwards from a Briscoe backheel and got into the box before firing into the side netting. On 89 minutes, a Stags free kick from 22 yards was taken left footed by Andrew and held by the keeper on the line. The final whistle brought a standing ovation from the delirious home fans. Man of the match: Louis Briscoe |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Field Mill
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Line Up:
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Marriott 6.5 Had very little to do, and landed a clearance on the roof of the West Stand, the first time I can ever recall this!
O'Neill 8.5 Delivery from set pieces was superb. Riley 8 Defended very well on a quiet afternoon for the Stags defence. Geohaghon 8 Also defended very well, came close to scoring with a fine header, and again some dangerous long throws which caused havoc for Barrow. Sutton 7 Good game at left back, including nullifying the dangerous Rutherford. Briscoe 9.5 Two outstanding goals in a hat-trick, his second for the Stags. Superb game. Murray 7 A couple of terrific passes. Good game. Howell 8 Very good game, capped by his first goal for the Stags. Meikle 9 Outstanding. Terrorised the Barrow defence throughout, and had the end product today with a fine goal and some dangerous balls as well. Dyer 8 Won every header and unlucky when his early flick hit the post. Green 7 Scored one, his 24th of the season, and set up the first two goals. However was not at his sharpest, typified by a poor penalty. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Rhead (for Green, 63) 7 Scored his first goal for the Stags, a shot that was on target though deflected in.
Andrew (for Sutton, 69) - Slotted in well at left back. Decent free kick from 22 yards, held by the keeper. Hutchinson (for Dyer, 71) - Subs Not Used: Redmond, Worthington. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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Pearson (Dixon 39), Lomax, Bolland, Hone, Edwards (Harvey 31), Rutherford, Owen, Smith, Skelton, Cook, Boyes (Mackreth 31). Subs not used: Baker, Jackson.
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Referee:
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Karl Evans (Wigan) 8 Had a good game, and got the penalty decisions right.
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