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Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Yeovil Town  
2 - 2
 Mansfield Town
Jaiyesimi 6, Arquin 17.
 
 Davies 9, Preston 25.
Attendance: 2796 (315 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 11 August 2018

STAGS COME FROM BEHIND TWICE TO DRAW AT YEOVIL

Martin Shaw at Huish Park

Mansfield Town came from behind twice to draw 2-2 in an exciting game at Yeovil this afternoon. The Stags were behind on just 6 minutes as Dickinson chipped a ball forward from the halfway line to the edge of the area and Jaiyesimi got away from Pearce and Preston to get in a shot which deflected off Pearce and over Logan. Poor defending. The Stags were level on 9 minutes. Santos’s attempted clearance hit Alex MacDonald on Mansfield’s right and rebounded into the middle to fall perfectly for Craig Davies who fired right footed into the bottom left corner of the net from 12 yards. Certainly a stroke of luck for Mansfield that the ball rebounded kindly into the path of Davies, but it was a clinical finish from the Stags striker for his first league goal for the club. But the Stags paid for more sloppy defending on 17 minutes to fall behind again. Following a long throw-in from the left, Omar Sowunmi’s shot from 12 yards was pushed away by Logan and former Stags striker Yoann Arquin, playing for Yeovil as a right winger, was left in acres of space, to fire into the net from a tight angle on the right. Once again, Mansfield were level with a few minutes, scoring on 25 minutes, as Otis Khan put in a fabulous cross from the byline on the left, both Krystian Pearce and Matt Preston went for the same header from 6 yards, and it was Preston who headed into the net. Pearce actually headed Preston’s head and Preston had to receive treatment before the game restarted. An exciting first half with the Stags poor at the back but dangerous going forward. A fair scoreline at the break, but Yeovil got on top in the first half of the second half and Jaiyesimi should have put them back in front on 66 minutes as he turned and shot wide from close range after Preston made a hash of a clearance. But after that it was the Stags on top and searching for a winner. On 70 minutes, Khan got to the byline and played a lovely ball to Davies, whose shot was blocked superbly on the line by the keeper. Davies should have scored but it was a fine save by the keeper. Davies went even closer on 74 minutes. Walker chipped a superb cross from the right to the far post, where Davies got in a great header which Sowunmi headed up and onto the underside of the bar. A good effort from Davies, and great defending from Sowunmi. The Stags went within a whisker again on 89 minutes, as Khan’s superb free kick from 40 yards into the box was met with a glancing header from Preston just wide of the left post. Overall, this was a fair result. Yeovil were better than expected with some impressive attacking down both wings, with Arquin and Mugabe on the right, and new signing Wes Atkinson from Birmingham on the left. They caused Mansfield plenty of problems, but the Stags will be disappointed with some of the defending. Going forward for Mansfield, Otis Khan oozed class, having been booed by some of the home fans returning to the club where he did so well. Craig Davies had a good game with one clinical finish and was unlucky not to be the matchwinner with his header knocked onto the underside of the bar. Khan, Davies and Benning combined well down the left. So the Stags are off to a solid start, with four points from two games. Attention now switches to the Carabao (League) Cup on Tuesday as Accrington come to the One Call Stadium.

The Stags were unchanged from the side that beat Newport. There was just one change on the bench as Atkinson replaced Sterling-James. Sterling-James appeared to be fit with Atkinson simply selected ahead of him.

No place in the squad for Danny Rose, who did not travel. It had looked like Rose would leave before transfer deadline day, but no club met Mansfield’s valuation of him. From manager David Flitcroft’s comments after the game, Rose had been tapped up by Peterborough and influenced to put in a transfer request. But then Peterborough signed another striker (Toney) and the deal was not done. Rose could still leave on loan with a view to a permanent transfer by the end of August if any club meets Mansfield’s valuation. Flitcroft said after the game that he will meet Rose on Monday. Lee Angol left for Shrewsbury on deadline day, with a sell-on clause included in the transfer. The Stags could have done with either Rose or Angol to freshen up the forward line in the final minutes of today’s game. Angol, of course, had an enormous impact as sub in the game here last season.

Yeovil were without Tom James and Jordan Green, sent off last Saturday. But Omar Sowunmi, dominant centre half and one of Yeovil’s best players, returned from suspension following his sending off in stoppage time against Mansfield at the end of last season! Former Stags striker Yoann Arquin played on the right wing. Alex Fisher was on the bench, but did not come on.

It only seemed a short time since Mansfield were last at Yeovil. And indeed it was, as the last away game of last season was here, so it was actually successive away league games here.

The game was played in rain throughout.

Otis Khan was booed by some home fans on his first touch of the ball.

The Stags created the first chance on 4 minutes. Bishop won a free kick 30 yards out, just to the left of centre. Khan took the kick short to Alex MacDonald, who shot into the wall.

Pearce was lucky to escape a booking when he pulled a player back by his shirt. Poor refereeing as it was an obvious yellow card.

The Stags were behind on 6 minutes. Dickinson chipped a ball forward from the halfway line to the edge of the area and Jaiyesimi got away from Pearce and Preston to get in a shot which deflected off Pearce and over Logan. Poor defending.

On 8 minutes, Hamilton’s cross from the right was deflected up, Arquin fluffed a header away and Khan tried an ambitious overhead kick, which went wide of the right post.

The Stags were level on 9 minutes. Santos’s attempted clearance hit Alex MacDonald on Mansfield’s right and rebounded into the middle to fall perfectly for Davies who fired right footed into the bottom left corner of the net from 12 yards. Certainly a stroke of luck for Mansfield that the ball rebounded kindly into the path of Davies, but it was a clinical finish from the Stags striker for his first league goal for the club.

The Stags were cut open on 11 minutes. Bishop gave the ball away, Mugabe got down the right, too easily, and chipped to the far post where Jaiyesimi headed wide.

At the other end a chance for Mansfield on 15 minutes. Clever play from Khan to get into the area on the left, but his shot did match his approach play as he shot tamely into the side netting.

The Stags paid for more sloppy defending on 17 minutes to fall behind again. Following a long throw-in from the left, Sowunmi’s shot from 12 yards was pushed away by Logan and former Stags striker Yoann Arquin was left in acres of space, to fire into the net from a tight angle on the right. Logan had pushed the initial shot away from goal, rather than back out in front of goal, which was the right thing to do, but Arquin had been left by the defence in too much space.

On 21 minutes, Davies cut in from the left on to his right foot, and fired in a curling shot, which keeper Baxter, on loan from Chelsea, saved to his right.

A minute later at the other end, Mugabe curled a ball forward, Jaiyesimi got there first and lobbed over Logan and over the bar.

Once again, Mansfield were level with a few minutes of going behind, scoring on 25 minutes. Khan put in a fabulous cross from the byline on the left, both Pearce and Preston went for the same header from 6 yards, and it was Preston who headed into the net. Pearce actually headed Preston’s head and Preston had to receive treatment before the game restarted.

A chance for Mansfield to go in front on 30 minutes. A quick free-kick to Walker who pulled the ball back to Pearce who side-footed just wide and perhaps a fraction high, unmarked from the edge of the box.

Then a chance for Tyler Walker on 33 minutes. Benning played the ball down the left hand side, Walker did well to get onto it, and fired a left footed shot across the keeper and wide of the right post.

Good approach play from the Stags on 42 minutes, but lost the ball before creating a chance.

Benning was booked for a trip on 44 minutes. Arquin had committed a similar foul a minute earlier and he had not been booked. Inconsistent refereeing. Then an even worse foul on Bishop on 45+3 minutes, and again no card.

An exciting first half with the Stags poor at the back but dangerous going forward, and a fair scoreline at the break.

Half time 2-2

On 49 minutes, Benning’s free kick was headed down by Preston to Khan, who took a good first touch and fired over from the edge of the box.

Two minutes later, Alex MacDonald crossed from the right, Benning came in at the far post but the ball skipped past him.

D’Almeida sent a snap shot from 20 yards miles over the bar on 54 minutes. Then on 57 minutes, Wes McDonald cut inside Hamilton on the left, and shot well wide of the left post.

Great play on the left from Mansfield on 60 minutes as Bishop found Benning, who got into the area, and laid off to Walker, but his shot was blocked.

Yeovil had got on top in the first half of the second half and Jaiyesimi should have put them back in front on 66 minutes. He turned and shot wide from close range after Preston made a hash of a clearance.

A minute later, another chance for the home side as Dickinson crossed into the middle from the left, Logan saved from Arquin who also knocked the rebound over the bar.

From that point on, it was the Stags on top and searching for a winner.

On 70 minutes, Khan got to the byline and played a lovely ball to Davies, whose shot was blocked superbly on the line by the keeper. Davies should have scored but it was a good save.

Davies went even closer on 74 minutes. Walker chipped a superb cross from the right to the far post, where Davies got in a great header which Sowunmi headed up and onto the underside of the bar. A good effort from Davies, and great defending from Sowunmi.

Bishop was booked for dragging his man back after he had lost the ball, on 77 minutes.

Preston gave away a free kick on the byline just outside the area on the right for Yeovil on 82 minutes. Dickinson’s free kick to the far post was met by the head of Sowunmi, who headed straight at Logan.

Alex MacDonald was booked on 83 minutes. A really soft yellow from the referee, after he had let a lot go in the first half.

Butcher replaced Davies on 83 minutes.

Great defending from White on 84 minutes. A fluke ball nearly put Zoko through on goal, but White stepped in to clear up.

On 85 minutes, a possibility of a penalty for Mansfield. Khan played the ball forward for Walker, who ran on to it and went down in the area. An agonising pause from the referee, deciding what to give, before giving a corner. Khan’s corner was headed away.

White was booked for a foul on 86 minutes.

Mellis replaced Alex MacDonald on 87 minutes.

Walker flicked on a header to no-one on 88 minutes. He was up front on his own now.

The Stags went within a whisker of a winner on 89 minutes, as Khan’s superb free kick from 40 yards into the box was met with a glancing header from Preston just wide of the left post.

Zoko limped off for Yeovil on 90 minutes following a foul by White four minutes earlier for which White was booked. Yeovil had already used three subs so played the 4 minutes of stoppage time with 10 men.

On 90+3 minutes, Benning played the ball inside to Mellis, who steadied himself for a shot from 20 yards, but sent a poor effort wide of the left post.

After the game, both sides were disappointed not to win it. But overall, this was a fair result.

Man of the match: Otis Khan


Report by: Martin Shaw at Huish Park



Line Up:
(3-5-2)
Logan 6 No chance with the first goal. For the second goal, he had pushed the initial shot away from goal, rather than back out in front of goal, which was the right thing to do, but Arquin had been left in too much space by the defence.
White 6 Great defending on 84 minutes when a fluke ball nearly put Zoko through on goal, but White stepped in to clear up. Overall a reasonable game.
Preston 6 Unusually sloppy at the back compared to what we’ve seen to date. But made amends with a goal and nearly won in on 89 minutes.
Pearce 5.5 Sloppy at the back.
Hamilton 6 Didn’t get into the game as much as he’d have liked. Wes McDonald cut inside him too easily on one occasion.
MacDonald 6 Didn’t affect the game enough.
Bishop 6 Gave the ball away a couple of times. Not at his best.
Khan 8 Fabulous cross for the second goal. Superb free kick for Preston’s header just wide. Great play to set up a chance for Davies which was blocked on the line.
Benning 7 Combined well down the left with Khan and Davies. At the back, Mugabe and Arquin caused him and Pearce some problems.
Walker 6 Superb cross for Davies’ header against the underside of the bar.
Davies 7 Good game with one clinical finish and was unlucky not to be the matchwinner with his header knocked onto the underside of the bar.
Sub Line Up:
Butcher (for Davies, 83 mins) -
Mellis (for MacDonald, 87 mins) -
Subs not used: Olejnik, Sweeney, Gibbens, Atkinson, Graham.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Baxter; Mugabi, Sowunmi, Donnellan (Warren 46'), Dickinson; Arquin, Santos (Pattison 56'), D'Almeida, McDonald; Jaiyesimi (Henry 75'), Zoko. Subs not used: Phillips, Cole, Rogers, Fisher.
Referee:
Neil Hair 5 A new referee to the Football League. Very inconsistent with his yellow cards.


Season 18/19 Reports