Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
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Crewe Alexandra
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Mansfield Town
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Elsnik 6, 35, Walker 61
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Attendance: 2973 (300 from Mansfield, official figure, PLUS others who arrived late due to traffic)
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Date: 30 October 2018
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ELSNIK DOUBLE PROPELS STAGS TO WIN AT CREWE
Martin Shaw at Gresty Road Mansfield Town produced a cracking all round performance to win 3-0 at Crewe last night, with two first half goals from Timi Elsnik and one in the second half from Tyler Walker. It was Mansfield’s first win at Crewe since 1991, a game in which Phil Stant scored his first goal for Mansfield, and in a season when the Stags went on to be promoted. Crewe came into this game unbeaten for 4 games but were completely outplayed as the Stags were pretty much on top from start to finish. The Stags are now unbeaten in 11 away games, which is the new the club record, beating the 10 unbeaten away games set in the Conference in 2011. The Stags were ahead on 6 minutes as Elsnik fired into the bottom right corner of the net from the edge of the area after Walker laid off into his path from Neal Bishop’s ball forward. Elsnik’s second came on 35 minutes. The ball reached Elsnik 25 yards goal following a tackle on Danny Rose by George Ray. Elsnik took one touch forward and smashed a shot into the top left corner of the net from just inside the area. Mansfield sealed the game on 61 minutes with a third goal. Jacob Mellis, who had a very good game, slid a superb ball forward into the path of CJ Hamilton on the left, Hamilton got to the byline, pulled the ball across and Walker flicked a back-heel into the net from close range. Great play from Mellis, a good cross from Hamilton, and a clever finish from Walker, reminiscent of one of his goals against Accrington. The Stags defended well, Bobby Olejnik made three good saves and Crewe were never allowed a sniff of getting into the game. Elsnik nearly completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes when he worked some space on the edge of the area and curled a shot towards the left corner of the net, but keeper Ben Garrett denied him with a fine diving save. A tough call to choose a man of the match, but it has to be Elsnik for me for his two super goals and good all round performance. Plenty of star performances throughout the side including Mellis, who was excellent, Krystian Pearce, Matt Preston, Bishop, and Olejnik who made good saves when called upon. The Stags are 3 points behind the play-offs with 1 game in hand. Another away game on Saturday as Mansfield visit Cheltenham. The Stags made two changes from the side that drew with MK Dons. Ryan Sweeney was suspended after picking up five bookings. By the way, Mal Benning is one booking away from suspension having picked up four yellow cards this season (plus one in the Carabao Cup and one in the Checkatrade Trophy, but they do not count towards league suspensions this season). Sweeney was replaced by Hayden White, who was a welcome returner from injury. Otis Khan missed out with an Achilles problem picked up in the first half against MK Dons, and was replaced by Elsnik, who had been unlucky to lose his place previously. White was on the right of the back three, with Preston on the left. Crewe made one change from the side that beat Grimsby. Perry Ng returned from suspension and replaced former Stags defender Nicky Hunt. It was a cold dry evening in Crewe. A number of Stags fans were delayed by a bad accident on the A50 between Uttoxeter and Stoke. They finally arrived during the first half, though some turned round and went home. I think the official following of 300 did not include those who arrived late. The first half-chance of the game came on 4 minutes. Corey Whelan got past Benning, and put in a low cross, Shaun Miller fired tamely wide. The Stags were ahead on 6 minutes as Elsnik fired into the bottom right corner of the net from the edge of the area after Walker laid off into his path from Neal Bishop’s ball forward. A clinical finish from Elsnik that was going in from the moment it left his boot. On 10 minutes, Kirk turned and fired over the bar from 12 yards. White overlapped on Hamilton on 16 minutes but put in a poor cross. A minute later at the other end, Ainley sent a low shot well wide from 25 yards. Bishop brilliantly won the ball on 19 minutes and set the Stags on the attack. On 21 minutes, Rose was cynically brought down by George Ray. Ray should have been booked but wasn’t. Elsnik took the resulting free kick from 32 yards but miscued along the ground straight through to the keeper. A chance for Hamilton on 23 minutes. Walker flicked into his path, he made a good run to the edge of the area on the right, cut onto his left foot and sent a low shot straight at the keeper. Crewe went close on 24 minutes. Kirk laid off to the overlapping Pickering who crossed low from the byline on the left to the near post where Shaun Miller knocked wide from 3 yards. Walker should have doubled Mansfield’s lead on 29 minutes. He did brilliantly to nick the ball away from Ray with his head on the left touchline, cut inside, and with the keeper advancing, shot into the side netting from 10 yards. Great play not matched by the finish. On 33 minutes, Pickering’s low cross was well-claimed by Olejnik. A minute later, a free kick from the byline on the right for Crewe, like a sort of short corner. Pickering pulled it back to the edge of the area where James Jones fired over the bar. Elsnik’s second goal came on 35 minutes. The ball reached Elsnik 25 yards goal following a tackle on Danny Rose by George Ray. Elsnik took one touch forward and smashed a shot into the top left corner of the net from just inside the area. Rose played a poor ball across on 37 minutes with Walker in space. At the other end on 39 minutes, Bishop gave the ball away, and Olejnik made a low save from a weak shot by Kirk. A chance for Elsnik to complete his hat-trick on 41 minutes. Great play from Walker on the left, he laid off to Elsnik, who chips wide of the far post from the left. A good run forward by Bishop on 44 minutes, he laid off to Walker, whose low shot was deflected, and wrong-footed the keeper who did well to react and keep it out of the net at full stretch. On 45 minutes, Miller put in a good cross from the right, to Bowery who turned goalwards but Olejnik was in the right place to keep it out. On the stroke of half time, a clash between White and Charlie Kirk. Kirk pulled White’s shirt. White squared up to him. The squaring up happens just off camera from the main camera and our pitchside camera. It happened right in front of the Stags fans who insist that White did not touch Kirk. After the game, Crewe boss Dave Artell said: "The game should have changed at 1-0 (*) when the lad headbutts Charlie Kirk, I watched it at half-time. How (referee) Chris Sarginson has missed it, he said ‘I haven’t seen it’. He’ll get a zero from me as a ref because he’s missed a key match decision and the lad will get three games, I’m certain of it.” Artell had perhaps watched footage from the Crewe analyst? (Note * that it happened at 2-0, not 1-0.) 2-0 to the Stags at the break. The Crewe official twitter feed tweeted: “Not quite sure how, but Crewe are 2 down at the interval. Timi Elsnik got both for the #Stags, but Crewe have controlled play & created chances aplenty.” Not quite sure how??? Well the Stags were good value for the lead, with two great goals from Elsnik, and Walker missing a glorious chance in between. Crewe had not controlled play at all, and really had just one near miss when Shaun Miller missed a good chance from close range. Half time 0-2 The Stags made a change in formation at half time. White moved from the right of the central three to right back, Benning to left back. Hamilton moved from right wing-back to a forward left-sided role. Walker was on the right of a front 3, in a 4-3-3 formation. Flitcroft explained the change saying “Second half we altered the shape as I felt a couple of times they got in and we were too split. We went 4-3-3 and it really settled us.” On 48 minutes, Olejnik palmed away a shot from Whelan with firm hands above his head. At the other end on 50 minutes, Hamilton was fouled 25 yards from goal. The free kick was laid off by Elsnik to Mellis, and Mellis’s shot was deflected straight through to the keeper. Great defending by Pearce on Bowery in the area on 52 minutes. On 53 minutes, Elsnik dinked a free kick from 40 yards into the area, Rose met it on the volley, but miscued straight to the keeper. Benning got into the area a minute later and should have shot, but instead laid off and the ball was cleared. On 56 minutes, Walker did well to lay off to Elsnik who fired over the bar from just outside the area. Two minutes later at the other end, Pickering cut inside from the left, and fired in a shot that Olejnik pushed away though didn’t hold. The Stags went close on 60 minutes. Elsnik’s corner from the right was headed wide by White. Mansfield sealed the game on 61 minutes with a third goal. Mellis, who had a very good game, slid a superb ball forward into the path of Hamilton on the left, Hamilton got to the byline, pulled the ball across and Walker flicked a back-heel into the net from close range. Great play from Mellis, a good cross from Hamilton, and a clever finish from Walker, reminiscent of one of his goals against Accrington. Hamilton missed a glorious chance on 63 minutes. Mellis laid a perfect ball into his path, Hamilton got into the area and with just the keeper to beat, fired just wide of the left post. He really should have scored. Bobby Olejnik made a brilliant save on 66 minutes. He had initially been out of position from a cross. But by the time, the ball was knocked back towards the edge of the area, he was back in place, and did superbly to turn Ainley’s shot wide of the post. Great defending by Preston on 69 minutes as he slid in to put a dangerous cross behind for a corner. From the resulting corner, some rare poor defending as Ainley was allowed space to fire wide from 12 yards. Atkinson replaced Walker on 70 minutes. He went into right midfield. Hamilton was in left midfield in what was now a 4-5-1 formation. Pearce was injured and received some attention. He was about to be replaced by Butcher on 73 minutes, but there was a change of mind and Pearce carried on. A good turn by Bowery on 75 minutes, but he shot straight at Olejnik from the edge of the area. Davies replaced Rose on 81 minutes. Great play by Elsnik on the halfway line on 83 minutes. He laid the ball forward to Hamilton, Hamilton found Mellis who crossed to the right, but it deflected off Davies and hit Atkinson and bounced away from him. Elsnik nearly completed his hat-trick on 84 minutes when he worked some space on the edge of the area and curled a shot towards the left corner of the net, but keeper Ben Garrett denied him with a fine diving save. Great defending by Hamilton on 85 minutes as Crewe broke forward. Butcher replaced Mellis on 88 minutes. Olejnik made his second terrific save on 90+5 minutes. A free kick from Pickering was headed by Ray towards the top right corner of the net and Olejnik dived full length to save and catch it. Full time and it was a job really well done from the Stags. Man of the match: Timi Elsnik |
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Report by: Martin Shaw at Gresty Road
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Line Up:
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(3-5-2)
Olejnik 8 Brilliant saves from Ainley and Ray. A couple of other decent saves. One slip-up when out of position. White 7 Great to see him back from injury. Decent game. Pearce 8 Very solid game with some fine defending. Preston 7.5 Really good game and some good clearances. Hamilton 7 Good cross for Walker’s goal. Missed a glorious chance. Some good defending. Bishop 8 One mistake when he gave the ball away but otherwise a very good game. Mellis 8.5 Superb ball forward for Hamilton to set up Walker’s goal. Perfect ball for Hamilton’s glorious chance. Terrific game. Elsnik 9 My man of the match for his two super goals and good all round performance. Denied a hat-trick by a fine save. Benning 6.5 Did ok. Allowed Whelan past him to get in a cross early on. Walker 8 Clever finish with a back-heel. Some good lay-offs. Great play to set up a chance for himself in the first half which he should have scored. Rose 6.5 Worked hard, but things didn’t quite run for him. |
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Sub Line Up:
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Atkinson (for Walker, 70 mins) -
Davies (for Rose, 81 mins) - Butcher (for Mellis, 88 mins) - Subs not used: Logan, Gibbens, Sterling-James, Graham. |
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Opposition Line Up:
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(4-4-2). Garratt; Whelan, Ray, Ng, Pickering; Ainley (Nicholls, 71), Wintle, Jones (Finney, 55), Kirk; Miller, Bowery. Subs not used: Richards, Raynes, Hunt, O’Connor, Porter.
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Referee:
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Chris Sarginson 7 Handled the game well. Should have booked Ray for the cynical foul on Rose.
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