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Season 18/19 Stagsnet Match Report
English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Exeter City  
1 - 4
 Mansfield Town
Jay 21.
 
 Hamilton 20, 33, Walker 57, pen 74.
Attendance: 5017 (356 from Mansfield)
 
Date: 30 March 2019

STAGS CRUSH EXETER WITH BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE

Martin Shaw at St James Park

After 4 games without a win, Mansfield Town roared back into form with a brilliant performance to crush play-off chasing Exeter City 4-1 at St James Park, and indeed the margin of victory should have been even greater, a point noted by the Exeter manager after the game. Exeter barely created a chance of note in the entire game and the goal they did score came from very poor defending from Mansfield. The Stags were on the front foot from the start and CJ Hamilton had twice been through 1-on-1 with Exeter keeper Christy Pym even before he put Mansfield in front after 20 minutes. Willem Tomlinson, restored to the starting XI and playing against the team he was on verge of signing for in January before Mansfield nipped in to sign him, played a tremendous ball forward which was missed by defender Dara O’Shea, Hamilton ran on to it, took it round the keeper and rolled it into the net. Exeter were level within a minute as Ben Turner, called in to the side with Ryan Sweeney missing due to a sickness bug, missed a header out on the wing, Donovan Wilson skipped past him and crossed into the middle where Matt Jay somehow bundled the ball into the net from close range despite the attentions of 3 Stags defenders. The Stags were deservedly back in front after 33 minutes as Tyler Walker flicked a header forward and Hamilton accelerated away from veteran defenders Dean Moxey and former Stag Craig Woodman to slot past the keeper. A tremendous finish from Hamilton and a great turn of pace. In the closing stages of the half, Mansfield twice went within a whisker of extending the lead with free kicks from just outside the box as Tyler Walker fired just over the bar and Mal Benning fired inches wide of the left post. The Stags totally dominant in the first half and Exeter fans I overheard in the queue for the toilets at half time were grateful their side was only 2-1 down when they thought they should have been 4-1 down. The Stags sealed the game after 57 minutes with one of the goals of the season as Tyler Walker received a throw-in from Benning on the left wing, cut inside and from still well out on the left and 25 yards from goal, curled a simply magnificent shot that bent around the keeper and nestled just inside the far post. Mansfield added a 4th goal after 74 minutes, as Benning played a good ball down the left wing, and Hamilton showed a wonderful bit of skill to knock the ball past O’Shea and unselfishly pulled the ball back and across to Walker, Walker tried to turn away from Woodman and had his legs taken from beneath him. The referee was perfectly placed to award the penalty. Walker took the penalty himself and blasted it into the left corner of the net giving the keeper no chance. That’s how to take a penalty. So a brilliant performance from the Stags and one to send the 356 Stags fans home in good spirits. The Stags were unstoppable, though it has to be noted that Exeter City were terrible. CJ Hamilton was on fire with his two goals and setting up Walker for the penalty. Walker’s first goal meanwhile will live long in the memory and sealed the win for the Stags in a wonderful moment. Hamilton is on to 12 goals for the season now, while Walker is on to 23. In midfield, Willem Tomlinson put in a great performance as did Neal Bishop as the Stags dominated.

It was also a great day for two Stags youngsters: young striker Jimmy Knowles was rewarded for his four goals for the reserves in midweek with a place on the bench, while Zayn Hakeem came on as sub for his first performance of the season. It was also great to see Danny Rose return to the bench ahead of schedule after his injury.

So, Mansfield’s great recent record at St James Park continues: since returning to the Football League, the Stags have now won on 5 of the 6 visits to Exeter.

Elsewhere, MK Dons and Tranmere both won, while Bury lost. So the Stags remain three points behind MK Dons with 6 games to go (remember the two sides play each other on the final day of the season), while the Stags are two points behind Bury and two points ahead of Tranmere, with Bury and Tranmere both having a game in hand. Bury and Tranmere both play their game in hand on Tuesday.

Mansfield made four changes to the side that lost to Crewe. Conrad Logan was preferred to Jordan Smith in goal. Ryan Sweeney missed out suffering from a sickness bug on the journey down yesterday, and was replaced by Ben Turner. Jorge Grant missed out with an ankle problem that he has been carrying for some weeks and kept his running stats down in recent games according to the manager, while Jacob Mellis dropped to the bench. In came Willem Tomlinson and Alex MacDonald. Strikers Knowles, Hakeem and Rose were on the bench as already noted. Hakeem replaced Alistair Smith as the “homegrown” player on the bench. Knowles, having been with the club for less than a year, does not yet qualify for that. Nicky Ajose did not travel with the squad, no reason was given and so we will await news on the reason.

It was a beautiful sunny day in Devon.

The Stags wanted a fast start and were on the front foot from the off.

Inside the first minute, Tomlinson found Walker who won a corner. That corner was cleared for another corner, and from that Bishop headed well wide via a deflection off Preston.

MacDonald tried a snap shot from 30 yards after 4 minutes, which was 3 or 4 yards wide of the left post.

On 7 minutes, Preston lobbed a ball forward and Hamilton forced his way past Craig Woodman into the area and his shot from a tight angle on the right was clawed wide by Pym. Terrific from Hamilton, weak defending from Woodman.

A rare moment when Exeter threatened came on 9 minutes asWoodman pumped a long ball forward, Donovan Wilson chested it down but it ran through to Logan.

On 11 minutes, an even better chance for Hamilton. Hamilton intercepted a loose pass from Boateng, skipped his way past Moxey into the area, and had a free shot at goal from 12 yards. But Hamilton’s shot was weak and straight at Pym.

From the resulting corner, a volley from Tomlinson was blocked.

The Stags had been dominant and it was fitting that Hamilton he put Mansfield in front after 20 minutes. Tomlinson played a tremendous ball forward which was missed by defender Dara O’Shea, Hamilton ran on to it, took it round the keeper and rolled it into the net. Such a composed finish from Hamilton.

But Exeter were level within a minute as Ben Turner missed a header out on the wing, Donovan Wilson skipped past him on the right and crossed into the middle where Matt Jay somehow bundled the ball into the net from close range despite the attentions of 3 Stags defenders. Jay actually bundled the ball into the net with his head despite being on the ground.

On 26 minutes, great play from Bishop to win the ball, he found Walker with a fine ball forward, and Walker fired in a low shot from the edge of the area which Pym saved low down. A minute later at the other end, Logan easily caught a cross from Holmes.

The Stags were deservedly back in front after 33 minutes as Walker flicked a header forward and Hamilton accelerated away from veteran defenders Moxey and Woodman to slot past the keeper. A tremendous finish from Hamilton and a great turn of pace.

On 40 minutes, an Exeter free kick was well-caught by Logan.

In the closing stages of the half, Mansfield twice went within a whisker of extending the lead with free kicks from just outside the box. On 42 minutes, Tomlinson was fouled on the edge of the area to the right of centre. Walker took the resulting free kick and fired just over the bar. Then on 45+3 minutes, Walker was brought down on the edge of the D. Benning took this free kick and fired inches wide of the left post.

The Stags totally dominant then in the first half and Exeter fans I overheard in the queue for the toilets at half time were grateful their side was only 2-1 down when they thought they should have been 4-1 down. Exeter looked vulnerable at the back. Hamilton was on fire causing problems time and again.

Half time 1-2

On 48 minutes, Boateng got past Turner too easily, but put in a poor cross. Then on 55 minutes, a terrible kick out by Logan straight into touch halfway inside his own half put the Stags under pressure as Exeter took the free kick quickly and crossed into the box, but Preston headed away and MacDonald completed the clearance.

The Stags sealed the game after 57 minutes with one of the goals of the season as Walker received a throw-in from Benning on the left wing, cut inside and from still well out on the left and 25 yards from goal, curled a simply magnificent shot that bent around the keeper and nestled just inside the far post.

On 60 minutes, a good header away from Turner after Kane Wilson got to the byline and crossed.

Mellis replaced Bishop after 72 minutes. Bishop had a slight hamstring strain. After the game, boss Flitcroft said “That’s one we have to watch”.

Mansfield added a 4th goal after 74 minutes, as Benning played a good ball down the left wing, and Hamilton showed a wonderful bit of skill to knock the ball past O’Shea and unselfishly pulled the ball back and across to Walker, Walker tried to turn away from Woodman and had his legs taken from beneath him. The referee was perfectly placed to award the penalty. Walker took the penalty himself and blasted it into the left corner of the net giving the keeper no chance. That’s how to take a penalty.

On 77 minutes, Turner was penalised harshly for a foul. Sub Randell Williams took the resulting free kick and fired well over the bar.

Young Zayn Hakeem came on for his first appearance of the season, after 90+2 minutes, replacing Hamilton.

So a brilliant performance from the Stags and one to send the 356 Stags fans home in good spirits.

Incidentally, from studying the programme, only Yeovil Town and Tranmere Rovers have taken a bigger away following to Exeter this season.

Man of the match: CJ Hamilton


Report by: Martin Shaw at St James Park



Line Up:
(3-5-2)
Logan 6.5 Solid. No chance with the goal. A couple of decent catches. No shots to save. One poor clearance put the side under pressure.
Preston 7 Defended well. Possibly could have done better with the Exeter goal.
Pearce 7 Solid as a rock. Showed no signs of being affected by the court case in midweek which could have affected lesser characters.
Turner 5.5 Poor defending for the goal as he missed a header and allowed Donovan Wilson to skip past him. Then allowed Boateng to get past him too easily early in the second half, but played well after that with some good headers.
Jones 7 Decent game.
Tomlinson 8.5 Great performance. Several high quality balls forward.
MacDonald 7 Good game. Plenty of energy.
Bishop 8 Great game. With Tomlinson, completely bossed the midfield. Won plenty of challenges. Went off with a slight hamstring strain, and after the game, boss Flitcroft said “That’s one we have to watch”.
Benning 7.5 One free-kick inches wide. Good ball down the line for Hamilton to run on to for the penalty.
Walker 9 His first goal was simply magnificent. Won the penalty which he finished expertly giving the keeper no chance, that’s how to take a penalty. Header forward for Hamilton to run on to for Hamilton’s second goal. On to 23 goals this season now.
Hamilton 9.5 On fire, Exeter simply couldn’t cope with him. Two very well taken goals. He’d got in behind the defence twice before the goals as well, once getting in a good shot and once a weak shot. Wonderful piece of skill in the build-up to setting up the penalty.
Sub Line Up:
Mellis (for Bishop, 72 mins) - Slotted in well.
Hakeem (for Hamilton, 90+2 mins) - Great to see him get his first appearance of the season, following a loan spell at Coalville and then an injury.
Subs not used: J.Smith, Atkinson, Khan, Knowles, Rose.
Opposition Line Up:
(4-4-2): Pym; K.Wilson, O’Shea, Moxey, Woodman; Holmes (Martin, 68), Taylor, Boateng (Williams, 59), Law; D.Wilson (Brown, 78), Jay. Subs not used: Hamon, Sweeney, Collins, Forte.
Referee:
Ben Toner 7 Got the penalty right. Handled the game well.


Season 18/19 Reports