Archived News from November 2022
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CLOUGH, MARIS, JIM BENTLEY REACTION
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Manager hails ‘needed’ victory
mansfieldtown.net, Sat 12 Nov 2022 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has hailed his side’s ‘competent and composed’ performance as Stags delivered a ‘needed’ 1-0 win at Rochdale this afternoon. Midfielder George Maris fired home the winner on 66 minutes at Crown Oil Arena. The victory comes after successive home league defeats to Swindon and then Barrow in midweek. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/november/manager-hails-needed-victory/ Speaking to iFollow Stags post-match, the boss said: “We needed it. “I thought it was a very, very competent and composed performance. “The three points are massively welcome when we’ve lost three out of four in the league. “The manner in which we did it was as pleasing as anything today. “From the first minute I thought we played well. “We were on the front foot. “It was just [a question of] whether we could create enough chances, or somebody could get us a goal today. “Christy [Pym] has had one long range shot to save and very little else. “I thought we defended well, kept the ball well and we just needed a break in the box.” Stags were without key players Oli Hawkins and Stephen Quinn at home to Bradford in midweek. Both returned to the starting XI today. “Today we had a couple of them [important performers] back. “I thought we got the right team, the right formation and the subs, as always, made an impact.” The gaffer was still made to shuffle his pack in Greater Manchester. “George Maris, I think, has played every minute of every game recently so he was ready to come out,” he said. “The plan was to give George Lapslie a breather and play Will Swan. “His [Swan’s] hand didn’t feel right in training yesterday. He got a whack. “Somebody stood on it against Bradford on Tuesday. “It swelled up and he was in hospital until five o’clock on Wednesday morning getting it checked out. “In training, it was too sore and then in the warm-up [today] we said, ‘can you go on the bench?’ but he was just too conscious of it in the warm-up. “That’s why we put Galey [James Gale] on the bench and changed it. “Laps [George Lapslie] unfortunately needed that rest because he’s just got a hamstring strain.” "Ollie Clarke felt his knee at half time. He said he'd give it a go in the second half and within five minutes he'd got to come off. Nigel went on to emphasise the importance of Stags’ win. “It feels big today,” the boss said. “First of all, we didn’t want back-to-back defeats but when you’ve lost three out of four [then] you need to get a win. “We’ve won six out of eight on the road and our home form has suffered a little bit in the last couple of games against two very good sides. “We just needed the three points today.” "I said to the lads at half-time that all that was missing was a goal. To come and dominate away from home it then just needed someone to get us the goal and it took a sub to do it. When asked about Riley Harbottle, Stephen McLaughlin and Rhys Oates’ return dates, Nigel said: “Harbottle and McLaughlin, I’m not quite sure. “They’ll be [out] a few weeks. “Oatesy is coming on well. “If everything goes according to plan, he’ll join in training, full training, this week - maybe Wednesday. “We’ll be very cautious with that. “You never know, we might get him on the bench for Hillsborough.” Mansfield were backed by over 1,100 travelling supporters this afternoon. “We couldn’t believe it,” Nigel said. “First of all, the number. “On the back of the run we’ve had - three out of four league defeats. “To come in those numbers and back us in the way they did is incredible.” --------------- Maris hails ‘perfect’ away display at Dale mansfieldtown.net, Sat 12 Nov 2022 Midfielder George Maris described Mansfield’s 1-0 victory over Rochdale as ‘the perfect away day’ after heroically coming off the bench to net Stags’ winner. Nigel Clough’s men moved back into the Sky Bet League Two play-off positions with victory at Crown Oil Arena. Maris’ inventive 66th minute finish decided the contest following a steely defensive display in which the visitors recorded their seventh clean sheet of the season. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/november/maris-hails-perfect-away-display-at-dale/ The 26-year-old began amongst the substitutes following a run of ten consecutive starts for Mansfield in all competitions. He was introduced on 62 minutes and soon struck the game’s critical blow after connecting with Hiram Boateng’s delicious delivery. And Maris credited his fellow midfielder’s assist. “H [Hiram Boateng] is quality,” he said. “You know when he gets it on his left [foot] you’ve got to make a move into the right area. I got myself six-yards out [from goal] because I knew he could put the [perfect] delivery in and I got on the end of it. “It was a bit of an awkward height. Everyone said I probably should’ve headed it, but I’m not the best header of the ball so I just got my foot through it. “It’s good to keep getting on the scoresheet.” The match-winner was praiseworthy of the defensive efforts of his teammates in shutting out Rochdale, who had won two of their last three home league games heading into the fixture. “I think that’s the most impressive [aspect of Mansfield’s performance today],” said Maris. “People might think it’s an easy place to come but it’s not. They beat Salford on Tuesday night, so for us to come here and stop them as we have done is a credit to us. “The whole back five defended very well all game. The lads dug in and did well, I thought we deserved the three points for the way that we played. I thought we were the better team throughout.” The Mansfield number 10 admitted he and his teammates were spurred on to victory by Stags’ following of 1,174 fans. “They were unbelievable, from minute one they were singing” he said. “We haven’t picked up many points in the last few games but they [still came] in their numbers and they got us over the line in the end so credit to them. They’ve been doing that all season and long may it continue.” --------------------- Jim Bentley told the Rochdale youtube channel: "We came up short, it was as simple as that. We just weren't as good as them today, as simple as that." ------------------- We Came Up Short - Bentley rochdaleafc.co.uk Jim Bentley says Dale came up short in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Mansfield Town. George Maris’ second-half goal proved to be the difference in a close encounter. “We’re obviously disappointed as it’s a game we’ve lost,” said Bentley. https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2022/november/interview_jimbentleypostmansfield/ “Coming into these two games we’ve been upbeat and myself and Chaddy [Nick Chadwick] said it was important that we won one of these two games. “Before a ball was kicked this season, Salford City and Mansfield were two of the favourites to be up there. “Nigel gets good, solid outfits together. The power, the knowhow, the experience all in that group. They’re bringing on the likes of John-Joe O’Toole and Jordan Bowery, and we’re bringing on 15-year-old and other youngsters who haven’t played many games. “I just think we came up short today. We had a go, we were disappointing in areas. The goal that we conceded was disappointing, because I think the main, against a big, strong physical side, who are the best in the division at how many balls they put in the box, we defended okay. “We wanted six points, but we’ll take three. The slight criticism today is in that middle-to-final third. We’ve had opportunities to put players clean through and either overhit or underhit it. Ethan Brierley had a fantastic one and slipped unfortunately. “We had a go, the fans got behind us, it wasn’t to be. We’ll dust ourselves down and go again.” ---------------------- |
Latest | November 2022