Archived News from February 2004
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STAGS BACK ON FORM WITH TERRIFIC WIN
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York City 1-2 Mansfield Town
Nogan 65. Lawrence 29, Pacquette 53 4,068 (1063 from Mansfield) In front of the Yorkshire TV cameras, the Stags produced a great display to win 2-1 at York. Stagsnet player ratings now on site in the Match Centre. Man of the match: Craig Disley --------- Match Statistics (York/Stags) 11 Goal Attempts 17 5 On target 12 6 Off target 5 0 Woodwork 0 5 Corners 10 12 Fouls 16 2 Offside 2 --------- CHAD report: Stags bounce back to form Mansfield Town got their promotion push back on track with a crucial 2-1 win at York City this afternoon. The victory - Stags's first in three games - was made all the more important by Hull City being held by Carlisle and defeat for Oxford United among the three teams above them. It also quickly wiped away the misery of the previous week's tame surrender at Rochdale as Stags again displayed their promotion credentials with a gutsy performance that got better as the game wore on. Liam Lawrence's 15th goal of the season - an absolute belter - and on-loan QPR striker Richard Pacquette's first for Mansfield - after an earlier glaring miss - had put them firmly in control in the Yorkshire drizzle. But a mistake from Mansfield keeper Kevin Pilkington gifted Lee Nogan a goal for the home side on 66 minutes to leave the visitors with a nervous finish. Mansfield's central defensive partnership of Rhys Day and Dave Artell were outstanding on the day and delighted manager Keith Curle said: "I've always said the sign of a good team is how they react after defeat and today we deserved this victory. "It was a chance for the squad to come together again. I could sense a unity back among them again before the game in the hotel, on the bus and in the dressing room. "One thing people say is come and see Mansfield as you always get a nail biting game and that's what is was at times. "I was delighted to se Liam score. He is back to his best now after a difficult time. And Richard scored his first goal. You could tell he needed a goal and an opportunity to score. I knew the lad had a goal in him and he proved that today. "There has been an anxiety around the club this week after last week's disappointment. The fans chanted 'what load of rubbish' at us which was understandable. We accepted that and now we've moved on." Stags made four changes with Junior Mendes and Bobby Hassell out injured while Luke Dimech and Colin Larkin were dropped. Tony Vaughan returned from injury to regain the left back spot, Jake Buxton moving across to right back. Iyseden Christie came in up front while Dave Artell returned to the centre of defence and Craig Disley onto the right of midfield outside Lawrence. York began with key players Lee Bullock and Darren |Edmondson on their bench. Bullock has been training with Cardiff City this week while Edmondson, a mainstay of the side this season, was a surprise omission. It was a happy start to the day for the Minstermen with fans arriving after a celebration march from the City Centre with the one time crisis club's long-term future now assured. Stags almost grabbed an early lead. They forced a fifth minute corner when Corden was a low shot from a tight angle turned round by keeper Ovendale at his near post. Corden flighted that over and it was initially met by Day who headed it towards the far post where Christie headed tamely over from close range. On eight minutes Dunning drilled the ball narrowly wide for City after Merris' low cross was cleared out as far as him 16 yards from goal. Pacquette tried to tee up Christie with a neat chest into his path but he sliced his finish so badly it went for a throw-in. On 14 minutes City came close again as Nogan headed a clearance on for Yalcin, but the former Turkish youth international sent his low finish wide. Back came Stags to force a second corner which Lawrence swung out towards Day. He met it with an excellent diving header that was blocked just in front of goal by Hope. The game was scrappy but Stags threatened again on 27 minutes when Corden crossed from the left and Disley sent a looping header over Ovendale who did well to reach up and claw it away, York eventually scrambling clear for a corner. But Mansfield were ahead two minutes later with a moment of Lawrence magic. Taking possession 20 yards from goal, he made space, looked up and curled a brilliant finish into the top left hand corner. Looking for a way back for City, Ward cut inside Disley before having his finish deflected up and over. When that came over Hope sent a downward header wide of goal. Christie caused more problems for City five minutes from the break as Corden pulled the ball back low into his path and Christie got in a low shot which Brass did well to block. On 43 minutes Ward had a pot shot from 25 yards but it flew comfortably at Pilkington. However, Pacquette, largely anonymous in the first half, blew a superb opportunity to extend Mansfield's lead in first half stoppage time. Lawrence and Christie worked the ball to Corden for a clear shot on goal. Ovendale made the save but, with the keeper grounded, the ball rolled invitingly to Pacquette who, with the goal at his mercy, blazed over from 12 yards. Corden was booked inside the first minute of the second half for a foul on Nogan. Shortly after, under Corden's challenge, Cooper crashed into advertising hoardings. Home players demanded a red card but referee Mr Jones felt it was accidental. Williamson had shot blocked by Hope for Stags' first second half corner. Shortly afterwards at the other end a Dunning cross went through everyone in a crowded box before rolling to safety. Pacquette made amends for his first half miss with Stags' second goal on 53 minutes. Lawrence floated in a free kick from the right and Pacquette rose to meet it with a venomous header that flew into the top right hand corner. York's response was to replace Yalchin wih Bullock. But Stags were clearly lifted by the second goal and began to dominate. Only a sliding challenge from Smith stopped a through ball reaching Pacquette. Dunning saw York's first yellow card for flooring Disley just outside the centre circle. Disley took his own revenge on the York man within two minutes with a return foul that also saw him cautioned. Cooper was well over with an ambitious 30 yarder as York showed their desperation. Vaughan might have done better for Stags as Artell chested a cross down before cueing up the former Forest defender for a low shot that swung away from goal. Stags were almost caught square at the back as Nogan was fed through. A very late offside flag saved them but Nogan and the home fans were furious. However, Nogan was celebrating on 66 minutes after a clanger from Pilkington. The keeper sidefooted an easy backpass straight to Nogan 35 yards from goal and he lobbed it back into the unguarded net, celebrating even before it reached the goal. It was an unexpected body blow for a Stags side that were well in control at that stage and left the visitors with an uncomfortable 24 minutes. York looked lifted by the gift goal and quickly sent on Edmondson for Cooper. Larkin came on for Pacquette for the last 15 minutes and immediately got in a low shot from a pass by Christie which flew at the keeper. A minute later a good tackle from Lawrence and a lay-off by Christie again set up Larkin and this time his low shot beat the keeper and the far post. York forced a corner 12 minutes from time which saw Walker's low shot blocked by Artell. Then Pilkington did well to take a high Merris cross under extreme pressure from two City players, though it took a little juggling to hold on. Dimech replaced Disley in the centre of midfield for the last nine minutes. Smith got away with a handball that prevented Williamson going clear and the frustrated Stags midfielder responded with a foul on Brass to earn a booking. Buxton gave away a free kick for holding two minutes from time in a dangerous position. But Fox eventually skied the ball well over. It was all York as the game reached 90 minutes and Nogan's cutting through ball for Edmondson saw the sub's first touch let him down and the Vaughan slid in with a great saving tackle. From the corner Pilkington had to turn Dunning's inswinger over for another. But in the four minutes of stoppage time Corden exploited the spaces left at the back by York and Stags could have netted three more times. In the first minute of time added on he crossed to the far post where Larkin sent a free header wide. A minute later Corden cut inside from a similar position and this time went alone with a fierce low shot that Overndale managed to parry. It was Corden again in the third minute of stoppage time who lined up a 20 yard crack from a central position which Ovendale saved but fumbled and was relieved to see it drop over his bar. Referee Mr Jones ended Stags' agony with the final whistle some 10 seconds early as the terrace celebrations began for the huge following from Mansfield who formed over a quarter of the 4,068 crowd. ----------- Ananova: York 1 Mansfield 2 Mansfield got their automatic promotion bid firmly back on the rails with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over play-off chasing York. Town midfielder Liam Lawrence opened the scoring with an unstoppable left-footed strike from 25 yards which sailed into Mark Ovendale's top right-hand corner. Mansfield deservedly extended their lead when Richard Pacquette met Lawrence's free-kick with a powerful header which went in off the angle of the post and crossbar. But City were handed a lifeline when Kevin Pilkington's poor clearance fell straight to Lee Nogan and he chipped the Stags goalkeeper from midway inside the visitors half. Darren Edmondson then missed a late chance to equalise but his control let him down. ----------- Footymad.net: York City and Mansfield Town produced an exciting attacking feast of football with the visitors running out 2-1 winners with goals from Liam Lawrence and Richard Pacquette. City's top scorer Lee Nogan scored what proved to be City's consolation goal. The visitors dominated the first half and on five minutes Wayne Corden had a shot from a tight angle well saved by Mark Ovendale. City hit back with Darren Dunning and Levent Yalcin both shooting wide from just outside the box. Stags central defender Rhys Day had a powerful downward header from Lawrence's corner blocked on the line by Richard Hope before Craig Disley's dipping header from 12 yards brought a fine flying save from Ovendale. The Stags went ahead on 29 minutes with a quality goal. Lawrence picked up the ball 25 yards out, cut inside and unleashed a curling left-foot strike in to the top left-hand corner. York had chances to get back on level terms when Nogan flipped an effort inches wide from Dunning's corner, while Kevin Pilkington dealt well with Ward's rising 30-yard screamer. The visitors should have gone in at half time 2-0 up. On 45 minutes Brass' slip on the edge of the area let in Corden on goal but his shot was superbly blocked by Ovendale. As the ball ran loose on loan striker Pacquette blasted over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy. Mansfield doubled their lead on 53 minutes. Lawrence's free kick from the right was headed home by Pacquette off the inside of the post from eight yards. York replaced Yalcin with Cardiff target Lee Bullock and City became more of a threat up front. The Minstermen were back in the game with a strange goal on 66 minutes. Pilkington's scuffed clearance from outside the area went straight to Nogan and the striker fired the ball back instantly into an unguarded net from 40 yards. The goal gave City greater confidence and they had Mansfield on the ropes. Dave Merris twice delivered quality crosses from the left flank. From the first keeper Pilkington dropped the high ball under pressure from Bullock but managed to fall on the loose ball. Then from the second, Walker fired from 15 yards just wide of the target in a crowded area. Nogan and Bullock then linked inside the box to set up sub Darren Edmondson but Tony Vaughan dispossessed him superbly at the vital moment. Right at the close the visitors had chances through Colin Larkin and Wayne Corden to extend their lead but Ovendale was defiant in the City goal. ----------- |
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