Archived News from August 2005
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ON THE SPOT with RICHIE BARKER
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Football Post:
(transcribed by carole) ON THE SPOT with RICHIE BARKER: Q: Worst dressed player at Mansfield: A: Giles Coke. He wears 1970's suits. Q: Mansfield's comedian? A: Cokey. But he doesn't realise he's being funny. Q: Unsung hero: A: Players like Chris Beardsley and Jason Talbot, who worked hard in pre-season and are not getting in the starting line-up but are not moaning about it. Q: Something you are proud of? A: I passed my UEFA A coaching licence in June. It took me two years and it's not something many people get. It ranks above anything I've done as a player. There are not many current players who have got one and I must be one of the youngest current players to have one. Mike Jackson at Tranmere was on my course, but he is older than me. I was on the same course as Tony Adam's, Steve Bould, Steve Hodge, Gary Ablett, Darren Wassell and Brett Angel. Q: Hobbies? A: I play golf, but badly. It's not a good club to be at if you play golf badly as there are some quite good players at the club. Q: What makes you laugh? A: My little boy. He is two-and-a-half and has got his own personality. He was mascot for the friendly against Rotherham and was enjoying it until he saw Sammy The Stag, the Mansfield mascot. He's got a massive disliking for the mascot now. Q: Funniest moment in football? A: I was playing for Rotherham in a cup game against Wolves and we were 3-1 down with ten minutes to go, then 4-3 up with a minute left. The ball was bouncing around in our six yard box and one of our players ran up and smashed it into his own net. He still doesn't know what he was supposed to be doing. I was on the halfway line and couldn't stop laughing and even Rotherham fans were laughing. Q: Which players deserve the most stick? A: The two Irish lads, Gavin Peers and Stephen Dawson. They speak to each other in a kind of language none of the rest of us understand. We just don't have a clue what they are on about. And the more they talk to each other, the more their Irish accents come out. Q: What would you do if you were not playing professional football? A: I'd coach, manage or be a PE teacher. Q: The best and worst about being a Mansfield player? A: The worst has been the off the field drama over the last six months. The best is that the club has got a great set of lads and we've got a lot of potential. We could get 10,000 through the gates on a regular basis and I know we can play at a higher level. Q: Where will Mansfield finish this season? A: Top three. If we don't make the top three, we will definitely be in the top seven. Q: Who will be promoted and relegated from League Two this season? A: It's hard to pick out which teams will go up and which will go down, there's not a lot to choose between most of the teams. I fancy Northampton for a top three place. A lot of people are tipping Lincoln and Macclesfield but I'm not convinced. ---------- Football Post Match Report: Posh spice too hot for Stags: TWO goals in 10 second half minutes earned Peterborough United victory in their home clash with Mansfield Town at London Road this afternoon. The Stags had dominated much of the first half and Posh failed to have a shot at Jason White in the first 45 minutes. But David Farrell broke through five minutes into the second half and then set up Shaun St Ledger for the second. Mansfield were left regretting missing the best chance of the first half when Richie Barker sent a free header over the bar. Mansfield made a positive start to the match, although Posh easily cleared a Birchall free kick from just outside the box. Stags forced two early corners and keeper Tyler did well to clutch Barker's header from a long cross by Rundle as the home side found themselves penned back in their own half. On seven minutes, Tipton returned Rundle's free kick to the young winger who rifled in a powerful 18-yard shot which warmed Tyler's hands. Play was held up while Plummer was treated for a facial injury and he was eventually led off the pitch with blood pouring from a wound. Posh finally caused a problem on 16 minutes when Day got to the by-line and drilled a cross through everyone in front of goal. The ball was eventually put out for the first of two successive corners. Plummer then returned after Peterborough had played nine minutes with 10 men. Tipton had a brief sight of goal in the box as he almost lost possession but toe-poked the ball well off target. Stags won their fourth corner on 22 minutes and, when the home side only cleared as far as Dawson, he crossed back in and Day met it with a firm header straight at Tyler. Home fans were baying for a penalty twice in a minute after Peers' challenge on Farrell and then Day's challenge on Quinn, but the referee was unimpressed. Barker wasted a good chance on 29 minutes. Spotting Barker's run, Rundle chipped the perfect cross into his path, inviting a free header from 15 yards that should have at least hit the target. But Barker's header flew over the bar. On 34 minutes a frustrated Newton, who had just seen a dangerous low cross blocked, clattered into Rundle and then blazed the ball over the bar after the whistle to earn the game's first yellow card. Birchall took a free kick quickly to Dawson. His poor shot reached Tipton who tried to hook it on target but was well off. Farrell tried to break clear for Peterborough but Peers stuck with him all the way and White gathered quickly right on the edge of his area. Peterborough's next raid saw Farrell head over from a Newton cross. St Ledger's name was added to the book for chopping down Rundle. But the home side were soon back on the attack and forced four successive corners without profit. However, Stags ended the goalless half with a corner of their own and it was a half in which young keeper White did not have a save to make. Home fans were screaming that White had stepped out his box in gathering the ball in the opening seconds of the second half, but the referee, who they booed back out onto the field, was unmoved. United's first attack saw Farrell turn well to the left of goal but sent his cross over the far angle. But the home side's first effort on target saw them snatch the lead on 50 minutes. St Ledger's cross from the right found Quinn at the far post. He headed back across goal where FARRELL had the simple task of heading over the line from right in front of goal. Mansfield's response was to send on Brown in place of Tipton. Buxton produced a superb last ditch tackle to cleanly rob Newton as he tried to race clear. But referee Mr Dorr decided it was a foul and booked the Stags defender. Mansfield's second change was in defence when John-Baptiste took over from Buxton on the hour. But within seconds Posh swept further ahead. ST LEDGER ran in unmarked at the far post and met Farrell's long cross with a looping header into the top left hand corner. Quinn was booked for dissent on 63 minutes and, three minutes later, Newton was replaced by Semple. ------------ |
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