Archived News from October 2005
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STAGS MUST ALTER WINNING LINE-UP AFTER CARD
Evening Post, 31 October 2005 Gareth Jelleyman's stoppage-time red card will now see him suspended for three games - forcing Stags to change a winning side. He will miss the FA Cup game at Rotherham United this Saturday and then League games at home to Bury and away at Shrewsbury. Jelleyman was involved in a clash with Cheltenham"s debut-making substitute Gary Bradshaw. Referee Steve Tanner sent both players off and caretaker boss Peter Shirtliff said: "I was disappointed with Gareth as there were only 20 seconds to go and he will now have a three-game ban. "I have not spoken to him about it yet but you could tell by his face that he was as disappointed as am I. It means I will have to make an enforced change next week now which I would rather have not had to do." Robins boss John Ward added: "I have had a look back at the incident on video and I think the referee was probably correct. "It was a difficult decision whether or not to bring Gary on as I would have preferred to have done it when we were two or three goals up. "I knew we had to wait for the right time and now we have got to wait another three matches. When he came on he showed at times why I brought him on but also the reason why we needed to wait with him as well." CARETAKER WILL TAKE IT EASY Evening Post, 31 October 2005 Stags caretaker-manager Peter Shirtliff insisted he was still enjoying his role and would not be knocking on Keith Haslam's door today. "I won't be pressing the chairman about the job," he said. "The most important thing is the performance of the players. The job will sort itself out one way or the other. "We have moved up to 20th now but know there is still a long way to go, and we just have to keep playing as we are doing. "I thought we did very well at Cheltenham, particularly in the first half against a very strong wind which made things awkward for us. "We withstood some crosses into our box and I really can't remember Kevin Pressman having a serious thing to save. "It was nice to go in a goal ahead and it could have been more. It was a good cross and a good finish. "But we did lose concentration for second just after half-time and their lad should have at least hit the target. "That could have changed things. But we then defended well and, after scoring the second goal, the lads really settled down and started to play again. "Richie Barker and Simon Brown are looking a good combination up front for us right now. They are both playing well and scoring goals. "Sometimes you can look too deep to change things round. But this side had done well and I saw no reason to make any changes again." WHAT MORE MUST HE DO TO GET JOB? Evening Post, 31 October 2005 Cheltenham Town 0 v 2 Mansfield Town Publicly, Mansfield Town caretaker boss Peter Shirtliff continues to remain calm and patient over his future. But after inspiring this young Stags side to their first away win in seven months on Saturday, privately he must be wondering what more he has to do for the job to be his. Since taking over following the departure of Carlton Palmer, he has seen his charges win four and draw one in ten games. Analysing those defeats, they include the reserves against Hereford, thrilling fightbacks against Millwall and Wycombe and a late one- goal defeat at Carlisle where they deserved a point. Shirtliff has slowly but surely got this young side expressing themselves with confidence and it helped no end to have a third successive game without a change in the line-up at Cheltenham. Chairman Keith Haslam has repeatedly said he is in no rush to appoint a new boss, but it is now six weeks since Palmer went and speculation continues over whom he may or may not be in negotiations with. But Haslam could certainly do a lot worse than giving Shirtliff the nod this week, with the players certainly happy with the way he is steering their ship. Although Cheltenham had lost their previous two home games without scoring, the inconsistent Robins were still on the fringe of the play-off spots before Saturday and knew a win could take them in there. History also showed Stags had only won once at Whaddon Road. But the visitors defended stoutly throughout, survived one big scare just after half-time, and grabbed a goal in each half. The strike partnership of skipper Richie Barker and Simon Brown has now realised a superb 16 goals - eight apiece - this season and both notched again at Cheltenham. Winger Brown is a reluctant striker but happy to play wherever to help the team. And with the current striker shortage, his pace has been a crucial factor in terrorising opponents. When you are bottom of the table you find the luck going against you. But the Robins wasted two good chances that a few weeks back would probably have flown into the back of the net. Barker made the big breakthrough in the 29th minute. Up to that point Cheltenham had the edge on possession but failed to force a real save out of Kevin Pressman. And Barker was perfectly placed at the far post to bury Adam Rundle's low cross. Within three minutes Damien Spencer had sent an eight-yard free header over the Stags bar from a superb cross by Brian Wilson. There was another let-off inside the first minute of the second half as Alex John-Baptiste allowed Kayode Odejayi to get goal-side and the visitors and their 321 travelling fans held their breath as his finish beat Pressman but came back off the bottom of the far post. The only other scare for Mansfield was when Pressman dropped a JJ Melligan cross on 67 minutes and David Bird lifted the loose ball over the empty net. Within a minute Brown had settled nerves with the second as he squeezed Pressman's long punt just inside the near post, after Shane Duff had failed to head clear. Sadly the final whistle celebrations were tarnished by a stoppage-time incident which will leave Stags left-back Gareth Jelleyman suspended for the next three games. Cheltenham sub Gary Bradshaw flew in with a high tackle that incensed Jelleyman to the point where he grabbed the youngster by the throat and put his head into his face in retaliation. It was an unacceptable reaction and referee Steve Tanner had little choice sending them both off. Odejayi was very fortunate not to join them for racing in to send Jelleyman sprawling with a shove, escaping with only a yellow. But it now means Shirtliff - or whoever is in charge - will have to make a change for the FA Cup trip to Rotherham United on Saturday. MISTAKES COST US - WARD Evening Post, 31 October 2005 Cheltenham boss John Ward described his side's showing against Mansfield as "a frail performance". "We are finding life very difficult to deal with and decisions difficult to make when we are up against it," he said. "When we are on top in matches and everything is flowing it is different. We seem to get affected in our decision-making. "Mansfield's goals were down to mistakes by ourselves, although they were both well-taken. We lost the ball in midfield for the first and the second was down to a mistake by a young player. "They have to deal with it. The only way these young players can gain experience and knowledge is by putting them into the positions we are doing. "I though we played particularly well in the first half without getting shots in." --------------- Steve Hartshorn's report for the Observer AT LAST STAGS WIN AWAY Barker 29 Brown 68 Attendance: 3033 (Visitors 321) It had been a long while coming, but was well worth the wait as The Stags recorded their first away win since March with a 2-0 victory over Cheltenham Town last weekend. Richie Barker and Simon Brown scored the goals but the afternoon was soured by the added on time sending off of Gareth Jelleyman. Peter Shirtliff named an unchanged starting line up as Stags aimed to bounce back following their mid-week Carling Cup defeat to Millwall. The home side got off to a bright start, but although having plenty of the ball, troubled The Stags back-line very little. The first real chance of the game fell to Mansfield on 10 minutes. Barker fed Brown on the left hand side of the attack, Brown then crossed perfectly for the unmarked Gus Uhlenbeek but his first time effort was well saved by the right hand of Shane Higgs in the Cheltenham goal. On 16 minutes, JJ Melligan let fly from the edge of the area but Kevin Pressman got down well to his left to save comfortably. Just a minute later, Brown was unfortunate when his shot struck Higgs, the home side clearing up the danger at a fluster. Simon Brown was causing the Cheltenham defence all sorts of problems. On 25 minutes a quick free kick taken by on loan, Jonathan D'Laryea drifted over the back of the home defence towards the speedy Stags front-man, however the bounce of the ball favoured the panicking defenders who were able to clear. On 27 minutes, Cheltenham star man and captain, Grant McCann was allowed to turn neatly and release a shot, his effort going inches wide of Stags right hand post. On 29 minutes Mansfield took the lead and it was a goal that oozed the new found confidence the team are currently enjoying. Brown won the ball from McCann and fed the ball to Adam Rundle, who then sent over a tantalizing cross to the far post where Richie Barker was on hand to hammer the ball into the top corner of the net from close range. It was Barker's eight goal of the season, his 5th in the last five games. The goal came as part of a double blow for the home side who were forced to replace the injured McCann with Jamie Victory whilst the travelling Stags supporters still bounced amongst the scarlet seats in celebration of the goal. Just two minutes later Cheltenham had the perfect chance to equalise. A right wing cross by Wilson was met by Damian Spencer but from eight yards, his header cleared the bar. On 34 minutes, Mansfield almost scored a second. Uhlenbeek sent over a perfect cross for Brown, however the Stags striker was inches away from making contact, he did though win the ball back and as the home defence swung legs around in blind panic, there were shouts for a penalty that were turned down. The cleared ball then fell for Buxton on the edge of the area, but The Stags right back fired well over. Barker then came close for Mansfield, his header from a dinked Brown cross hitting the side netting of the Cheltenham goal. 60 seconds later Connolly had an effort at The Stags goal, but his good effort from the edge of the box flashed wide. Hjelde was booked on 42 minutes for pulling back Odejayi when it looked like the Robins striker was going to get away. The 2nd half started with seemingly the Mansfield defence still in the dressing room. Odejayi raced clear on the Stags left hand side and with Baptiste tugging away, stayed on his feet to hit a shot, which flashed across Pressman and smashed onto the bottom of the left hand post. The home side were searching hard for an equaliser and were enjoying their best spell of the game, although Uhlenbeek was unlucky to see his cross come shot flash across the face of the Cheltenham goal on 61 minutes. With 65 minutes gone, Gary Bradshaw was given his Robins debut when he came on for the ineffective Spencer. Pressman failed to hold a cross from Melligan on 67 minutes but when the ball fell to Bird, he flashed his effort well over from close range. Less than a minute later Stags scored a game killing second. A long punt up front by Pressman was completely misjudged by Duff, Brown capitalized and hoisted the ball into the top corner of the net despite a desperate attempt to clear the ball off the line Brown spun away to celebrate his eight goal of the season. Stags were well in control of the game. The home side looked desperate for any kind of foothold, but The Stags held firm at the back and caused danger when going forward. Higgs once again called into action to save well from Richie Barker. Rundle was next to go close for Mansfield when he was the final piece of a free kick jigsaw involving Barker and Uhlenbeek, unfortunately Rundle's powerful drive zipped over the top of the crossbar. However a tremendous day for Mansfield became tarnished deep into injury time when Gareth Jelleyman was sent off. Robins debutant substitute, Bradshaw clearly fouled Jelleyman, unfortunately the Stags left back reacted and appeared to shove his head into the face of Bradshaw. The Referee, Steve Tanner produced the red card for both Jelleyman and then Bradshaw, and then also brandished a yellow to Odejayi who got involved in the bust up. Next weekend Stags make the short journey to Rotherham United for the beginning of the road to glory in the FA Cup. Cheltenham Town: Higgs, Duff, Wilson, Spencer (65 Bradshaw), McCann (30 Victory), Bird, Townsend, Connolly (73 Gill), Odejayi, Armstrong, Melligan. Subs not used - Caines, Brown Mansfield Town: Pressman, Jelleyman, John Baptiste, Uhlenbeek, Barker, Buxton, Coke, Rundle, Brown, Hjelde, D'Laryea. Subs not used - Day, Dawson, White, Littlejohn. Referee - Mr S J Tanner Observer Man of the Match - Richie Barker ------------- |
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