Archived News from July 2007
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STAGS WIN COUNTY CUP
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Full time
Notts County XI 0 - 1 Mansfield Town XI Rory Boulding 42 mins Att: 387 (68 from Mansfield) Stags: Muggleton, Kitchen, Hjelde, Burrell, Storer, McGhee, Arnold, Sleath, Wood, R.Boulding, M.Boulding. Subs: Trimmer (for M.Boulding, 77), Shaw (for Burrell, 83), Deas (for McGhee, 89), Goward (for Kitchen, 89). Sub not used: Gibbons. ------------------ A selection of photos by Dan Westwell below (Note that ALL the photos are now in the Match Centre/Stags in Action section - after the Barnet and Legends v FTYBR photos): Rory Boulding's lob goes over the keeper 
Rory Boulding celebrates his goal 
Stags skipper Joe Storer receives the Nottinghamshire County Cup 
The victorious team: Back row: Chris Wood, Jon-Olav Hjelde, Ashley Kitchen, Warren Burrell, Luke Gibbons, Tom Shaw, Michael Boulding, Danny Sleath, Carl Muggleton. Middle row: Nathan Arnold, Jamie McGhee. Front row: Rory Boulding, Ryan Goward, Sam Deas, Joe Storer, Lewis Trimmer. 
------------------ COUNTY CUP FINAL REPORT Evening Post, 03 May 2007 Notts County 0, Mansfield Town 1 So Mansfield win the 2007 County Cup, but does anyone really care? Certainly not the two sets of players, who shook hands and walked off the pitch as if they had been playing in a Sunday League match. Nor the majority of the fans who, after shelling out all season, not surprisingly chose to stay away in their droves. In fact, it hardly seemed worth the money to power the floodlights, such was general air of ambivalence towards the contest. There may be a legitimate slot for the County Cup on the fixture calendar, but the end of an arduous season is not it. Surely the competition would be better served at the start of a pre-season when supporters' interest is renewed, along with that of the refreshed players Notts fielded the stronger of the two teams with eight of their starting line-up having featured in the first team this season. Four of the Mansfield side, Ashley Kitchen, Jamie McGhee, Joe Storer and Warren Burrell, were from the youth team, although the first two of those have been in senior action recently due to the Stags' injury problems. The visitors got in the first shot on target but Saul Deeney saved Nathan Arnold's low shot with a degree of comfort. At the other end, James Walker curled in a shot for the Magpies but it was straight at Carl Muggleton. From Notts' first corner taken by Ian Ross, the ball was half cleared to Dan Martin whose volley from the edge of the area flew wide of the left-hand post. Mansfield responded with a swift counter that saw Jamie McGhee centre for Rory Boulding whose drive was just over the top. Keeper Deeney was breathing a sigh of relief just before the half-hour mark when he mis-kicked a Michael Byron back pass only for the ball to trickle out for a Mansfield corner, rather than into goal. County came close to scoring in the 35th minute when Tcham N'Toya tried to round Muggleton but the Stags keeper got a touch to the ball. As it ran free, Stef Frost steered the ball goalwards but his shot did not have the power to beat Joe Storer, who cleared from the goalmouth. Soon after, Chris Wood flicked on for McGhee but his volley from a good position was so badly struck it almost fell for Michael Boulding, who was following up. But it was Mansfield who forged ahead in bizarre circumstances three minutes from the break. Rory Boulding tried his luck with an ambitious but excellent volley from 35 yards that had Deeney scrambling back to try to make a save. The Irishman got a touch to the ball to tip it onto the bar but as it dropped, the assistant referee flagged to indicate it had crossed the line. Notts started the second half well with Dan Martin denied by Warren Burrell's shot and Walker brought Muggleton to his knees with a low drive. But Mansfield also had their chances with McGhee almost capitalising on a short back-pass only for Deeney to block before the keeper did well to clutch a stinging Arnold drive. Notts should have levelled with six minutes to go but Bobby Wilson's flick from Martin's right-wing free-kick flew inches wide. In stoppage time Deeney made a double save to keep out Rory Boulding and substitute Lewis Trimmer to deny Mansfield a second. matthew.halfpenny@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk ------------------- CHAD report: Rory Boulding steals County Cup success for Stags COUNTY CUP FINAL Notts County 0 Mansfield Town 1 RORY Boulding was the hero with a 35 yard lob for the only goal as Mansfield Town's young side beat Notts County at Meadow Lane to lift the Notts FA County Cup tonight. It is scant consolation at the end of a miserable season for the Stags but at least it gave a predominantly young side a taste of a trophy success. On a cold night at the end of a long sunny day, a paltry 387 fans - 68 from Mansfield - bothered to turn out to watch the sides in their first County Cup clash for a number of years. The attedance was a clear indication of what the public felt about this meaningless match and the 'reserve' feel of the two sides also reflected that the managers felt the same as the fans. Mansfield fielded an inexperienced side of largely fringe players, that included four youth team players and an all-youth team bench, against a more experienced Notts side. Stags had an early corner cleared while Notts forced two with no reward. Stags tried to break from the second but Michael Boulding was caught offside from brother Rory's through ball. Deeney was then down smartly on a low Rory Boulding cross into the six yard box from the right. On 15 minutes Michael Boulding pulled back a low cross from the left and Arnold's first time shot from 16 yards forced the first save of the night from Deeney. Skipper Storer did well to hook clear a dangerous Sheridan cross as Notts broke from a Mansfield corner. On 17 minutes Walker tested Muggleton with a stinging shot but the Stags keeper was comfortably placed. Half chances continued to present themselves and a Notts corner was cleared out to Martin who crashed a first time effort just wide of the goal from 18 yards. Then McGhee did well to beat two players and get in a low cross from the left which Rory Boulding controlled before scooping well over the top on the turn. Storer was lectured for a late tackle on N'Toya, Wood also involved in the 'afters' as the Notts man squared up to Storer. Ross eventually pumped in the free kick from the right and it passed through everyone, forcing Muggleton to grab it at the last minute. Deeney was fortunate on 29 minutes as a firm Byron backpass bobbled over his foot for a corner. Had he been in front of goal we would have had the night's opening goal. On 35 minutes Muggleton beat N'Toya to a through ball on the edge of the box but was left out of position as Frost had a shy at the empty net only to see Storer kick away in front of the empty net. Notts cleared a Stags corner but it was put back in where Wood flicked on and McGhee didn't catch the ball right as he failed to get a shot on target. It did skid across the box temptingly for Michael Boulding but just too far way from him to be able to reach it and steer it into the empty net. However, Stags were ahead on 42 minutes. Spotting Deeney off his line Boulding sent a lob goalwards from 35 yards which Deeney touched up against his crossbar. As the ball bounced he gathered it to clear but the officials signalled it had crossed the line and a goal was awarded to the surprise and delight of the visitors. Notts were first to threaten after the break as Ross floated the ball to the far post where Martin showed good control to bring it down and shoot, Burrell getting in a good block to thwart him. Stags replied with Rory Boulding cutting in from the left before shooting hard and firm straight at Deeney. Walker was too high in Notts' next raid and soon after he broke down the right but blazed well wide as he sliced his finish. Frost came much closer on 66 minutes as he headed narrowly wide of Muggleton's left hand post from sub Cullingworth's long cross. Storer cleared from inside the six yard box as N'Toya threatened as Notts continued to press for the equaliser. N'Toya's 69th minute free kick from 20 yards also had Muggleton diving to his right to keep it out. A poor Austin backpass almost let in McGhee, Deeney bravely down at his feet. And, when the corner was cleared to Arnold, he tested Deeney with a low shot at his near post but the keeper was safely there. Storer was booked for diving into a tackle on Frost with 11 minutes to go. Arnold wanted a free kick just outside the box as he chased a through ball and poked it past Deeney, claiming the keeper caught him. But nothing was given. On 84 minutes a Martin free kick found Wilson at the far post who headed narrowly wide. Notts forced two corners in the final minute, but Stags broke and Deeney had to make a double save to keep out finishes from Rory Boulding and, following up, Trimmer. Stags held on and soon Storer and the players were walking the steps up into the stand to lift the cup before taking it over to the small but appreciative band of away fans to celebrate. NOTTS CO: Deeney, Somner (Cullingworth 59mins), Walker (Austin 71mins), Martin, Frost, N'Toya, Sheridan, Wilson, Byron (Silk 53mins, Ingram 89mins), Ross, Austin. Sub not used: Pilkington. STAGS: Muggleton, Kitchen (Deas 89mins), Wood, Sleath, Hjelde, Storer, Arnold, M. Boulding Trimmer 77mins), R. Boulding, Burrell (Shaw 86mins), McGhee (Goward 89mins). Sub not used: Gibbons. ------------- Notts Co official website: Magpies Beaten In County Cup Final Wednesday 2nd May, 9:30pm In the first County Cup Final for a number of years at Meadow Lane on Wednesday evening it was Mansfield Town who were victorious as they took on the Magpies, with a single goal just before the break settling matters. Rory Boulding's spectacular effort ensured it was the Stags who lifted the Nottinghamshire FA County Cup for this season, with his long-range effort in off the crossbar with just a few minutes to go to the half-time interval winning the game for Bill Dearden's side. Notts named a strong side which included a handful of first-teamers such as Matt Somner, who was Notts' Captain, Ian Ross and James Walker, while it was an opportunity for players such as Jake Sheridan, Dan Martin and Tcham N'Toya to stake a claim to Manager Steve Thompson that they deserved to be in his plans for next season. Rob Austin, who along with his twin brother Matt is turning professional in the summer, started at right back while Matt was on a youthful-looking Notts bench. On the Magpies bench were Tom Ingram and James Cullingworth, who are two youngsters who have been training with Notts' Scholars of late with the latter part of the Nottingham Forest Academy. The Stags meanwhile named a young side, but the experienced duo Carl Muggleton and Jon Olav Hjelde started which boosted up the average age of the Mansfield side. The opening period of the game was a largely scrappy affair with neither side dominating in the play, with the first real effort coming on the quarter-hour mark from Mansfield's Nathan Arnold which a diving Saul Deeney smothered. A minute later Notts produced their first effort on goal as James Walker turned smartly on the edge of the box to lash a right-foot effort towards the top corner, but Muggleton was equal to the effort in the Mansfield goal. Dan Martin came close with an acrobatic volley four minutes later, but he was just off target. With ten minutes to go until the break Muggleton came rushing out of his goal at the feet to Tcham N'Toya to push the ball away as the Conolese striker ran in on goal, but he could only push the ball out to Stef Frost who fired the ball towards the back of the net but Storer cleared the ball off the line. McGhee's scuffed shot across goal almost led to a fortunate goal for Rory Boulding inside the six yard box seven minutes before the break, but the ball run just infront of the Stags frontman. The Stags took the lead with three minutes to go until the half-time interval, and it was a spectacular effort from Rory Boulding which handed Mansfield the lead. With nothing on for the striker and the ball bouncing in front of him some thirty-five yards out he smashed the ball on the volley over Deeney who seemed to get a hand to the ball as he back-pedalled towards goal, but the ball crossed the line and the goal was given. At first glance it seemed Deeney had tipped the ball over the bar, but it wasn't to be as the linesman on the far side signalled a goal after the ball was tipped onto the bar and then down and over the line Half-Time: Notts County 0-1 Mansfield Town Notts started the second-half brightly and Dan Martin's shot was blocked by a Stags defender and James Walker forced a save from Muggleton, again turning well on the edge of the box and shooting at goal - but the experienced campaigner got behind the shot. Frost headed narrowly wide after meeting sub Cullingworth's deep cross from the right just after the hour mark as Notts remained the side asking the questions, and it took a good stop by Muggleton to get a hand on N'Toya's free-kick with twenty-five to go to force a corner. Arnold brought another good stop from Deeney as the game wore on, but Notts were continuing to push for a goal but a heavy first tough by Martin saw an opportunity pass by and Bobby Wilson flicked a header just wide from a free-kick from Martin. Despite a number of corners and pressure from Notts late on, they couldn't hit the back of the net, although it could have been worse for Notts had Deeney not made a fine double save from Rory Boulding in injury time as the visitors hit Notts on the break. Full Time: Notts County 0-1 Mansfield Town Notts County: Deeney, Somner (C) (Cullingworth 58), Walker (M Austin 70), Martin, Frost, N'Toya, Sheridan, Wilson, Bryon (Silk 53 - Ingram 89), Ross, R Austin. Subs Not Used: Pilkington. Booked: Sheridan. Sent Off: None. Goals: None. Mansfield Town: Muggleton, Kitchen (Goward 89), Wood, Sleath, Hjelde, Storer, Arnold, M Boulding (Trimmer 77), R Boulding, Burrell (Shaw 85), McGhee (Deas 89). Subs Not Used: Gibbons. Booked: Storer, Hjelde. Sent Off: None. Goals: R Boulding (42). Match Referee: Mr P Joslin (Nottinghamshire) |
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