Archived News from September 2014
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COX, FISHER AND JIM BENTLEY REACTION
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Cox praises players after crucial win
mansfieldtown.net, 16th September 2014 Boss delighted with team following win over second-placed Morecambe. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/cox-praises-players-after-crucial-win-1919507.aspx#wbMSbl3XE7YByDYa.99 Manager Paul Cox was delighted that our team got their reward for their excellent efforts by taking all three points in tonight’s home match with high-flying Morecambe. The Stags looked set to be held to a draw as they were unable to break down a resilient Shrimps back-line throughout the 90 minutes. However, on the brink of three minutes injury-time that all changed, as substitute Alex Fisher pounced at point-blank range to guide home a Liam Marsden throw and spark joyous celebrations. “I’m not going to beat around the bush - I thought we were excellent,” said Cox, who was speaking in his post-match interview. “I thought the players showed an incredible amount of bravery tonight. With the ball we were excellent and played some good stuff - if anything we probably over-played it at times. “We played some fluid stuff and all we needed was the end product. “We were excellent all the way through with the ball and without the ball and my only worry was near the end and being undone by a breakaway. “I said to the boys at half-time ‘just be patient, we don’t need to chase the game, keep playing the way you are and ultimately a chance will come.’ “It was late on [when we scored] and realistically it could have and should have been wrapped up before then without us going overboard with things.” Cox continued: “These boys have done excellent in these first weeks of the season. The bad luck we’ve had with injuries and the odd knocks we’ve had has hit us hard, but they don’t know when they’re beaten so full credit to the players.” Meanwhile, in more positive news, our boss has revealed that Bermuda international Reggie Lambe is set to sign for the club tomorrow. “We’re looking to bring another play in as well as [Reggie],” said Cox. “The chairman has given me the go ahead to bring them in. Full credit to him - he’s backed me and more so, he’s backed the players with this one. “There are some tired players out there and players playing with knocks, but what they’ve done, they’re such a tight-knit group that they enjoy each other and they enjoy winning. “Everyone saw what it meant to them at the end to score, but we need consistency now [and to] bed ourselves down, make sure we prepare properly for Saturday for what’s going to be another tough game.” Paul Cox’s full post-match interview will be available on Stags Player later tonight. To subscribe, click here. -------------- Lambe set to sign as Stags celebrate victory chad.co.uk After shooting down second-placed Morecambe 1-0 tonight, Mansfield Town will get another big boost tomorrow when Bermudian international midfielder Reggie Lambe finally signs for the club. http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/mansfield-town/lambe-set-to-sign-as-stags-celebrate-victory-1-6844691 And delighted boss Paul Cox said he hoped former Ipswich and Toronto player Lambe may be the first of two signings this week to boost his injury-hit squad before Saturday’s visit of Carlisle United. “Reggie is set to sign tomorrow, and I am looking to bring in another player as well,” said Cox. “The chairman has given me the go-ahead so all credit to him - he has always backed me. More so he is backing the players as there were some very tired legs out there.” Cox felt the win over Morecambe was his side’s best home display of the season as sub Alex Fisher prevented the Shrimps going joint top with a 90th minute close range header for a well deserved win. “I thought we were excellent and we showed incredible bravery with the ball,” smiled Cox. “We played some great stuff, and we probably overplayed it at times. “But I was over the moon with the performance and thought we fully deserved the win. We were the better side and it was out best home performance of the season. “We were excellent with and without the ball, though I was worried we might get done with a breakaway near the end as we got a bit gung-ho. But we want to win as many times as we can in front of our own supporters. “You have got to remember some of these boys are going through the pain barrier with knocks and injuries. But they don’t know when they are beaten. “I said at half-time we didn’t need to chase the game and ultimately we’d get a chance. It was late on when it came and realistically we should have wrapped things up by then. “It can be hard as the lads sometimes feel a bit of pressure at home. But we moved the ball well like we did in pre-season and the crowd got behind them and took away the anxiety at the end.” Goal hero Fisher said: “I have been working hard, but there is a lot of competition up front. So it was good for me and good for the team to knock in the winner. “I think Tafazolli got the last touch. I had about five players in front of me and in the last few games the ball has gone to the left or the right. “This time I got my bonce on it but I didn’t see it go in. I just heard the roar, then I didn’t know what to do about it.” Morecambe boss Jim Bentley said: “That’s twice we’ve lost it in the last minute and it’s disappointing. It is tough to take. “We made a decent enough start. And we defended really well. We had to stand up and be counted - and we did that. Someone told me they put 29 long throws into the box and we defended 28 of them. The one we never cost us the game. “There were plenty of positives. But I was disappointed that we gave away too many silly fouls against a side who play to their strengths and like to load the box. “We also got a bit involved and didn’t pass the ball well, even though we knew beforehand what it would be like. “We have not had many chances but when we changed the formation in the last 20 minutes we did look a bit more like we could have pinched it ourselves.” --------------------- Mansfield manager Paul Cox told BBC Radio Nottingham: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29121124 "I thought we deserved the luck. That was our best home performance. The lads were brave and we played some good stuff. That's how I want us to play at home - with freedom. "It's got a monkey off of our backs, we probably should have scored more and it took until late on but it doesn't matter how you win. It is winning that counts." ----------------- Bentley: We made changes for right reasons at Mansfield lancasterguardian.co.uk Morecambe boss Jim Bentley has defended his decision to make changes in the defeat at Mansfield on Tuesday night. http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/sport/football/morecambe-fc/bentley-we-made-changes-for-right-reasons-at-mansfield-1-6845180 The Shrimps had five new faces in the starting 11 compared with the win over Plymouth on Saturday and also switched to a 3-5-2 system. The visitors lost 1-0 to a 90th-minute Alex Fisher header with Bentley admitting his side looked at their most threatening when they switched to their preferred 4-2-3-1 shape with a quarter of the game to go. The Shrimps boss said: “We looked a little bit more threatening when we went back to what we knew and in hindsight people will say well why did you change it anyway? “But we changed it for the right reasons. “Young Paul Mullin is still getting adjusted to this level and has been going down with cramp in games. “I can’t play Kevin Ellison in every game like I did last season so we’ve learnt to give him a bit of a blow now and then and it’s the same with Alan Goodall to a certain extent. “We’ve got a couple of knocks too. Little Jack (Redshaw) was due to start but went down in training yesterday. “I thought everyone gave it their all and we could have easily come away with a good 0-0 at a tough place. “There’s positives but we know we can play better.” Bentley also set his side up with three central defenders, Andy Parrish, returning captain Mark Hughes and Ryan Edwards, with Mansfield’s more direct style in mind. He said: “We knew what to expect and they threw the ball in the box but we defended really well. “There wasn’t much in it. They had the lion share of the ball in the box but that’s the way they play. “Somebody’s just told me 29 long throws went into the box tonight and we defended 28 of them well. But the one that we haven’t has ultimately cost us the game. ?“I’m gutted that the goal’s come from something we’ve worked on but these things happen.” One positive for the Shrimps was youth team product Aaron McGowan’s impressive full debut at right wing back. Bentley said: “(Shaun) Beeley’s not fit, we’re playing with wing backs and no disrespect to Wrighty, but I think Aaron McGowan is probably better offensively and that’s why we made the change. “Aaron’s been doing well in the reserves, he’s trained really, really well and sometimes you’ve got to give youth a chance. “I think he played well and can pleased with his efforts. We saw him stretching his hamstrings off with 20 to go so that’s why we made the change.” ----------------------- Alex Fisher @AlexFisher37 Great to get the 3 points tonight! The lads were superb @mansfieldtownfc. Liam Marsden @LiamMarsden94 GET IN!!! Great 3 points tonight, well deserved, onto Saturday now! #stags Martin Riley @LifeofRiley6 Great performance and result last night! Buzzing for the Fisherman @AlexFisher37 not a better way to score i should imagine #stags Rakish Bingham @RakishBingham What a brilliant result we deserved that! Everyone gave their all. Getting fitter and stronger! #MTFC John Radford @JRadfordMTFC Excellent win tonight - well done to the boys. Bring on Carlisle!! #coys ------------------------ |
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