Archived News from December 2018
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HAMILTON INSPIRES ANOTHER WIN OVER NOTTS COUNTY
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English Football League - Sky Bet League Two
Mansfield Town 2 - 0 Notts County Hamilton 37, 63 Attendance: 6604 (1140 from Notts County) Date: 8 December 2018 Martin Shaw and Simon Chamberlain at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill Mansfield Town beat Notts County 2-0 at the One Call Stadium this afternoon with two goals from CJ Hamilton. The win extended Mansfield’s unbeaten record (home and away) to 13 games, the club’s best since a 20 game unbeaten run in 1976. In addition, it was Mansfield’s fifth win on the trot against Notts County in the league at the One Call Stadium, scoring 15 and conceding just 2 in the process, and Mansfield are 12 games unbeaten against Notts County in the league, with the last league defeat back in 2005. The Stags were comfortable winners today. After an even opening 35 minutes, the Stags went in front as Mal Benning whipped in a lovely cross from the left and Hamilton got away from his marker Dan Jones to meet it on the half-volley at the right post to knock into the net from 4 yards. Hamilton’s second goal came on 63 minutes when Jacob Mellis slid a nice ball forward to him in the area on the right, he cut inside Dan Jones onto his left foot and fired into the net from 12 yards. Hamilton could have had a hat-trick as in between the two goals he sent a blistering shot from a tight angle against the bar. The Stags could have had other goals in the second half, but it was comfortable in the end. Notts County made a game of it in the opening 35 minutes with former Stag Nathan Thomas causing the Stags some headaches with four shots at goal. After that, Mansfield were in control. Some fine performances through the team. Bobby Olejnik made some good saves, the central defence was solid, Mal Benning was very good at left wing-back, Jacob Mellis put some beautifully weighted balls through, Neal Bishop was commanding in midfield and Tyler Walker made some good runs up front. But man of the match has to be CJ Hamilton for his goals, unlucky to also hit the bar and his fine all round performance. It was a great atmosphere created by the Stags fans. Meanwhile the current disillusionment of the Notts County fans was reflected in just 1140 away fans being present. FULL REPORT IN THE MATCH CENTRE ---------------------- REPORT: Mansfield Town 2-0 Notts County - Derby day delight for Stags as run goes on chad.co.uk, by JOHN LOMAS, Saturday 08 December 2018 CJ Hamilton was the derby day hero with a decisive brace as Mansfield Town shot down neighbours Notts County 2-0 at the One Call Stadium in today's lunchtime kick-off. The win propelled Stags into the top three at last before the afternoon kick-offs and it extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games - their best for 42 years. It also meant Notts had not managed to beat Mansfield in 12 league outings. Struggling County arrived with new boss Neal Ardley in charge of a league game with them for the first time. But they were well beaten in the end with Mal Benning, Krystian Pearce and Jacob Mellis other star turns in a fantastic team performance by the home side. Mansfield were boosted by the inclusion of influential skipper Pearce. He suffered a slight groin strain in the midweek defeat by Bury but recovered in time to face his former club. Otherwise the Stags side showed three changes with Bobby Olejnik, Timi Elsnik and CJ Hamilton returning in place of Conrad Logan, Otis Khan and Danny Rose. Hamilton joined Walker up front in a 3-5-2 formation. Notts welcomed back top scorer Jon Stead to their starting line-up with ex-Stag Kane Hemmings fit enough to return to their bench after injury. Good early Mansfield pressure drew a couple of free kicks just outside the Notts box, but poor delivery from the first and an offside flag from the second saw the Magpies survive them. Sweeney then conceded a foul on Stead in a dangerous central position just outside the box which Patching sent straight into the wall. The first shot on target came for Notts after 13 minutes as Olejnik beat away a powerful 20-yard effort by Thomas. Then, after Fitzsimons had left his box to beat Hamilton to a through ball, Benning tried to hit the empty net from distance but Ward was there to comfortably block. On 19 minutes Thomas was only just over from outside the box after a move started by a superb flick by Stead. Two minutes later Turley got his body in the way of a Hamilton blockbuster, after the winger had cut in from the right and clearly felt the pain of its ferocity. Then Benning should have hit the target when a long Mellis cross reached him, but his low shot skidded wide. On 24 minutes Walker popped the ball between Ward's legs to create an opening, but again the finish was wide. Thomas was looking a constant menace and on 27 minutes he was found by Vaughan to his right and his low shot was blocked by Olejnik's legs. A loose pass by Olejnik and then a poor Pearce clearance gifted a shooting chance from 25 yards for Patching, but he was well over. Turley saw the game's first yellow card for dissent on 32 minutes. Stags finally worked Fitzsimons on 35 minutes. A brilliantly disguised reverse pass by Mellis sent Bishop away down the centre, but the keeper saved with his leg. Walker then shot at him a minute later and seconds afterwards Olejnik made a smart save from a Patching shot as the action began to really hot up. So it was no surprise when the deadlock was broken on 37 minutes. Benning sent in a superb cross from the left to the far post where Hamilton had ghosted in to apply the finishing touch. Hamilton was wide of the target with another ambitious effort from just inside the Notts half after the keeper had again had to leave his box to win a race. Stags made an excellent front foot start to the second half, aware of what a second goal would mean. Hamilton almost doubled his own tally on 52 minutes from Walker's pass, but his fierce shot came back off the bar. Fitzsimons then made a good near post block to deny White with Stags bemused as Notts were awarded a goalkick. Home fans booed loudly as ex-Stags Hemmings joined the action as part of a double Notts sub on 58 minutes. Elsnik's late tackle on Vaughan on 62 minutes saw him booked. But a minute later it was 2-0 with Hamilton again the scorer. Mellis fed him into the right of the box where he twisted and turned, went inside and smashed home a low finish. A mistake by Turley let in Walker for a low shot across the face of goal as Notts wobbled. The Magpies hit back with two corners, Olejnik forced to save from Ward from the first of them. On 72 minutes it could have been 3-0 as Mellis again sent Hamilton rampaging away. He saw Walker unmarked and found him, Jones made a brilliant sliding block. Mellis was then booked for a foul on Thomas followed by Crawford for bringing down Walker. Ex-Chesterfield striker Dennis, booed as he came on, was booked on 88 minutes for going in late on Olejnik after losing the chase. Flitcroft was furious and the referee ran over to book him too. In added time Bishop went off with a shoulder injury which must be a worry for the Stags. Hamilton set up sub Rose near the end but Fitzsimons was down to gather well. STAGS: Olejnik, Sweeney, Pearce, Preston, White, Mellis, Bishop (Atkinson 90+2), Elsnik (Khan 81), Benning, Walker (Rose 86), Hamilton. Subs: Logan, Davies, Law, Graham. NOTTS: Fitzsimons, Hewitt, Vaughan, Thomas, Brisley (Crawford 58), Ward, Patching (Hemmings 58), Jones, Milson, Turley, Stead (Dennis 80). Subs: Pindroch, Duffy, Evina, Campbell. REFEREE: Jeremy Simpson of Lancashire. ATTENDANCE: 6,604 (1,140 away). CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: CJ Hamilton. Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/report-mansfield-town-2-0-notts-county-derby-day-delight-for-stags-as-run-goes-on-1-9483575 ----------------------- Derby defeat shows 'a lot of work is required' for Notts County to avoid relegation By Leigh Curtis https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/derby-defeat-shows-a-lot-2308287?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar There were five minutes still to play when a large group of Notts County’s fans decided they had seen enough and it was not long before the chants of “going down” were fired in their direction. Being subjected to such taunts is bad enough at any stage of the season, but when it is your local rivals singing it with a considerable amount of glee, then it always cuts that little more deeply. Mansfield fans were clearly relishing the plight of their neighbours as they cruised to a 2-0 victory courtesy of two excellent finishes from the rangy but deadly winger CJ Hamilton. It not only strengthened the Stags’ ambitions of promotion but the added bonus was that it merely cranked up the pressure on their local rivals in which the concern regarding their league position grows greater by the week. Notts are now three points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table as a result of a defeat in the 50th game between these sides, and whether there is another one on the calendar next season remains to be seen. It merely underlined the size of the task facing the new manager Neal Ardley who has arrived at Meadow Lane to find a squad gripped by a lack of belief in their own abilities and undermined by a soft centre. Survival is now the chief objective and it is believed that 55 points should be enough to guarantee their league status, but judging by this evidence a lot of work is required if they are going to meet that target. It was a familiar tale of missed opportunities at a key time in the game, allied with the kind of weak defending that has resulted in the worst goals against column in the division. Had the woodwork not intervened early in the second half when Hamilton and Hayden White both hit the frame of the goal, then it could have been far worse come full time. Reflecting on what he witnessed, Ardley said it only reinforced the hard work he has ahead of him as he admitted that he needed help to arrive in January. In the meantime, he will have to use his coaching abilities until he can make the signings he wants and in fairness, even in this game, you could see he is already having some impact. In the first 45 minutes, Notts were certainly as good as Mansfield, in what became a breathless first half in which the pace was of breakneck speed as the tackles flew in and the shinpads rattled. But for all of the energy and tempo that was being poured into this contest, it was Notts who settled the better of the two teams with the returning Jon Stead giving the attack a much-needed lift. The striker was not afraid to go toe to toe with Krystian Pearce in the physical battle with his bravery winning a free-kick just outside the area which Will Patching could only strike into the wall. Moments later, Jamie Turley won a 50/50 challenge with Mal Benning to lead a counter-attack which Nathan Thomas decided to take charge of. He used the run of Turley as a decoy, cut inside on to his left where the power and the curl of his strike at goal forced Bobby Olejnik to clear it with his fists. Mansfield were struggling to find fluency in attack, but a counter-attack from a Notts free-kick saw a wave of yellow crash forward with CJ Hamilton leading the race. He eventually crossed the ball into the box where the ball fell to Mal Benning but he could not direct his shot on target in what was a wasted opportunity. At the other end, Thomas looked a potent threat for Ardley’s side in which he was happy to come in off his position on the touchline towards the centre of the pitch. When he received a pass from David Vaughan, he charged into the box but Olejnik was equal to his shot which he managed to clear away with his feet. The breathless pace of the game made for a terrific watch and in a madcap couple of minutes it was Mansfield who eventually made the breakthrough. After Neal Bishop was denied by a terrific save from Ross Fitzsimons, Patching returned fire instantly only to be denied by a good stop from Olejnik when left one on one. Then from their next attack, the Stags moved in front when Benning’s cross flew to the back post where CJ Hamilton nipped in to guide it past Fitzsimons. The second half could not quite live up to the entertainment of the first which was owed to Notts who could not rediscover their momentum and edge of the opening 45 minutes. Hamilton sensed blood in particular as he rattled the bar before White, a former Notts loanee, cracked the upright although Fitzsimons did have his near post covered. But the goal which put the game to bed finally arrived when Jacob Mellis timed his pass to set Hamilton free and while he was being pursued by Dan Jones, he cleverly chopped the ball back onto his left foot. With Jones off balance, the shift in body weight carried Hamilton into the middle of the area where he lashed low and hard beyond Fitzsimons to leave Notts still searching for their first league win since October. ------------------------ |
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