Archived News from December 2018
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FLITCROFT AND MARK COOPER REACTION
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Stags' boss 'gutted' for travelling fans after game abandoned mansfieldtown.net, Saturday 15 December 2018 Stags’ boss David Flitcroft says he is ‘gutted’ for the 281 Mansfield fans that made the journey to The New Lawn this afternoon, after our Sky Bet League Two fixture against Forest Green Rovers was abandoned at half-time due to a waterlogged pitch. The sides went into the break goalless, before it was announced over the stadium’s PA system that the game would not continue. Despite his disappointment for the travelling Mansfield faithful, the Stags’ boss believes referee James Linington made the right decision to abandon the match. “He [referee] gave it the best chance,” he said. “Watching the game, we were waiting for a mistake to be made. It might make good viewing for the neutral, but we’re trying to get three points off each other as two managers. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2018/december/gaffer-post-fgr-abandoned/ “At 0-0, the referee has made the right call. Once one of the teams goes 1-0 up, we’ve got a problem. “In the first half we had mistake after mistake and they couldn’t run with the ball. The ball just stuck in a pool of water. “The referee has made a professional decision. He’s called the game off and people won’t like it. The rain didn’t stop for 45 minutes. “Sometimes you can’t blame anyone. It’s no one’s fault. That’s one thing we have no control over: this weather. “We could’ve all been sat here in the 70th minute when the ball has stopped and someone has a broken leg. Do we all want that? “I’m gutted that our travelling fans have come down and spent their money coming down here. “That [game] was a farce. Us and Forest Green are among the best footballing sides in the league and we’re both asking for the ball to be punted forward. “One mistake and we go home without getting a fair and equal shout at three points and that’s what’s happened today.” The manager also touched on goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik, who has sadly been ruled out for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Stags’ stopper Conrad Logan started today’s match, and was the only alteration that the manager made from the side that beat Notts County 2-0 last week. “I’ve just spoken to Pearcey [Krystian Pearce] there, and the three backpasses he’s given [to Logan], he’s almost had to chip it over the water,” he added. “There was a save he [Logan] had to make and he came out quickly to make it. A successful season is built off your squad. “What I spoke to Loges [Logan] about is how last season, Bobby [Olejnik] supported you impeccably. It was one of the best professional performances I’ve seen from a player. “Bobby had options to go in the summer, and stayed with us. He said if he’s got a fair and equal opportunity of playing, he’s staying. “I said to the players before the game that we had to carry Bobby’s values out on the pitch today. “Logan got that half-time clean sheet that we demanded of him, and he demanded of himself.” The manager also gave an injury update on striker Craig Davies, who was absent from the squad this afternoon. “He [Davies] has gone for a scan, because his ankle has been troubling him. They’ve detected some floating bone in there, some fragments. “That’s been hampering on his movement and drive off his ankle joint. We’ll explore the injury and see where it comes out. “Probably on Tuesday, I’ll have a definitive on how long he might be out. It’s really important for us to know that and understand that.” ---------------------- Mansfield Town boss David Flitcroft backs referee’s decision to abandon game at Forest Green chad.co.uk, Saturday 15 December 2018 Mansfield Town manager David Flitcroft backed referee James Linington’s decision to abandon the Stags’ game at Forest Green Rovers this afternoon. Torrential rainfall marred the first half at the New Lawn with the pitch deemed unplayable during the break. “The worst thing is if someone goes 1-0 up. Morally he’s done the right thing to call it off,” reflected Flitcroft. “We have a duty of care. I’m gutted that the fans have come down here and spent their money but we have to protect people. “Sometimes you can’t blame anyone, we have no control over the weather. “We were waiting for a mistake to be made. We were trying to get three points, but he’s made the right call. “We don’t want to be coming here on a Tuesday night.” Read more at: https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/mansfield-town-boss-david-flitcroft-backs-referee-s-decision-to-abandon-game-at-forest-green-1-9495053 FOREST GREEN: Sanchez, Shephard, James, Rawson, Winchester, Grubb, Brown, Gunning, McGinley, Mills, Reid. Unused subs: Montgomery, Collins, Williams, Campbell, Archibald, Worthington, Morris. MANSFIELD: Logan, White, Benning, Preston, Pearce, Bishop, Mellis, Sweeney, Walker, Elsnik, Hamilton. Unused subs: Kean, Khan, Atkinson, Butcher, Law, Graham, Rose. REFEREE: James Linington --------------------- Cooper: We told the referee the forecast that it would be a monsoon of Mongolian proportions but he chose not to listen to that stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk, By Ashley Loveridge AshLoveridgeSNJ Forest Green manager Mark Cooper poured cold water on referee James Linington’s decision to call the game off against Mansfield Town at half-time after a torrent of rain led to a waterlogged pitch at the New Lawn. Cooper insisted: “The right decision would have been to not start the game. “We told the referee the forecast that it would be a monsoon of Mongolian proportions but he chose not to listen to that. “Then he chose to call the game off when it stopped raining. https://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/sport/17301035.cooper-we-told-the-referee-the-forecast-that-it-would-be-a-monsoon-of-mongolian-proportions-but-he-chose-not-to-listen-to-that/ “They just don’t do themselves any favours. Instead of saying ‘I tell you what, let’s wait 15-20 minutes, to see if it stops raining’ he said ‘No, I am calling it off now. “He couldn’t wait to get back in his little warm room and put his feet on top of the heater. That is the level. “It is like Exeter last year. We knew the referee was going to call it off but the referee still started it. “It is not like Michael Fish in 1975 telling you there is going to be rain but there is a one per cent chance. We are talking about millions being spent on forecasts. “They know there was going to be rain and it was supposed to get heavier at three o’ clock. Which it did. Just don’t play it. “He’s played 45 minutes, knackered the pitch up and it cocks everything up. The fans come. It’s half a game, it’s an absolute shambles. “But I must say that is probably as well as we’ve played at home. We played really well adapted to the conditions. “Gavin Gunning, Lloyd James, really good performances, Reece Brown outstanding in the conditions. We are going to ask the groundsman if he can water the pitch before every game at home now. “We had some great chances, Grubby, Liam Shepherd. “It would have been interesting if we had been 2-0 up at half-time “It is just frustrating. All you want is the officials to use common sense. “We played 45 minutes but the physio didn’t go on the pitch once. “That would have been perfect conditions in my day and we would have thoroughly enjoyed diving in and smashing into people. “All I know is we have crewe on Saturday and that’s what we have to focus on now. “Mansfield will have to come here on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Mansfield boss David Flitcroft felt the referee made the right call. “We’re trying to get three points, and at 0-0 he’s [referee] made the right call. “The worst thing is if someone goes 1-0 up. Morally, he’s done the right thing to call it off. “They gave the game the best chance to go ahead. “We have a duty of care. I’m gutted that the fans have come down here and spent their money but we have to protect people. “Sometimes you can’t blame anyone. We have no control of the weather.” -------------------- |
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