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Archived News from January 2020

COUGHLAN, SWEENEY, LOWE REACTION
23rd January 2020 19:25



Stags ‘punished’ for not doing basics - manager
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday, 18th January 2020

Manager Graham Coughlan says that despite his side ‘creating plenty,’ the Stags were let down by not executing the ‘basics’ in today’s 3-1 loss to Plymouth Argyle.

Mansfield crafted a number of clear-cut opportunities at Home Park, but were ultimately left to rue missed chances at the full-time whistle.

The boss, speaking to iFollow Stags, says that the amber and blue let themselves down in ‘both boxes’ this afternoon.

“If we defend like that, we’re going to lose games of football,” he began. “I thought our tactics were spot on and we were excellent in the game plan we’ve worked on all week.

“We should’ve buried them and put them away, but as long as you’re missing chances, you’re vulnerable.

“We have to defend better. And if you don’t defend better, you get punished - we got punished today.

“There’s a distinct lack of confidence - the lads look as if they’re beat up, but we have to stay positive. What we have to hang onto is the performances.

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/january/gaffer-post-plymouth/

“We’re creating plenty but we need to address something defensively, because that’s seven goals we’ve conceded in two games.

“Going forward, we’re fine, but we have a lot of work to do defensively, to be quite honest. Our strikers should have had a hatful today - it was another game we should have got more out of.

“We are in games - it’s just basics in both boxes [that are letting us down].

“We pushed a promotion-chasing team but yet again we’ve come out with nothing. But at this moment in time, the basics are not good enough.”

The boss says that, although gaining no points from the last two games - against Forest Green and Plymouth - the performances were ‘good,’ and the Stags are ‘working their socks off’ to rectify their form.

“We can’t go beating these lads up because this is what we’ve got, and the performance was good last week and was good this week, yet we come away with no points.

“The lads are trying but they aren’t going to get fit overnight - that’s something we are working on.

“You can’t mess about with your career for six months then expect to turn it back on - it doesn’t happen like that. Football is a ruthless game and we’re getting punished.

“We are working on the training ground and the lads are working their socks off. We either bring reinforcements in or continue to do that work on the training ground and hope that the penny drops.”

Graham Coughlan also spoke of Mansfield’s appeals for a penalty in the first-half, when Pilgrims’ goalkeeper Alex Palmer seemingly brought down winger CJ Hamilton (below) - who was booked for simulation following the challenge.

“He [Palmer] has caught him and CJ has gone down. I would have asked CJ to stay on his feet and put the ball in the back of the net so there’s no controversy after the game.

“But the goalkeeper has caught him and the goalie has got a tad fortunate - but that’s life.”

There was also an update on defender Hayden White and striker Danny Rose, who were both substituted in the second-half.

“We’ll know more [about White] in the next 24 hours. Rosey the same as they both have muscular injuries.

“We’ll assess them over the next 24 hours and see what the severity is. Fingers crossed, they’re not too bad.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the manager’s interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Graham Coughlan on where it went wrong for Mansfield Town in Plymouth Argyle defeat
The Stags were punished for not taking their chances as they were beaten 3-1 at Home Park

plymouthherald.co.uk, By Chris Errington, 18 JAN 2020

Graham Coughlan admitted Mansfield Town were 'very vulnerable at the back' as they were beaten 3-1 by Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.

The Stags have won only one of their seven games since Coughlan left League One outfit Bristol Rovers last month to take over as manager.

Mansfield remained 19th in League Two after losing to Argyle, five points off the bottom of the table.

Former Pilgrims' defender Coughlan saw his side create a number of excellent goalscoring chances, especially in the first half, but they were not clinical enough with them.

For their part, Argyle were much more ruthless in front of goal and were rewarded with a sixth win out of their last seven games.

Coughlan said: "We were the better team, created lots of chances but didn’t come away with three points.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/graham-coughlan-went-wrong-mansfield-3753919

"We were vulnerable at the back, three soft goals against us. We lacked conviction at one end and were very vulnerable at the other.

"We need to dig deep and get ourselves out of this. I am questioning the lads’ character.

"Have they got the character to roll their sleeves up and get behind me? I will educate them and show them but have they got the stomach for the fight?

"You have to either replace personnel or you work harder on the training ground.

"These lads are working three times a day, we are making changes and progress - probably not as quick as I would like."

Argyle survived an early onslaught from Mansfield, with the aid of a couple of tremendous saves from Alex Palmer.

They would probably have settled for going in at half-time at 0-0, but a 43rd minute header from defender Niall Canavan after a free-kick to the far post from George Cooper had them ahead.

The Pilgrims' second goal was a 61st minute from midfielder Antoni Sarcevic after Mansfield defender Matt Preston shoved over Joe Edwards as he ran away from goal.

Then, after Mansfield substitute Andy Cook reduced the deficit in the 66th minute, Argyle home debutant Ryan Hardie raced clear in the first minute of stoppage time to shoot past 'keeper Bobby Olejnik.

Coughlan said: "One simple cross into our box on 40 odd minutes, you would expect us to deal with that.

"The boy running away from goal and we decide to challenge him in the box and we give away a penalty and one simple pass through the middle and it is game over. It is not great and it is hurting us."

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Mansfield Town boss Graham Coughlan slams poor fitness and dire defending as Stags slide towards drop zone.
chad.co.uk, By John Lomas

Mansfield Town boss Graham Coughlan said a lack of fitness and poor defending were the reasons his side was failing to capitalise on decent performances against top sides as they slid to within five points of the drop zone with a 3-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle.

Stags could have had the game sewn up with the chances they had at 0-0 but again atrocious defending left them empty-handed as Coughlan made a fruitless return to his former club.

“We pushed a promotion-chasing team but yet again we’ve come out with nothing,” he said. “But at this moment in time, the basics are not good enough.

“It's plain to see there’s a distinct lack of confidence - the lads look as if they’re beat up, but we have to stay positive. What we have to hang onto is the performances.

“We can’t go beating these lads up because this is what we’ve got to get us through to the end of the season.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-boss-graham-coughlan-slams-poor-fitness-and-dire-defending-stags-slide-towards-drop-zone-1369821

“The performance was good last week and was good this week, yet we come away with no points. They are feeling it. I am feeling it. We're all feeling it.

“Physically, the lads are trying. But they're getting tired in the last 10-15 minutes of games. That's down to conditioning and pre-season. They aren’t going to get fit overnight - that’s something we are working on.

“You can’t mess about with your career as a professional footballer for six months then expect to turn it back on - it doesn’t happen like that. Football is a ruthless game and we’re getting punished for our misdemeanours over the last six months.

“We are working on the training ground and the lads are working their socks off. The lads are in three times a day.

Once again defensive failings proved costly.

“We either bring reinforcements in or continue to work on the training ground and hope that the penny drops.”

“It was rank bad defending. A basic, simple catalogue of errors has cost us today,” he said.

“If we defend like that, we’re going to lose games of football.

“I thought our tactics were spot on and we were excellent in the game plan we’ve worked on all week.

“We should’ve buried them and put them away, but as long as you’re missing chances, you’re vulnerable at the other end of the park.

“We have to defend better. And if you don’t defend better, you get punished - we got punished today.”

He continued: “We’re creating plenty - the performances are there - but we need to address something defensively, because that’s seven goals conceded in two games.

“When we get the opportunity I expect us to put the ball in the back of the net. There shouldn't be a lack of confidence in front of goal as that's four goals in two games.

“Going forward, we’re fine, but we have a hell of a lot of work to do defensively, to be quite honest. “Our strikers should have had a hatful today - it was another game we should have got more out of. I am beginning to sound like a stuck record here week in week out.

“We are in games - it’s just basics in both boxes that are letting us down.”

Stags might have had a penalty in the first half as keeper Alex Palmer seemed to bring down CJ Hamilton, but Hamilton was booked for simulation instead.

“The keeper has caught him and CJ has gone down,” said Coughlan. “I would have asked CJ to stay on his feet and put the ball in the back of the net so there’s no controversy or debate after the game.

“But the goalkeeper has caught him and the goalie has got a tad fortunate - that’s life.”

Stags lost both Hayden White and Danny Rose with injuries and Coughlan added: “We’ll know more about them in the next 24 hours - they both have muscular injuries.

“We’ll assess them over the next 24 hours and see what the severity is. Fingers crossed, they’re not too bad.”

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Defender sends 'huge thank you' to travelling support
mansfieldtown.net, Saturday, 18th January 2020

Centre-half Ryan Sweeney expressed his appreciation for the Mansfield Town supporters following today’s Sky Bet League Two contest at Plymouth Argyle.

Despite creating numerous gilt-edged chances under the floodlights at Home Park, the hosts ran out eventual 3-1 victors leaving the amber and blue to rue their missed opportunities.

A total of 246 fans completed the 534-mile round trip - their longest of the campaign - and Sweeney was quick to praise the group who travelled.

“It’s unbelievable, to be fair,” the defender said, when asked about the Stags’ faithful.

“I don’t know if some of them made the trip down yesterday, and there were probably people leaving at six o’clock this morning to get down.

“On behalf of the staff and all the boys it’s a huge thank you because at the moment it’s a tough watch.

"We’re not doing as well as we would have wanted. [They] made a lot of noise, backed us and still clapped us off at the end. Huge respect to them and thanks a lot for making the journey.”

https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/january/sweeney-post-plymouth/

The 22-year-old also believes his side executed manager Graham Coughlan’s game plan but needed to tighten up defensively.

“That was the plan - to come down here and be on the front foot. We had a game plan and I thought we executed it well, especially in the first half.

“Again, though, we’re walking away from a long journey with no points.

“Individually, we’ve switched off in crucial moments in the game and ultimately it has cost us.

“Especially when you come to places like this, when you switch off and give those sorts of goals away it’s going to hurt you. For the first half-hour we had them on the back foot, you could sense it in the crowd, they were getting edgy.

“It’s just individual errors that have cost us, but we’ll get back on the training ground and keep working to rectify the mistakes.

And the former Stoke defender remained adamant that it is a collective responsibility for both goals that are scored and conceded.

“We had good chances but we’ve conceded three as well and on the flip side that’s been nowhere near good enough,” he continued to iFollow Stags.

“We haven’t had as many clean sheets, nowhere near as [many as] what we wanted, so it’s a collective responsibility.

“When we score goals it’s collective, when we concede it’s collective.

“We’ve had numerous chances today but, to be fair to the boys up front, most of the season they’ve stuck it in for us. It just didn’t quite go for us today but at the same time we need to defend the box better than we did.

“When stuff like that happens, and it’s not quite dropping for you in the attacking third, we need to make sure we’re solid.

“Unfortunately, we conceded soft goals again today and it sums up where we’re at.”

iFollow Stags subscribers can watch Ryan's interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today.

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Ryan Sweeney thanks Mansfield Town fans after they suffer another ‘tough watch’ at Plymouth
chad.co.uk

Ryan Sweeney thanked Mansfield Town's suffering diehard fans as they sat through yet another capitulation in the season's longest away trip at Plymouth on Saturday.

Stags were beaten 3-1 - a third defeat in a row - in front of 246 away fans who got no reward for making the gruelling 534-mile round trip.

“It’s unbelievable, to be fair,” said the big Mansfield defender.

“I don’t know if some of them made the trip down yesterday, and there were probably people leaving at six o’clock this morning to get down.

“On behalf of the staff and all the boys it’s a huge thank you because at the moment it’s a tough watch. That game summed up our season.

https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/ryan-sweeney-thanks-mansfield-town-fans-after-they-suffer-another-tough-watch-plymouth-1370382

“We’re not doing as well as we would have wanted. But they travelled in their numbers, made a lot of noise, backed us and still clapped us off at the end. Huge respect to them and thanks a lot for making the journey.”

Boss Graham Coughlan had asked his side to take the game to Plymouth but tighten up at the back but, although they created a wealth of chances, the defence was as leaky as ever and have now let in seven goals in two games.

“The game plan was to come down here and be on the front foot and I thought we executed it well, especially in the first half,” said Sweeney.

“Again, though, we’re walking away from a long journey with no points.

“Individually, we’ve switched off in crucial moments in the game and ultimately it has cost us.

“Especially when you come to places like this, when you switch off and give those sorts of goals away it’s going to hurt you as it gets the crowd up.

“For the first half-hour we had them on the back foot, you could sense it in the crowd, they were getting edgy.

“It’s just individual errors that have cost us, but we’ll get back on the training ground and keep working to rectify the mistakes.”

Sweeney said the lack of clean sheets was a collective responsibility, not just the defence.

“We had good chances but we’ve conceded three as well on the flip side - that’s nowhere near good enough,” he said.

“We haven’t had as many clean sheets, nowhere near as many as what we wanted, so it’s a collective responsibility.

“When we score goals it’s collective, when we concede it’s collective.

“We’ve had numerous chances today but, to be fair to the boys up front, most of the season they’ve stuck it in for us. It just didn’t quite go for us today but at the same time we need to defend the box better than we did.

“When stuff like that happens, and it’s not quite dropping for you in the attacking third, we need to make sure we’re solid.

“Unfortunately, we conceded soft goals again today and it sums up where we’re at.”

He added: “It's hard to put a finger on why we are conceding so many when we did so well last season defensively. It's more individual errors than anything that are costing us.

“Last season has been and gone. We can't look back. This season we've let ourselves down. But we still have another 18 games to try to salvage something out of the season.”

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Survive Then Score
Perseverance Pays Off For Pilgrims

https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2020/january/survive-then-score/

ARGYLE came through a difficult opening half-hour of Mansfield pressure to produce a performance full of efficiency and clinical finishing in running out eventual 3-1 winners.

The Greens were unable to find their normal rhythm in the early exchanges and Alex Palmer showed his full range of goalkeeping talents to keep the scores level, laying the platform for Niall Canavan to head the Pilgrims in front just before half-time.

A penalty from Antoni Sarcevic gave Argyle a cushion before the visitors pulled one back but substitute Ryan Hardie confirmed the home win with a late third.

“I didn’t enjoy the first 30 minutes or so, especially the first 15, and then we sort of got a foothold,” said manager Ryan Lowe. “They [Mansfield] have got one of the best strike-forces in the league, all quality players.

“We knew they were going to cause us a problem and they certainly did, but that’s why we’ve got one of the best ‘keepers in the league because he’s kept them at bay.

“When we get the ball down and play the patterns of play, we’re a good team, and we showed that in the second half. They [Mansfield] will probably feel hard done by that they haven’t gone in two or three goals up [at half-time] but I’ve been in that same situation as well, when we couldn’t hit a barn door.”

The early onslaught from Mansfield was withstood with strong defending and expert goalkeeping, allowing the Greens to gradually reassert the passing game that has brought so much success this season.

Incredibly, it is the fifth time we have come up against a side managed by former Pilgrim Graham Coughlan in the past six months, having faced Cocko’s former club Bristol Rovers in pre-season and cup competitions.

It naturally means Cocko had extra tactical insight on the Pilgrim plan but perseverance from Argyle eventually bagged the three points that move us up to fourth in Sky Bet League Two

“The character and attitude was different class,” said Ryan. “We played too many long balls in the first half and Jeps [Luke Jephcott] doesn’t want to be fighting with three centre-halves for aerial balls. I said to the lads that you’ve got to keep playing [passing football].

“They pushed three lads up against us and sometimes you think ‘shall I just play it in behind’ but no, we’ve got the quality to play and that shone through in the end. If they believe they can do that at every opportunity, they will succeed.

“We’ve got to make sure we stick to the plan and we tried to do that in the first 10 or 15 minutes, but you have to give Mansfield credit. They got in a couple of times and one of the only teams that has tried to stop us playing.

“When you play a Graham Coughlan team five times, you obviously understand a little bit of how he can nullify us but it was the character of our lads to keep doing what we asked and persevering to get the goals.”

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Sticking to the gameplan paid off, says Ryan Lowe after Plymouth Argyle's defeat of Mansfield Town
The Pilgrims' boss admitted his side could have trailed by two or three goals at half-time

plymouthherald.co.uk, By Chris Errington, 18 JAN 2020

Ryan Lowe highlighted the character and attitude of his Plymouth Argyle players after the 3-1 win against Mansfield Town at Home Park.

The Pilgrims were far from their best in the first half against Graham Coughlan’s Stags and could easily have trailed by two or three goals at the interval.

That would have been the case had it not been for some excellent saves by Argyle’s on-loan West Bromwich Albion ‘keeper Alex Palmer in the early stages.

Mansfield’s tactic of playing three strikers up front posed the Pilgrims a lot of problems.

Lowe, and his players, stuck to their gameplan, though, and defender Niall Canavan headed them into the lead in the 43rd minute, against the run of play.

Mansfield continued to pose an attacking threat in the second half, but Argyle got stronger as the game went on.

They picked up their sixth win in the last seven league games and moved up to fourth position in the table.

Lowe said: “I didn’t enjoy the first 30 minutes or so, especially the first 10-15, and then we sort of got a little foothold.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sticking-gameplan-paid-off-says-3753757

“They had some chances, but they have got one of the best strikeforces in the league - (CJ) Hamilton, (Nicky) Maynard and (Danny) Rose.

“They are quality players and we knew they were going to cause us a problem.

“They certainly did, but that’s why we have got one of the best ‘keepers in the league also. He has kept them at bay, so fair play.”

Lowe continued: “They (Mansfield) will probably feel hard done by that they haven’t gone in two, maybe three goals up.

“But I have been in the same situation as that, where we couldn’t hit a barn door let alone a goal.

“So they will obviously be frustrated but, for us, I thought the lads’ character and the attitude was different class.”

Midfielder Antoni Sarcevic put Argyle 2-0 up in the 61st minute with a penalty after a foul on right wing-back Joe Edwards.

Mansfield’s Andy Cook replied soon afterwards but Argyle substitute Ryan Hardie put the outcome of the match beyond doubt with a goal in the first minute of stoppage time.

Lowe said: “We played too many long balls in the first half. Byron (Moore) can get in behind if they are ones which hit the grass.

“But Jephs (Luke Jephcott) is a small lad. He doesn’t want to be fighting with three big centre-halves for aerial duels.

“I said to the boys at half-time ‘You have got to keep playing’. They (Mansfield) have come here and pushed three up against our three (central defenders) and we couldn’t really get going.

“But you have got to just keep playing. We have got the quality in the players, which shone through in the end.

“I have said to them if they believe they can do that at every opportunity they will succeed, and I think that’s what we did do.”

Lowe added: “We have just got to make sure we stick to the plan. Look, did we stick to the plan in the first 10, 15, 20 minutes?

“I think they tried to, but you have to give Mansfield a little bit of credit.

“They got in a couple of times and are probably one of the only teams that have stopped us from playing.

“But when you have played Graham Coughlan’s team five times is it, he obviously understands a little bit about us and how he thinks he can nullify us.

“I was delighted with the character of our lads to keep doing what I asked them to do, to keep persevering and then you get your goals.”

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Palmer Job Done
https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2020/january/palmer-job-done/

GOALKEEPER Alex Palmer once again proved he is one of the best after producing some vital saves for Argyle in the early stages of Saturday’s 3-1 win over Mansfield Town in Sky Bet League Two.

The Stags exerted early pressure at Home Park but were repelled by organised Pilgrim defending and Palmer’s supreme quality, laying the platform for Niall Canavan, Antoni Sarcevic and Ryan Hardie to score the goals in another vital victory.

Although Palmer was deceived by a long-ranger from Mansfield’s Andy Cook to make the scores 2-1 at one stage, it did not detract another fine display by the custodian on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

“He is certainly one of them [the best in League Two],” said manager Ryan Lowe. “I think he’s got the most clean sheets or certainly up there with the Crawley ‘keeper as well.

“He’s been terrific and he was just in two minds [for their goal]. He is learning all the time and will know next time whether to tip it over or catch it. He was disappointed with that but we’re not.

“I said to him ‘well done’ at half-time and he was probably the only one I could say that too. The lads have possibly bailed him out and he’s bailed them out as well.

“That’s what he gets paid for and he’s doing a good job.”

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Plymouth Argyle's Alex Palmer proves again he is one of the best goalkeepers in League Two
plymouthherald.co.uk, By Chris Errington, 18 JAN 2020

Alex Palmer reaffirmed Plymouth Argyle’s manager Ryan Lowe belief that he is one of the very best goalkeepers in League Two with his performance in the 3-1 victory over Mansfield Town.

Palmer made superb saves from strikers CJ Hamilton and Nicky Maynard inside the opening five minutes of the match at Home Park.

The 23-year-old loan signing from West Bromwich Albion should have done better with Mansfield’s goal in the 66th minute, which cut Argyle’s lead at the time to 2-1.

Palmer was caught in two minds and could not hold onto a hooked shot from Stags’ substitute Andy Cook, pushing it onto the crossbar before the ball hit him and bounced into the net.

Nonetheless, his important first half saves, which prevented the Pilgrims from falling behind very early on, and his general handling of crosses and shots were impressive.

Even when Mansfield’s players failed to hit the target with shots it was often because of the stature of Palmer and the way he spread himself.

Lowe said: “I would certainly think he’s one of the best ‘keepers in League Two. He has been terrific for us.

“I asked him what happened with their goal. He said he was just in two minds.

“He’s learning all the time. He will know next time to either tip it over the bar or catch it, whatever way he can do.”

Mansfield had a great chance to open the scoring against Argyle in the opening 30 seconds.

Danny Rose provided the cross from the right and CJ Hamilton rose highest to get in a header, which was back across Palmer.

The Argyle ‘keeper reacted superbly, though, sticking out his left leg to make the save.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/plymouth-argyles-alex-palmer-proves-3753969

Then, in only the fifth minute, Mansfield’s 11-goal top scorer Nicky Maynard broke clear and had a one-on-one with Palmer.

Palmer stood up to Maynard and when the striker tried to flick the ball past him he stuck up a hand to block it.

“I said well done to Alex at half-time,” revealed Lowe. “He was the only one I could say well done to really.

“The lads have bailed him out, and he has bailed the lads out.

“That’s what he does, that’s what he gets paid for, and he’s doing a terrific job at the moment.”

Palmer was beaten by a low shot from Maynard early in the second half but defender Niall Canavan made a vital sliding goal-line clearance.

That preserved the 1-0 lead given to Argyle by Canavan with a far post header from a 43rd minute George Cooper free-kick.

It was Canavan’s second goal of the season, coming after he opened his account with the last-gasp winner in the 2-1 defeat of Stevenage at Home Park on December 29.

Lowe said: “I have been getting on his case to score more goals because of the size of him.

“We have worked on stuff in training where we can get Naz free, and he has certainly done that of late. Long may that continue.

“He has been solid as a rock and he makes us tick. He gets on the ball and makes us play.”

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Latest | January 2020