 After Tuesday’s defeat against Bury, a few fans walking back to their cars were saying that we were doomed for the drop as we had “nothing in reserve” – last night the second string were in action at Kirklington Road against Scunthorpe United, we decided to pop along to see exactly what Stags had in reserve should they make changes – for those whose answer was “nothing” that’s rubbish.
Despite being on the wrong end of a 3-0 score line as Scunthorpe’s Etienne Esajas netted either side of captain Callum Howe’s forceful header, the Stags put in a pleasing display with a number of players sending a clear message to Paul Cox that they should be in contention for a first team start on Saturday – The Stags boss watched on from the side lines, spending the majority of the first half in deep conversation with Iron boss Russ Wilcox. It was a very miss-matched line-up from the Stags but they did manage to start with only one young professional on the field in the excellent Liam Marsden, which just highlights that Cox has options to call upon should he wish. Full back Lee Beevers completed a full 90 minutes at centre back, pairing man of the match Jamie McGuire who later moved to right back mid-way through the first half when Liam Marsden was withdrawn with a gash to the eye which later required four stitches. Wingers Louis Briscoe and Lindon Meikle also got a full 90 minutes with the latter doing his chances of a first team call no harm with a committed display on the left hand side. Ollie Palmer paired Ross Dyer up front whilst Ben Hutchinson skippered the side alongside assistant manager Adam Murray in central midfield. The somewhat out-of-favour Paul Black also got a full match under his belt at left back, linking up well with Meikle. Like we mentioned yesterday, commitment and bottle were lacking on Tuesday against Bury as the shakers ran out easy 4-1 winners – last night, the performance of McGuire especially highlighted just what was needed to prevent the first teams fall. Playing out of position across the back line, the lively midfielder led from the back with a vocal display and wasn’t afraid to get stuck in despite being in uncharted territory – he won a fair 85% of his ariel battles with James Jennings’ brother Connor who led the visitors front line. McGuire didn’t take it easy and not put 100% effort in like some would in a reserve team outing, the lively midfielder was there to stake a claim on a start on Saturday. Likewise Lindon Meikle, the livewire wide man put a real shift in down the left hand side, driving at his full back and getting numerous crosses and cut backs in which sadly, just wouldn’t fall right for Palmer or Dyer. Meikle’s energy was breath of fresh air as he continued to chase directional passes from Paul Black, who many are calling for a first team start, not forgetting to mention the service created from Murray, whose sharpness evolved as the game progressed, and Hutchinson who was another perhaps out of his comfort zone in centre midfield. All in all, we’d be happy to see three, maybe four of that squad last night given a shot on Saturday. Mansfield enjoyed the better of the game in the first half but were rocked when Esajas broke the deadlock with a low drive beyond Deakin on 53 minutes. Iron skipper left Deakin with no chance for the second, glancing home a powerful header following a succession of set plays – the third followed soon after, the classy Esajas lobbing Deakin from distance to wrap up the win. For the Stags though, defeat mattered little as the players got vital game time, let’s just hope that those who shone brightest, get given the chance to make a difference in the first team at the weekend. Written by Craig Priest & Emily Sykes The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations.
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Beating Fleetwood on Saturday was hard work for Stags, however last night at the One Call Stadium, Paul Cox’s men un-did all of that hard work as they were buried by Bury, falling to a disgraceful 4-1 defeat.
Fellow struggles Bury to their credit were excellent; they passed the ball and often made it look like they had two extra men – All four goals were far too cheap to give away but were equally deserved and well taken. We were all in agreement last night in Q block that the game was lost not to Bury’s work rate and effort, but to the fact the management completely lost their bottle and failed to change the system when it was clear from the off that it was going to fail. I remember last January sitting in the commentary box at Stockport in the early stages of our mammoth gallop to the league title, watching the first few minutes and seeing the struggling hosts rip Mansfield apart. We’d started, whether intentionally or not, with a flat five across midfield. Stockport ran riot and should have led thanks to an early penalty, fortunately for us, Danny Hattersley screwed his spot kick wide of the target. Paul Cox then tweaked the formation from a flat five across to the middle to a defensive midfield two (Murray and Howell) and an attacking midfield three (Meikle, Stevenson and Daniel) to support and provide for Matt Green which subsequently worked wonders and sparked THAT memorable run. I said numerous times in commentary that night that Paul Cox had bottle to change the formation and that, by doing so, he could accept that something wasn’t quite working and give the lads the push in the right direction. In football, you live and die by the choices you make – that night Cox gave us life, last night, we died. This happened simply because Cox stuck by his guns and continued with a failing system – from the first two minutes it was clear Bury had done their home work and exploited every hole and gap they could find. We allowed the shakers to play out from the back, not once did the keeper take a long goal kick, this is like handing a thief your house keys on Christmas Day and telling them the secret to opening that back door! As soon as you allow the visiting team to dictate play you’ve lost the game, Bury did it all night. Rhead, Stevenson, Daniel and Clucas gave chase when they could but the visitors just kept moving the ball around them making them look silly, it was embarrassing to watch. Bury’s opener on 25 minutes should have been enough for Cox to shake the pack as Danny Mayor cantered unchallenged a good twenty yards or so before drilling low beyond Alan Marriott into the bottom corner. The opener wasn’t enough for change however the visitors created a number of opportunities for another but fortunately, didn’t find one before the break – Stags created very little of note, nothing that was ever going to change the course of the game. Had the system changed to a 4-4-1-1 at half time, introducing Hutchinson behind Rhead and perhaps Lindon Meikle to the flanks, we may have witnessed another outcome. Sadly, there was no change and subsequently Bury took full control, adding a second on 56 minutes as Danny Nardiello rattled a shot in-off the post following a crisp low cross from the Bury right, another run which went unchallenged. Nardiello netted his second and Bury’s third eight minutes later from identical build up play, an untracked run was followed by an unchallenged cross which fell kindly for the Bury hit man to fire crisply home on the half volley. Still the system remained and still we watched on as Bury kept the ball and dominated play, Sam Clucas’ 71st minute tap in following Junior Daniel’s sweeping cross failed to shake the shaers as Stags clawed it back to 3-1 as a mere 15 seconds from the restart, Jake Carroll made a fool of Marriott as the Bury man lobbed him from distance to make it 4-1. Laughably, Cox then altered the system, withdrawing Ryan Tafazolli for Ben Hutchinson with eight minutes to play – switching to a 4-4-1-1, Hutchinson went out right, Clucas out left whilst Stevenson supported substitute Ollie Palmer in attack. Question One: How is an attacking midfielder / deep lying forward going to effect the game at 4-1 down on the right hand side. Question Two: If question one can be answered how can he do that in eight minutes and finally, Question Three: why did the change not happen at half time!! With Martin Riley and James Jennings injured, defensively our options are limited when it’s clear we need a fresh input. Get on the blower too Macclesfield and fetch George Pilkington back, maybe even give Paul Black (left back who signed in the summer for those who can’t remember him) a shot if he’s fit – seriously, what is there too loose? Drop the system in favour of a 4-4-1-1 and bring in wingers, Junior Daniel playing a wide mans role rather than wingback would be an advantage in my opinion whilst on the right, Louis Briscoe and Lindon Meikle would welcome the opportunity to shine and get at full backs. Bring Murray or McGuire back into the middle and stick the captain’s armband on their arm and you’ve got your flair whilst Hutchinson, just behind Rhead, Palmer or Dyer would provide the goals. Oh it seems so easy on paper doesn’t it? I’m angry like the rest of you but deep down, I do believe we’ll stay up – I just hope, maybe even beg, that Cox finds the bottle to hold his hands up and admit the system plays into the hands of the opposition far too often and then change it. In January 2013 on a cold night in Stockport he did just that, what followed was something none of us will ever forget, In February 2014 on a cold night in Mansfield, he should have done the same again, don’t let it cost us. Written by Craig Priest The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations. 
Matt Rhead heads towards goal against Fleetwood this afternoon PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Holloway - Bluewheel
Matt Rhead’s powerful 31st minute header this afternoon secured a vital 1-0 victory over Fleetwood Town and will go a long way in the Stags’ fight for league survival. The big front man set Stags on their way and gave them a deserved lead, heading the ball powerfully enough to beat the keeper following Chris Clements’ pinpoint corner.
The Stags played some good football in the early stages and were unlucky not have led early with Junior Daniel, one of two changes, drilled low at the keeper whilst Darryl Westlake & Sam Clucas also came close. Mansfield thoroughly deserved the victory and in our opinion, showed superb resilience as the game progressed deeper into the second half. No matter how many times Fleetwood attacked or how far forward their defensive line moved, Cox’s men were determined to hold firm and take all three points, this is exactly the type of attitude needed to move the club away from the drop-zone and the chasing the pack. Walking out of the match, a few faces were still having the same old conversation ‘we need a striker’ – yes this may well be true but in reality, without a miracle, we’re not going to get one. We are in a situation where we need a striker, but for whatever reason off the field or finically, it’s not going to happen. We have to work with what we’ve got and play to our strengths rather than letting our weaknesses be exposed – today, we played to our strengths and look at the end result. Losing players through injury will always be a blow, especially the calibre of Martin Riley and James Jennings, however today being forced into changed also played a part in victory. Ritchie Sutton came into the centre back three and performed solidly, tracking his markers all afternoon and very rarely allowing crosses to come into the area. Junior Daniel, who slotted into left wing back in the absence of Jennings, was fully deserving of the man of the match award. His energy down that left hand side gave Mansfield an extra outlet which they’ve been lacking for a while – every time he got on the ball there was a sense of anticipation and that something was going to come. Bury will be tough on Tuesday evening but with two back to back home wins under their belts, the players have a bit more of a spring in their step – fingers crossed this time, the victory is not just a one off and our champions can achieve stability. Written by Craig Priest & Emily Sykes The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations. 
Written by Craig Priest & Emily Sykes
Goals for Sam Clucas and James Jennings helped the Stags on their way to their first home win in twenty weeks this afternoon and despite a late consolation goal for Southend’s Ryan Leonard, Mansfield showed tremendous character to hold on and clinch a massive three points. It was a nervy afternoon watching on from Q block as Paul Cox’s men looked to respond from last weekend’s gut wrenching last minute sucker-punch at Plymouth, however the disappointment of taking a draw from the cusp of glory, only helped to motivate Cox’s men onto picking up all three points. We commented several times about how narrow the players looked when they had the opportunity to attack, Chris Clements and Lee Stevenson both looked to pull the strings but often found a forward path non-existent in a system which, for us, fails to get the best out of the players. That said, rather than throw it the towel, the boys kept pushing and eventually found breakthroughs – the opener from Sam Clucas a fine example of a left sided player feeding on scraps from his natural side of the pitch. There could, and should, have been more throughout with Ryan Tafazolli coming close from a corner and the impressive Matt Rhead being denied by the keeper. The fact the second strike didn’t follow immediately didn’t frustrate the majority of the supporters around us and in turn, didn’t affect the players – instead they dug their heals in and refused to let Phil Brown’s Southend in, whether it be over the top, down the flanks or through the middle the visitors were met by a stern resilience with numerous players putting a foot in and getting in front of stray shots. Naturally there was always a sense that one goal wouldn’t be enough, Stags were once bitten twice shy and they knew the importance of taking a chance when it came. The prime example came on 64 minutes when a corner came out of the blue – despite being denied with through an initial shot, James Jennings was on hand to bundle home the loose ball to give us all a massive boost. Southend wouldn’t lie down and came back at Stags in attempt to rescue the game yet the combined force of the Stags’ resilience and the footballing gods saw the visitors hit the bar, via an acute touch of Marriott’s glove, hit the post and fire high into the stands. Last on Leonards stray effort trickled in to make us all bite the remainder of our nails yet Mansfield hung on and gained a massive three points that will hopefully provide a massive boost going into Tuesday evenings match with Bury. Remember, it only takes a whisper to start an avalanche – let the points begin to role! COYS The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations. 
Matt Rhead slots home against Plymouth last weekend. PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Holloway (Bluewheel) https://www.facebook.com/Bluewheel
The Champions Chase is something I’ll never be able to erase from my memory, I know for a fact I’ll take the image of Murray lifting the conference championship trophy aloft to my death bed, accompanied by the story that picture paints.
Prior to Christmas last season, Paul Cox’s men didn’t look like champions, if we’re honest they looked like a mediocre mid-table side that would achieve nothing. However something clicked and post January, the champions chase began. Consecutive wins, club records and league records were passed and before we knew it, Mansfield Town had transformed from mid-table nobody’s to a side on the cusp of glory. As I referenced numerous times during the enthralling chase, both in blogs and in commentaries, Mansfield were a different type of champion. They weren’t the type of champion to stroll into every game with an argent swag, they never looked down their noses at opposition and had the points written on the league table before the first whistle, they dug in deep and fought for their destiny. A champion doesn’t have to be someone who finishes first, a champion can also be a trier, someone who sets their sights on a target and does what is required, mentally and physically to achieve that target. This attitude has been installed in every Paul Cox side I have seen during the second half of the season and has notably achieved. During his first season in charge, from nowhere we romped to a third placed finish and a play-off spot, during his second season in charge, from nowhere we romped to the title. During this season, his third in charge, I’m confident we can steer away from the drop and achieve the one thing deep down we all wished for when our football league status was re-confirmed: stability. Clubs promoted as Champions from the conference have set a present to achieve back to back promotions and then establish themselves as league one clubs, and as such the bar of expectancy was always going to be high this season, especially winning the league in the manner we did. For whatever reason, things haven’t quite worked out that way – a fine start further raised the bar as did the emotionally sweet derby day victory of Che…. No I can’t physically type it! Things were always going to get tough and clubs were always willing to remind us of our absence from league football and in that time, things have changed. It’s like pack mentality, a school bully is off ill (or in most cases suspended!) for a week or two and someone else takes over, when they return, the new bully won’t just stand aside. There are a number of factors we could use to pinpoint our ‘failings’ – the departure of Matt Green and the lack of a replacement, the current off-field politics, the system, the Murray-Cox fall out, the change in standard in the opposition etc. None of these should be used as excuses or reasons for our plight, what matters is this – we are in a relegation battle and as much as the players needed that push for promotion, they now need a strong branch to cling too so they can begin their climb away from the groping hands of relegation to the conference. It’s frustrating watching poor football when we’re so used to watching successful football, this season I understand that in more ways than you can imagine, I’m writing now (for the first time in months I’ve had the confidence too) with a different view, my media journey is one I’m desperate to continue but one downside too it was forgetting the feeling of disappointment of being a paying supporter week in week out. We work all week to be able to afford to go to matches and naturally we expect victory, when it doesn’t happen that unavoidable frustration takes over and our disappointment is vented in the wrong way. Tomorrow I’ll attend the match and take my seat with my family and friends is Q block, however rather than allow the frustration bellow of BOO, I’m going to cheer and back the boys in the feint hope that digging my heals in and believing we can survive, the players will too. Grit, determination, togetherness, hard work and belief will see us through, just as it did in the play-off season, just as it did last year – the only difference? We have to change our perceptions on what classes as success, rather than a high finish and a chance to climb, this time it has to be finishing above the drop zone and remaining a football league club. The prize is the stability that comes with another season in the football league and the safe knowledge that we haven’t taken another step backwards. I know right now your screaming at me that we need goals and we need to play football, I agree and have many conversations on a match day about the subject, I probably completely agree with your view in fairness. One thing I know for certain is, I have full faith in that squad and its management, a change won’t help us move forward, it’ll set us back for the cycle to begin again. Right then where’s my replica shirt and scarf, I’m ready for match-day and watching round two of the champions chase, this time, with a whole different meaning! COYS The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations. |