Craig Priest looks back on the past calendar year

As the clock ticks down on the year’s final day, I can’t help but reflect on the past year which has been, in my opinion, one of the best 12 months to be both a Stags supporter and broadcaster. Writing about the past year is always strange as your midway through a season but personally I always reflect on a personal 12 months and can’t help but do so in regards to Stags – it’s been of tremendous highs mixed in with some testing lows, but still I think we can look back we can be proud of the last 12 months of football.

January began like every other January in fairness, a month we’re we expected very little actually delivered a strong footballing month. Gary Roberts debuted on New Year’s Day as Matt Green and Aman Verma struck in the 2-2 at York City, victory’s over Forest Green Rovers and Hayes and Yeading at home we’re followed by a respectable draw at Luton in front of the TV Camera’s, the month ended on a high as dominant Stags eased past Ebbsfleet – the total change in feel in terms of mood and expectation was uplifting and we headed into February hopeful of what could be.

Postponements due to weather saw a frustrating start to February as, when football was at last allowed to take place, it was a total opposite in terms of performance as Stags ended a run of 6 games unbeaten, slipping to a 1-0 defeat at Newport County. Mansfield though proved it was a mere blip as they won their next two games in February, struggling Darlington were thrashed 5-2 before Tamworth were brushed past 2-1.

March is arguably the month we’ll always remember, John Radford’s purchase of the One Call Stadium finally cut all ties with the dark lord Mr Haslam, the celebrations on the pitch prior to the Lincoln game was a joy to behold in a game Stags were never going to lose – Stags running out 2-1 winners as Sammy The Stag led a QLE based conga. Victory’s away at Cambridge and Tamworth for followed by the three craziest games of the year – the awesome atmosphere against league leaders Fleetwood saw the on loan Exodus Geohaghon thunder home a roof lifting last minute header to earn a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw before Stags went on a scoring spree hammering Barrow 7-0 at the One Call Stadium before Stags overcame Alfreton 6-3 days later at the Impact Arena. Another blip to the sheet was added at Fleetwood as the hosts ran out 2-0 winners; however victory over Ebbsfleet ended the month on a high.

April was another month of highs as the newly formed Reserves thrashed Quorn 7-2 in a friendly before the first team continued to close in on a play-off place as they hammered and subsequently relegated Kettering before narrowly beating Stockport curtsy of yet another Briscoe Belter. A point was then needed to seal a play-off space as Stags headed to Hayes and Yeading – a scorching day saw the team’s level at half time before Ross Dyer and Matt Green found the target to seal a 3-1 win and Mansfield’s place in the play-offs with two games to go. Third place was then sealed as Stags beat second placed Wrexham as the Welsh side crumbled in front of the TV Camera’s – a game no doubt remembered for Alan Marriott’s freak yet brilliant 90 yard strike. On the final day with everything already sealed ahead of the play-off’s Paul Cox made numerous changes as Stags headed to Kidderminster, the ‘Reserve’ team ran out 3-0 winners with substitute Matt Green coming from the bench to grab his 30th goal of the season.

May again proved the month to forget as Stags failed to go on and grab promotion, Ross Dyer’s headed goal put Stags into a 1-0 lead before Exodus Geohaghon scored an own goal on the stroke of half time. Matt Green’s second half dismissal for handball put Stags in lumber and without a front man for the second leg at the One Call Stadium were the Stags were unbeaten since November – the game went all the way to extra time before Matty Blair broke Stags hearts as he headed home what proved to be the winner in extra time, Ritchie Sutton also was dismissed as Stags epic run on games in 2012 came to a teary end.

Paul Cox got on with making signings in June and by the time July arrived pre-season was set to be a busy one, two sides played 45 minutes a piece at Leamington and then Hednesford as Stags grabbed two pre-season wins. A draw at Blue Square North favourites Gainsborough was then followed by four back to back victories over Hucknall Town, Derby County, Nottingham Forest (Behind Closed Doors) and Eastwood.

August saw pre-season continue, two victories over Boston and Sheffield FC  were sandwiched either side of a 3-2 defeat at home to Rotherham, Newport County then ran out 4-3 winners at the One Call Stadium before Gateshead thrashed Stags 4-1 at Gateshead as the 2012-13 season kick off in poor fashion. Mansfield then got back to winning ways as Lindon Meikle netted twice as Stags came from 2-1 behind to win 3-2. Matt Green’s 5th minute strike was enough to beat Hyde however August ended in frustrating style as Grimsby hammered pathetic Stags 4-1 at Blundell Park.

September was too indifferent with just the one defeat away at Ebbsfleet; victories over Woking, Tamworth and Braintree were matched with draws against AFC Telford and Hereford, games which highlighted Mansfield’s inconsistent performances.

The same can be said for October too as a pathetic display at Cambridge saw Stags beaten 4-1, a goalless draw with Lincoln and a narrow victory over Forest Green thanks to Matt Rhead’s late header set Mansfield up for the FA Cup break. The long trip to Blue Square North outfit Workington awaited and Stags somehow made it through, Jake Speight netting twice in a 2-1 win, the FA Cup win not enough to give Stags confidence as they headed to Dartford, two goals in as many minutes on the stroke of half time saw the hosts run out 2-0 winners in front of the TV Cameras.

November was statically the poorest month in 2011 but this year the Stags actually managed to stay unbeaten, well nearly! Minnowers Slough Town held Stags to a goalless draw in the FA Cup first round, a 1-1 draw at Nuneaton & a 1-0 win over Southport squeezed in before the replay with Slough, a game which went all the way to penalty’s – Shane Redmond one of the heroes as he saved a spot kick and Stags triumphed 4-1 to progress through to round two. November continued with a 2-2 draw with Luton, Matt Green netting a late leveller before a thunderous Stags show was enough to beat Macclesfield 3-0 at Moss Rose, Mansfield’s first away league win since August 18th. Ending the month was an FA Trophy showdown with Matlock, Adam Murray’s goal at the One Call Stadium wasn’t enough and neither was Junior Daniel’s strike in the replay, Matlock ripping apart awful Mansfield to win 2-1 and end November again in a frustrating mood.

December, the month of Christmas songs and wrapping paper saw Stags improve until their last game against Alfreton, which as we all know ended in disappointment. However the start of December was more encouraging, a thrilling fight back to draw 3-3 with Lincoln at Sincil Bank set up a tasty FA Cup replay at the chance to play Liverpool at home, Ebbsfleet then felt the wrath of confident Stags as Mansfield hit them for four. Louis Briscoe’s second half strike then proved the winning goal of a 2-1 match before rain saw games against Hyde and Grimsby called off either side of that aforementioned 2-1 defeat at home to Alfreton on Boxing Day.

The year has thrown up some excellent memories, ones which we’ll cherish for a long while yet. Yes performances have been somewhat indifferent of late but still we are chugging along and who knows, in 2013 we could go one better than we did in 2012.

On a final note I’d just like to thank you all for your support of Mansfield Matters this calendar year, have a great time in however you choose to see in the new year, see you in 2013!               

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest Writes....

Being honest I can only write this half heartedly as, outside my window the rain continues to lash down and I’m fully expecting yet another postponement – this time though I really don’t want this one to be off as I feel we need a game before our showdown with Liverpool next Sunday as the world watches on.

Our previous game against Alfreton as we know was a poor and pathetic showing which, in my opinion, partly came from rustiness and a lack of football – I’d hate this to happen again ahead of the Liverpool match. I’ve always stressed that the league is more important than the FA Cup and I still firmly believe we can do something this season, the post Christmas set of fixtures has always been, by his own admission, the time when Paul Cox side performs best – something we saw first hand last term and something we’re hoping for a repeat of.

Statistically we are not far off we’re we were at this stage of the season last term, sitting tenth on 32 points puts us four points behind last term as we sat in 9th on 38 points post Boxing Day. That said we have played four games LESS than this time last year, a draw in all of those games would take us dead level with last term whilst victory’s would put us significantly ahead – the fact these games will now fall into our post Christmas bracket can only be a positive now.

They say where you finish at Christmas is pretty much where you’ll finish at the end of the season, I think it’s complete rubbish – football for me is all about momentum and the points you collect, honestly who would have predicted a finish as strongly as we did last term at this stage last season? I think that proves that this season isn’t over, performance comes second in my book to results, if we start putting in good results in January then once more momentum can take us through to where we want to be.

Alfreton is always a tough place to go and the pitch is far from the greatest in the world but I think it’s the perfect place to kick start 2013, a place where you need to battle for every point is the perfect spring board to the year we’ll again need to battle to achieve our dreams. The good thing about the Grimsby game being off is extra time for preparation, should tomorrow go ahead the players will have Boxing Day on their minds and want revenge – any players that have Liverpool on their minds and don’t commit themselves 100% to Alfreton can, for me, pack their bags and be sold / transferred the following day as the transfer window opens as we all sing Old Langsyne tonight!

As 2012 comes to an end let’s remember the one thing that saw us come good in the first half of the year – take baby steps, focusing on one game at a time.

The sides last lock horns on Wednesday as Alfreton grabbed their first ever competitive victory over a lacklustre Stags, John Dempster prodded Stags ahead but goals from Paul Clayton and Ben Tomlinson were enough to consign Stags to defeat.

Last season’s encounters were nothing short of spectacular, at Field Mill as was the Reds arrived for their first ever league meeting with us and did more than match us – grabbing a 2-0 half time lead as Anton Brown and Paul Clayton capitalised on poor defending. The second half was somewhat crazy as Alfreton saw Anthony Wilson and Greg Young sent off. Matt Green tucked home a penalty on 75 minutes before Lindon Meikle netted an absolute belter with four minutes later to snatch an undeserved point, Andy Todd then made sure it was all three points in the dying seconds of the match as he squirmed home Green’s driven effort.

The reverse fixture earlier this calendar year was even more unbelievable, on the back of a 7-0 hammering of Barrow, Stags were in rampant form and netted six in the first league meeting at the Impact Arena – however don’t let that fool you as it was one hell of a battle.

Alfreton led on six minutes through Jake Moult in a crazy end to end opening before former Red Anthony Howell smashed in to level on 16 minutes. The hosts led again on 20 minutes through Nathan Jarman; however Stags fought back and swung things around to led 4-2 through Martin Riley, Matt Green and a rocket from the on fire Anthony Howell.

Things were looking good going into the break but on the stroke of half time Alfreton grabbed another to make it 4-3 through Anton Brown. The second half was close and things remained close until three minutes from full time, Exodus Geohaghon thumped home a header before minutes later Matt Green made it 6-3 as the Reds defence went to sleep.

Prior to last season the sides had only met in the FA Trophy competitive action wise, those games too were incident fuelled and now meetings with the Reds hold so much more fire and x-factor than the numerous pre-season friendly’s from bygone years.

One man hoping the game goes ahead is Ritchie Sutton who is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season on Boxing Day, should the Alfreton match not go ahead he’ll be suspended for the Liverpool encounter which will be a massive shame as for me, Sutton’s been Mansfield’s most consistent performer so far this season.  

Other than Sutton’s suspension Paul Cox has pretty much a full squad to choose from with only Ross Dyer still on the sidelines – with the transfer window open at midnight it remains to be seen if anyone will leave before the match or indeed, if anyone will arrive like Gary Roberts ahead of 2012’s opening game at York.

If you can’t get to the Impact Arena tomorrow then be sure to join me for full match commentary on 106.9FM and via our MM-LIVE page, kick off is 1pm and build up will start at 12.30pm.  

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a blog email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest & Emily Sykes write....

As 2012 comes to an end we have one more game to slot in, subject to a pitch inspection at 10.30am. Never have I said this before but in all honesty, I’d love it tomorrow if the headline read ‘Game Off’

It may seem like a negative thing to say but we honestly think given the weather and the form of both teams a postponement would do Mansfield the world of good. The match against Alfreton on Boxing Day is certainly one we want to forget, the performance of some players was disappointing and we don’t think a match against the league leaders is the best way to put things right, another few days on the training pitch followed by the return match with Alfreton is the best way to re-focus.

Naturally revenge is needed on Grimsby too following the game at Blundell Park earlier in the season but you have to look at our approach and there’s – we are distracted and, as proved Boxing Day, unfocussed, where as Grimsby are on fire with one defeat in eight games and three back to back wins. Never have we ever wanted to miss a game but we think our situation at the moment may suit a postponement, giving Paul Cox extra time to address the problems from Boxing Day and find our feet again.

Should the game pass the inspection then fine, it’s a challenge Mansfield have to rise too – the match will pit the best away team and the best home team against each other, something will give.

The obvious discussion has been about selection, one change will be needed with Ritchie Sutton suspended but what about elsewhere – Exodus Geohaghon for instance was awful against Alfreton and for us cost us the game, in which case do you recall Pilkington, Jones or Tafazolli or do you bring Thompson into centre half move Beevers to right back and put Junior Daniel back in at left back?

We don’t have too many complaints about the midfield or front line, but what about bringing in a character that could pull the strings, as the game went on against Alfreton there seemed no desire from any individual to try and rescue at least a point – that cannot continue.

So now we play the waiting game, will it be on or will it be off – whatever happens let’s just hope something positive can take us into 2013. 

As eluded to earlier, the last meeting between these sides didn’t end well for Mansfield. Hosts Grimsby romped past pathetic Mansfield as the Mariners ran out 4-1 winners at Blundell Park. Gary Roberts’s dismissal didn’t aid the Stags cause nor did Matt Rhead’s late header.

The sides first met in 1951 and there have been 45 meetings between the pair so far, however in terms of goals you can’t separate the pair as they currently sit on 65 a piece. At the One Call Stadium Stags have been victorious 11 times which included a 2-1 victory in October last year. 

Ritchie Sutton is set to serve a one match ban after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday; this could see a recall for John Thompson at right back whilst Ryan Tafazolli and Adam Murray should also be available for selection.

Should the match pass it’s 10:30am pitch inspection then you can catch regular updates throughout the afternoon from 2pm via our MM-Live page, due to the Christmas schedule we cannot guarantee coverage will be on Takeover 106.9.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or it’s related organisations – to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes...

Fixture: Mansfield Town V Alfreton Town
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier Game #24
Venue: The One Call Stadium
Date & Time: Wednesday 26th December – 3pm
Match Referee: Seb Stocksbridge (County Durham)
Attendance: 4,186 (350)

There’s nothing better than victory over a rival at Christmas time, on the flip side there’s nothing worse than losing either – yesterday’s Boxing Day fixture packed only the punch of frustration for Stags as rivals Alfreton grabbed their first ever competitive victory over Mansfield, a result which marred what had been a really good home record.

It was in a frustrating manor too as damp and cold conditions provided the backing for a drab affair, a performance in which the majority of the players looked disinterested and like they wanted to be sat around the table stuffing down the turkey – the energy and buzz from the Lincoln game, Stags’ last outing 14 days ago, had long gone.

I guess that’s always the danger, no game for ages and the excitement of Liverpool may have taken its toll, but that’s no excuse – certain players certainly let the side down and there needs to be a mass improvement if Stags wish to get anything from their match with Grimsby on Saturday – more on that tomorrow.

Paul Cox made just one change from the side which saw off Lincoln 14 days prior, Ritchie Sutton returned at the expense of John Thompson.

Line Up [4-4-1-1] Alan Marriott, Ritchie Sutton, John Dempster (C), Exodus Geohaghon, Lee Beevers, Louis Briscoe, Chris Clements, Anthony Howell, Lindon Meikle, Ben Hutchinson, Matt Green
Substitutes: John Thompson, Jake Speight, Matt Rhead, Adam Murray, Lee Stevenson

It was a slow and sluggish start to this Boxing Day fixture, the Stags registering their first effort on five minutes as a series of long throws from both Lee Beevers and Exodus Geohaghon, the latter’s right sided cross from the second phase of play saw Anthony Howell rise at the near post and head narrowly wide.

Twelve minutes later Stags put on the pressure with Meikle trying to find Green however the visitors scrambled clear, on twenty minutes the Stags started to enjoy the pressure, Hutchinson, Briscoe and Sutton all combining before the former was mightily unlucky not to see his drilled pass find Green, it was just a tad too heavy.

Seconds later the Stags had their best chance of the game, Green’s dominant right sided cross found Clements on the edge of the area, his curling shot was expertly saved by Phil Barnes for a corner, however Mansfield failed to really make it pay.

Green had another chance on 26 this time down the left however the wet conditions flawed the plan, slipping as he bore down on goal allowed Alfreton to get back and clear.

Former Stags Nathan Arnold came close on 33 minutes as his shot was deflected over by Sutton, two minutes later it was Stags who were celebrating as John Dempster turned in as Hutchinson crossed from a Lee Beevers throw.

Stags lead lasted a mere two minutes as Josh Law’s deep free kick proved the assist for Paul Clayton, he rising with ease above Geohaghon to dominantly head home and level the match.

With six to go before the break Matt Green found space on the right but dragged wide of the target, before Louis Briscoe’s driven cross was scooped away – on the stroke of half time, Ritchie Sutton collected his 5th booking of the season and as such, misses out Saturday’s showdown with Grimsby.

HALF TIME Stags 1-1 Alfreton

The second half was another drab affair although Stags did start with some intensity, Meikle and Hutchinson combined fluently on the left before the later fired wide. Five minutes into the second half a run from Ben Tomlinson had Geohaghon beaten as he slipped inside the box and allowed the Reds hit man to drive beyond Marriott into the bottom corner and put Alfreton into a 2-1 lead a minute after Ben Hutchinson had been replaced in attack by Matt Rhead.

On 69 minutes Alfreton came forward again as Dan Bradley and Simon Russell played a one-two, a sublime sliding challenge from Beevers put an end to the beginning of what could have been a dominant surge from the visitors.

Six minutes later the annual Christmas fight broke out as Matt Green and Dan Bradley came to blows, both earned a booking before Green drilled wide of the target on 72 minutes.

Three minutes later another Green run saw him curl wide before joint leading scorer Jake Speight replaced Louis Briscoe. Mansfield then failed to register and chances worth noting, the introduction of Lee Stevenson for Clements with ten to go didn’t aid things either, in the end Stags were hanging on as Tomlinson and Clayton both looked to add to their goals tally in six additional minutes, the full time whistle sparking a deserved chorus of boos – Bah Hum Bug.

FULL TIME: Stags 1-2 Alfreton

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer but not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com   

Craig Priest writes...

Saturday’s wash out postponement was certainly annoying after what was already a long break from action, Wednesday’s match with Alfreton will mark two weeks since our memorable victory over Lincoln City in the FA Cup but also mark two weeks since our last competitive fixture – two weeks is a long time in football.

All momentum, all steam and all the euphoria from the previous game will have pretty much gone which can sometimes either be a blessing or a burden, for Stags its usually the latter – who remembers our trip to Newport in February after a break from football – whatever happens on Boxing Day, I hope Paul Cox ensures there’s is no repeat of rustiness, it’s time to pick up where we left off.

This means no talk of Liverpool and focus on the BSBP in what will be a tough test against Nicky Law’s Alfreton who are going steady in 17th. Games against Alfreton in recent years have always proved tasty and I’m sure this Boxing Day showdown will be just as action packed! Last term, the reds first in the BSBP, was an indifferent one an awful first half of the season where the reds were whipping boys was followed by a solid climb post Christmas which included a run of seven wins in eight games; defeat to us at the Impact Arena (6-3) the only blotch on the paper. This term has seen more of a solid start and as the Reds approach Christmas they are again in a bit of form in the league at least with one loss in five outings which includes two draws and a thrilling 4-3 victory over arguably the league’s toughest side, Newport.

One thing you should never do against Alfreton is under estimate them, they will fight for every ball and battle for every point – I honestly think out of all of the Boxing Day fixtures this will be the best.

To be honest there’s little else left to be said, it will definitely be nice to have some football again and a bigger crowd because of the Liverpool ticket deal will also help things, but it’s important to focus on the BSBP and putting some points on board, we’ve three games prior to Liverpool, that’s nine points up for grabs – six of them against Alfreton, let’s go and get them!!

Last season’s encounters were nothing short of spectacular, at Field Mill as was the Reds arrived for their first ever league meeting with us and did more than match us – grabbing a 2-0 half time lead as Anton Brown and Paul Clayton capitalised on poor defending. The second half was somewhat crazy as Alfreton saw Anthony Wilson and Greg Young sent off. Matt Green tucked home a penalty on 75 minutes before Lindon Meikle netted an absolute belter with four minutes later to snatch an undeserved point, Andy Todd then made sure it was all three points in the dying seconds of the match as he squirmed home Green’s driven effort.

The reverse fixture earlier this calendar year was even more unbelievable, on the back of a 7-0 hammering of Barrow, Stags were in rampant form and netted six in the first league meeting at the Impact Arena – however don’t let that fool you as it was one hell of a battle.

Alfreton led on six minutes through Jake Moult in a crazy end to end opening before former Red Anthony Howell smashed in to level on 16 minutes. The hosts led again on 20 minutes through Nathan Jarman; however Stags fought back and swung things around to led 4-2 through Martin Riley, Matt Green and a rocket from the on fire Anthony Howell.

Things were looking good going into the break but on the stroke of half time Alfreton grabbed another to make it 4-3 through Anton Brown. The second half was close and things remained close until three minutes from full time, Exodus Geohaghon thumped home a header before minutes later Matt Green made it 6-3 as the Reds defence went to sleep.

Prior to last season the sides had only met in the FA Trophy competitive action wise, those games too were incident fuelled and now meetings with the Reds hold so much more fire and x-factor than the numerous pre-season friendly’s from bygone years.

With no game on Saturday it’s pretty much as you were with everyone up for selection apart from Ross Dyer and Ryan Tafazolli.

Too stuffed with Christmas dinner to move and can’t make it to the One Call Stadium then be sure to join me for regular updates from 2pm via our MM-LIVE Page – due to the Christmas schedule and staffing, I can’t guarantee that coverage will go out on 106.9FM so please play safe by coming directly to this website.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or it’s related organisations – to submit a blog email mtfcmatters@gmail.com    

Craig Priest writes...

It seems an eternity since our last game against Lincoln in the FA Cup, I’ll be honest I hope the trip to Hyde tomorrow passes its 10am pitch inspection as not only does no football drive me insane, I’m hoping the euphoria surrounding Liverpool can be forgotten and our focus can return to the bread and butter.

Not for a second am I suggesting the Liverpool match is irrelevant or even pointless, I’m really looking forward to the match and the experience it brings, I’m just hoping that we can channel the excitement and buzz into climbing towards the play-offs and achieving our real dream: promotion.

There’s no doubt we’re on a buzz of form at the minute, performances aside the ingredients and final outcomes have been pleasing with just one defeat in eleven outings, we’re scoring goals too with ten goals netted in the last four games – with consistency in the selection too thinks are looking merry as we approach of festive fixtures.

My worry is that the thought of Liverpool will distract us a little and we’ll become arrogant in our approach ‘why bother against Hyde when we’ve got Liverpool soon’ – we need to steer clear of such thoughts as despite Scott McNiven’s side having been the clubs basement side back in October, they’ve had a great month or so since and have clawed their way back up the table to 16th with some impressive wins, a 3-1 away win at leaders Newport and a 7-0 battering of Woking games to take note of.

I think Stags’ early season poor away form has gone now, touch wood, but I think we must be cautious tomorrow against a side that have scored 16 goals in their last six home games. There are some talented players in the Hyde squad; Phil Jevons has 15 goals to his name so far with Scott Spencer behind him on eight.

It will be a tough place to travel and I’m sure Paul Cox will have his players fired up and ready for the challenge, this season can be about more than just Liverpool – let’s go and prove it.

The sides met for the first time ever in their history back in August when Matt Green’s strike proved the different as Stags took all three points in a 1-0 victory. Stags have never visited Ewan Fields before; let’s hope they have more success on visiting new territory than they did earlier in the campaign as they crashed at Dartford.

Click here to listen to audio highlights

There’s seems to be no fresh knocks ahead of our trip to Ewan Fields, defender Ryan Tafazolli is due back in training soon whilst long term injure Ross Dyer is set to start running soon.

If you can’t get to Hyde tomorrow then join me for full match commentary on the fixture, build up starts at 2pm on Takeover 106.9FM and via our MM-Live Page – Please remember that tomorrow’s game is subject to a pitch inspection at 10am.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or it’s related organisations – To submit a blog email mtfcmatters@gmail.com    

Craig Priest writes...

Fixture: Mansfield Town V Lincoln City
Competition: FA Cup, Sponsored by Budweiser, Round Two Replay
Venue: The One Call Stadium
Date & Time: Wednesday 12th December – 7.45pm
Match Referee: Darren Sheldrake (Surrey)
Attendance: 5,304 (1360)

Two sleeps later and I still can’t quite believe it, Liverpool are coming to town for an FA Cup third round tie. I’ve purposely put off writing this for a day to let the game sink in and let the roar and buzz just go down a level, hopefully now I can write in the same reflective manor I usually do rather than from cloud nine, in turn this may make looking back on the fixture a little more special, it certainly was a momentum to remember.

Naturally Lincoln City will be bitter and disappointed, I think that when you look at the balance of play especially in the second half the Imps have a right to be disappointed as they dominated prolonged spells, however there’s one golden rule in football which helps seal reality – you have to take your chances, we did and we’re in round three.

We too were dominant in spells and if truth be told, if it weren’t for Paul Farman in the Lincoln goal, Stags could have quite easily sealed the tie before half time – the fact he pulled off two tremendous saves just added to the drama of the night, the football may not have been wonderful for spells but I can honestly say, the cup tie was right up there in terms of entertainment.

One man other than Briscoe, whose knack of important goals continued, I have to credit is Paul Cox. It took balls to make the change at half time but he saw it was a change that needed to be made and I think one which effectively won us the game. I am a huge fan of both Thompson and Sutton and love seeing them in the same back four, however again there was space for only one of them in the starting line up and Thompson didn’t quite match up to the games pace and, having watched numerous replays, clearly played Adam Smith onside for the leveller and just couldn’t cope. Sutton offered a more stable presence and despite the second half pressure from the Imps, didn’t really put a foot wrong – credit to Paul Cox for being bullish and making the change and hats off to Sutton, dropped over the last three-four games but keeping his head and doing his job.

John Dempster was outstanding for me in both boxes, Geohaghon too steady at the heart of the defence, I wasn’t happy that when we attacked we we’re far too narrow but do you know what, I honestly don’t care because we showed persistence and desire to finally go and get what we deserved.

The joyous scenes at full time will be remembered for a while, relief from a side that have felt the burden and weight of expectation seriously strain them this season, let’s hope now that now the reward is in place, the momentum carries over to our league fixtures with Hyde, Grimsby and Alfreton twice – let’s make this a very merry Christmas indeed.

Paul Cox named an unchanged side from the team that beat Ebbsfleet at the weekend, former Imps keeper Alan Marriott kept his place in goal ahead of Redmond who was heroic in the Slough replay in the previous round, player-assistant boss and skipper Adam Murray settled for a place on the bench. 

Line Up [4-4-1-1-]: Alan Marriott, John Thompson, John Dempster (C), Exodus Geohaghon, Lee Beevers, Louis Briscoe, Chris Clements, Anthony Howell, Lindon Meikle, Matt Green, Ben Hutchinson.
Substitutes: Ritchie Sutton, Jake Speight, Nick Wright, Matt Rhead, Adam Murray, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel.

Mansfield began brightly with two Lee Beevers long throws in quick succession however neither proved a test for Paul Farman or his back line, four minutes later it was Lincoln’s turn for a long throw, Dan Gray launched one in before putting the second ball behind for a goal kick.

A minute later the long throw game continued as Howell’s long ball forward saw Green pressure Gilbert into a clearance, Exodus Geohaghon launched in before Ben Hutchinson headed over from the near post.

With 12 played the Stags again pressured the visitors, John Dempster kept the ball in play in the Lincoln half after a corner before finding Green who interchanged with Beevers, Meikle and Clements before the latter set up Briscoe who drove an effort wide from the edge of the area.

A minute later the Stags grabbed the initiative as Chris Clements clipped in a delicate free kick from midway in the Lincoln City half. John Dempster connected with it and looped a header up and over Farman who, after TV Replays, will be credited with the final touch, Dempster’s header cushioning the post before bouncing in from Farman’s ankle – who cares, the Stags had the all important advantage.

Lindon Meikle then soared forwards as he looked to set a Stags second on 21 minutes, drawing a foul from Gray. Hutchinson took charge of the resulting free kick but curled over Farman’s bar from the edge of the box. Eight minutes later the Imps keeper immerged with heroic status from the travelling fans as he pulled off a terrific double stop. Hutchinson sparked the move with a flowing pass wide for Briscoe, Hutchinson advanced to latch onto Briscoe’s resulting driven cross only to see Farman palm away a definite goal into the path of Green. The Stags joint top scorer delicately flicked a shot over the grounded shot stopper but somehow, he rose to excellently beat away and effectively keep the Imps in the tie.

Farman was again involved on 37 minutes after a Geohaghon throw saw Green and Hutchinson cause havoc and earn a corner, John Dempster saw a dominant header pushed away before the Imps cleared and three minutes later, grab a leveller from nowhere. The Stags thought they’d cleared the original ball but Dan Gray had other ideas as he volley back into the Stags half, Geohaghon, Dempster and Beevers had all stepped up quickly to spring the offside trap however John Thompson was too slow and as such played Adam Smith onside. The former Stag advanced and clipped over Marriott who came oh so close to preventing the goal, the ball however bounced in all the same.

Lincoln ended the half on a high with a corner, Anthony Howell there for the Stags to clear for a throw sending the two sides into half time level at one a piece.

HALF TIME: Stags 1-1 Lincoln

Paul Cox then opted to replace John Thompson with Ritchie Sutton at the break, the Stags again starting brightly as they grabbed two corners after 42 seconds, the second of which again saw Farman pull off the heroics for the Imps as he palmed away Dempster’s forceful header, the second ball back in from Clements also saw Dempster climb, this time though the Stags skipper headed wide of the Imps goal.

With 50 on the clock in was heart in mouth time for Stags as the Imps surged forward with intent. Adam Smith got the better of Sutton and just about got ahead of the advancing Marriott to the loose ball, as the ball chipped up into the brisk air Smith his tame half volley with no pace, Geohaghon was on hand to clear and spare Stags blushes.

Six minutes later a dangerous corner from Alan Power had Mansfield stretched before a secondary cross from the lively Jamie Taylor had Stags on the back foot, however Mansfield again scrambled away to breathe again before Ben Hutchinson was withdrawn for Matt Rhead on the hour mark.

Three minutes later the Stags failed to learn from the previous match at Sincil Bank as the Imps broke through Taylor following the breakdown of a Beevers throw. A square ball across the box saw Smith in possesion saw him cross for the advancing Taylor, Alan Marriott keeping out his close range effort.

Jamie Taylor again saw a header land wide of the mark on 73 minutes as Stags were cut apart, three minutes later though pressure, belief and patience saw Louis Briscoe send the home support into raptures. Matt Rhead held the ball up well on the edge of the Imps box before finding Clements, it was his sharp pass to Howell inside the box which undid Lincoln. Howell then poked square to Briscoe who, from 10 yards, curled in first time beyond Farman to put Mansfield back in the driving seat.

The imps made a double change with ten to go and another Power corner saw Ritchie Sutton slam away before Marriott collected the resulting cross. The game moved into three minutes of additional time and as the ball went from one end to the other and back again, Stags fans bit there finger nails and crossed everything possible, the full time whistle coming as huge relief as supporters swarmed the pitch, The Stags had done it  - Liverpool are next.

FULL TIME: Stags 2-1 Lincoln

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a piece, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes...

Well the day is almost upon us – FA Cup second replay against Lincoln City with the world watching on to see who gets the plum home tie with Liverpool in the third round, is anyone feeling the nerves yet.

I have to admit that cup matches in recent seasons have failed to ignite the slightest bit of interest for me; my focus has always been on getting back to where we belong – the football league. We all know the story and each season comes with a fact, we have never been good enough. Last season we came close and whilst we are only a quarter way through our current campaign, I feel tomorrow night’s game could be key to our league ambitions, a win would benefit us no end both finically and for me, most importantly, confidently. We’ve had a rough spell and I’m not getting the same vibe of confidence and unity from our squad this term but of late there have been a few games where I’ve felt a sprinkle, we just need something to light our fire, victory tomorrow night could do just that.

I’ve almost avoided talking about tomorrow if I’m being honest; there is immense pressure on Mansfield Town. I think this term we are like a delicate new born phoenix trying to rise from the ashes of previous heartbreak, there is so much willingness and expectation to succeed it puts a strain on us mentally and physically – if we win tomorrow then brilliant we’ll burst and soar the skies with pride but if we lose then I think we’ll break and the negative stream will become a full blown negative storm – we have to take steps to ensure that no matter what happens tomorrow we remain stable and together for the remainder of the season.

That statement may seem dismissive of the FA Cup game, trust me it’s not, I write the above cautiously and having whiteness the buzz since last Sunday’s third round draw, I want us to be prepared and focussed on every eventuality – one thing that’s been missing in all the talk about Liverpool is the fact we HAVE NOT got them yet, we have to beat LINCOLN first. I believe in Mansfield Town and would be a liar if I said I hadn’t dreamt of how things could play out, however there’s something haunting me – last season’s play-off semi-final second leg against York. At 1-1 it was set up to be a one off game like tomorrow’s game with the Imps, at the One Call Stadium we considered ourselves favourites and pretty much forgot there was another team in the tie, we lost our focus in favour of arrogance and expectation and in the end, we’re left watching on in floods of tears as our York City counterparts went on to grab victory and ultimately promotion. Tomorrow against Lincoln we HAVE to respect them and REMEMBER there are TWO teams wanting the SAME thing, arrogance and expectation need to take a back seat whilst pride, willingness and desire take over. When this happens at the One Call Stadium there is no beating us, how many times have we proven this in the last 12 months? We need to do this again tomorrow night, not for a one off game against Liverpool in Round Three, but for the future hopes, dreams and aspirations of Mansfield Town Football Club. 

Lincoln City will want a third round home tie with Liverpool as much as Mansfield Town. David Holdsworth will want to get one over on his ex employers whilst Paul Cox will be eager to reclaim that stability and faith installed in him last term when Stags rode the waves to the play-offs. Gary Mills, Adam Smith and Colin Larkin will want to show their old fans what they’re missing, Alan Marriott and Lee Beevers likewise. Stags fans want to see Premier League giants Liverpool grace the soil of the One Call Stadium whilst Imps fans will desperately want to see some action with the giants at Sincil Bank. The TV Camera’s will expect a classic and will undoubtedly get in, it’ll be chilly if not close to freezing, it’ll be nervy and it’ll take more twists and turns than an Eastenders Christmas murder plot – the thing is, it can’t end a draw, it has to be settled one way or the other – it’s a showdown to end all showdowns and not to be missed. This, ladies and gentleman, is the magic of the FA Cup thriving on the hopes and dreams of two football clubs; it’s the greatest game on the planet and the biggest thrill in the entire universe: EMBRACE IT.

As mentioned we are strong when we are together, positive and loud – weather you’ve just come because of Liverpool and want a slice of the action or you’ve come like you do week in week out is irrelevant to me tomorrow so long as each and every supporter in the home stands backs Mansfield Town – this is our time, let’s go and prove it together. I genuinely believe that our dreams can come true if we remain focussed and treat the fixture with respect rather than arrogance – you are only as strong as each other, you can only achieve success by accepting, learning from and embracing negative experiences. Pack the stands, beat the drum, sing loud for Mansfield Town and most importantly BELIEVE! 

Ten days ago on a chilly Saturday lunch time Mansfield headed for Sincil Bank for a clash of the titans without any knowledge of the round three tie. An end to end ‘thriller’ played out as Mansfield led, threw it away and then clawed it back at the death, the final 3-3 score line only telling half the story.

Matt Green pounced before two goals either side of the break from Alan Power and then Jamie Taylor put Imps ahead. Louis Briscoe riffled in a deserved leveller before awful defending saw Power strike to put Lincoln back in the driving seat. Substitute Matt Rhead headed home with a minute to spare to set up a replay although John Thompsons last ditch goal line clearance prevented Lincoln from eliminating the Stags.

Earlier in the season the sides had met at the One Call Stadium where a goalless draw had played out, tomorrow though there has to be a winner, either in 90 minutes, extra time or, penalty’s. These two are form teams and both scored four on Saturday although Lincoln did concede twice in the second half at Dartford after racing to a 4-0 half time lead thanks to a Colin Larkin hat-trick! It could go all the way...

The two sides are no strangers to each other in a rivalry which began in August 1934, there have been 70 meetings between the pair in both the league and numerous cup competitions, Mansfield have 26 wins to 25 and lead a thrilling goal count of 213 108-105! There’s a history in the FA Cup too, including the recent meeting at Sincil Bank there have been four meetings which have all spookily come in round two! The Imps have only progressed past Stags the once, a 2-1 win on December 13th 1975 whilst Stags have dumped the Imps out twice, a 2-1 win in December 1937 and, more ‘recently’ a thrilling 4-3 in 1987 – let’s hope Mansfield dump the Imps out for a third time tomorrow evening to grab the £27,000 prize money along with that mouth-watering dream home tie with Liverpool.

For those interested in the finical rewards, Stags have so far collected £30,500 as have the Imps whilst with the tie being televised it’s another £34,100 to both sides – the third round tie will be shown on TV on the same channel which in turn adds another £135,850 to the pot. 

Long term absentee Ross Dyer remains sidelines along with defender Ryan Tafazolli will also miss out – Adam Murray may also miss out through a virus.

If you can’t get to tomorrow night’s replay then for the best feel of the atmosphere be sure to join myself and Stephen Thrikill for regular updates throughout the night. 

Build up begins at 7pm via our MM-LIVE Page and on Takeover Radio 106.9FM.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or it’s related organisations – to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes...

Fixture: Mansfield Town V Ebbsfleet United
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier (Game #22)
Venue: The One Call Stadium
Date & Time: Saturday 8th December – 3pm
Match Referee: Brett Huxtable
Attendance: 1,845 (44)

All week prior to Saturday’s match the buzz word had been ‘Liverpool’ and for some around the stadium prior to the match there was still some talk about FA Cup dreams, I thank the stars that on the pitch we did what was asked, keeping our focus to beat Ebbsfleet United comfortably, the Stags running out 4-1 winners.

As I’ve mentioned over and over in the past few days is the fact that we have to beat Lincoln on Wednesday in what will be a tough enough fixture alone without the prize of Liverpool. Momentum and confidence were the two things I was looking for against Ebbsfleet to set us up for Wednesday, maybe they’ll be some complaints that we didn’t bury a few more chances but I think if you look at Saturday’s game as a progressive step it was certainly a positive one, a return for Alan Marriott and goals spread around the team on the pitch soon transpires to a positive attitude in the stands – the boys being clapped off at full time was good to see, there’s no doubting it was a small crowd that will be doubled at worst midweek – hopefully news and feelings from Saturday can carry over to Wednesday.

Paul Cox made two changes to the side which drew with Lincoln to set up Wednesday’s televised replay, Alan Marriott came in for Shane Redmond after completing another 90 minutes in the reserves on Tuesday, Anthony Howell came into midfield for Adam Murray who missed out with concussion, all the best for a recovery Muz!

Line Up [4-4-1-1] Alan Marriott, John Thompson, John Dempster (C), Exodus Geohaghon, Lee Beevers, Louis Briscoe, Anthony Howell, Chris Clements, Lindon Meikle, Ben Hutchinson, Matt Green.
Substitutes: Ritchie Sutton, Jake Speight, Nick Wright, Matt Rhead, Lee Stevenson.

Mansfield began in bright fashion as they searched for victory, Ben Hutchinson charge forward getting the Stags a free kick on the edge of the D after 29 seconds. The resulting free kick hit the solid Ebbsfleet wall but a determined Mansfield kept the ball and earned three consecutive corners, the pressure ended when Lindon Meikle was judged to have fouled his marker.

Alan Marriott was then called into action on four minutes when a surging Ebbsfleet break caused John Dempster to slip, a shot from Ashley Carew deflected up off the covering Geohaghon but caused little problem for Marriott who sprung to collect the loose ball.

Ten minutes later it was Mansfield’s turn for a flowing move, this one working to full affect as Ben Hutchinson broke the deadlock. The move began in midfield as Chris Clements picked up and sprayed forward for Louis Briscoe, a quick flick to Green then saw Clements back in possession, it was he who provided the assist as he cushioned the ball to Hutchinson who curled home a beautiful finish at the first attempt from the edge of the area.

A free kick for Ebbsfleet after a foul by Meikle on substitute Lanre Azeez on 18 minutes provided opportunity for a leveller, Mansfield’s wall were stronger than a week ago as it rose to block Matt Godden’s strike, Anthony Howell than blocked Ashley Carew’s follow up shot.

Matt Green then had two chances in three minutes to double Mansfield’s lead, his curling effort on 19 minutes following a splitting pass from Clements was saved by Preston Edwards, moments later Green fired over from the angle after Meikle had intercepted the ball.

The Stags were then left cursing their luck as from the resulting goal kick, Ebbsfleet tamely pulled level. Edwards’ route one ball being flicked on by Godden before Liam Ever-Marum netted Ebbsfleet’s first ever goal against Stags at the One Call Stadium, curling round a static Marriott.

Three minutes from the restart Mansfield should have re-taken the lead after Briscoe had won back the ball after Lee Beevers’ throw had broken down. The Stags wide man played a 1-2 give and go with Green but screwed horribly wide once inside the box.

Nine minutes later Briscoe atoned for his error as he fired Mansfield back into the lead. Ben Hutchinson dropped deep to collect in the centre of the park before spraying wide to the left for Lindon Meikle, it was he who did the rest driving forward skipping the challenge of Craig Stone and Joe Howe before crossing towards the back post, Louis Briscoe struck with venom on the volley and despite the shot taking a slight deflection, took the acclaim as Mansfield moved 2-1 ahead.

Two minutes later there was opportunity for a third as a ball down the right hand side found Matt Green, the front man drove forward before a crowd of body’s blocked Green’s effort and also stood firm to block Hutchinson’s follow up. With four to go before the break Green again latched onto a central pass this time for Hutchinson, Preston Edwards denied Green with a smart save before Hutchinson scooped the follow up wide.

HALF TIME: Stags 2-1 Ebbsfleet

The early parts of the second half were considerably tamer however there were chances, Ben Hutchinson fired well over on 49 minutes before Ebbsfleet were forced into a change between the sticks a minute later as Edwards picked up an injury and was replaced by Lucas Menz.

Five minutes later the replacement shot stopper was then called into action for the first time, Louis Briscoe’s driven cross capping a flowing move caused little trouble. Ebbsfleet then put on a little pressure as on 65 minutes Enver-Marum headed well wide before a corner nearly caught the Stags  aghast.

The game then came to life on 69 minutes as Anthony Howell put Stags into a 3-1 lead, a solo run saw him drive in from the edge of the area, a truly excellent strike. Four minutes later Howell nearly grabbed his second of the game, however he headed wide from Clements’ deep free kick.

Mansfield did make it four on 76 minutes as Ben Hutchinson was felled in the box by Phil Walsh, Matt Green stepped up to convert beyond Menz for his eighth goal of the season. Nick Wright, Lee Stevenson and Jake Speight all made late substitute appearances, Wright coming close in the dying embers as he latched onto Clements’ pass, however his effort was blocked and the full time whistle soon followed, wrapping up a deserved 4-1 win for Stags.

FULL TIME: Stags 4-1 Ebbsfleet

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a piece, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes.....

Everywhere I’ve been the last few days, I keep hearing one word “Liverpool” – don’t get me wrong I’m seriously excited at the prospect at an FA Cup third round show down with the premier league giants, but we have to remember it MIGHT NOT HAPPEN YET! As such I’ve got another two words for you to focus on... “Ebbsfleet United”.

If we want to face Liverpool then obviously we have to beat Lincoln on Wednesday, to do so we need confidence and momentum, we can only do so by beating Ebbsfleet tomorrow at the One Call Stadium – Liverpool may bring riches and acclaim, but compared to promotion only for a flicker of a moment. I beg of Mansfield Town tomorrow that they focus on the job in hand, putting three points on the board – we MUST focus, otherwise we will fall.

Ebbsfleet United are a team that thrive on distractions, there’s no doubting the possibility of Liverpool is one HUGE distraction to us, it brings a boat load of hopes and dreams up in the sky, to be a success you have to KEEP GROUNDED.

We have the quality to be a success but unlike last season, I still think we are a fragile unit – one knock can break us, which is why in terms of progression and our ambitions, tomorrow is the biggest game of the season so far.

Ebbsfleet, despite their league position, are a side full of quality players that have the capabilities to achieve higher than their current rank. They are the team that nobody looks forwards to facing, there has never been an easy game against Ebbsfleet in my memory for Stags, this season’s no different as not only have Fleet beaten us but they have gained credible draws against the likes of Grimsby, Kidderminster and Wrexham – defeat to Cambridge midweek ended an unbeaten run of seven league games.

Expectation wise we have perhaps under performed so far this term but I think we are in a steady position and have a favourable run of fixtures ahead, the focus should definitely be on maintaining and building upon our current league form of one loss in six. There will naturally be temptation to rest legs ahead of Lincoln, I’m sure things will be managed amicably for the two fixtures, but from here until 5pm Saturday can we forget the Cup and focus on the league, this goes for media, supporters, players and managers a like – if you look too far ahead then you may miss the pot hole your about to trip up on!

It’s fantastic for supporters, players, the town itself that we may get a big third round tie but it’s also important to win our league games, I don’t want to look back on this season and talk about the Magic of the FA Cup, purely because of the fact I know we are capable of so much more, remember those baby steps we took last term? It’s time to take them again now, one game at a time, one dream after another: Focus takes you forward. 

I’m sure tomorrow will be the complete opposite to the last time these two sides met back in September, the blistering heat just one of reasons we’ve all tried desperately to forget the game itself. Awful defending and a horrible bit of luck, Matt Green’s first half dismissal probably set the tone for the eventual 3-1 defeat.

Last term as we know the Stags took all six points from Liam Diash’s side, Matt Green's strike at the One Call Stadium sealing a 1-0 victory in March after a brace from Roberts aided Stags in a 3-0 win, three months prior.

In total the sides have met seven times since the first meeting, and Stags’ first ever game outside the football league, in 2008. Mansfield have four wins to Ebbsfleet’s two, the other game being a draw – it’s worth noting that in three meetings at the One Call, Mansfield have won all three.

There have been twenty goals in the seven outings; the Stags have 13-7 with six coming at the One Call Stadium with a return of none. 

Alan Marriott’s road to fitness continued on Tuesday for the Reserves and as such, he could be in line for a recall – other than that there are no fresh knocks to report on ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

After a few games away from the Mansfield Matters website due to broadcasting fee’s etc, it’s back to the bread and butter, if you can’t make the game then switch your radio sets to 106.9FM or log onto MM-LIVE for regular updates throughout the afternoon, build up starts at 2pm, don’t forget to listen out to our new festive intro too!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or it’s related organisations – to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com