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Sky Bet League Two | Saturday 26th December – Sands Venue Stadium [Behind Closed Doors]  Following a substandard performance against the (then) leagues bottom side, the Stags needed to show some more festive fight and spirit on Boxing Day – and whilst it wasn’t pretty, the Stags did what was needed to seal a big win over fellow battlers and the bottom, Scunthorpe United.
We’ve seen far too many times this season the Stags struggle against the teams around them when they really needed to step up – so it was pleasing to see Mansfield return to their more pressing game and play on the front foot, ultimately sealing three much needed points. Victory, after yesterday’s results elsewhere, moves the Stags to four points clear of the drop zone – the important thing now is to press on and continue bridging that gap with 23rd place Southend in form and with a game in hand. We can’t allow ourselves to worry about other results, we can only control our own after-all – we must now take the confidence boost, continue to improve and try desperately to break our horrendous home form, starting with the tough test of Salford in midweek. I felt the boys put in a much improved display, however I still feel we need to freshen things up – I’d like to see us pair James Perch with Ryan Sweeney at the back at the expense of Rawson, although he put in a much better performance yesterday. We also need to alter things up top, Jamie Reid has got the quality but needs time to unlock it, time we don’t particularly have – I’d like to see Andy Cook up there with Bowery, yes they’re too similar players but with the likes of Lapslie and Charsley pushing on from midfield we’ll be OK for a few weeks until the window opens and we can bring in a new front man. 3-2 suggests a tighter game than it was, we were sloppy in some areas and on any other day may well have kept a clean sheet. For me at this stage, performance comes second to the result – points are what we need right now. Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Andy Cook 80), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, James Perch, Stephen McLaughlin, Corey O’Keeffe, Tyrese Sinclair, Rollin Menayese Sky Bet League Two | Saturday 19th December – One Call Stadium [Behind Closed Doors]  We all remember that very first Christmas when we were sat down by our parents or grandparents and told the real story about Santa and Christmas – and we remember that feeling of the magic draining away, waking up on Christmas Day feeling completely numb and underwhelmed.
Watching Mansfield over the last three games has left me with the same feeling this Christmas, with yesterday’s 1-1 draw with bottom side Southend the latest feeling of bah bloody humbug. Nigel Clough pulled no punches in his post-match interview, highlighting it was the poorest display the team had shown during his tenure and that a repeat performance of the first half – would not be accepted. The first half was so far off the pace and completely stripped of every value and promise we’ve worked towards since Coughlan was rightfully dismissed and we were punished. The second half we showed a little more of what we are about and thankfully levelled through Jordan Bowery’s powerful strike – but in truth it’s another game we’ve completely failed to put distance between ourselves, and the hungry chasing pack. The last three, no four, games we’ve gone backwards. Crawley, we’re in complete control but switch off and make it ridiculously hard for ourselves and in the end a point is a good one – but it should have been three. Grimsby, again poor, not being ruthless enough and if it’s not for a penalty we take nothing from the game and the gap opens. Carlisle is expected but on balance shouldn’t have happened, one moment of quality has undone us and despite good play in midfield, we’re so weak and ineffective in the final third it’s a very easy night for the hosts. And then yesterday against Southend – the bottom side, regardless of form, should not be coming to our place and dictating the first 45 minutes of play. I’ve said it a number of times – we need to go back to the diamond in midfield and play to our strengths which is through the middle with support from the wing, not the other way around – with James Perch the lynch-pin at the back, we’ve really missed his experience and composure. Scunthorpe on Boxing Day – for me a point isn’t enough, we need to show some fight and desire, setting ourselves up for a far better 2021. Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon (Corey O’Keeffe 90), Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris (Andy Cook 45) | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Stephen McLaughlin 53), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, James Perch, Tyrese Sinclair, Rollin Menayese Sky Bet League Two | Tuesday 15th December – Brunton Park  Taking on a side in good form on their own patch was always going to be a difficult ask – however as the Stags’ team made the long journey home last night there was a lot of time for reflection following another night where things could, and should, have been very different.
Going into the match, both sides had only recorded five defeats in the league – but one was riding high in the top three and had the capability to take chances and be ruthless, the other was Mansfield Town. At Grimsby on Saturday the Stags really struggled to get good quality crosses into the box to cause any danger – it was the same story last night, we had enough creativity in midfield and going forward to create opportunities, but it’s like there’s some kind of shield stopping us from being dangerous in the final third – and it’s really costing us. I’m a big fan of trying to let partnerships develop and have some form of stability, but when things are flat you really need to inject some life and energy to get things going again – and with a HUGE game on Saturday, it’s very much needed. Personally I’d be looking at going back to the 4-4-2 Diamond rather than 4-3-3 and get Lapslie at the top of the diamond again, he hit real form when he played their a few games ago and as a result, brought the best out of Jordan Bowery, who in the 4-3-3 has drifted over to the left hand side and has been ineffective. If James Perch is available, he’d be straight in for Rawson to partner Ryan Sweeney and strengthen us at the back, whilst I’d be potentially looking to bring in O’Keeffe down the right hand side to try and solve the problem of poor crosses into the box. Back to last night briefly, I felt we had some good spells on the ball against a physical side and on any other night may have taken a point – but Carlisle are in the top three for a reason, they’re clinical and created numerous openings and took them. The down side to last night was Southend winning, whilst they can’t catch us on Saturday – should they beat us, they’ll move to within one point of us, whereas two games or so ago they were out of sight – we’ve missed the opportunity to put distance between us and failure to win Saturday puts is back into real danger. Three more games until the transfer window reopens where I’m very sure we’ll strengthen almost immediately, Southend, Scunthorpe and Salford – this may be ambitious, but I think we need at least six points from those nine, if not seven to start another unbeaten run. We certainly must beat both Southend and Scunthorpe. We’re better than what we’ve been over the last two games – time to prove it. Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris (Andy Cook 68) | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Tyrese Sinclair 79), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, Aaron O’Driscoll. Stephen McLaughlin, Rollin Menayese, Corey O’Keeffe Sky Bet League Two | Saturday 12th December – Blundell Park [Behind Closed Doors]  Mansfield Town are in a long distance race and so far have lacked the pace to be on the medals table, finding themselves instead in a battle to stay in the race at all. When that happens, you can’t afford to lose the pace with those around you also trying to pull away – so with that, perhaps a point against fellow stragglers Grimsby, is a good point.
Nigel Clough is right when he says if you’re not at the races, just make sure you don’t lose – but I can’t help but feel, for want of a better word – Grim, this Sunday morning as with the exception of bottom side Southend, all those sides around us lost and in truth, we’ve wasted a big opportunity to pull away ourselves. Missed opportunities though is the story of the afternoon, we’ve done really well to break down Grimsby in the second half as they flooded the midfield, but after you’ve done that you have to be way more effective than we were in the final third. It’s like our build up play in the middle was all the promise of a trip to the seaside of a beautifully day, the sound of laughter and busy prize arcades fills the air. You can feel the warm sea wash the sand through your toes as you take a paddle. You can taste the chips, the doughnuts, the ice cream. And then you get to the final third, open your eyes and where do you end up? Yup, bloody Grimsby! We missed so many opportunities to really hurt Grimsby and couldn’t find our groove – it’s been the same story against the sides around us which is a cause for concern, with two of the next three against said sides – two games where we can’t afford to miss opportunities and rely on others. Carlisle are in good form and will prove to be tough opposition on Tuesday night, so again we can’t afford to look back at the Grimsby game. I could sit here and write about errors and mistakes, but for now I think it’s best left for the tide to wash away. Let’s take a breath, let’s dig our heels in and go again on Tuesday. Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris (Stephen McLaughlin 61) | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Andy Cook 68), Jordan Bowery (Nicky Maynard 68) Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, Tyrese Sinclair, Rollin Menayese, Corey O’Keeffe Sky Bet League Two | Saturday 5th December – One Call Stadium [Behind Closed Doors]  Football often throws up some strange games, yesterday was no exception as Stags fans went through every emotion going from their sofas – from one-nil up in complete control, to three-one down and looking well-beaten, to a last minute equaliser from the bench. Football is a beautiful game, stressful – but beautiful.
As much as you want to dwell on the negative of conceding three goals in the space of 15 minutes at the start of the second half – the main thing to take away from the game was the Stags never give up attitude and the way they rallied themselves to take a vital point away from the match. Again it’s clear that Mansfield really need to be more clinical when the chances come around, but to slightly defend the Stags’ fire power – at half-time you had to give immense credit to the Crawley keeper who produced a string of good blocks to keep the score at just 1-0. Week by week under Nigel Clough we’re getting much better on the ball and are playing some top quality stuff for more prolonged periods of the game, we’re creating chances now and getting more and more shots off – does it really matter that the strikers aren’t getting the goals, so long as they’re coming from somewhere! For now, no. Our form is improving and we’re settling into an adaptable system which everyone is comfortable with. We’re being more expressive and whilst we have to be careful to being caught on the counter, like we were twice yesterday, we’re proving a lot tougher to play against and control – and with some big games coming up which can shape our season, that change in mentality and belief within the squad has come just at the right time. After a busy few weeks we’ve now got a week on the training ground to work on preventing the counters, before another busy period on the road – let’s not look back, not dwell on the negatives and instead, start to enjoy the festivities, knowing we’ve always got Christmas Cookie to make things better! Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley, Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris (Andy Cook 90) | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Nicky Maynard 83), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, Tyrese Sinclair, Aaron O’Driscoll, Rollin Menayese, Corey O’Keeffe Sky Bet League Two | Wednesday 2nd December – Abbey Stadium Attendance: 1,917 (Home supporters only)  Following Sunday’s Dramatic scenes at the One Call Stadium – we thought the script writers were done, as Nigel Clough’s side went to Cambridge, a side unbeaten at home in the league all season ready to welcome back up to two-thousand fans to cheer them onto a nailed on victory. How wrong we were!
Jamie Reid netted his first league goal for the Stags to cap off a brilliant display up front alongside the also excellent Jordan Bowery – but whilst Reid’s strike proved the difference at one end, at the other Stags’ shot stopper Marek Stech deserves a heap of credit for a brilliant display between the sticks. It was a very open game played at a good pace and both sides enjoyed chances, Mansfield with a little more luck, confidence and sharpness could have scored three or four – whilst the hosts, second top scorers in the division, could have also netted the same had it not been for Stech and a committed defensive display. Nigel Clough said post match that many will see the two sides’ league positions, look at the score line and say “smash and grab” but it really wasn’t – it was for me, a real insight of how effective and expressive we could be, as Clough went 4-3-3 and took the game to Cambridge. Yes, we had lulls in the game and it took some players a while to get going, but as the game progressed we really grew into it and suited the system – with Maris in particular, back at his old club, really effective in helping to drive us forward and bring in Bowery and Reid, whose partnership looked sharp and dangerous. Having played Sunday and with the game pushed back 24 hours, results on Tuesday night had dropped us into the relegation zone – and whilst it’s too early to panic, it’s imperative to keep the pace and let momentum carry you, the rest will sort itself out. Another positive is collecting our fourth consecutive away win in all competitions, it’s so important now to carry that into Saturday’s home match with Crawley and keep that bounce going. COME ON YOU STAGS! Click HERE to read the clubs official match report. STAGS: Marek Stech | Kellan Gordon, Rollin Menayese, Ryan Sweeney, Mal Benning | Harry Charsley (Andy Cook 90+3), Ollie Clarke ©, George Maris (Corey O’Keeffe 89) | George Lapslie, Jamie Reid (Nicky Maynard 82), Jordan Bowery Unused Subs: Aidan Stone, Tyrese Sinclair, Aaron O’Driscoll, Farrend Rawson |
