 Mansfield Town exited the league cup on a wet Tuesday night courtesy of a Callum Camps wonder goal in the first half.
Their was 6 changes from the side that drew against Crewe Alexandra with the likes of Oljenik, Bennett, Pearce, Digby and Sterling James. Their were plenty of chances for the Stags to progress through to the next round of the cup but it wasn't enough for Steve Evans men. The first half saw Anderson (captain for the match) with a fine shot just outside the box, that had the keeper beaten all ends up but his shot could only find the woodwork. Dale then took the lead when from a resulting corner the ball got cleared out to Callum Camps whose shot ended up in the top corner, leaving Oljenik no chance. Shortly afterwards the Stags nearly equalised, when Spencer intercepted a pass from Dales defence towards goal, which saw his shot just wide of the keepers goal. Mansfield kept on pushing for that elusive equaliser but they had to withstand pressure from the league one side, who tested the former Exeter City man, hoping to impress the gaffer. As the half progressed the Stags grew into the game by playing good attacking football but couldn't find a way past the Dale keeper. The second half started quickly with good work from Atkinson down the wing, who cut back to see his shot hit the side netting. Rochdale also came close when a cross got whipped in and hitting the bar, much to the delight of Stag fans. Sterling James also looked a dangerous threat going forward, causing Dales defenders problems by cutting inside and out pacing the on rushing defenders. Benning also had a chance from outside the box, with the cries of "shoot" from Stag fans (including myself) only to see his effort go high above the net. The Stags were huffing and puffing and was awarded a penalty when Rose was tripped inside the box, up he stepped to take the penalty, hoping it would be the equaliser to get the Stags back into the game only to see his shot well saved by the Dale keeper to keep the scoring 1-0. Evans also introduced CJ Hamilton and Alfie Potter respectively to try and have an impact on the game. Sterling James also had half a chance to score when his half volley shot when wide across goal, much to frustration of the Stag fans. In the dying seconds of the game Evans sended Oljenik forward with a last roll of the dice by ordering him up for the corner, only for it to be cleared away and end of preceding. It was a frustrating night, knowing we could have easily have won the game with the amount of chances we created in the match but the positive thing, for me to have come for tonight's defeat was Sterling James performance, as I mentioned above he looked a threat every time he went forward, skillful and hungry for improving. On another night we would have easily have won but comfortably 3-1 but football can be a cruel game to us all. Onwards and Upwards UP THE STAGS !!!!
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 Mansfield Town were washed out of the Carabao Cup in the first round last night, but put in a hard fought display against a good league one side on a night where conditions were simply woeful. A torrential down pour and a bitter chill made it feel more like a mid-November night in Hyde or Barrow than an early August evening in Mansfield – so much so Stags grounds-man ‘Mez’ was fighting a losing battle in repeatedly re-painting the pitch markings! Mansfield threw everything at their league one counterparts and any neutral who didn’t know watching the game, would say it were the Stags who were the higher division club – such was their energy and tenacity, pretty much from the off. The way in which the second goal was conceded was my only critique from last night, we have to close down the second ball from corners and set-plays – although you can’t take anything from Camps it was a fantastic effort. A few around me bemoaned Danny Rose for missing the penalty, two things to note here – ONE, Lillis is a phenomenal goalkeeper and read it very well, and TWO – on a night like that with the ball zipping anywhere, a placed spot-kick was not the option to take – it had to be driven hard and low, Rose did everything right. In open play I felt we we’re very unfortunate not to grab a goal, had we done so especially in the second had – we’d have opened the flood gates and won comfortably and avoided extra-time and the ABBA style penalties and resulting puns – but hey, when all is said and done, we really did put Rochdale under attack, only one of us could be the winner who took it all – I could go on (and on and on). Puns aside, the most important thing for me – answer this, how many times on nights such as that, with the biting cold night and rain pouring it down – have Mansfield Town sides given up and frankly not cared? Last night couldn’t be further than that, we have battlers, we have fighters, we have committed players and even though the penny didn’t drop in front of goal – we never gave up, and that – is the name of the game.  Paul Digby, one of six changes [PHOT Dan Westwell] Match Report
Steve Evans made six changes to the starting line-up from Saturday, with Rhys Bennett returning to face his former manager and club, whilst shot-stopper Bobby Olejnik, defender Krystian Pearce, Midfielder Paul Digby and front men Jimmy Spencer and Omari Sterling-James also made the cut. Stags struggled early doors to adapt to the conditions, Callum Camps got the early beating of Benning only to see his cross nodded over by Williams in the opening minute. At the other end once Mansfield found their feet, Will Atkinson continued his good form from the weekend – opening up the Rochdale back line before sending a testing ball across the face of goal, had it gone maybe a touch earlier – Mansfield may well have taken the lead. Mansfield were starting to bite into challenges, with Joel Byrom & Paul Digby particularly not holding back – the latter on fourteen minutes won the ball in the interceptor role he plays so well, striding his way forward before slipping in captain Paul Anderson – he took a touch and saw an effort saved by Josh Lillis in the Rochdale goal – again had Anderson struck first time, the Stags may well have found the opener. Instead it was an old mistake which reared its ugly head once more as the visitors grabbed the opener on 17 minutes – as Dale swung in a corner the Stags failed to deal with the second ball and as the visitors nodded the ball to the edge of the area, nobody closed down the excellent Callum Camps in time, allowing him to curl into the postage stamp – despite the best efforts of Olejnik who flung his way through the air to try and stop a technically good finish. Matt Done fizzed an effort wide of the Stags goal as Rochdale went in search of a second before on the half hour mark, skipper Paul Anderson struck the post with a venomous strike, following a mazey run, twisting and turning before clipping the ball over a defenders head and striking at goal. Anderson again came close on the stroke of half time, but again saw his effort blocked after a strong run down the right channel saw Bennett’s low cross palmed into Anderson’s path by the Rochdale glovesman Lillis. After the break and a re-paint of the lines, the Stags looked hungry to level the match and stepped things up a gear with Paul Digby showing his strength in midfield four minutes in, winning back possession and laying a crisp pass into Anderson – the Stags skipper this time firing into the side netting. Omari Sterling-James went on a mazey run on 55 minutes which earned the Stags a corner which was headed into the path of Mal Benning around 40 yards from goal – the left back has ‘Benning Belters’ in his locker, but this time zipped his effort high into the empty Quarry Lane stand. Rochdale then saw a flash of goal and almost grabbed a freak second, left-back Ntlhe's cross looped up in the air and over Olejnik's outstretched arm - fortunately rattling the crossbar and bouncing away before minutes later, winger Oliver Rathbone's fierce shot clipped the outside of the post. Mansfield soon regained their grip and created a number of opening,s the best chance to take the game into extra time and set-up some ABBA puns, came with seven minutes remaining as Danny Rose, off the bench, advanced into the area and had his legs taken by Niall. The striker agonisingly saw his penalty saved by the legs of Lillis as he attempted to drill it straight down the middle, Lillis for me doing well to stand up for as long as possible and Rose doing little wrong in going for power over placement – the latter would have ended badly on a wet night. With captain Paul Anderson taken off, Krystian Pearce took the armband and nearly levelled things = however a dramatic block from Dale substitute Steven Davies denied the defender what looked e a certain goal. Mansfield threw the kitchen sink at Rochdale, and in the final minute – Bobby Olejnik got the call from Evans and Raynor and pelted it forward to attack a corner, he very nearly won his header too and was spared a sprint back to his goal, by the referee’s full time whistle. FULL TIME | Stags 0-1 Rochdale STAGS [4-4-2] Bobby Olejnik Rhys Bennett, Krystian Pearce, David Murfin, Mal Benning Will Atkinson, Joel Byrom (CJ Hamilton 70), Paul Digby, Paul Anderson © (Alfie Potter 79) Omari Sterling-James, Jimmy Spencer (Danny Rose 77) Unused Substitutes: Conrad Logan, George Taft, Lee Angol, Johnny Hunt Attendance |1,457 (121) Referee | Andy Madley  As Mansfield Town prepare to welcome League One Rochdale to the One Call Stadium in the Carabao Cup First Round, there’s just one question on everyone’s lips – how much will Steve Evans rotate the squad following Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Crewe.
Paul Raynor’s comment of the Stags “will field a very strong side” goes no way to solving the conundrum as the Stags have strength from top to bottom, you’d expect a few tweaks but other than the traditional cup game goalkeeper switch, it’s anyone’s guess really! Speaking this morning, Raynor said "We've always put cup ties right up there – we don't play weakened teams, as such," "We don't believe that any team we put out there is weak anyway. We'll put a team out there that will be very strong; there might be one or two changes and we might tweak it a little bit because people might deserve to play as well.” "It's the next game; we want to win just like any other game. Obviously, the league is the top priority throughout the season but when these cup games come around we certainly want to put a team out to try and progress.” "It's a great competition. Every game for us is important – we'd like to get that first win under our belt so why not let it be in the League Cup against Rochdale?" And that’s the point I want to focus on really – Rochdale are a class side that narrowly missed out on reaching the play-offs – losing steam towards the end, they’re a stable club with a good fan base – basically the club we would like to be, no longer looked at as a League Two outfit and as a decent league one side with an ambitious – long standing and committed manager. A win tomorrow night is not about progressing to secure a lifetime supply of what’s basically a cross between power-aid and red-bull – it’s about sending a message to the other clubs in our division to show we can compete with and beat sides in a higher division than ourselves – and that we are not just backed to go up because of Steve Evans CV. Reflecting again on Saturday I wouldn’t be surprised to see a slight change to the back line, Rhys Bennett would have started Saturday had he been fit so it’d be no surprise to see him face his former club, either at right back [although White barley put a foot wrong] or centre back, potentially partnering Pearce [replacing Diamond and Murfin] and thus seeing the back line which did so well last season – if it isn’t broken etc…. In midfield with the way Rochdale would shape up, the more defensive minded Digby would be a better choice than Mellis as they’ll be periods where the Stags are having to work hard off the ball – there’s absolutely no way Byrom being dropped would be acceptable after his excellent display on Saturday. Either way which ever Steve Evans and Paul Raynor choose to go, Rochdale are a tough side to play but we have the quality to win it all – hopefully in 90 minutes, although there’s a sadistic side to me that wouldn’t mid to see us compete in a shootout, especially the new ABBA style where apparently, the winner really does take it all, so long as the penalty takers take a chance… OK I’ll stop! So there are no bags of coal to collect this time around, but a welcome distraction all the same – and it’s true what they say, a champion has more than one dimension to his game, would a nice little cup run suffice? |