MANSFIELD MATTERS:FOR THE FANS, BY THE FANS!
  • Home
  • 2021/22
  • MM Club Shop!
  • PODCAST
    • Series 1 (2017/18)
    • Series 2 (2018/19)
    • Series 3 (2019/20)
    • Series 4 (2020/21)
    • Stags Stories >
      • A Trip Down Memory Lane
      • Legends LIVE
  • Back In Time
    • Into The Unknown
    • The Conference Years >
      • Stags 2011-12 (Play-offs)
      • Stags 2012-13 (Champions) >
        • Audio Highlights
        • Reserves & Youth
        • Youth
      • 2011: When Dreams Came True
      • 2012: The Year Of The Stag
    • Stags 2013-14 (Football League Return)
    • Stags 2014-15
    • Stags 2017-18
    • Stags 2018-19
    • Stags 2019-20
    • Stags 2020-21

Unnecessary Plot Twists: Stags 1-2 Stevenage

28/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Full Time Score Mansfield Town 1-2 Stevenage
Competition Sky Bet League Two
Venue One Call Stadium
Stags Goal Scorer(s) Tyler Walker
Attendance 6,390 (209)
Picture
Craig Priest writes…

Why? That’s the question on every true Stags fans lips this morning. Why do our team do this to us, why can’t things ever be simple and why, when everything is going our way, do the script writers see fit to add in the cruellest of plot twists – 90th minute winners for the opposition?

You invest so much in the drama and accept there will be twists and turns along the way, but when you reach the penultimate episode and you think yo9u’ve got everything sussed – something comes along to leave you gasping for breath, or sunk back in your seat struggling to hold back the tears.

There’s no way to dress up yesterday, there’s no way to come out and try and put a positive filter on the picture – I can’t do it. I’m angry, I’m hurt, I feel let down by those in control of our destiny – because at this critical stage there’s no room for excuses, no room for error, and very little time to do a re-write.

I think David Flitcroft is a fantastic manager and person, and underneath this frustrated collection of ranting words, I believe we’ll get over the line and achieve what’s needed – BUT listening to his post-match interview, I felt let down and his comments were the sake of making them – blaming the conditions, blaming the vulnerability of counter attacks, saying we knew this, we knew that – it’s not good enough ultimately, staff and players need to hold their hands up and above all else – put it right.

I felt, for the sake of reflecting on things rather than just venting, that we coped with the conditions first half and whilst we had Logan to thank for two fine saves, we were on course to take the bull by the horns in the second half. But then a lack of movement, a lack of willingness to make things happen and a lack of killer touch saw the sands of time trickle by and in typical Mansfield fashion, we made it harder for ourselves when we gifted Stevenage the keys to our house, and they found the deeds and sold it from under our feet.

Our only saving grace in the whole situation was that MK Dons were beaten at Colchester which means it’s as you were going into next weekend’s final fixture against the Dons, who sit below us on goal difference.

FAILURE to win yesterday, or at least draw, has allowed other teams to come in to the mix as with Bury’s game at Tranmere getting postponed – the latter could now leapfrog us on the final day if they beat Bury in midweek and then beat Crawley, IF we were to draw – as Tranmere would be on 78 points and us & MK on 77.
Of course that’s not the end of this messy plot as goal difference would also come into play for the final automatic promotion slot, as IF Bury had lost at Tranmere and then lost to Port Vale as that’d put us, MK and Bury all on 77 points – our goal difference, thanks in no small part to the 4-0 win over Morecambe, is better (3rd GD +29) than both Bury (2nd GD +26) and MK (4th GD +21).

Forest Green Rovers could also have a say in things, but are not really a danger to us in terms of the automatics – a win for them plus a defeat for us at MK would only affect the play-off standings and fixtures, as MK would obviously go up having beaten us.

Do I care about any of this? NO. Should you? NO, although as proved yesterday and in previous weeks a lot of fans naturally will do. Should the players and management care? 100% NO! This is merely the messy way that all of this could come to an end – but for once, let’s keep it simple and just win – because a win, wraps it up nicely!

To David Flitcroft and the players, use today to get everything out of your system and come into training ready to give it give it every last bit of energy to gain automatic promotion – because over the course of the season that’s what you deserve.

To fellow supporters, let’s do the same and give unconditional love and support to the players on Saturday and not let anger, disappointment and opinion boil over – because that will NOT hope. To those inevitable band wagon jumpers, welcome, where have you been all season? Actually no my sarcasm doesn’t matter – but PLEASE make a choice, either join the rest of us and back what we’ve all desired, or jump off the band wagon now and don’t even think about jumping on it again.

Yes a cruel plot twist has sent a curve ball right through us, BUT that plot twist is NOT the ending to this story – we’ve one more episode to go, and we hold the pen. Let’s make it a happily ever after yeah?   

MATCH REPORT
Does it really matter any more? If it does and you’re reading this from the future and want to know how it all unfolded, click here – because in the present day, reflecting on the plot twist, doesn’t matter to me – only the MK Dons game does, sorry!

Come on you Stags, let’s do this.

FULL TIME: Mansfield Town 1-2 Stevenage

STAGS [3-4-1-2] Conrad Logan, Matt Preston, Krystian Pearce ©, Ryan Sweeney, Gethin Jones (Jorge Grant 73), Neal Bishop, Willem Tomlinson (Danny Rose 65), Mal Benning (Alex MacDonald 90), Jacob Mellis, Tyler Walker, CJ Hamilton
Unused Subs: Jordan Smith, Will Atkinson, Zayn Hakeem, Ben Turner

Referee: Darren Drysdale

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    ABOUT MM-BLOG

    If you enjoy the Mansfield Matters Podcast, our Blog page is very similar - just in article form as team members share their views on matches and events! 

    Fancy submitting an article, DM us on Facebook/Twitter to get our attention, or email mtfcmatters@gmail.com (please note, this inbox isn't monitored often so it may take a while to get back to you) 

    Please read the disclaimer on the home page. 

    Categories

    All
    2011 12 Season Review
    2011-12 Season Review
    2013 14 Pre Season
    2013 14 Pre-Season
    2013/14 Season
    2014/15 Pre Season
    2014/15 Pre-Season
    201516 Seson
    2016 17
    2016-17
    2017 18
    2017-18
    2018 19
    2018 19 Pre Season
    2019 20
    2019-20
    2019 20 Pre Season
    2020 21
    2021 22
    2021 22 Pre Season
    Awards
    Capital One Cup
    Checkatrade Trophy
    Craig Priest
    EFL Cup (Carabao)
    EFL Trophy
    EFL Trophy (Leasing.com)
    EFL Trophy [Papa Johns]
    Fa Cup
    Farewell Matt Green
    Featured Bloggers
    Friendly
    Game Review
    Green Energy Challenge Trophy
    History
    Hot Topics
    Into The Unknown
    John Thompson
    Jpt
    Kirsty Swann
    League Cup
    Legends Live
    Manager Review
    Mansfield Matters Weekly
    Mark Plumb
    Match Preview
    Match Preview 2012 13
    Match Preview 2012-13
    Match Preview 2013 14
    Match Preview 2013-14
    Match Preview 2017 18
    Match Report
    Match Report 13 14
    Match Report 13-14
    Match Report 14 15
    Match Report 14-15
    Match Report 17 18
    Match Report 18 19
    Match Report 19 20
    Match Report 2012 13
    Match Report 2012-13
    Match Report 20 21
    Match Report 21 22
    Memory Lane
    Mid Season
    News
    Paul Cox 100
    Player Review
    Play Offs
    Play-Offs
    Play Offs [League Two]
    Podcast
    Pre-season1213
    Pre Season 17/18
    Reserve Team
    Rhys Day Testimonial
    Road Trips
    Season Review 2012 13
    Season Review 2012-13
    Sky Bet League Two
    Stags Stories
    Stags Youth
    Supporter Blog
    The Exhibition XIs
    Twelve Against Time
    Under 21s
    Wembley 2011
    Where Are They Now
    Your Views

    Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    January 2016
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • 2021/22
  • MM Club Shop!
  • PODCAST
    • Series 1 (2017/18)
    • Series 2 (2018/19)
    • Series 3 (2019/20)
    • Series 4 (2020/21)
    • Stags Stories >
      • A Trip Down Memory Lane
      • Legends LIVE
  • Back In Time
    • Into The Unknown
    • The Conference Years >
      • Stags 2011-12 (Play-offs)
      • Stags 2012-13 (Champions) >
        • Audio Highlights
        • Reserves & Youth
        • Youth
      • 2011: When Dreams Came True
      • 2012: The Year Of The Stag
    • Stags 2013-14 (Football League Return)
    • Stags 2014-15
    • Stags 2017-18
    • Stags 2018-19
    • Stags 2019-20
    • Stags 2020-21