MANSFIELD MATTERS:FOR THE FANS, BY THE FANS!
  • Home
  • MM-Blog
  • 2020-21
  • PODCAST
    • Stags Stories
    • Legends LIVE
    • A Trip Down Memory Lane
    • Series 1 (2017/18)
    • Series 2 (2018/19)
    • Series 3 (2019/20)
  • 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
    • 2019-20

‘Winning Ugly’ Stags 2-1 Cambridge United

24/9/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Craig Priest writes…

Danny Roses’ 87 minute winner completed a U-Turn for Mansfield Town at Cambridge United in what was a frustrating afternoon in a game which would have been more fitting being played on a chess board – but once the final whistle blew, three points were once more in the possession of Mansfield Town Football Club.

Realistically that’s all that matters too – yes the performance was horrible to watch and extremely frustrating, but if the difference between promotion and another season languishing in league two is three points, then who seriously cares how we won them?

You can’t play ‘sexy’ football week in week out, this is league two for a start! The objective in each game is three points, or bags of coal too use the Steve Evans reference – how you get them doesn’t matter, you don’t get bonus points for fancy touches or fluid passing, the sooner we remember that the better.

Shaun Derry was right in his post-match comments, they did dominate the majority of the game and as soon as Paul Digby went off – I knew they’d get a goal in a same way they have done for the majority of the season so far, cross from deep – the runners pull the centre backs apart and the big lad pops up and heads it home.

One of my biggest frustrations in football is when people watch the ball rather than the game, those who do the unseen work go unnoticed and criticised for not being involved, or in the case of Digby yesterday, when they are seen on the ball and make a passing error – get hounded, despite all the other work they’ve been doing.

I won’t back up Digby’s passing, even he’ll know it wasn’t on par with what was required – yet his job isn’t to ping forty yard passes or take on three players box to box – it’s to be the interceptor, plug the gaps and keep the back line solid.

Mirfin and Pearce, as well as they performed, we’re getting pulled apart by the Cambridge attack – as they tried for find space for Uche Ikpeazu and Jabo Ibehre to attack. Digby dropped in and stopped that from happening, when he was subbed on 55 minutes – I said Cambridge would score – they did, just three minutes later in exactly the way Digby’s presence had prevented.

There and then we deserved nothing bar a beating but football sometimes springs a surprise and has a flirtation with lady luck, Jacob Mellis’ penalty squirmed underneath the keeper to broaden Ms Lucks’ smile on us before Danny Rose did what Danny Rose does best with three minutes to go.

​Did we deserve to win? No. Draw? At times I’d say no again but again it’s not how you earn the points, it’s the fact you have. Cheltenham on Tuesday will be a tough cookie to taste, and then Notts County on Saturday – well they’re in the best shape they’ve been for years and if we play just 0.5% like we did yesterday – it’ll be the Magpie inflicting one for sorrow on Mansfield on Derby Day.
Picture
Lee Angol, pictured in action at Lincoln, missed out. PIC | James Williamson (C)
Match Report

Steve Evans rewarded Danny Rose for his heroics at Lincoln with a start in the place of Lee Angol, but otherwise it was as you were as the Stags welcomed Cambridge.

Rose started with the same hunger he’d brought to the Lincoln game a week ago and won a free kick within the first minute, Johnny Hunt’s delivery sat up well for Captain Pearce – penalised for a push on his marker and the first chance came and went.

Hayden White, who set Rose for the winner at Lincoln, offered a couple of chances for the Stags – six minutes in his cross aiming for Kane Hemmings, was plucked out of the air by Republic of Ireland glovesman David Forde, before three minutes later -  another White cross deflected up for Hemmings to flick on for Rose, who despite having his back to goal – nearly pulled off an acrobatic overhead kick – Forde well place to keep Rose at bay.

At the other end Captain Pearce lost his balance on 14 minutes allowing the experienced former Carlisle man Ibehre to pounce, Pearce did well to recover and keep the front man at bay.

Frustration was starting to creep in as Mansfield were reluctant to close play down, and Cambridge were also offering little – it was very much a game of chess between too tactical managers. The Stags saw an opening on 24 minutes, but Potter saw his inviting through ball swept away by Brad Halliday, before a minute later at the other end, as the Stags allowed the ball to drop in the box to the feet of Jevani Brown – Conrad Logan expertly palmed away his goal bound half-volley.

After the break, Mansfield had a little more zip about them in terms of chasing the ball – but neither side we’re ready to make their killer move. After a few misplaced passes Paul Digby was replaced by the more attack minded Jacob Mellis, whilst Paul Anderson also replaced Alfie Potter on 55 minutes.

Three minutes later, Cambridge got the game’s opening goal – capitalising on the space left by Digby’s substitution, and it was a simple one too – Cambridge swung in a corner, nobody tracked the run of Leon Legge who rose highest to score a very easy header.

Past the hour and the Stags had the chance to level on 63 minutes, MacDonalds cross-come-shot saw Rose throw himself at the ball, denied again by Forde, who a minute later, would be cursing Lady Luck, as she smiled on Stags.

Hayden White went on another mazy run and was upended in the area, for the Stags sixth spot-kick of the season in all competitions. Lee Angol, who buried two out of two in the 4-1 win over Grimsby wasn’t on the pitch and so Jacob Mellis took responsibility. His effort was technically saved by Forde who guessed right, but somehow, spun back through the keepers hands and squirmed into the back of the net, for a very fortunate equaliser.

With Lady Luck flashing her best flirtatious smile on the Stags, they went in search of a U-Turn in fortunes, Alex MacDonald sent in a teasing cross which deflected away with 70 minutes played, a minute later he was slotted in by White but agonisingly drove an effort wide of Forde’s goal.

Danny Rose also had an effort saved by Forde, before a long stoppage in play saw former Stag and promotion winning left back Greg Taylor get bandaged up for a head wound – he’d carry on for a few more minutes before being replaced as the game stop-started.

However before the change, Rose, who had been the hero against Lincoln, would then spark another chorus of “Danny, Danny ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSEEE” with three minutes of normal time to go.
Mirfin started the movement with a deep free-kick, headed away to the path of MacDonald who swept the ball wide to Mellis – the Stags went backwards with the ball but only to White who smashed the ball long and down the middle, where Pearce – who’d stayed up from the free kick, nodded the ball into the feet of Rose, who stroked the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot.

Six minutes were added on and the Stags were penned in by Cambridge who did not want to go home empty handed, but very loud and clear instructions from Evans too “Kill the game” saw Stags somehow get across the line and record a very big victory.

FULL TIME: Stags 2-1 Cambridge United

STAGS [4-4-2]

Conrad Logan
Hayden White – Krystain Pearce © – David Mirfin – Johnny Hunt
Alfie Potter (Paul Anderson 55) – Paul Digby (Jacob Mellis 55) – Calum Butcher – alex MacDonald
Danny Rose – Kane Hemmings (Lee Angol 74)
Unused Substitutes: Bobby Oljenik, Rhys Bennett, Will Atkinson, Omari Sterling-James

Attendance:
3,814 (349)
Referee: Ben Toner Assistants Declan Ford, Abbas Khan Fourth Official Gary Hilton    
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
    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
    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 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
  • MM-Blog
  • 2020-21
  • PODCAST
    • Stags Stories
    • Legends LIVE
    • A Trip Down Memory Lane
    • Series 1 (2017/18)
    • Series 2 (2018/19)
    • Series 3 (2019/20)
  • 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
    • 2019-20