Post-Match Thread and Ratings Mansfield Town 2 - 1 Southend United

[Rayleigh boy]

Two hours on a train from Kings Cross to Nottingham in the same carriage as the Pitsea OAPs, listening to the complete works of **** Buttons and reading Stuart Lee with intermittent lakes where there used to be fields on that side of the window and intermittent Internet connection on this side of the window. 30 mins on a local train and 10 mins walk to the ground by a retail park all uneventful and...the best part of the day.

The first half offers a comic element, I guess, and little else. The 4th stand is an ex stand that has been boarded up and is now just a mass of advertising boards that look more like fly posting - the fact they would present their ground in that way has comic value. Their little and large stag mascots look like they were designed by Frank Oz - that's a bit funny. The forcefulness of the wind means every kick of the ball is like a banana shot - that is amusing for a short time then becomes laughable (there is a difference). The fact that the ref has lost his whistle creates comedy when a forward is one on one with Bentley as the Lino waves wildly so he lets Bentley collect the ball before realising there was no sound from the Ref. The fact that the best pass to one of our players comes from the corner flag to Bentley from a very succinct pass - is it amusing though that the pass is from the camera man and he has seen that playing it on the ground is the way to beat the wind but our players haven't? The fact that Corr's first half contributions are to go down in their penalty area twice, and his third is to go down in our area - the last was a bit of a slapstick fall. Luke Prosser queuing up for a half time cup of tea with the shivering fans indicates that the players refreshments are a bit of a joke. I'm clutching at straws though, nothing fun or interesting happened - it was poor quality entertainment and due to inattentive defending we could have been more than 1 down.


Second half is colder and there is the addition of squally rain. They get a second which looked like it went through Bentley's legs. Clifford who was on as a sub gets sent off for a petulant kick for the Ref to momentarily find his whistle. To be fair we did hit the woodwork twice and Lenny bagged a goal on the 94th minute and we could have fluked a point but Southend got what was deserved - nothing. To the fans though that sang unflinchingly through the moment where we went 2 down, freezing their nuts off after travelling all the way to North Nottinghamshire - they deserved more than what was dished up today.

i enjoy these reports

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

i enjoy these reports

Thanks - pay my train fare and I'll write you another!

 

[Danshrimper]

Sorry. Got to pick you up on that. Straker has been diabolically inconsistent and Gomis is totally unproven so not sure how you can say that?

So we should keep him unproven? What's the point in signing a player who's been training since pretty much the start of the season and then never playing him because he's unproven?

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Mansfield played the awful conditions better than us but were not the better team. Not one player comes out of this match with any credit, but two points of note:

1.The red card was correct. Whilst only light contact was made with their player, Clifford was out of control and reckless.
2. Freddy's legs looked completely shot. He did't catch up to any ball played over his head for him to run on to.

A day to forget really.

 

[Danshrimper]

Not a single player on that pitch performed well yesterday, it was a cold, windy and miserable game of football and the only positive was our excellent support.

Bentley - 5 - Despite the brilliant save in the first half he was at fault for the second and could possibly have done a little better with the first although the back 4 were at fault for that one.

White - 4 - Possibly his worst performance for the club, poor passing, poor leadership and just all round poor.

Phillips - 5 - Not his best game, was OK.

Thompson - 5 - Not a great performance, would certainly have preferred Prosser in his place.

Coker - 6 - Wasn't too bad, made some good runs, his deliveries were sometimes poor but can't be blamed in those conditions.

Atkinson - 5 - He had a bright first 10 minutes but after that made some wayward passes and was out muscled in midfield.

Timlin - 4 - A poor performance, never really got into the game and was rightfully brought off.

Leonard - 7 - MOTM. He wasn't on top form but was the only player who really threatened Mansfield, his goal was well taken at the end. His long throws were very bad yesterday, i don't think we've ever scored from a Leonard long throw (correct me if i'm wrong) and the persistent use of them yesterday was pointless.

Hurst - 3 - Woeful.

Corr - 6 - Threw himself about up top and put in a decent performance, unlucky not to score and it looked like he should have had a penalty but it was hard to see from the away end. Looked most likely of the three strikers to score.

Barnard - 5 - Offered very little, had a very good chance from 6 yards out to score but i'm sure with a few more games under his belt he'll start scoring.

Subs:
Fred - 5 - Plenty of effort, but i hate to say it but he is well and truly past it, looked very slow yesterday and finishing was off. I hope Fred can prove me wrong but i can't see him scoring more than 1 or 2 goals for the rest of the season.
Clifford - 3 - He actually played quite well when he came on and injected a little bit of energy and urgency in our play and even though i don't think it was a red card it was still a silly challenge and he is a bit of a liabity, 2 red cards from not a lot of game time just goes to show that.
Laird - 6 - Didn't really have a chance to do much, but looked better than Timlin and Atkinson in what he did do, would like to see him start next week.

Overall a shocking performance, we are in desperate need of another pacey, young loanee striker and i think if we still had Woodrow he would have caused them problems yesterday. On to next week and hopefully a better performance in a game we really need to get 3 points if we are to keep up with the top 3.

 

[Angell Delight]

It's no surprise we miss Prosser - he's not only become an excellent centre-half, he's also a leader.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

​Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982 2mHearing it is unlikely Blues will appeal against Conor Clifford's red card. He will serve a four match ban. @Essex_Echo @SUFCRootsHall

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Yes, the conditions were awful, but they were for Mansfield too, and we didn't deserve to win the game. Not sure we deserved to lose either though. Disappointing not to beat Mansfield, as they have such a poor home record. Annoyingly, we haven't really tested the keeper. I lost count of the amount of times I was crying out for us to shoot low from long range in those conditions. It took 96 minutes...it went in.

Bentley - 4 - Worst I've ever seen Dan play. Should save both goals in my opinion. Kicking poor. Got all 4 marks for a world class save at 0-0
White - 5 - Struggled
Philips - 5 - Missing have Prosser along side him
Thompson - 4 - Wasn't Prosser
Coker - 6 - Best of a bad back 5
Timlin - 5 - Quiet
Atkinson - 6 - Plenty of running
Leonard - 7 - Our best player, again.
Hurst - 5 - Very inaffective game
Barnard - 6 - If he scores that chance at 1-0, we would have won, and he should have scored
Corr - 6 - Worked hard. Created the chance for Barnard. Hit the post.

Subs:
Eastwood - 6 - Tried to make something happen, maybe too hard at times with some of his shooting.
Clifford - N/A - Should probably not play Mansfield again. Never a red card.
Larid - N/A

Ref - 0 - Worst I've ever seen. Totally bloody useless. Should be his last game at this level.

 

[Jam_Man]

​Chris Phillips ‏@CJPhillips1982 2mHearing it is unlikely Blues will appeal against Conor Clifford's red card. He will serve a four match ban. @Essex_Echo @SUFCRootsHall

Has he been banned more than he has appeared?

 

[chapperzUK]

Has he been banned more than he has appeared?

He has played 22 games, starting 15 and 7 from the bench.

 

[Pubey]

Yes, the conditions were awful, but they were for Mansfield too, and we didn't deserve to win the game. Not sure we deserved to lose either though. Disappointing not to beat Mansfield, as they have such a poor home record. Annoyingly, we haven't really tested the keeper. I lost count of the amount of times I was crying out for us to shoot low from long range in those conditions. It took 96 minutes...it went in.

Bentley - 4 - Worst I've ever seen Dan play. Should save both goals in my opinion. Kicking poor. Got all 4 marks for a world class save at 0-0
White - 5 - Struggled
Philips - 5 - Missing have Prosser along side him
Thompson - 4 - Wasn't Prosser
Coker - 6 - Best of a bad back 5
Timlin - 5 - Quiet
Atkinson - 6 - Plenty of running
Leonard - 7 - Our best player, again.
Hurst - 5 - Very inaffective game
Barnard - 6 - If he scores that chance at 1-0, we would have won, and he should have scored
Corr - 6 - Worked hard. Created the chance for Barnard. Hit the post.

Subs:
Eastwood - 6 - Tried to make something happen, maybe too hard at times with some of his shooting.
Clifford - N/A - Should probably not play Mansfield again. Never a red card.
Larid - N/A

Ref - 0 - Worst I've ever seen. Totally bloody useless. Should be his last game at this level.

Knew it was going to be a bad one when he made us re-take a free kick in our own half wrongly placed by a whole 1 YARD.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Knew it was going to be a bad one when he made us re-take a free kick in our own half wrongly placed by a whole 1 YARD.

I thought exactly the same thing at the time, especially as Thompson just played it square :dim: