Pre-Match Thread Mansfield Town (A)

[Agent Lomas]

08/02/2014 - Mansfield Town (A)
​

Field Mill Welcomes Us...Hopefully!

​

Saturday sees Blues, still unbeaten in the league in 2014, travel to bottom-half side Mansfield Town, looking to extend that unbeaten run. We haven't visited Mansfield since 22nd January 2005, where we drew 1-1. (Gower scoring for us 6 minutes after we went 1-0 down). Portsmouth boss Ritchie Barker played for Mansfield that day. Mansfield currently sit 19th in League 2, 22 points off top, 15 points behind us in 5th and 9 points off the bottom.

Earlier in the season we triumphed 3-0 over Mansfield at Roots Hall. Goals coming from Straker, a debatable "own goal" from Jamie McGuire, (that goalkeeper Alan Marriott took over the line after catching the ball) and a 95th minute strike from Kevan Hurst.

Mansfield's Last 5 Results:

Plymouth Argyle (A) - D 1-1 - Rhead
Wycombe Wanderers (H) - D 2-2 - Stevenson, Palmer
Portsmouth (A) - D 1-1 - Stevenson
Scunthorpe (H) - L 0-2
Exeter City (A) - W 0-1 - Stevenson

Last 6:

D-W-L-D-D-D

Out of 13 home games they have played this season, Mansfield have:

Won: 2
Drawn: 5
Lost: 6

Fact

So far this season, Mansfield have played 15 games against teams from the top half, winning 2, drawing 4 and losing 9. (The only team with a worse record is Bury, who are yet to beat a top half team this season)

JANUARY TRANSFERS - Mansfield Town

IN: None

OUT: Calvin Andrew, John McCombe


How the teams lined up (Last Meeting):


Southend United: Bentley, Leonard, White, Prosser (Kiernan 78), Coker, Atkinson, Clifford, Timlin, Hurst, Corr, Straker (Laird 80)

Subs Not Used: Smith, Reid, Payne, Auger, Woodrow


Mansfield Town: Marriott, Sutton, McCombe, Pilkington, Beevers, McGuire, Blake, Daniel (Meikle 62), Hutchinson (Clucas 46), Andrew (Rhead 46), Alabi

Subs Not Used: Murtagh, Stevenson, Jennings, Palmer

How the teams lined up in both their last league games:


Southend United: Bentley, White, Coker, Leonard, Thompson, Phillips, Hurst, Timlin (Clifford - 75'), Corr (Straker - 45'), Barnard (Eastwood - 61'), Atkinson​

Subs Not Used: Laird, Payne, Gomis, Smith


Mansfield Town: Marriott, Westlake, Jennings (Beevers - 86'), Tafazolli, Dempster, Riley, Clements, Howell, Rhead (Dyer - '88), Clucas, Stevenson​

Subs Not Used: Sutton, Meikle, McGuire, Daniel, Palmer​

Mansfield's Likely Line Up:

GK: Alan Marriott

Former Clubs: Lincoln City, Rushden & Diamonds

CAREER GOALS: 1

D: John Dempster

Former Clubs: Rushden & Diamonds, Oxford Utd, Kettering Town, Crawley Town, Tamworth

CAREER GOALS: 15

D: Ryan Tafazolli

Former Clubs: Salisbury, Southampton, Cambridge City

CAREER GOALS: 0

D: Lee Beevers

Former Clubs: Ipswich Town, Boston United, Lincoln City, Colchester Utd, Walsall

CAREER GOALS: 13

D: James Jennings

Former Clubs: Macclesfield Town, Altrincham, Kettering, Cambridge United

CAREER GOALS: 9

M: Anthony Howell

Former Clubs: Hucknall, Eastwood Town, Alfreton, Ilkeston Town

CAREER GOALS: 12

M: Lee Stevenson

Former Clubs: King's Lynn, Belper Town, Eastwood Town, Alfreton

CAREER GOALS: 19

M: Colin Daniel

Former Clubs: Eastwood Town, Leek Town, Grays Athletic, Crewe, Macclesfield

CAREER GOALS: 24

M: Sam Clucas

Former Clubs: Lincoln City, Hereford United

CAREER GOALS: 20

F: Matt Rhead

Former Clubs: Kidsgrove Athletic, Canvey Island, Eastwood Town, Nantwich Town, Corby Town

CAREER GOALS: 18

F: Ben Hutchinson

Former Clubs: Celtic, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Dundee, Swindon Town, Lincoln City, Kilmarnock

CAREER GOALS: 14

This is a game I really think we can win, with The Stags only having won 2 games at home all season and our impressive away form, thats a recipe for victory!

Mansfield's Players To Watch:

John Dempster
Sam Clucas
Matt Rhead

UTB!
​

​

 

[Bromley Blue]

Nice preview but you've got several references to Newport still in there mate. I take it was a copy and paste job!

 

[Agent Lomas]

Nice preview but you've got several references to Newport still in there mate. I take it was a copy and paste job!

Edited....

 

[TrueBlue]

****ing hell Alan Marriot is still playing?!

 

[spoons]

Any news on their pitch? The weather forecast seems reasonable.
Any parking advice would be appreciated too, as I believe it is extremely difficult near to the ground.

 

[Agent Lomas]

Weather:

Mansfield is due a mixture of rain and sunshine on saturday. *I will keep everyone up to date on the pitch side of things*

Parking:

"There is no parking for supporters at the ground itself, but there is a nearby private car park which charges £5. Otherwise it is a case of finding some street parking. Malcolm Dawson a visiting Sunderland supporter adds; 'I parked in the retail park (PC World, Currys, B&Q) behind the North Stand. I assumed that there would be unlimited free parking, but when I got back after the match I had a parking ticket for £50. Be warned!" - Source: http://www.footballgroundguide.com/mansfield_town/http://www.footballgroundguide.com/mansfield_town/

 

[Pubey]

Any news on their pitch? The weather forecast seems reasonable.
Any parking advice would be appreciated too, as I believe it is extremely difficult near to the ground.

Obviously Sheffield isn't Mansfield but it's close enough. It was really wet last week however the weekend has been dry and so I'd expect with a reasonably good forecast for this week there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[tia]

Any news on their pitch? The weather forecast seems reasonable.
Any parking advice would be appreciated too, as I believe it is extremely difficult near to the ground.

When i last drove there in 2005 there was a large car park at ground.Dont know if away fans can still use it.Street parking and council pay and displays are within walking distance as well i think

 

[Bolton Shrimper]

Very winnable game. Mansfield seem like a side headed for the trapdoor. Awful home stats for this stage of the season.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Very winnable game. Mansfield seem like a side headed for the trapdoor. Awful home stats for this stage of the season.

I'll change my prediction to a 2 nil loss in that case:'(

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Mansfield are a big lot, not much pace but hard working bruisers, so......
Dan Bentley
JW, MP, Thommo, Cokes,
Hursty, Atko, Lennie, Tims,
Barney, Barry,

2nd half swap Barney for Fred at half time unless Barney is on for a hat trick.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I found this really interesting in todays friendly against Spammers :-

“Jack Payne played just in behind Lee Barnard and Freddy Eastwood and they all linked up well."

Seeing that PB must be as concerned as all of us with our lack of league goals. I think we've scored 11 in the last 10 League Two matches...........and that includes 3 against Chesterfield. Would we dare start against Mansfield like this? What formation would we be likely to play (for those with more technical knowledge than myself) and perhaps more importantly who would we drop from midfield?

 

[chapperzUK]

I found this really interesting in todays friendly against Spammers :-

“Jack Payne played just in behind Lee Barnard and Freddy Eastwood and they all linked up well."

Seeing that PB must be as concerned as all of us with our lack of league goals. I think we've scored 11 in the last 10 League Two matches...........and that includes 3 against Chesterfield. Would we dare start against Mansfield like this? What formation would we be likely to play (for those with more technical knowledge than myself) and perhaps more importantly who would we drop from midfield?

We've only failed to score on 2 occasions in the last 10 as well.

If we go for Payne in behind 2 strikers, which I like the sound of, then I reckon it will be a 4-3-1-2. Similar to the 4-3-3, but instead of having 2 wingers and 1 striker there are 2 strikers and one attacking midfielder. That would mean dropping Hurst and Straker though, unless we start with Hurst in behind the 2 strikers or in one of the 3 midfield places.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I found this really interesting in todays friendly against Spammers :-

“Jack Payne played just in behind Lee Barnard and Freddy Eastwood and they all linked up well."

Seeing that PB must be as concerned as all of us with our lack of league goals. I think we've scored 11 in the last 10 League Two matches...........and that includes 3 against Chesterfield. Would we dare start against Mansfield like this? What formation would we be likely to play (for those with more technical knowledge than myself) and perhaps more importantly who would we drop from midfield?

My guess would be that PB wanted those that played to get a proper game in positions that suited them and to trial a potential new system for some of the heavy pitches that are not conducive for running with ball at feet and there are several small pitches in this league where two wingers are going to be fairly limited for room. And BBBC doesn't need to play as he has had possibly too much.

 

[tallboyblue]

Any news on the state of the Mansfield pitch? I intend to go but would not want a wasted journey.

 

[MattWhite]

Any news on the state of the Mansfield pitch? I intend to go but would not want a wasted journey.

tallboyblue - don't forget it's all ticket apparently. I'm going for my annual away trip (Rotherham for the last two years so I'm expecting 4-0 to us), and didn't realise until yesterday. Thanks to the info and discussion on here, I knew about the option of having the Southend team coach bringing up the tickets (I live in Leicestershire) and I'm hoping that will work ok. Not sure what happens when the coach arrives at the ground (and I'm in the pub).

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

tallboyblue - don't forget it's all ticket apparently. I'm going for my annual away trip (Rotherham for the last two years so I'm expecting 4-0 to us), and didn't realise until yesterday. Thanks to the info and discussion on here, I knew about the option of having the Southend team coach bringing up the tickets (I live in Leicestershire) and I'm hoping that will work ok. Not sure what happens when the coach arrives at the ground (and I'm in the pub).

The pay in advance and pick up at the way ground usually works ok, I've done it a few times and am doing it again this Saturday so no panic for people as long as they remember to phone through their order.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Prosser undergoing an op tomorrow on his cheekbone. Played a half against West Ham, wearing a mask. Really wants to play on Saturday but I just wonder whether he'll be risked so soon after surgery?

 

[BILLERICAY BLUE]

I found this really interesting in todays friendly against Spammers :-

“Jack Payne played just in behind Lee Barnard and Freddy Eastwood and they all linked up well."

Seeing that PB must be as concerned as all of us with our lack of league goals. I think we've scored 11 in the last 10 League Two matches...........and that includes 3 against Chesterfield. Would we dare start against Mansfield like this? What formation would we be likely to play (for those with more technical knowledge than myself) and perhaps more importantly who would we drop from midfield?

Says in the Echo that we played a diamond in midfield with Payne as the tip. I would imagine Gomis was the base, assume Laird and Clifford were the 2 in the middle.

 

[stickyboy]

forecast Saturday looks like heavy rain - notice Mansfield last home game last Week was called off