All other images are copyright Rob Knight Photography please contact me withh any enquiries.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Free Rob Duffy desktop wallpaper
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All other images are copyright Rob Knight Photography please contact me withh any enquiries.
All other images are copyright Rob Knight Photography please contact me withh any enquiries.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
2009-11-07: Stags v's Forest Green Rovers (A) FA Cup 1st Round
Although there are not many glamour sides in the 1st round of the FA Cup the Stags had been hoping for a tie with the likes of Leeds United or Carlton Athletic, so an away tie at fellow BSP side Forest Green Rovers may not have been everyone's idea of a exciting game, but it did provide on papaer a chance to play against a known quantity.
A 10am start from the Mill on the SSA coach down to Gloucestershire was the reward for the Stags faithful, apparently there were five coaches as well as the numerous mini buses we passed on the way and all the folks in cars so at least the Stags would be well supported at The New Lawn.
The coach driver seemed to be hell bent on breaking the land speed record for a coach and apart from getting caught up in Stroud a matter of a few miles from the little village of Nailworth where FGR play the journey was over much faster than the faithful expeected.
On arrival at the new lawn there was chance to take in this quaint little village club with pretty good facilities and a tight, compact little ground.
The players had headed down that morning also, which in the long run may have explained the slightly leggy performance.
As David Holdsworth's Barmey Army filled one end and a little of the terrace along the side opposite the main stand there was always to be a vocal following......... and the fans did not disappoint from kick off to full time whistle.
The Stags side included a few changes; in came Jake Speight with Rob Duffy playing out wide right, Gary Mills was prefered to Matt Sommner in the midfield along side new loanee Michael Brough, a tall midfielder who had been bought in that week form Torquay and previosuly played for Notts County. Ryan Williams was also dropped down to the bench as Stevue Istead came in for a rare start.
The weather didn't look at all promising and the already greasy looking pitch would only get wetter as the game went on not being overly condusive to the slick controlled football the Stags often treat the fans to at Field Mill.......... or should we call it Mill Field as the Forest Green announcer continaully called it!!!
A few moans and groans echoed around the travelling fans with Sommner only on the bench, it is fair to say that the midfield looks much stonger when he's driving the midfield, I for one am yet to be convinced by the endeavours of Gary Mills who at times seems to lack the finess and composure of Sommner. Certainly Sommner and Nix (who's out injured) give the side a lot more balance in the center of the park with Sommner breaking up the opposition and Nix craffting the openings for the forwards or feeding the wingers.
The Stags looked a little disjointed in the first half with Forest Green continually harressing and hurrying the midfield, the Stags got drawn into hitting it longer than normal which was fairly easy pickings for the Forest Green defence.
Forest Green, although lacking quality certainly played well to their means with guile and endeavour being rewarded on 28 minutes with a swift counter attack through the Stags lacklustre midfield which was neatly finished past an exposed Allan Marriott by Jared Hodgkiss. The 'Green Army' were jubilant as the home side took a deserved early lead to stun the visitors.
Unfortunately the Stags response was a frustrated by some hard work from the home side in breaking up atttackes and a energetic midfield which controlled much of the first half, most noteabley was the continual drive and compusre in the center of the park by Rovers' David Brown who controlled the midfield and set many an attack up for the ever threatening Tomi Ameobi.
As the half time whistle blew the Stags following where left to dwell on the performance whilst queing for pie and tea in the rain or wading through the puddled conveniences, it is fair to say Forest Green are probably not used to hosting a healthy traveling contingent which was reported as only around 350 by the Forest Green anouncment of the attendance of 1,149. This was greated by rounds of boos and bewilderment given the size of the travelling contingent behind the goal.
The second half started in much the same pattern of the first half with Mansfield probing but not quite having the final ball or the killer pass. Jake Speight continued to press and Kyle Perry after an earlier penalty shout continued to work the home defence with little to show for his hard work.
Frustration crpet in throughout the second half on and off the pitch as there were a number of decisions that seemed to go the way of the home side, Kyle Perry continued to be pushed and pulled as he led the line.
The gaffer made the changes as time slipped away, Ryan Willimas, Craig Dobson and Blair Sturrock all came on to add some extra umph! But, nothing would drop and the Stags just seemed to be lacking that craft and final ball in a game which the home side had sucessfully compacted into a long ball match. As the clock ticked on towards the last few minutes David Holdsworth gave Scott Garner the nod to push forward and add some extra height to the forward line, Williams was given the ball as much as possible to try and craft a much needed opening and save the Stags FA Cup place for 2009/10.
In the 87 minute Ryan Williams picked the ball up from a poor clearance and he carefully flighted it into the danger area, Garner rose heighest and headed the ball up over the keeper and into the back of the net. The travelling contingent leapt in unison to celebrate grabbing a life line, maybe somewhat amongst the run of play but never the less keeping the FA Cup run alive for now.
The final minutes, five of which came as added time, ebbed and flowed as both sides pushed on. Mansfield played with more urgency in the closing moments than for the previous 85 minutes and could of easily of really up set the apple cart by grabbing a winner, but in the end the travelling fans left relieved and happier with a 1-1 draw which for so much of the game could have been much less. Alan Marriott in the Stags net had another fine performance with the gloves making five or six top class saves to keep the score to 0-1, although his kicking and distribution were a little wayward.
Overall the Stags left the happier to come away with a smash and grab draw, the Rovers could easily be quite upset to not win the match.
Stags MOM: Alan Marriott
Now we must do it all again back the field Mill a week Tuesday with the chance to right the wrongs and give the fans a performance to be proud of. If the Stags show the quality and purpose of which we know they can then a win against a well organised if not technically brilliant Forest Green Rovers should be well within reach. The reward......... a very winnable game away at Bath in round two with the carrott of a potential 3rd round tie against a premier league side.
Stags played the get out of jail free card at the New Lawn, let's capitalise on the second chance and ignite a run in the cup which will bring in much needed funds whilst rejuvinating the passion within the town.
Come on you Stags!
A 10am start from the Mill on the SSA coach down to Gloucestershire was the reward for the Stags faithful, apparently there were five coaches as well as the numerous mini buses we passed on the way and all the folks in cars so at least the Stags would be well supported at The New Lawn.
The coach driver seemed to be hell bent on breaking the land speed record for a coach and apart from getting caught up in Stroud a matter of a few miles from the little village of Nailworth where FGR play the journey was over much faster than the faithful expeected.
On arrival at the new lawn there was chance to take in this quaint little village club with pretty good facilities and a tight, compact little ground.
The players had headed down that morning also, which in the long run may have explained the slightly leggy performance.
As David Holdsworth's Barmey Army filled one end and a little of the terrace along the side opposite the main stand there was always to be a vocal following......... and the fans did not disappoint from kick off to full time whistle.
The Stags side included a few changes; in came Jake Speight with Rob Duffy playing out wide right, Gary Mills was prefered to Matt Sommner in the midfield along side new loanee Michael Brough, a tall midfielder who had been bought in that week form Torquay and previosuly played for Notts County. Ryan Williams was also dropped down to the bench as Stevue Istead came in for a rare start.
The weather didn't look at all promising and the already greasy looking pitch would only get wetter as the game went on not being overly condusive to the slick controlled football the Stags often treat the fans to at Field Mill.......... or should we call it Mill Field as the Forest Green announcer continaully called it!!!
A few moans and groans echoed around the travelling fans with Sommner only on the bench, it is fair to say that the midfield looks much stonger when he's driving the midfield, I for one am yet to be convinced by the endeavours of Gary Mills who at times seems to lack the finess and composure of Sommner. Certainly Sommner and Nix (who's out injured) give the side a lot more balance in the center of the park with Sommner breaking up the opposition and Nix craffting the openings for the forwards or feeding the wingers.
The Stags looked a little disjointed in the first half with Forest Green continually harressing and hurrying the midfield, the Stags got drawn into hitting it longer than normal which was fairly easy pickings for the Forest Green defence.
Forest Green, although lacking quality certainly played well to their means with guile and endeavour being rewarded on 28 minutes with a swift counter attack through the Stags lacklustre midfield which was neatly finished past an exposed Allan Marriott by Jared Hodgkiss. The 'Green Army' were jubilant as the home side took a deserved early lead to stun the visitors.
Unfortunately the Stags response was a frustrated by some hard work from the home side in breaking up atttackes and a energetic midfield which controlled much of the first half, most noteabley was the continual drive and compusre in the center of the park by Rovers' David Brown who controlled the midfield and set many an attack up for the ever threatening Tomi Ameobi.
As the half time whistle blew the Stags following where left to dwell on the performance whilst queing for pie and tea in the rain or wading through the puddled conveniences, it is fair to say Forest Green are probably not used to hosting a healthy traveling contingent which was reported as only around 350 by the Forest Green anouncment of the attendance of 1,149. This was greated by rounds of boos and bewilderment given the size of the travelling contingent behind the goal.
The second half started in much the same pattern of the first half with Mansfield probing but not quite having the final ball or the killer pass. Jake Speight continued to press and Kyle Perry after an earlier penalty shout continued to work the home defence with little to show for his hard work.
Frustration crpet in throughout the second half on and off the pitch as there were a number of decisions that seemed to go the way of the home side, Kyle Perry continued to be pushed and pulled as he led the line.
The gaffer made the changes as time slipped away, Ryan Willimas, Craig Dobson and Blair Sturrock all came on to add some extra umph! But, nothing would drop and the Stags just seemed to be lacking that craft and final ball in a game which the home side had sucessfully compacted into a long ball match. As the clock ticked on towards the last few minutes David Holdsworth gave Scott Garner the nod to push forward and add some extra height to the forward line, Williams was given the ball as much as possible to try and craft a much needed opening and save the Stags FA Cup place for 2009/10.
In the 87 minute Ryan Williams picked the ball up from a poor clearance and he carefully flighted it into the danger area, Garner rose heighest and headed the ball up over the keeper and into the back of the net. The travelling contingent leapt in unison to celebrate grabbing a life line, maybe somewhat amongst the run of play but never the less keeping the FA Cup run alive for now.
The final minutes, five of which came as added time, ebbed and flowed as both sides pushed on. Mansfield played with more urgency in the closing moments than for the previous 85 minutes and could of easily of really up set the apple cart by grabbing a winner, but in the end the travelling fans left relieved and happier with a 1-1 draw which for so much of the game could have been much less. Alan Marriott in the Stags net had another fine performance with the gloves making five or six top class saves to keep the score to 0-1, although his kicking and distribution were a little wayward.
Overall the Stags left the happier to come away with a smash and grab draw, the Rovers could easily be quite upset to not win the match.
Stags MOM: Alan Marriott
Now we must do it all again back the field Mill a week Tuesday with the chance to right the wrongs and give the fans a performance to be proud of. If the Stags show the quality and purpose of which we know they can then a win against a well organised if not technically brilliant Forest Green Rovers should be well within reach. The reward......... a very winnable game away at Bath in round two with the carrott of a potential 3rd round tie against a premier league side.
Stags played the get out of jail free card at the New Lawn, let's capitalise on the second chance and ignite a run in the cup which will bring in much needed funds whilst rejuvinating the passion within the town.
Come on you Stags!
Sunday, 1 November 2009
2009-10-31 Stags v's Histon (H)
Sometimes in football you just have one of the those days when nothing seems to drop quite right and nomatter how much you keep knocking the opening just doesn't come, but then the mark of a good side is one that can keep plugging away and somehow grind something out even when things aren't going their way.
Histon came to the Mill with a game plan, yes they are an organise side and have done tremendously well for a small side from near Cambridge, but most Stags fans would expect the Yellows to dispacth such a side if they were serious about promotion back to the football league.
Histon set out right from the off to slow the game down, get people back behind the ball and work hard for each other, that they did well and there were small glimpses of skill and quality but nothing that would suggest Histon would trouble Mansfield.
The Stags started brightly fizzing the ball around with quick one two's and some superbb movement but for all the hard work and toil the openings were limited and opportunitues difficult to come by. None the less DH's boys kept to the task looking for that spark or link.
It is fair to say the center of midfield lacked a little something without Matty Sommner or Kyle Nix, Sommner's leadership and drive coupled with Nix's craft and guile have been evident in many a good team performance so far this year. That said Ollie Hotchkiss and club captain Gary Mills put shifts in, but with the outlets of Williams and Dobson having a quiet first half Histon were able to compress the game and reduce width slowly dragging the game into a stalemate towards the end of the first half.
For Histon the game plan was working, the Stags on the other hand needed to get the tempo back and keep the ball on the floor and use the wings.
It was only whilst ripping up my traditional losing 50/50 half time draw tickets that something struck me........... quite insignificant yet as any football fan will point out something boure of superstition which could have in a clutching at straws kind of way of provided the answer to the lack of first half goals from the Stags...?????
Lucky Bovril Man had not had the required beverage before the first half kick off! As the half times rolled across the shiney new scoreboard we wondered if we would be greeted by the much needed sight of the lucky Bovril????? thankfully as the teams came out so did the lucky bovril..... time to relax we thought it will be alright we mustn't lose now.
The second half ebbed and flowed between the Stags pushing hard and Histon slowing the game down, but still no clear cut chances. David Holdsworth patrolled the technical area demanding the standards which had set the Stags in the right road this season.
As the second half slipped away a little bit of frustration crpet into the crowd around the West Stand, but not to fear we felt the quality would show through and after all Lucky Bovril Man had despatched the required beverage at half time so thw world would right itself sooner rather than later.
In a shocking quirk of football fate things took a turn for the worse as the Stags midlfied and defence backed off the Histon midfield allowing a pin point pass into the box, the striker shifted the ball right as Stags keeper Alan Marriott came out and the slightest of touches was enough to convince the referee to point to the spot.
Histon duely despatched the penalty and what looked a like a smash and grab raid was on. Would the lucky Bovril lose it's power? would Histon run the clock down? could the Stags still drag the deserved outcome from a hard game?
As fans drifted away and talk around the West Stand was of if people would bother with the trip to Forest Green in the FA Cup after the frustration of the Histon game the Stags, deep into injury time knocked a ball from wide deep into the back edge of the box.........
........ everyone held their breath as it dropped slowly and slow motion like to 'The Pocket Rocket' Ryan Williams who with great composure and exsquisite technique sent a glorious volley goal bound. It seemed like an age but the ball sailed past the Hiaton keeper and bellowed the back of the net, the Stags fans arose in unison to celebrate a deserved equaliser, you could feel the weight of the relief lift from the stands as the players mobbed Williams.
With almost the last kick of the game the Stags had rescued the point and maintained the unbeaten run......... the lucky Bovril had proved it's worth (and maintained the relavence and title of my blog!, the question on our lips now (not saying football fans are a superstitious bunch!!)is Lucky Bovril Man going to Forest Green next week for the FA Cup 1st round???
Here's to a good traveling contingent cheering the Yellows into round two and one step closer to the big boys in the third round.
Histon came to the Mill with a game plan, yes they are an organise side and have done tremendously well for a small side from near Cambridge, but most Stags fans would expect the Yellows to dispacth such a side if they were serious about promotion back to the football league.
Histon set out right from the off to slow the game down, get people back behind the ball and work hard for each other, that they did well and there were small glimpses of skill and quality but nothing that would suggest Histon would trouble Mansfield.
The Stags started brightly fizzing the ball around with quick one two's and some superbb movement but for all the hard work and toil the openings were limited and opportunitues difficult to come by. None the less DH's boys kept to the task looking for that spark or link.
It is fair to say the center of midfield lacked a little something without Matty Sommner or Kyle Nix, Sommner's leadership and drive coupled with Nix's craft and guile have been evident in many a good team performance so far this year. That said Ollie Hotchkiss and club captain Gary Mills put shifts in, but with the outlets of Williams and Dobson having a quiet first half Histon were able to compress the game and reduce width slowly dragging the game into a stalemate towards the end of the first half.
For Histon the game plan was working, the Stags on the other hand needed to get the tempo back and keep the ball on the floor and use the wings.
It was only whilst ripping up my traditional losing 50/50 half time draw tickets that something struck me........... quite insignificant yet as any football fan will point out something boure of superstition which could have in a clutching at straws kind of way of provided the answer to the lack of first half goals from the Stags...?????
Lucky Bovril Man had not had the required beverage before the first half kick off! As the half times rolled across the shiney new scoreboard we wondered if we would be greeted by the much needed sight of the lucky Bovril????? thankfully as the teams came out so did the lucky bovril..... time to relax we thought it will be alright we mustn't lose now.
The second half ebbed and flowed between the Stags pushing hard and Histon slowing the game down, but still no clear cut chances. David Holdsworth patrolled the technical area demanding the standards which had set the Stags in the right road this season.
As the second half slipped away a little bit of frustration crpet into the crowd around the West Stand, but not to fear we felt the quality would show through and after all Lucky Bovril Man had despatched the required beverage at half time so thw world would right itself sooner rather than later.
In a shocking quirk of football fate things took a turn for the worse as the Stags midlfied and defence backed off the Histon midfield allowing a pin point pass into the box, the striker shifted the ball right as Stags keeper Alan Marriott came out and the slightest of touches was enough to convince the referee to point to the spot.
Histon duely despatched the penalty and what looked a like a smash and grab raid was on. Would the lucky Bovril lose it's power? would Histon run the clock down? could the Stags still drag the deserved outcome from a hard game?
As fans drifted away and talk around the West Stand was of if people would bother with the trip to Forest Green in the FA Cup after the frustration of the Histon game the Stags, deep into injury time knocked a ball from wide deep into the back edge of the box.........
........ everyone held their breath as it dropped slowly and slow motion like to 'The Pocket Rocket' Ryan Williams who with great composure and exsquisite technique sent a glorious volley goal bound. It seemed like an age but the ball sailed past the Hiaton keeper and bellowed the back of the net, the Stags fans arose in unison to celebrate a deserved equaliser, you could feel the weight of the relief lift from the stands as the players mobbed Williams.
With almost the last kick of the game the Stags had rescued the point and maintained the unbeaten run......... the lucky Bovril had proved it's worth (and maintained the relavence and title of my blog!, the question on our lips now (not saying football fans are a superstitious bunch!!)is Lucky Bovril Man going to Forest Green next week for the FA Cup 1st round???
Here's to a good traveling contingent cheering the Yellows into round two and one step closer to the big boys in the third round.
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