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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