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Mansfield Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 27/08/2004

TOWN face perhaps their hardest game of the season with the visit of last year’s Division Three Play Off finalists Mansfield Town, at a time when the Mariners have a mounting injury list with two games coming up in just three days.

Home > 2004-2005 Season > Previews > Mansfield (h)

The Opposition

Overview
Mansfield can count themselves extremely unlucky not to have gone up last season following a dramatic play off final with near neighbours Huddersfield Town. A 0-0 draw in normal time saw Mansfield have a goal disallowed and create numerous chances to win the game. They then missed out on a place in the second division when they cruelly lost in a penalty shootout, 4-1. Manager Keith Curle (left) will be hoping to go one better this year.

Their Squad
Mansfield lost two of their star players in the summer when Liam Lawrence left for Sunderland, and Junior Mendes joined Huddersfield. Therefore Keith Curle had to make a move in the transfer marketand did that when he signed Derek Asamoah from Northampton in the summer. The Ghanan forward scored his first goal a few weeks ago in the Stags 3-0 win at Chester. He was joined in the summer by ex-Derby midfielder Adam Murray who previously had a loan spell at Field Mill in February 2002. In attack, Colin Larkin (left) provides the goals, with three so far this season, while Tom Curtis is the journeyman midfielder who holds the midfield together. He’s been on the books at Tranmere, Derby, Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Walsall.

Key Player
Wayne Corden (left) Has been in and out the side in the opening few games, but has the potential to cause havoc for defenders. A speedy left winger formerly of Port Vale, Corden hit 8 goals from midfield last season and 13 the season before that.

Recent Form

 

TownMansfield
WWigan(h)1-0 (cup)
LRushden(a)0-1
WBury(h)5-1
DBoston(h)1-1
LDarlington(a)0-1
Currently 16th in League Two.
WKidderminster(h)2-1
WChester(a)3-0
LOxford(a)0-1
LBristol R(h)0-2
Currently 9th in League Two.

Team News

 

TownMansfield
  • The Mariners have huge question marks over the fitness of defenders Simon Ramsden (neck), Justin Whittle (back) and Greg Young. With Tony Crane, Glen Downey and Rob Jones all out injured, this is the last thing that manager Russell Slade needs. Kirk Wheeler could get his first start in defendce, possibly in a 4-4-2 formation partnering Dean Gordon. One alternative for Slade is to recall Ronnie Bull and put Jason Crowe in defence.
  • Slade though, will be hoping that at least one of Young, Ramsden and Whittle will be fit to play.
  • Up front, Michael Reddy and Andy Parkinson both got knocks from Tuesday night and are doubtful. Reddy is not fully fit anyway, so could drop to the bench to be replaced by Darren Mansaram. If Parkinson isn’t fit, Clint Marcelle or David Soames will get the nod.
  • Graham Hockless may find himself on the bench after resuming full training this week.
  • In stark contrast to the Mariners, Keith Curle has no new injury worries for Mansfield. The Stags have had a week off after their league cup game was called off. He will name the same side that beat Kidderminster last weekend.

    • Probable Teams

     

    TownMansfield
    1Anthony Williams
    24Dean Gordon
    6Justin Whittle
    3Kirk Wheeler
    8Jason Crowe
    17Thomas Pinault
    15Terry Fleming
    2John McDermott
    7Ashley Sestanovich
    19Darren Mansaram
    10Andy Parkinson
    1Kevin Pilkington
    2Scott McNiven
    16Jake Buxton
    14Neil MacKenzie
    18Joe O’Neill
    4Tom Curtis
    15Alex Baptiste
    8Adam Murray
    25David Artell
    9Colin Larkin
    10Derek Asamoah

    Subs

     

    TownMansfield
    11Stacy Coldicott
    23Clint Marcelle
    9Michael Reddy
    16Ronnie Bull
    12Graham Hockless
    11Wayne Corden
    24Lee Williamson
    5Rhys Day
    17Chris Tate
    7Alex Neil

    Head to Head

    Mansfield boast a much better record against the Mariners, winning 14 out of 31 games between the two clubs. Town have won just eight games, drawing nine.

    P 31 W 8 D 9 L 14 F 40 A 49

    Mansfield Head-to-Head (81st on The Opposition Ladder).

    Connections

  • Ex-Town centre back Mark Lever (left) had a spell with Mansfield a few seasons ago, making 15 appearances for the Stags when they were relegated from the second division in the 2002/03 season.
  • Lever made a massive 341 appearances in a Town shirt under both Buckley regimes which saw three promotions and two Wembley visits.
  • Jason Pearcey is another player of recent years to play for both team. He was brought to Blundell Park by then caretaker manager John Cockerill in 1994 for a nominal fee after making his league debut with Mansfield in 1989.

    • Last Meeting

    3rd March 1991 was the last time the two sides came face to face in a 1-1 draw at Field Mill, in the "old" third division. Tony Rees scored the Mariners goal in front of 3,502 fans. The draw kept the Mariners in 3rd place in the table. Mansfield meanwhile, who netted through former Newport County striker Kevin Kent, were relegated to Division Four after finishing bottom of the league.

    Grimsby Team: Sherwood, McDermott, Jobling, Futcher, Lever, Cunnington, Childs, Gilbert, Rees, Watson, Woods

    Mansfield Team: Beasley, Chambers, Smalley, Withe, Foster, Gray, Kent, Charles, Wilkinson, Fairclough.

    Prediction

    Fishy prediction: A well fought 1-1 draw

    1-1

    Past Predictions

    GamePredictionScorePoints
    Wigan1-21-00
    Rushden1-00-10
    Bury2-15-11
    Boston2-21-11
    Darlington1-00-10
    		 Reader's POMs

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