Shrewsbury Town 0
Mansfield Town 2
With the last game before Christmas upon us the Stags made the trip to Gay meadow for the home of Shrewsbury Town. CareTaker Manager Carlton Palmer plummed for the same starting eleven that put in a good performance at Field Mill the previous week an don the bench along with Jason White was Layton Maxwell, Simon Brown, Fraser McLachlan and new signing from Chelsea Joel Kitamirike making up the strongest bench that we have had for some time.
The game got underway at the earlier time of 12.0pm at the request of the local constabulary and it was the stags shooting from left to right that got of to the brighter start with an immediate incursion into the home team's third.
The first corner of the game came in five minutes when after the ball bobbling around all over the place on the poor playing surface the stags won the corner but wasted the opportunity by playing a quickly taken short ball that was easily intercepted. It became apparent very quickly that the best way to get a result here at the Gay Meadow was to play of the forward players instead of trying to playing an attractive passing game. The Stags adopted this game plan in the seventh minute and straight away from a Luke Dimech clearance of the edge of the Stags penalty box Derek Asamoah was causing problems in the opposing final third.
However Luke Rodgers got a chance at the other end when the Home side defence launched along effort towards Kevin Pilkington. Rodgers side foot shot powered past his mark and narrowly missed the target.
By the20th minute our hosts had settled and it was they applying most of the pressure but most of it was coming from throws and free kicks.
22 minutes Derek Asamoah beat Neil Ashton with a nifty back heel into the box where he ran to meet it before pulling the trigger low and hard into the bottom left of Howie's goal to net his fifth of the season.
Shrewsbury 0 Mansfield 1
2 minutes later Asamoah again in charge flashed a cross into the six yard box where Paul Warne narrowly missed on extending the Stags lead as he attempted to side foot home but mis-timed his approach.
With the exception of a superb ball through the middle to Ryan Lowe in the 42nd minute Shrewsbury were chasing the game creating few chances whilst the Stags were looking to feed Asamoah at every opportunity. However the chances that the home side did create were well played and clinical in execution and it was only testimony to the stags back row that the scoreline remained 1-0 to the Stags.
As we entered two minutes of extra time Wayne Corden fired a freekick from 25yards which directed to the near post called keeper Howie into action. His dive at full stretch was enough to prevent the stags extending their lead but gave away a corner which unfortunately didn't find the back of the net on this occasion.
The first half produced some good football from both sides and some 31 corners to the stags.
Coming back form the break Shrews bury looked liked a reformed side having two attempts on goal in as many minutes. The first punched clear by Pilkington then blocked by Buxton as the shot powered toward to goal then the follow up shot flew high into the stands. A minute later Shrewsbury sent a low shot from the left flank calling Pilkington into action diving to stop the approaching shot. These were warning signs that a one goal lead is not enough to secure this game with 4o minutes or so remaining.
A strike in the 56th minute took a bad deflection of the white shirt of Luke Dimech for a corner which quickly taken was launched over the crossbar by Rodgers.
In the 59th minute Carlton Palmer made his first change bringing on Simon Brown to replace Derek Asamoah. A minute later Luke Dimech found his name being added to the referee's notebook for an over enthusiastic challenge deep in the stags third. Well cleared by Adam Murray Neil Ashton was added to the book for a similar offence as the Stags burst forward with Brown and Barker in a good position to receive the forthcoming cross.
65minutes Liam Burns was added to the growing list of names in Mr Cowburn's book for dragging Simon Brown to ground as he beat him centre park and sped toward the eighteen yard mark.
Burns narrowly escaped seeing red in the 68th minute when he rose his foot to bring down Murray as the stag midfield man drove forwards after again leaving Burns cold in the Shrewsbury half.
Ten minutes after the stags made their first change the home side made a double change bringing on Kevin Street and John Grant to replace Ryan Lowe and Trevor Challis.
74 minutes brought with it The stags second of the day and the second for Adam Murray. The ball was played from the right hand side by Alex Neil. Barker held the ball up and attempted a shot but in a scrappy clearance the ball fell nicely for Murray who latched onto the shot to find the back of the net and further extend the Stags lead.
Shrewsbury 0 Mansfield 2
In the 82nd minute a scramble on the stags goal line allowed Shrewsbury a guilt edged opportunity for pulling a goal back but Richie Barker in the right place at the right cleared the danger denying the home side.
With only three minutes remaining Luke Rodgers sent a cross across the goalmouth where team mate Grant was waiting to head the ball at Pilkington but his effort although well timed and powerful was off the mark.
The three minutes of added on time seemed like an eternity but the stags held on for their second win in eighteen games an a clean sheet to boot. The game was entertaining if not pretty and the Stags deserved the points although the home side at times presented some problems and came close on a number of occasions. Hopefully this win marks the turning point of the stags season and now we can look forward to the future putting the off pitch politics behind us
Shrewsbury Town: Scott Howie, Jake Sedgemore, Trevor Challis, Darren Tinson, Jamie Tolley, Stuart Whitehead, Liam Burns, Neil Ashton, Ryan Lowe, Kelvin Langmead, Luke Rodgers
Subs NOT Used: Joe Hart, Dave Ridler, Duane Darby
Mansfield Town: Kevin Pilkington, Tom Curtis, Alex Neil, Adam Murray, Derek Asamoah, Wayne Corden, Alex John-Baptiste, Jake Buxton, Paul Warne, Luke Dimech, Richie Barker
Subs NOT Used: Jason White, Fraser McLachlan, Joel Kitamirike, Layton Maxwell
Referee: Mr G Cowburn
Asts: Mr P Grove, Mr C Harwood
4th Off: Mr M Weaver
