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League Cup - Mansfield


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You cant really blame Smalley for that miss. He didnt know anything about it. It came thundering off the post with loads of pace and before he'd had time to react it'd already hit his boot.

 

He made up for it a minute later.

 

Dont think we ever really got out of 1st gear tonight. If we'd stepped it up we could of seen 6 or 7.

 

Davies was immense. Tore them to peices. Kilkenny ran the show once again in the mid. Sat in the Main stand upper tonight and he barks like a little pitbull. Telling people were he wants it and always asking for the ball.

 

We play better passing it on the floor. Our best football of the night always came through simple triangle passing which opened up space for us to work with.

 

Pretty professional performance overall. Never really looked in danger bar the first ten minute's which saw some very shocking and cagey defending.

 

Mansfield rarely threatened Crossley. Can only really recall that free kick in the 2nd half bar the goal which looked on it's way in.

 

Gidding's impressed me. Get him signed on a longer loan.

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Davies is a 'different class'.

 

BLAST! is proud of its member. :grin:

 

His birthplace, Burton-on-Trent - the home of Carling, sponsors of the League Cup - witnessed an exciting finish to a match tonight as Burton Albion were 1-3 down with only ten men and five minutes left against York City, but the Brewers staged a fantastic fightback to win 4-3!!!

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Overall a very good performance against very moderate opposition it has to be said but 4-1 is a pretty emphatic win.

I thought we passed and moved really well and to be honest outclassed Mansfield.

The scorline in no way flattered us and it could really have been more.

The defence was in the main very solid, although Eardley in the first half was way off his game (he was better in the second half). Gregan as usual won everything in the air and Thompson and Giddings looked solid and did well.

Kalala and Allott as usual worked their socks off to win the ball and Kilkenny was always there waiting to pick it up.

Davies had another excellent game (we really have found a gem) as has been said great pace and strength. He scored one and made two - enough said.

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Just wait til you all see Smalley's sitter!

 

 

 

 

 

Crossley. Did ok, not really tested defence stood up really well to protect him. BETTER ON CROSSES TONIGHT BUT NEEDS TO SORT OUT HIS KICKING!!

 

Eardley. Seems to have lost form recently, think he needs a stint on the sidelines when Lomax gets fit, didnt do too bad, but had nothing drastic to do. ANOTHER POOR MATCH AND DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE POWER TO PLAY LONG BALLS DOWN THE LINE; RICKETTS WAS SPINNING INTO SPACE ON 3/4 OCCASIONS AND ON ONE ATTEMPT EARDLEY GOT NOWHERE NEAR HIM AND THE REST HE SEEMED TO LACK CONFIDENCE TO PLAY THE PASS

 

Thompson. Seems to get better, has a great awareness of where the ball is going, and cut out many through balls. SOLID

 

Gregan. Worked hard and kept Crossley safe, had a few rash moments, but controlled the defence well. GOOD AGAIN

 

Giddings. Very impressed, got forward well should we keep him longer than a month i will be very happy. GOOD GOING FORWARD SO FAR SO GOOD

 

Lidds. Showed what we needed for the second half on Sat, kept the left back busy. MUCH BETTER BET THAN TAYLOR IN THIS FORMATION BUT STILL PREFER 442

 

Kilkenny. Never seems to lose the ball, and finished well for the goal through a packed area. ALTHOUGH ONE CRITICISM IS HE DIDN'T RELEASE IT AT TIMES WHEN RICKETTS WAS MAKING GOOD RUNS IN FIRST HALF

 

Kalala. Covers well and can get up for headers well, i still prefer Allott to him BETTER THAN ALLOTT BUT STILL UNABLE TO PLAY FORWARD BALLS; TO FORWARDS;

 

Allott. Fantastic tackles even though he lost a few ball and passed to the oppo, he chased them down to get them back. OK PERFORMANCE BUT AGAIN JUST PASSES FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH IS GOOD IN THAT WE KEEP POSSESSION BUT STILL NEEDS TO BE LOOKING FOR RUNS OF STRIKERS WHICH HE MISSED AGAIN AND AGAIN TONIGHT

 

Ricketts. Worked hard for the team, gets into good positions but didnt seem to get fed the ball. I THOUGHT HE WAS BEST PLAYER; REALLY SHOWED CLASS WAS WATCHING HIM CLOSELY TONIGHT BUT THE NUMBER OF RUNS HE MADE ESPECIALLY IN FIRST HALF THAT THE GUYS WEREN'T SEEING OR DIDN'T HAVE QUALITY TO PASS TOO; HE MUST BE GETTING FRUSTRATED. DAVIES IS ALOT MORE SUITED TO THE TYPICAL 1ST DIVISION PLAY OVER THE TOP; INTO CORNERS ETC; RICKETTS IS MAKING RUNS ACROSS BACKLINE AND NOT BEING GIVEN THE PLAY; HOPEFULLY KILKENNY CAN START PLAYING THESE BALLS BUT SO FAR SEEMS MORE KEEN TO JUST KEEP IT HIMSELF

 

Davies. MOM runs and runs and runs, took their defence on superbly and was unlucky on numerous occasions and when he finally scored it must have been a weight off his shoulder. THOUGHT HE DID WELL BUT NOT BRILLIANT AS EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE SAYING. THE BALL BOUNCED OFF HIM ALOT TONIGHT ESPECIALLY IN SECOND HALF BUT CAN RUN FOR ENGLAND (OR WALES..LOL)

 

Subs.

 

Taylor. Made a few good runs, nowt special. DITTO

 

Smalley. HAHA davies ripped the defence to shreds, and when it was easier to score from 6-8 yards he put it wide, made up for it a couple of minutes later when Davies did exactly the same. DITTO

 

Macca. Erm he was on a few minutes didnt do much.

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:chubb: Pretty accurate reporting there mr Beardy!

Davies is def looking like a different gravy and i know it was against pretty poor oppo, but you still have to produce the goods and boy did he produce them. Defences are going to have an absolute 'mare' with him this year. I think whilst they are that occupied with Davie, things will then come good for Ricketts/Hughes when he arrives. Though Ricketts and Davies ssem to be linking up very nicely already.

Eards certainly seems to have lost a bit of confidence/touch and we musn't forget how young the lad is and maybe a couple of games rest when Lomax is fit might refresh him.

As for Smalleys chance, that ball definately came back at him at some pace!!

Finally, a bit of credit to Shez, glad he played a full strength side, getting them used to each other further and increasing everybodys match fitness - on to Carlisle we go!!

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I was getting a little nervous there at 2-1. Thanks Deane and Craig.

 

The turning point was when Mansfield were having a purple patch at 2-1 and Gregan missed a tackle out by the Lookers touchline - he ended up stranded hanging over the advert hoardings. As the Mansfield player crossed, an equaliser was on the cards, but luckily it was whacked clear and we went straight down to the other end and scored that all-important third goal.

 

If they had equalised at that point, the doubters would have turned on the team for throwing away a two-goal lead and becoming complacent. As it turned out that complacency will be overlooked - there's such a fine line between success and the moaners turning on the players.

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- there's such a fine line between success and the moaners turning on the players.

 

haha theres never been a more truer word said! To be honest i think we would have stepped it up a gear if it had gone to 2-2.

 

Giddings seems to be getting a lot of praise for going forward, i bought a non-oldham supporting mate along to the game who thought giddings was the weakest player because he was very tentative about getting forward. I thought he stayed back quite a lot but mainly because he was quite exposed on the left with kilkenny roaming the pitch.

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there's such a fine line between success and the moaners turning on the players.

 

Very true!

 

Wouldn't have heard the end of it, grumpy old miserable sods.

 

Although as we proved against Swanzea though, we can nick games late on with the pace + imagination we now have in the team!

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