Just Back.

It becomes a good point if we can follow it up with 3 good results from the next set of winnable games. I just hope we come through it ok and aren't forced into too many changes.

Firstly thought the ref had too much of an influence on today's game and for a manager to have to take a player off as he cant trust the ref to make the right call or not be influenced by the histrionics of the opposition is a damming indictment of modern "for the camera" officiating - They know the rules but don't know the game, they are there to keep the show going & not be part of it!

Anyway away from that I thought it was 2 points "not secured" as much as 2 points lost as I felt we always needed a second and our inability to get one underlined our lack of true quality or options n the final third, all that said I think that Matt & Jones did work hard but we need better or at the very least they need better service.

On the subject of service really liked Dembelle (excellent attitude) and Rose today who at every opportunity tried to get the ball down and move it forward. Frustratingly though we posed no real threat on the left to give us the additional outlet we needed, on the basis of today the Davis/Woolford combination offered very little.

At times today I thought we had regressed as the back 4 and Summerfield did some great tidying up at times only for the keeper or back 4 to surrender possession by hitting it long, we may not be the finished article but we have enough talent not to do that.

So overall I'd say that today was a limited performance by a limited squad, one which is crying out for some more pace and creativity.

We are improving overall though, while you could argue that we have only won 2 points out of the last 9 I prefer to say it's 11 from the last 18 and if we win on Saturday 14 from 21 which will be a decent haul considering the level of opposition and away trips across late November & December.

UTM !

Oh yeah forgot to add Jamey should be back on Saturday and has to feature, where do we play him & in what shape I wonder?  

Woolford was dire today, needs to stick a foot in.

Matt had a great game but became undone by the ref, not at fault.

Dembele had a great game too, class apart from the rest of the pitch.

Collins seemed to be solid at the back and was part of the reason Mansfield didn't look like creating anything for so long.

Sam Jones... is he leaving in January? Looks that way.

Killip. No confidence, had very little to do. One save from a shot straight at his chest. Not ready  for this level but to be honest, we didn't see enough so may be wrong.


Mansfield were on the ropes in the first half with 3 players booked, the keeper and manager both wound up. A 2nd goal before HT would have killed it and we'd be looking at 4 or 5 in the second half.

Not a bad result, but need a win next time out otherwise it starts to look like a bad run.

Quoted from Jaws

Woolford was dire today, needs to stick a foot in.

Matt had a great game but became undone by the ref, not at fault.

Dembele had a great game too, class apart from the rest of the pitch.

Collins seemed to be solid at the back and was part of the reason Mansfield didn't look like creating anything for so long.

Sam Jones... is he leaving in January? Looks that way.

Killip. No confidence, had very little to do. One save from a shot straight at his chest. Not ready  for this level but to be honest, we didn't see enough so may be wrong.


Mansfield were on the ropes in the first half with 3 players booked, the keeper and manager both wound up. A 2nd goal before HT would have killed it and we'd be looking at 4 or 5 in the second half.

Not a bad result, but need a win next time out otherwise it starts to look like a bad run.

Two saves, you clearly missed the one where he went down at the feet of their lad who was on his way trough, pretty brave I thought.

Jones is going nowhere he's a better player than the one that joined us and from what I understand an attacking left mid prior to coming on board, give him a break or at least a 4-3-3 to play in.

For me the game really summed up the season so far.

Not excrement but not great either. Endeavour from the players was there but without too much end product. Didnt really do enough to see  the game off and get 3 points.

The lack of a serious goal threat up front all too apparent. If Town are serious about making a play off push they need to address the lack of creativity and scoring threat.

And there in lays the problem or me...........ok I shall be the first in this thread to say it. The problem is the manager. Nothing will change whilst RS is in charge. Because he wont see it as 2 points dropped . He will see it has a competitive  performance (which it was) in which we kept our shape and worked hard. That may do the trick away but at home the onus is on the home team to be on the front foot and ask questions of the opposition.

Whilst the 1st half was ok and i thought we went into half time deservedly in front the 2nd half was a different story....a story that repeats itself too frequently. RS decides to hold on to what  he's got rather than go for a 2nd and see the opposition off. Mansfield were poor in the 1st half (disappointing for a team with their ambitions) , looked shaky at the back and there for the taking. But we gave up the initiative in the 2nd half and they gradually got into the game. The equaliser was coming for a while and once again RS's lack of in game management evident again.

The game was drifting away from Town but we diid NOTHING to stop it. Whatever substitutions we make it is ALWAYS like for like with no change to the team shape or tactically.

RS has been a professional football manager for almost 20 years and never won anything and never won a promotion.....FACT. Quite incredible and not looking like that will change anytime soon.

Thought we fell asleep in the lead up to their goal and that was a pity because up until then we looked very solid at the back.

Vernon looked slow and totally ineffective but at least that was only for the short time he was on. Woolford looked like that all game gave away a lot of silly free kicks.

The ref was awful wanted to be the centre of attention fat boy Evans looked like a little dumpling swearing and gobbing off the ref should have sent him to the stands.

Considering we lost our keeper in the first half and the ref more or less made Matt go off as our second substitute our hands were very tied as Slade had only one card to play. Always thought one goal wouldn't be enough to beat them, shame there was a handball in the one goal they managed to score and we should have had a pen. But if I would been very disappointed not to get at least a point if I were a Mansfield supporter.

Quoted from BottesfordMariner

For me the game really summed up the season so far.

Not excrement but not great either. Endeavour from the players was there but without too much end product. Didnt really do enough to see  the game off and get 3 points.

The lack of a serious goal threat up front all too apparent. If Town are serious about making a play off push they need to address the lack of creativity and scoring threat.

And there in lays the problem or me...........ok I shall be the first in this thread to say it. The problem is the manager. Nothing will change whilst RS is in charge. Because he wont see it as 2 points dropped . He will see it has a competitive  performance (which it was) in which we kept our shape and worked hard. That may do the trick away but at home the onus is on the home team to be on the front foot and ask questions of the opposition.

Whilst the 1st half was ok and i thought we went into half time deservedly in front the 2nd half was a different story....a story that repeats itself too frequently. RS decides to hold on to what  he's got rather than go for a 2nd and see the opposition off. Mansfield were poor in the 1st half (disappointing for a team with their ambitions) , looked shaky at the back and there for the taking. But we gave up the initiative in the 2nd half and they gradually got into the game. The equaliser was coming for a while and once again RS's lack of in game management evident again.

The game was drifting away from Town but we diid NOTHING to stop it. Whatever substitutions we make it is ALWAYS like for like with no change to the team shape or tactically.

RS has been a professional football manager for almost 20 years and never won anything and never won a promotion.....FACT. Quite incredible and not looking like that will change anytime soon.

To be fair Slade did say to JT on the radio that he thought it was 2 points dropped, as TOC says above he could have quite easily have brought Berrett and DJ on and put 5 in mid field. In the last 20 Town got more players forward than in recent weeks and you have to give Mansfield credit as much as say we lacked the killer instinct, they are above us in the league for a reason.  

Agree Slade is pragmatic and like many managers in the EFL & Prem has never won anything but lest not lose sight of the fact that we are a small club with a small budget in a small backwater so recruitment is not easy both on and off the pitch.    

I went to Luton on Saturday and thought they where really decent got the ball down, moved well and finished even better but this is their 4th season of building since returning to the league they have good gates so a decent budget and location wise arguably a bigger pool of talent to pick from.

Whether or not it's with Slade remains to be seen but it takes time or decent money to get out of this/any league we don't have the latter but need to be realistic about the former.      

Rob I accept today we lost our keeper and Slade did the sensible thing in taking off Matt who was  becoming increasingly frustrated by the incompetence of the ref (that was going to only have 1 outcome).

But what does he do with his last substitution he withdraws Jones and kept Woolford on. Not saying Jones was great today either but Woolford was (once again) non existent. He had no impact on the game at all but he remained on the pitch for t he sole reason he kept his position and kept the team shape. Regardless that he was virtually an onlooker as the game passed him by.

No Slade was not going to make a positive substitution and maybe but Jaiseyimi  on for Woolford. Go for the win and bring on a player who actually make  a positive contribution. NO.. that would mean we might lose a bit a shape defensively and risk losing a goal. No best play it safe Slade. Hold on to the point eh.

When Killip had the ball on 1 hand and their player headed it off it was not a foul. In this instance the referees inadequacies in giving us a free kick most likely saved us from an unfortunate defeat. He must have given 4 or 5 lectures  for minor fouls and let the more serious ones go.