CTA #35: [Reserves] AFC Telford 5-0 Stags

Fixture	AFC Telford Reserves Vs Mansfield Town Reserves
Competition	Friendly Match – Open to the public
Venue	New Bucks Head
Date & Time	Tuesday 14th February 2012 – 7.30PM
Attendance	263
Match Referee	Unknown

Following Mother Nature and Jack Frosts cunning plan to cancel three games in a week for the Stags, I sit here writing a brief report of last night’s game just grateful I got to see a game! The result on valentine’s night left Mansfield feeling rather blue as they slumped to a 5-0 defeat, however it’s just a game of football and only a friendly after all – the first teams 6 game unbeaten record is still untarnished and I still remain in good spirit as we head for Newport on Saturday.

Mansfield included two trialists in the side to face Andy Stinton’s Telford, brother of leading scorer Matt Green, Jake, played the full 90 minutes at right back whilst relatively unknown centre half Lawrence Gaughan also got 90 minutes under his belt. A quick search of google before the show showed up two Lawrence Gaughan’s related to football, one a former Oxford defender the other a former republic of Ireland U19 defender. Going from my pre-match chat with Paul Ogden, I’ve done some ‘investigative journalism’ and think I may have found more information on our latest trialist. Previously of the Liverpool academy and Celtic, the six foot two defender has recently been turning out for Sheffield FC and celebrated his 22^nd birthday donning the amber and blue strip last night. More information can be found here, but please don’t quote me this is actually him – I’m just going on the information I got from my brief chat with Paul.       

On a cold evening it was the hosts that struck first blood, a strong run down the right hand side saw Dwane Samuels nip past Fleetwood loanee Paul Edwards before threading Jon Brown into the middle, Brown was close to the goal line as he was bundled over by Gaughan. Former Stags front man Kyle Perry stepped up and converted the resulting penalty to make it 1-0 with eight minutes gone.

Lindon Meikle registered Mansfield’s first shot of the night ten minutes later, cutting inside following good work between the Mansfield midfield and Matt Rhead, however it was Perry who doubled his goal tally for the evening on 36 minutes, heading powerfully home from Dave McDermott’s left sided free kick, after the free kick taker had been fouled by youngster Jake Green.

Perry was involved again with two minutes to go before the break as Mansfield failed to deal with a McDermott Corner. Initially headed away, the ball fell easily back for McDermott who was allowed far too much time on the ball to deliver another cross into the middle. Perry rose highest and was denied a hat-trick thanks to a strong save by Irish shot stopper Shane Redmond, unfortunately for the Stags reserve keeper, he couldn’t keep out the rebound as Bucks skipper tapped home from close range to put his side three goals to the good before the break.

After the break Telford extended their lead to four following a good piece of counter attacking football down the right hand side. Samuels linked up well with Jon Brown and the pair easily skipped past Paul Edwards before playing the ball into space for striker Ryan Brooke. The nippy front man squared first time into the middle finding Dave McDermott who had acres of time and space to control and tuck underneath Shane Redmond.

Lee Stevenson had Mansfield’s best chance on 74 minutes as home keeper Ryan Robinson and centre half Shane Killock got in each other’s way, Robinson’s rushed clearance lacked height, pace and strength – falling straight into the path of Stevenson who curled over the empty net from 25 yards out.

The hosts wrapped up the victory in spectacular fashion with eight minutes to go, a strong cross from McDermott on the left was headed away but only into the path of Telford substitute Nathan Rooney, who controlled well and thumped his effort into the roof of the net.

Stags: Redmond, Green, Shaw (Gregory), Gaughan, Edwards (Todd), Meikle (Somes), Rogers, Worthington (C), Holland (Bisungu), Stevenson, Rhead.