Mansfield Townv Stevenage Borough
Blue Square Premier
Saturday 12th September 2009
Field Mill, Mansfield
Kick-Off: 3pm
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 17°c
Referee: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire)
After three consecutive wins Stevenage Borough face a tricky trip this weekend to Mansfield Town.
Last season the Stags tried to put a spanner in Borough’s playoff ambitions with a final day victory over Graham Westley’s men. This time around they will be looking to dent the visitor’s recent run of good form which has seen them steadily climb the Blue Square Premier table in recent weeks. However this year Mansfield have promotion aspirations of their own and have started the league well under David Holdsworth, who spent the summer improving his squad and could well find success after the shrewd signings of Luke Jones, Kyle Perry and Blair Sturrock. They add to a talented squad already possessing the ever improving Scott Garner and the experience of Alan Marriott, Ryan Williams and Daryl Clare and if all perform to their best then Mansfield fans will be dreaming of a return to League football by the end of the season.
Last time we met…
The most recent meeting between the two sides was at Field Mill back in April on the last day of the regular league season. With Stevenage needing a win to assure themselves of a playoff position, Mitchell Cole’s stupid dismissal for a needless kick at Scott Garner made life that much harder for the visitors. They fell behind to a Garner striker from 25 yards that flew into the top corner before Scott Laird equalised with just seven minutes remaining. Steve Morison found himself foiled time and time again by Stags keeper Alan Marriott and the striker ended up on the losing side as Arron O’Connor fired in the winner with just two minutes remaining. Luckily for Graham Westley’s men, Kidderminster failed to beat Kettering and a place in the playoffs were assured.
Borough: Day; Henry, Albrighton (Wilson 80), Roberts, Laird; Drury (Mendes 84), Bostwick, Murphy, Cole; Morison, Boylan (Willock 86)
Subs Not Used: Bayes, Mills
Team News
Leicester winger Levi Porter has joined Mansfield on a month’s loan and goes straight into the home squad for this game. Defenders Craig Armstrong and Paul Heckingbottom (both hamstring) are back in light training following injury but are unlikely to feature in this game. Striker Blair Sturrock could make his home debut up front alongside either Daryl Clare, Jake Speight, Rob Duffy or Kyle Perry.
Stevenage will once again be without Peter Vincenti who serves the second game of this three match ban, whilst Lawrie Wilson is out injured for the season. Otherwise Graham Westley has a fit and healthy squad to choose from.
The Mansfield Town Scout Report
Recent Form
Mansfield Town currently sit in 3rd position in the Blue Square Premier with five wins, two draws and two defeats from their nine games, scoring 16 whilst conceding 7. They are undefeated at home since manager David Holdsworth took over and have so far this season conceded just the one goal at home, in a 4-1 win over Barrow, and have kept five clean sheets.
They have scored the first goal of a game on seven out of nine occasions this season, winning five of these and suffering defeat in just one, at Luton.
However impressive these records might look, they have only won once against teams in the top half of the table, with four of their five league victories against teams in the bottom half.
Stats also suggest they may tire towards the end of a half, with four of the goals conceded this season in the final ten minutes of a half.
Possible line-up for Saturday (4-4-2 formation)
Alan Marriott; Gary Silk, Luke Jones, Scott Garner, Scott Gardner; Ryan Williams, Gary Mills, Louis Briscoe, Jake Speight; Rob Duffy, Kyle Perry
Subs from: Kyle Nix, Daryl Clare, Blair Sturrock, Luke Graham, Matt Somner, Craig Armstrong
Key Players:
Tricky winger Ryan Williams will be looking to cause havoc from the flanks in this game. The 30 year old played 29 times for Mansfield between 1995-1997 and has since had spells at Tranmere, Chesterfield, Hull and Bristol Rovers before entering the non league ranks with a loan spell at Forest Green. Here he caught the eye of Aldershot, for whom he played 72 games and scored 16 goals in two separate spells before joining Weymouth in 2008.
To score against Mansfield means outwitting the talented centre back pairing of Luke Jones and Scott Garner. Both have had rave reviews during their time in the Blue Square Premier, with Garner impressing since his arrival in January and Jones both whilst at Kidderminster and during his short time at Field Mill.
Familiar Faces:
Gary Mills was one of Graham Westley’s first signings on his return to Broadhall Way in May 2008. The experienced defensive midfielder struggled to make too much of an impression on the pitch for much of his time at the club, but did turn out some impressive performances in his final few games, particularly in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley. After 26 starts and 13 sub appearances, the 28-year old moved to Mansfield in the summer where he has been appointed captain.
Rob Duffy made just one substitute appearance for Borough away at Forest Green in the final game of the 2005/06 season. The striker subsequently moved on and has found the back of the net regularly at Oxford, Wrexham and Newport County before arriving at Field Mill.
Borough Stats
- Stevenage have had 11 different scorers in their eight games so far this season.
- If selected then Ronnie Henry will be making his 200th appearance for the club. He currently stands on 187 starts and 12 sub appearances. In his 16,680 minutes on the pitch he has scored four goals and provided three assists. However a booking for him in this game will lead to a one match suspension. The right back has already accumulated four yellow cards this season.
- Lee Boylan will be making his 50th appearance for the club if he plays. In his 41 starts and eight sub appearances to date the striker has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists. A goal in his game will be his 17th for the club and tie him in 18th place (with Neil Illman and Kirk Jackson) in the list of top scorers for the club since 1994.
- If selected then Michael Bostwick will also be making his 50th appearance for the club. In his 49 starts the versatile youngster has scored four goals and provided two assists.
PREVIEW BY DAVE TOYN |
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