Saturday 4th January fixtures

[EnglishRed]

We didn't deserve to win, but Peterborough certainly deserved to lose.

100%. And that was one of the more frustrating elements of today- they look like a team that would crumble if you went at them and we didn't ever really do that until McClean and Fletcher came on. Contrast today with the game at London road and we look a completely different team.

Desperately missing Marriott, as well as Lee and Barnett today- thankfully the transfer window is here. Amazing we are in the top three with almost nothing up top.

 

[Hudders]

Another dire game at Huddersfield , probably a fair result 2 shit teams and nil nil probably summed up the entertainment.
We have got a bang average team in a bang average division . Playoffs a possible route to gain promotion but not good enough for automatics . Fear for us if we get promoted as the championship will rip us apart. We have zero goal threat but most teams in this division don’t.

Guess we find out how serious our owner is this month, we have to sign two starting strikers, 4th in the league with that strike force does speak volumes about the standard of the league. We had Rhodes scoring 40 + last time down here and even then we didn’t get autos, we’d be 20 points clear now if we had that version of him.
Also need to look at the medical team at this point now.

 

[thewwfc]

Desperately missing Marriott, as well as Lee and Barnett today- thankfully the transfer window is here. Amazing we are in the top three with almost nothing up top.

Plenty of teams have won promotion consistently grinding out 1-0s.

 

[EnglishRed]

Plenty of teams have won promotion consistently grinding out 1-0s.

True, and we could do that- our defence and midfield are fairly defensively solid and Okonkwo is back. But that approach opens up the possibility of games like our recent loss our against Barnsley- for the sake of my heart and fingernails id rather we won games more comfortably.

 

[masi51]

Wouldn't have complained about a nil nil but defending was too bad. No idea how Mitchell went past your 5 either.
Oh well, probably see you again next season

 

[chief]

what sort of reception does Ferguson get from your fans?

Got a round of applause pre-match. He was a brilliant player for us back in the day, some would have him down as a legend.

His team played some atrocious stuff though and the playacting was ridiculous. The worst I've seen in this league and reminded me of non-league shithousery.

 

[dannylad01]

We was worthy winners against the Shrews for our second half performance, where we created the better chances and Keeley in our goal had nothing to do until the very end.

Shrews were as expected difficult to get at and break down, forced numerous set plays in the first half and tried to get us turned with balls over the top, but they lacked an awful lot of firepower and know how in the final third, I don't remember them getting a clear chance.

Goal was a bit lucky, no way should Donley's shot beat Blackman (who apart from that moment had a good game) from that angle. After that apart from stoppage time, we managed the game well I thought and should've had a second goal.

Injuries have racked up for us the last week now, Agyei out today along with Happe and Ball and Ollie O'Neill also went off injured so the weeks break is welcome for us.

Shrews were organised and their gameplan generally worked, they just had very little quality in the final third which unless addressed will likely see them go down.

Since the consecutive 4-1 defeats and the switch to 3 at the back we've been a lot harder to break down. The issue is that apart from Bloxham, if he's not blowing out of his backside, we've not really got any creativity from open play, and haven't had any for years. Something Ainsworth wants to address but purely depends on the funds available. Set to send at least one of the 6 loanees back next week (probably Sagoe Jnr), and would anticipate they will try and get rid of a few more and offload some of our current players (Nsiala and the unfortunate injury ravaged Geoge Nurse) to try and free up some wages.

Not seen any of the game but social media comments suggest that Orient deserved it based on the 2nd half. Benning seemed to be taking the brunt of the blame from the comments for letting your lad get in that position in the first place, and that the shot caught Blackman by surprise. Can't comment as I've not seen it.

wins for Bristol Rovers and Northampton means it's a bad day results wise for us, with home games against Huddersifeld and Wrexham coming up

 

[denzel ecfc]

Confirmed that Magennis complained about racial abuse from some Bolton fans which led to the announcement- at the precise moment Bolton scored the winner..

 

[Terriertown]

Guess we find out how serious our owner is this month, we have to sign two starting strikers, 4th in the league with that strike force does speak volumes about the standard of the league. We had Rhodes scoring 40 + last time down here and even then we didn’t get autos, we’d be 20 points clear now if we had that version of him.
Also need to look at the medical team at this point now.

Our owner tells the fans we’ve got strikers on the way we will be pleased but I’m starting to think he just talks himself up, until I see action in the transfer window I don’t believe a word he says and it’s not from want. It’s one thing not having the money but to make false promises pisses folk off pretty quickly.
You could see what the future held this year with certain players injury wise ie. HEALEY , WARD , KASUMU HOGG ( to old now) their yearly crocks the rest you expect some we just recruit so poorly year after year and I’m losing faith extremely quickly in Cartwright . The madness is as you and many on here are saying this division is shocking and there for the taking unfortunately i don’t think we will be the ones taking. .

 

[AdamStag]

Also stockport fans what is all the faff with the away end.

Fair dues sides have been given more tickets which is great, but that’s the side stand at KO.

Surely (appreciate we can’t) just be flexible for demand of the game and who you’re playing.

 

[UTFD]

Decent performance from us and we should have won. Looking miles better atm then we were just a month ago

I was happy with the point. We were down to the bare bones today and missing every first choice full back and winger, in some cases the second choice too!

Be great to play you in the play offs, decent stadiums with proper away allocations.

 

[Conker]

That run of five losses on the trot which we all insisted was very unlucky, now proven to be correct by little improvement in terms of performances but now won 4 of our last 5 and the loss against Reading was very harsh.

Greatly helped by a small injury list, when we played Stockport earlier in the season we had loads out and just lost DKD and Swan. It was down to just Baccus, Oates, Akins and B.Quinn unavailable today - a historic low.

I think the most pleasing thing about what we are showing at the minute is just how flexible we are, we are showing that we play good football while also being very hardworking and organised. We can have a proper go at sides and let them do the same to us.

 

[Stocky]

Also stockport fans what is all the faff with the away end.

Fair dues sides have been given more tickets which is great, but that’s the side stand at KO.

Surely (appreciate we can’t) just be flexible for demand of the game and who you’re playing.

Not sure, was that block home or away?

There was a fair few empty seats on the ends of the Railway End today, didnt look like a sell out from you today. I imagine we'll probably look to putting away fans back in the two blocks of the pop side unless we're playing a Birmingham, Huddersfield etc.

 

[Conker]

Not sure, was that block home or away?

There was a fair few empty seats on the ends of the Railway End today, didnt look like a sell out from you today. I imagine we'll probably look to putting away fans back in the two blocks of the pop side unless we're playing a Birmingham, Huddersfield etc.

Yeah I spotted those seats, although it did look overcrowded behind the goal, FYI all tickets were sold out ages ago.

The pic Adam shown is what I was in last season, we’d have sold that block out too if you gave it us, that’s the allocation we were given a couple of seasons back 1400 odd.

 

[Stocky]

Yeah I spotted those seats, although it did look overcrowded behind the goal, FYI all tickets were sold out.

The pic Adam shown is what I was in last season.

What confused me was our announcer giving different instructions to Mansfield fans under cover and those not under cover. I assumed that last block was for away fans after that.

That whole end of the ground is a total mess to be honest. I try and stay well out of it. It's from a different era.

 

[Conker]

What confused me was our announcer giving different instructions to Mansfield fans under cover and those not under cover. I assumed that last block was for away fans after that.

That whole end of the ground is a total mess to be honest. I try and stay well out of it. It's from a different era.

When we announced the allocation given to us we were told it is 1163 entirely uncovered, funnily enough the attendance was 1193.

Maybe they ended letting some go in the covered bit? I dunno I didn’t attend today.

I think you are fortunate you don’t get told you must give the entire open end and a block covered to be honest no matter the following, we have to allocate the entire North Stand even if it’s Stevenage coming on a skateboard.

 

[Stocky]

When we announced the allocation given to us we were told it is 1163 entirely uncovered, funnily enough the attendance was 1193.

Maybe they ended letting some go in the covered bit? I dunno I didn’t attend today.

I think you are fortunate you don’t get told you must give the entire open end and a block covered to be honest no matter the following, we have to allocate the entire North Stand even if it’s Stevenage coming on a skateboard.

That was and is the rule.

But against Birmingham that whole covered stand was home fans. Someone said it might be something to do with dispensation because we have building plans in place.

That whole end is a shit show, I don't blame Mansfield fans for not bothering. We need to get into the 21st century.

 

[AdamStag]

They were home fans in that covered section which i took the pic of, it was more out of curiosity than anything.

I suppose in fairness to stockport they’ve presumably got to let the local police/SAG etc know how many away fans are due / just seems like it’s a bit made up.

As conker says it’s annoying we can’t split the away end, but sadly both the SAG/local police meant it wasn’t financially viable to do it.

On a side note, not many away games i’ve walked to (7.2 miles from sale) so that was a first!

 

[Conker]

That was and is the rule.

But against Birmingham that whole covered stand was home fans. Someone said it might be something to do with dispensation because we have building plans in place.

That whole end is a shit show, I don't blame Mansfield fans for not bothering. We need to get into the 21st century.

Next time just give us the full 1400 allocation you can guarantee we will always sell it out, no point holding back a few hundred just for 8 Stockport fans to sit in that covered block.

 

[Stocky]

Next time just give us the full 1400 allocation you can guarantee we will always sell it out, no point holding back a few hundred just for 8 Stockport fans to sit in that covered block.

You didn't sell out according to our club.

Sounds like organisation issues though so probably our fault.

The last two blocks of the Railway End were half empty, your support was getting mocked which I said to those around me was harsh. Definitely a problem at our end.

 

[AdamStag]

You didn't sell out according to our club.

Sounds like organisation issues though so probably our fault.

The last two blocks of the Railway End were half empty, your support was getting mocked which I said to those around me was harsh. Definitely a problem at our end.

Though i appreciate you didn’t - why would any stockport fan mock mansfields away followings, that would be both embarrassing and massively hypocritical

 

[Conker]

You didn't sell out according to our club.

Sounds like organisation issues though so probably our fault.

The last two blocks of the Railway End were half empty, your support was getting mocked which I said to those around me was harsh. Definitely a problem at our end.

Yeah definitely something your end, was sold out according to our ticket office a while back. Bit amateur that, plenty scrambling around trying to get tickets this week…..

Hope you informed those around you Mansfield official Pound 4 Pound #1 rating in the entire country, and also before this season you couldn’t break 1,000 at Field Mill!!!

 

[AdamStag]

Yeah definitely something your end, was sold out according to our ticket office a while back. Bit amateur that, plenty scrambling around trying to get tickets this week…..

Hope you informed those around you Mansfield official Pound 4 Pound #1 rating in the entire country, and also before this season you couldn’t break 1,000 at Field Mill!!!

I tried looking for the post saying we’d sold out, but it was mentioned at the same time as we sold out to bolton at home.

Stockport looked rather poor in their organisation

 

[Stocky]

Definitely. Let's hope we can get some spades in the ground this summer to build the new Railway End.

Mansfield's away support was excellent last season, it's better for everybody when the away fans are into it. Sticking the away supporters in an open end is just shite.

 

[AdamStag]

Definitely. Let's hope we can get some spades in the ground this summer to build the new Railway End.

Mansfield's away support was excellent last season, it's better for everybody when the away fans are into it. Sticking the away supporters in an open end is just shite.

It’s not great, but you’ve 4 stands and if you’ve one stand uncovered you’re going to put away fans in it.

Stockport is an up and coming place with what they’re doing across the board, much to be excited about.

 

[denzel ecfc]

By the way has anyone mentioned that Aaron effing Morley has scored two injury time winners against us in three days, one for Wycombe and one for Bolton.
Should be a law against it.

 

[Casey]

We have no hope whatsoever, the last few weeks are proving something is seriously wrong.
Players don’t give a shit, Elliott looks like a deer in headlights every week with Wagmi controlling him like a puppet.
Today is the first time that I cannot see a glimmer of hope of us avoiding relegation.

I'm surprised you had hope that we could avoid relegation! We are a good non league side. Decent players but most of them have reasons they barely played at league 1 level previously.

My only hope to avoid relegation is with January signings. If you have to pin your hopes on that you know your in trouble.

Didn't go to the game but we are consistent against them. Two 3-0 losses. Barnsley are a step up from us.

Casey

 

[E10rifle]

Not seen any of the game but social media comments suggest that Orient deserved it based on the 2nd half. Benning seemed to be taking the brunt of the blame from the comments for letting your lad get in that position in the first place, and that the shot caught Blackman by surprise. Can't comment as I've not seen it.

Yep, absolutely. First half you came with the same gameplan as Burton: didn’t run a high press, but kept the formation very solid and pressed as soon as we got near the halfway line. Played entirely for free kicks & throw ins (don’t think you put 4+ passes together until injury time).

All fair enough as there was zero creativity in the side and in the few occasions you got drawn higher up the pitch in open play we carved you up. Without Agyei & O’Neill we were lethargic whenever we got into good positions.

Thought you had a great chance at a point/nicking a 1-0, but you came out in the second half looking incredibly leggy. The press broke down all over the pitch and we turned the screw impressively before grabbing the winner. To be honest I thought the goal was a shit cross with his wrong foot from Donley and we got lucky that Blackman likes to come off his line early to command his 6 yard box and it snuck in. None of your subs really changed anything and Kelman should have wrapped the game up long before an injury time flurry. I think chasing the ball for the first 45 after the severe Xmas schedule just meant that you didn’t have the legs for the second half.

 

[dannylad01]

Yep, absolutely. First half you came with the same gameplan as Burton: didn’t run a high press, but kept the formation very solid and pressed as soon as we got near the halfway line. Played entirely for free kicks & throw ins (don’t think you put 4+ passes together until injury time).

All fair enough as there was zero creativity in the side and in the few occasions you got drawn higher up the pitch in open play we carved you up. Without Agyei & O’Neill we were lethargic whenever we got into good positions.

Thought you had a great chance at a point/nicking a 1-0, but you came out in the second half looking incredibly leggy. The press broke down all over the pitch and we turned the screw impressively before grabbing the winner. To be honest I thought the goal was a shit cross with his wrong foot from Donley and we got lucky that Blackman likes to come off his line early to command his 6 yard box and it snuck in. None of your subs really changed anything and Kelman should have wrapped the game up long before an injury time flurry. I think chasing the ball for the first 45 after the severe Xmas schedule just meant that you didn’t have the legs for the second half.

Ainsworth alluded to tired bodies after the game. We've kept the same back 5 and keeper, who only signed before the Wigan game having not had a club all season, for all 5 games over Christmas and New Year. Basically said that they couldn't keep up with your movement in the 2nd half.

At least we've got a week off now to refocus. Play offs a realistic target for Orient?

 

[E10rifle]

Play offs a realistic target for Orient?

Nah, the squad is far too thin. One more injury to the forward players and we’ll be in trouble.