Saturday 5th November 2016
FA Cup First Round
at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
Mansfield Town (0) 1
Ash Hemmings 58
Plymouth Argyle (1) 2
Jordan Slew 14
David Fox 80
Attendance 2,318 (inc. 439 in away end)
FA Cup First Round
at the One Call Stadium, Field Mill
Mansfield Town (0) 1
Ash Hemmings 58
Plymouth Argyle (1) 2
Jordan Slew 14
David Fox 80
Attendance 2,318 (inc. 439 in away end)
Mansfield Town:
Jensen, Bennett, Benning, Collins (D. Rose, 87), Pearce, Clements, Green, Baxendale (Henderson, 81’), M. Rose (Thomas, 73), Hemmings, McGuire
Unused subs - Shearer, Hamilton, Hurst, Hoban
Plymouth Argyle:
McCormick, Miller, Bulvitis, Bradley, Purrington, Songo’o, Fox, Tanner (Donaldson, 61’), Carey, Slew (Ijaha 82), Spencer
Unused subs - Goodwillie, Jervis, Osborne, Dorel
Alas, the Argyle substitute David Goodwillie never made an appearance this afternoon, so several punny jokes that I had been stockpiling since the draw for the FA Cup First Round was made, went to waste and my premature planning went all floppy far too soon.
It was a most unpleasant experience watching the Stags this afternoon; not necessarily because of their performance, because lord knows I have seen them play much worse than they did today, much, much worse! Nor was it the fact that they crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, because it was always going to be a tall order, trying to overcoming the 'champions elect' of League 2 anyway... and it certainly wasn't the tactics that Adam Murray had employed on a day when the home side certainly gave it a go, at times.
I hate seeing any Mansfield Town team lose, so I was never likely to be jumping for joy at the final whistle, but, ironically, I was quite relieved to hear the referee blow time, for a completely none football related reason... and that was down to the fact that I wouldn't have to spend another single moment sat anywhere near some of most unintelligent, blinkered, ignorant, hatred and bile filled people, that it has ever been my misfortune to encounter in any football ground.
They were Stags fans (apparently) wearing the amber and blue of a club that they purported to love and support, yet their body language, expletive strewn angry language and scowling faces suggested that they either despised Mansfield Town Football Club completely, or that they have some serious mental problems and use football matches as an outlet for their aggressive tendencies.
The vast majority of Stags fans are great people, I would gladly take them all to bed and have a great big rampant love in with them; but there are far too many of the 'enemy within' types to call a minority within the ranks, spoiling the atmosphere and dragging everyone down into the same miserable depths of despair that they inhabit.
One really must ask: if some people hate being at Field Mill so much and turn up already full of predetermined judgmental and personal abuse, why don't they save themselves a few quid and fuck off somewhere else!?
The award for the biggest imbecile of the afternoon was the twenty stone lump, wearing XL clothing when XXXXL might have been less embarrassing, glaring through his thick rimmed spectacles and shouting: "Not good enough Murray, lose some weight you fat c*** and get yourself some glasses!"
I believe that when you get a lobotomy at the Kings Mill Hospital, they chuck in the irony by-pass operation for free.
The Quarry Lane End was left empty today, with a lower than usual attendance expected, I really wish that I could've have gone and sat in there all on my own, not because I found the ogres sat around me intimidating in any way at all... in fact I had planned, to quite an advanced stage, how quickly I could chuck around half a dozen of them over the edge into the lower tier seats before the stewards got to me; but at least in my solitude, sat among the sea of empty yellow seats behind the goal, I could actually watch the game and appreciate what was actually happening on the pitch, without being subjected to a constant flow of rabid screaming, emanating from from an army of Frank Doberman wannabes.
I doubt if there are any supporters from that sheep fornicating shower across the M1 in that there Derbyshire, who genuinely detest the Stags as much as some of this lot today did.
Oh yeah! There was a game of football to write about too.
In the fourteenth minute, Sonny Bradley, a tower of strength at the back for Argyle all afternoon, headed away a left wing free kick from Chris Clements and directed the ball towards Jordan Slew, who sprinted forwards, sixty yards, possibly seventy even, before scoring with a diagonal shot across Brian Jensen.
But other than that, the visitors didn't offer much in the way of any attacking intentions and though the word 'dominated' that I have seen thrown about, would be a bit flattering to either side, the Stags certainly had the better of things possession wise. That said, it is always preferable to score two thirds of the goals in a knock out competition than clain to have had 66% of the open play.
In the second half, Ash Hemmings restored parity with a sublime strike from the left hand side of the six yard box that the Argyle keeper did well to stay out of the way off, for fear of risking life and limb.
But the visitors with just their second goal attempt on target (though to be fair they had several other near misses in the second half), regained the lead in the eightieth minute, when Yann Songo'o took the ball down with his hand and fed it to Jimmy Spencer who knocked it out wide to Slew, who (apparently) had stayed just onside and crossed to David Fox who netted from eight yards, while Jamie McQuire was prevented from cutting out the cross field ball as he was pushed to the ground just inside the Stags goal area. Now none of that was Adam 'effing' Murray's fault, was it!?
But the visitors with just their second goal attempt on target (though to be fair they had several other near misses in the second half), regained the lead in the eightieth minute, when Yann Songo'o took the ball down with his hand and fed it to Jimmy Spencer who knocked it out wide to Slew, who (apparently) had stayed just onside and crossed to David Fox who netted from eight yards, while Jamie McQuire was prevented from cutting out the cross field ball as he was pushed to the ground just inside the Stags goal area. Now none of that was Adam 'effing' Murray's fault, was it!?
The main body of the Stags supporters had applauded their team off at half time and repeated their generous display of approval at the end of the game.
Alas, it is always the misguided Mr Angry types who blow up like indignant puffer fish and make the most noise, which was sad to hear, but not unexpected.
People wonder where the Stags faithful are these days on Saturday afternoon's. Well, watching games is an expensive pastime, even with today's slashed admission prices, but I'd wager that a good number of people are put off by the omnipresent neanderthal moaning brigade. They've paid their money and are entitled to an opinion, just the same as anyone else, but it would be nice if they didn't spend all afternoon sat anywhere near me in future... unless they like over walls to their imminent doom. Just saying!
FT: Mansfield Town 1 v Plymouth Argyle 2
Positives? It's getting ffffffffffffcold at night, did anybody really fancy a long drive to Plymouth for a midweek replay!?
