The travelling Mansfield supporters held aloft a banner which simply read ‘believe’, as both sides took to the field. But ironically, it will be Ian MacParland and his side who will believe they can stay up after the Meadow Lane stalemate.
Notts will be the happier of the two sides after the 0-0 draw, while Paul Holland’s Stags will be left to rue an afternoon of missed opportunities.
The opening exchanges were reminiscent of a Poker game, with both sides weighing each other up, not wanting to show their hand. Richard Butcher twice failed to accurately connect with long-range efforts, and neither goalkeeper was tested.
The Stags star player, Michael Boulding, began to show glimpses of the talent that once saw Aston Villa take a punt on him, with Mansfield breaking well on the counter-attack.
Stephen Dawson blazed over from 25 yards and Jefferson Louis tested Russell Hoult with a shot in the box, before a brilliant Boulding reverse pass cut the Notts defence to ribbons, but Nathan Arnold saw his crashing effort come back off the bar with Hoult beaten at his near post.
The visitors were showing far more quality in possession and Boulding will have felt he should have done better after a clever touch made him a yard of space, but his hooked shot was easily claimed.
Holland must have wandered whether his side would be punished for not capitalising on the first-half dominance. The second-half began much the same as the first, albeit Notts looked the more threatening.
As a contest, the game fizzled out, and it had the inevitable feeling that Mansfield would fail to break down the Notts back-line. County don’t give much away, it was their fourth straight clean-sheet, but they failed to muster any real threat in the final third, and this will again concern the Notts boss.
Both sides could have won it at the death, with the only notable chances of a dull second period. Firstly, substitute Simon Brown’s deep cross was met by Matthew Hamshaw whose cushioned volley should have hit the target. Then in added time, County substitute Spencer Weir-Daley’s clever swivel and shot could have snatched all three points, but Jake Buxton’s desperate lunge deflected it wide.
It would have been cruel on Mansfield to lose the game, but their failure to overhaul their county rivals may have now all but sealed their fate.
Notts will be the happier of the two sides after the 0-0 draw, while Paul Holland’s Stags will be left to rue an afternoon of missed opportunities.
The opening exchanges were reminiscent of a Poker game, with both sides weighing each other up, not wanting to show their hand. Richard Butcher twice failed to accurately connect with long-range efforts, and neither goalkeeper was tested.
The Stags star player, Michael Boulding, began to show glimpses of the talent that once saw Aston Villa take a punt on him, with Mansfield breaking well on the counter-attack.
Stephen Dawson blazed over from 25 yards and Jefferson Louis tested Russell Hoult with a shot in the box, before a brilliant Boulding reverse pass cut the Notts defence to ribbons, but Nathan Arnold saw his crashing effort come back off the bar with Hoult beaten at his near post.
The visitors were showing far more quality in possession and Boulding will have felt he should have done better after a clever touch made him a yard of space, but his hooked shot was easily claimed.
Holland must have wandered whether his side would be punished for not capitalising on the first-half dominance. The second-half began much the same as the first, albeit Notts looked the more threatening.
As a contest, the game fizzled out, and it had the inevitable feeling that Mansfield would fail to break down the Notts back-line. County don’t give much away, it was their fourth straight clean-sheet, but they failed to muster any real threat in the final third, and this will again concern the Notts boss.
Both sides could have won it at the death, with the only notable chances of a dull second period. Firstly, substitute Simon Brown’s deep cross was met by Matthew Hamshaw whose cushioned volley should have hit the target. Then in added time, County substitute Spencer Weir-Daley’s clever swivel and shot could have snatched all three points, but Jake Buxton’s desperate lunge deflected it wide.
It would have been cruel on Mansfield to lose the game, but their failure to overhaul their county rivals may have now all but sealed their fate.
No comments:
Post a Comment