7,200 watch Stags fall 2-0 to Gateshead
The biggest crowd in 6 years watched on as part time Gateshead came to Mansfield and upset the party on Saturday. We were poor. Really, really poor. One of the worst performances I have ever seen from Mansfield.
The stands were packed and the scene was set for the Stags to impress all the fans that had come along. The kick off got delayed 15minutes as there were still so many fans outside the ground. The North stand got opened and people flooded in.
About 3.15 and the match finally kicked off. The ball got passed back to Hotchkiss and crunch, a Gateshead player had flew into him and won the ball straight away. It was the story of the afternoon. We were too slow and didn’t look up for it. Time and time again Gateshead won the second ball and put us under constant pressure.
The first goal was a massive blow. Brian Wake was allowed to run a good 40 yards without any challenge and he hit a shot that deflected off Armstrong and curled round Marriott. 1-0. From then on we were second best. The crowd had been silenced. Just what Gateshead wanted. We couldn’t get going and it was almost as if we had no midfield. The ball was hoofed time and time again from defence up to the strikers. But the ball just kept coming back. However, we didn’t get the idea and carried on doing it!
The second half started and it was more of the same. We conceded early doors and the game was pretty much over. For some reason Foster let the ball bounce and Wake got in behind at was one on one with Marriott and he made no mistake. He rifled the ball into the back of the net. 2-0.
We managed to muster 2 or 3 good chances but Duffy, Speight nor Williams could take them. By the 75th minute the stadium had emptied. The 2700 or so season tickets holders and the Gateshead following remained.
Boos echoed around the stadium as the final whistle was blown. Not good enough Stags. Especially when we face promotion hopefuls Stevenage Borough tomorrow! We need to book our ideas up or we could get a right thrashing down at the Lamex!
