Stags end season in style

It was the final game of the season. The sun was out and we were leading 3-0 at half time. Too good to be true? Well yeah..

It was the first time in a while that I was actually looking forward to going to Field Mill on Saturday. The new home kit was being unveiled, the season was nearly over and it gave me a chance to get a snack box from KFC.

We got to the ground about 2.45, swapped our season tickets for the QLE and queued up to go in. Yes, there was a queue to get in! I had a quick browse through the programme and stuck it under my seat and the players made there way out for the last time this season. Again just like at Oxford there was no left back in the team. Andy Burgess had the job of filling in there. The new kit was a bit strange, the amber socks were nice but the shirts looked a little bit tacky.

The first goal came after just 18minutes and it was the first real clean cut chance of the afternoon. A great through ball by Gary Mills set Jake Speight on his way who fired the ball straight across the keeper and into the net from 20yards. Brilliant stuff. We doubled the lead 8 minutes later. It was Speight again. He won the ball down the line, outpaced two players and finished brilliantly again from 6yards out.

Speight had his first hatrick for Stags just before half time. Marriott launched the ball upfield, Duffy flicked it on and Speight prodded the ball in the net. The keeper should have easily saved it but for some bizarre reason he just watched it go past his right hand. Half time and we were cruising. The crowd clapped the team off after an excellent first half performance.

The second half started and I jokingly said to my mate Kiddy are going to win this 4-3. I didn’t actually expect them to put a fight. 6 minutes into the half and Kiddy had one back. Smikle (who I wouldn’t mind seeing playing for us next season) whipped in a cross and Bryne nodded it in past Marriott. It was important we didn’t crumble and concede another one now. But we failed in doing that. Knights was allowed to run with the ball and shoot straight into the bottom corner with power. Marriott stood no chance and the away fans were going crazy.

Holdsworth changed the shape of the team by bringing on Istead for Briscoe. We went from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3. A formation we haven’t really got to grips with. We managed to create a couple of decent chances though. Duffy headed 5 yards wide with a power header and Speight turned two defenders and looked to have found the bottom left hand corner but the Kiddy keeper managed to get his hands to the ball. Great save.

Next up was the best goal of the afternoon. McPhee hit a terrific volley from the edge of the area which looped straight into the top right hand corner of Marriotts goal. He didn’t even move. Take a bow son! A fair amount of Stags fans around me clapped. Amazing goal. It kind of made us play better for the 13 minutes. Istead looked pretty dangerous and Williams had a couple of decent chances and Somner forced a great saved for their keeper. But the referee blew his whistle and it finished 3-3.

This was the signal for all the little kids to charge onto the pitch and get rather happy. I’ve never understood this but at least this year the stewards wern’t running around charging them down. They intelligently stood in the goal to stop them from swinging on the posts and causing damage. Some of the mindless kids ran to the dugouts and decided to have a swing on them instead though. Idiots. One lad dislocated his knee (from what I heard) and an ambulance had to come onto the pitch to sort him out. We waited for the players to come out and clap the fans but they never appeared so we headed for the exit.

Strangely enough the result reflected what our season has been like. A brilliant start but we just couldn’t keep up with the pace and faded away after the half way point. I get the impression that there will be a lot of players leaving Field Mill this summer and not so many coming back in. Here is hoping we can have a successful one next season!

Have a good summer and see you back at the Mill in August. Keep the faith!