The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

Question of the Week

Who will go down?







Futcher: Debut
Futcher: Debut

Mansfield Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 13/01/2006

AFTER a twelve day break from any first team action, the Mariners return to Blundell Park in the hope of returning to winning ways against Peter Shirtliff’s Mansfield Town.

Home > 2005-2006 Season > Previews > Mansfield (h)


The Opposition

Overview
The Stags had an horrendous start to the 2005/06 campaign, which saw them win just one of their first 12 games. This meant that Carlton Palmer was soon dismissed as boss, with his assistant Peter Shirtliff (left) taking the reigns. Shirtliff got off to great start with a 1-0 win against Southampton in the Carling Cup and has brought some more solidarity to the side. The former Barnsley defender has guided the Stags to nine wins, nine defeats and four draws. Not promotion form but considering the Stags had only won one game all season before he took over it shows a clear improvement. They even came close to a replay when they narrowly lost 1-0 at Newcastle in the F.A Cup last week. In the league meanwhile, they sit in 20th place, five points from the final relegation place.

Their Squad
Veteran keeper Kevin Pressman (left) is the Stags' number one, having signed in the summer at the age of 38. Rhys Day is a highly rated Welsh defender who has now made just over 100 appearances for the club. Accompanying him in defence is the amusingly named Gareth Jelleyman. The left back has plenty of league experience after spending seven years at Peterborough United. Giles Coke is a lively midfielder who was snapped up from Kingstonian last March. He scored the goal that secured Carling Cup victory over Southampton in September. Allan Russell is currently on loan from Macclesfield. The 25 year old has been playing in attack lately, but could be moved onto the right of midfield in the wake of the arrival of Danny Reet this week. Reet has been on loan at Bury and scored against Town on Boxing Day. He has signed from Sheffield Wednesday for a fee of around £25,000. Striker Adam Birchall likes scoring the Mariners, having netted his first league goals against Town when he scored a brace playing for Wycombe back in August 2004.

Key Player
Richard Barker. Intelligent forward who knows where the back of the net is. Has got 14 goals so far this season to add to the ten he got last season after signing from Rotherham in November 2004. Previously had successful spells and Macclesfield and Brighton.

Recent Form

TownMansfield
LCarlisle(h)1-2
WWrexham(a)2-1
WLincoln(h)3-0
WBury(a)2-1
LBristol R(h)0-1
Currently 3rd in League Two.
LNewscastle (FAC)(a)0-1
DLincoln (h)0-0
WOxford(a)2-1
DBristol R(h)3-3
LNorthampton(a)0-1
Currently 20th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownMansfield
Michael Reddy8
Gary Jones7
Barker14
Brown10

Team News

TownMansfield

  • New signing Ben Futcher is likely to go straight into the starting eleven with Simon Ramsden and Justin Whittle sidelined through injury. Futcher will wear the number 5 shirt vacated by Tony Crane. He will partner Rob Jones, to make the tallest pairing of defender’s in the Football League!

  • John McDermott hopes to be fit enough to play after being out since early December through an ankle injury. Russell Slade will have to decide whether to throw him straight back into the side or stick with on loan Matt Bloomer.

  • Michael Reddy has been struggling with a shin injury this week, but resumed training on Thursday so should be ok to start. Similarly, Gary Croft will be included in the squad after a spell on the sidelines, he is likely to be on the bench.

  • JP Kalala is on international duty with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Terry Barwick will once again be on the bench after returning from his loan spell at York City.
  • New signing Danny Reet will go straight into the side after completing his move from Sheffield Wednesday. He will partner Richard Barker in attack, with Allan Russell possibly moving onto the right wing.

  • Ten goal striker Simon Brown could return to the bench after being sidelined for the last six games with a hamstring problem. However, the Stags will be keen not to rush him back into action.

  • Experienced playmaker Darren Caskey is training with Town but Peter Shirtliff is yet to make a decision on his future.

  • Alex John Baptiste and Kevin Pressman took knocks to their ankles in the game against Newcastle last week but will start. Similarly Rhys Day has been suffering from a stomach strain but has trained this week.
  • Probable Teams

    TownMansfield
    1Steve Mildenhall
    28Matt Bloomer
    3Tom Newey
    4Ben Futcher
    12Rob Jones
    15Gary Cohen
    8Paul Bolland
    18Ciaran Toner
    11Andy Parkinson
    19Gary Jones
    9Michael Reddy
    1Kevin Pressman
    12Jake Buxton
    3Gareth Jelleyman
    5Rhys Day
    6Alex Baptiste
    8Gus Uhlenbeek
    7Stephen Dawson
    15Giles Coke
    18Adam Rundle
    31Danny Reet
    9Richard Barker

    Subs

    TownMansfield
    10Martin Gritton
    17Terry Barwick
    23Nick Heggarty
    20Gary Croft
    2John McDermott
    13Jason White
    16Fraser McLachlan
    22Jon-Olav Hjelde
    11Adam Birchall
    27Jonathan D’Laryea

    Head to Head

    Town have not experienced the greatest set of results against the Stags. This is mainly due to the fact that Town haven’t won at Field Mill since 1956! Nearly all of Town’s wins against Mansfield have come at Blundell Park, with the last two finishing 2-0 to the Mariners.

    P 33 W 9 D 9 L 15 F 42 A 51

    Mansfield Head-to-Head (81st on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The Mariners fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat in their last encounter with Mansfield when they met at Field Mill. The last time they met at Blundell Park, Town ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Jason Crowe and Thomas Pinault. However, last April the scoreline was reversed with Simon Brown and Adam Rundle securing all three points for Mansfield in front of a 3,424 crowd.

    Grimsby Team: Williams, Crowe, Whittle, Forbes, McDermott, Parkinson, Pinault (Soames, 58), Coldicott, Fleming, Gritton (Ramsden, 80), Harrold
    Subs (not used): Robert Jones,Hegarty,Crane

    Mansfield Team: Pilkington, Jelleyman, Baptiste, Day, Buxton, Rundle (Herron, 86), McLachlan (Lloyd, 52), Neil, Brown, Barker, Larkin (Coke, 22)
    Subs: (not used) White,McNiven

    Attendance: 3.127    Report

    Prediction

    3-0 to the Mariners!

    Recent Predictions

    GamePredictionScorePoints
    Carlisle0-01-20
    Wrexham0-02-10
    Lincoln1-03-01
    Bury1-02-11
    Bristol R1-00-10
    Rochdale3-24-11
    Oxford1-13-20
    Wycombe1-21-31
    Macclesfield1-13-10
    Bristol R2-01-21
    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Blundell Park (left).

    Admission Prices

    Click on the link for ticket prices to Blundell Park.




    Add To Facebook


    This site is by the fans, for the fans, and we will consider articles on any subject relating to the Mariners whether it be related to current news, a nostalgic look back in the past, a story about a player, a game or games in the past, something about Blundell Park or football in general. Click here to submit your article!


    Related Stories


    Forum Latest
    Thread TitlePostsLatest Post
    Prediction Thread Barrow A33Norseman28/03 23:36
    Dn35 podcast drinking game6MarinerWY28/03 23:26
    David Artell Interview Dn35 Podcast16WesternMariner28/03 21:26
    Just Back 170diehardmariner28/03 20:03
    New Training Ground.!!57Sigone28/03 19:38
    Youth players out on loan21diehardmariner28/03 16:54
    "Beat the Clock"  Barrow22Grantham_Mariner28/03 15:18
    Bradford KO time?4JK4728/03 13:13
    Twenty First Group / Overseas Market31jimgtfc28/03 11:16
    TV Games/Upcoming Fixtures4SiteBot28/03 03:30