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Player/Manager Ryan Owens reports on his side's 1-2 defeat against AFC Sudbury on Saturday 09 February 2008
A local derby is always one that you look forward to and this game against AFC was no different! With Mark Dack and Craig Green promoted to the first team we welcomed Steve Adams and Tony French who was playing again after injury back into the squad. AFC were fielding a strong side with Matt Stace at centre half and ex Melford front man Danny Stokes in attack. As you can imagine all the players were looking forward to this game and couldn't wait for the game to start.
The match started quite evenly with both teams working hard to retain possession. Adams and Barr were working well to keep Stokes quiet in attack which resulted in a lot of Sudbury's play breaking down in the final third. Mansfield was tested by a long range effort before saving from a header from a well whipped in cross into the Melford area.
The best chance of the first half fell to Owens who from a Carl Cook free kick which was met by Adams failed to fire home the loose ball. This was just before half time and a goal then would have been just reward for the hard work that the Melford charges had put in. With the scores level both teams knew that only half the job was done and that the second half would be much of the same.
Unfortunately, the second half started badly for Melford as virtually straight from the kick off a long range shot was parried by Mansfield into the path of Stokes who fired the ball home to give Sudbury an unexpected lead. As has happened in most weeks the lads responded superbly as they didn't let the goal get their heads down. They continued to work hard and more than matched the strong AFC opposition.
Chances were at a minimum as both defenses where doing well to keep the forwards at bay, the deserved Melford equaliser was duly scored when the impressive JAKE BENNETT scored his first Melford goal with a fine run into the box ending with a left foot shot beating the Sudbury keeper to make things all square.
As the game looked like it was going to end in a draw, another mistake cost us a deserved point. A cross into the box was met by Cook who when just about to clear, Mansfield decided to do the same thing. Unfortunately Mansfield connected with Cook rather than the ball and the ball squirmed to the Sudbury attacker who duly converted to give AFC Sudbury all three points.
On reflection we more than deserved a point against a very strong AFC side, two defensive mistakes cost us and sometimes that is how the game goes. Mansfield has been superb in goal all season and made many outstanding saves that have kept us in matches. As a goalkeeper you're not allowed to make a mistake as when you do it normally ends in a goal being conceded. Nobody remembers the chances the strikers miss or the balls that go astray in the midfield etc. I know that he'll put Saturday behind him as he is a great lad with loads of confidence and ability.
We can take lots from the performance, we're a match for anybody in our division with whoever we play knowing that their going to have a match on their hands. Lets get back to winning ways next week when we travel to Halstead.
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