AFC Mansfield nine points clear of danger as half-time team talk leads to away win

AFC Mansfield assistant boss Jon Froggatt said an effective half-time team talk played an important role in the Bulls’ comprehensive win at bottom-of-the-table Gresley that took them nine points clear of danger.

“We just wanted a response,” Froggatt said after the 3-0 victory at the Moat Ground. “Their actions on the pitch (in the first half) weren’t great and we had words at half-time.

“We could have quite easily gone in two or three down at half-time and we couldn’t have had any complaints.

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“Luckily for us we didn’t, we went in 1-0 up and obviously the team talk at half-time worked like chalk and cheese.”

Manager Mark Ward said that despite Evo-Stik League East Division safety looking all but certain, he expects his team to keep playing to as high a standard as possible.

“I want us to really have a good go and just try to finish as high as possible, not just think we’re safe now and go through the motions — that’s the most frustrating thing you can get as a management team,” he said.

“We’re not going to think that the job’s done, but I do think (the win) takes a little bit of pressure off.”

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The Bulls had to weather a storm of Gresley attacks in the first half through resolute defending and expert goalkeeping before Jack Broadhead flicked a header home just before the break against the run of play.

The hosts fell apart in the second half, as Jordan Annable prodded home via the bar before Ollie Fearon rounded the keeper and poked the ball into an empty net a minute later.

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