LOMAS ON STAGS: Green can have no complaints as Hoban takes his chance

The subject of Matt Green being dropped from the Mansfield Town side has proved very divisive among Stags fans.
Mansfield Town's Matt Green - Pic by Chris HollowayMansfield Town's Matt Green - Pic by Chris Holloway
Mansfield Town's Matt Green - Pic by Chris Holloway

Some seem completely shocked this could happen and are questioning if there is an injury or if there has been a row, which is ridiculous.

No player at any club should be safe from being dropped or there would be no motivation. Green will know that as well as anyone.

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The striker has faded a little after a bright start to the season, but new signing Pat Hoban has shaken off a pre-season injury and is now fit to play.

It is a manager’s job to keep his first XI fresh and alert and anyone who thinks Green should always be on the team sheet and Hoban, who impressed in pre-season before picking up a knock, should not have his chance at some stage is either a newcomer to football or maybe a close relative of Matt Green.

If Green was scoring regularly then he would be in the side – simple as that.

You could argue that the service to him hasn’t been as good as Green would have liked – but that is tough. Strikers live and die by how many times they hit the net.

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Chances were limited during that poor run of five games without a goal, but when he did have a sniff of the goal, Green failed to put the ball away and paid the price.

Murray took a big gamble to drop Green and throw in Hoban two games back – and the gamble has paid off with two goals, one from Hoban, two decent displays from the striker, and two precious away points.

At the same time the pressure is now building on fellow striker Danny Rose, who is also in desperate need of a goal.

Stags have the experience of Darius Henderson waiting in the wings as well as the pace of CJ Hamilton to do a job up front, as well as a hungry Green, desperate to win his place back.

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Green will be furious he has found himself out the side and will be desperate to get back in and prove everyone wrong; and Stags fans will be hoping he can direct that frustration, anger and energy into the direction of the opposition goal.

It remains to be seen if Green will be given an outing at Port Vale in tomorrow night’s Checkatrade Trophy game to keep him fit and sharp ahead of the big local derby next weekend.

After seven games without a win, being back at home and it being a local derby, this game is huge for Mansfield’s season, so Murray knows he needs to get the striker decisions spot on.

After showing early promise as a pair, Murray’s original front combination of Green and Danny Rose has failed to set games alight.

Murray may not yet have fallen onto what will be his best front pairing.

But right now Hoban has proved he deserves a shirt for the Notts County match.

Who will be alongside him remains to be seen.