CATLING'S CORNER: Formation tweak the key for Stags' derby success

Hi everybody and welcome back to the returning Catling's Corner.
Mansfield Town v Notts County, Saturday October 8th 2016. Mansfield Town player Matt Green celebrates after scoring his 2nd goal of the game. Picture: Chris EtchellsMansfield Town v Notts County, Saturday October 8th 2016. Mansfield Town player Matt Green celebrates after scoring his 2nd goal of the game. Picture: Chris Etchells
Mansfield Town v Notts County, Saturday October 8th 2016. Mansfield Town player Matt Green celebrates after scoring his 2nd goal of the game. Picture: Chris Etchells

Sorry everyone for not having any blogs for a while as I have been busy but hopefully they will be back regularly now.

Right now as it’s been so long I’ll start with my opinion of the season so far.

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For me away from home we’ve started brilliantly and seem to be getting things right.

At home on the other hand it has been the opposite until last Saturday’s local derby.

We have some cracking players this season but the only thing lacking for me from what I’ve seen so far is width and proper wingers.

This week, however, has been a really good one with getting a point at Accrington last Saturday and three points in the Checkatrade JPT Cup, whatever it is, against Port Vale.

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The best thing from that cup was young Tom Marriott, who was fantastic, and Matt Green gaining confidence with his goal as he had been badly out of form.

Other players also got valuable game time and coming on yesterday against County and winning the game for us.

The first 25 to 30 minutes was all Notts, and to be honest we were very lucky not to be a couple of goals down.

But a simple change of formation from Murray got us back into the game.

That’s really as simple as it was to get back into it.

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We started with a 4-4-2 formation with Danny Rose and Pat Hoban starting up front, Mitch Rose on the left and Kevan Hurst on the right.

A simple change of moving Danny Rose to the right and Hoban up top on his own with Mitch Rose just behind Hoban and Hurst to the left soon got us back into the game.

The main factor obviously was Matt Green when he came on, but Hoban was by far the best player on the pitch.

He tired their defence out all game, knocking numerous flick-ons and holding the ball up.

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Well played Pat and you deserved the shot you had that hit the bar to go in.

As Hoban had worked tirelessly, it paved the way for Green and Darius Henderson to be able to play as well as they did when they came on, Green now hopefully looking back to his sharp best and Henderson scoring his first goal for the Stags couldn’t have come at a better time - not just because it was a derby, but we have been lacking goals this season.

A special mention also to Jamie McGuire who I thought was brilliant as well.

For me he is the club captain and you always know what you are going to get from him.

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The first 30 minutes were certainly all Clownty but for a change we came through the pressure and came out of it at 0-0.

As the first half drew to a close we came into it a bit more and all the second half we played a lot better.

At the end of the game we were certainly valuable winners.

We could and should have had two penalties as they were both nailed on in my eyes.

With Hoban hitting the post, and the other penalty that should have been, for me the score was probably about right.

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I now hope this will spur us on at home as it has been really poor up until this.

With a big game coming up this weekend against Wycombe we need to get back-to-back wins.

I now end my blog by congratulating my mate Chay Bray and his wife Lisa on the birth of their baby girl.

So come on Adam Murray’s barmy army and COYS!

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