Vs Gainsborough Trinity

BULLSEYE www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 1

O f f i c i a l m at c h p r o g r a m m e o f A F C M a n s f i e l d Season 2020/21 | Issue 03 | £2

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PAGE 2 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Contents

1 3 5 6 9 10 14-15 16 19 20 24-25 26-27 Back page

COVER PHOTO: lynton karkach Chairman’s Report From the Dugout As It Stands Meet the Team Stat attack MATCHFACTS The non-league paper In The Hotseat: matt wilson Match Report: YORKSHIRE AMATEUR The Opposition Match report: cleethorpes town Today’s Teams

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 3

Chairman’s Report I am sure Matt will have the players up for this encounter, writes club Chairman Andrew Saunders...

G

ood evening everyone to the Forest Town Arena for this evenings FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round against Gainsborough Trinity, a very warm welcome to the players officials and supporters from Gainsborough Trinity.

Gainsborough play there football in the Northern Premier league,two levels above. Having been formed in 1873 there is almost 140 years of history between ourselves and our visitors.

Saturday saw us loose out to Yorkshire Amateur 1 nil to a goal conceded in added time. Playing with ten men for the last 40 minutes gave us an uphill task,but we defended extremely well and could have scored ourselves on the break. Our visitors tonight had a great result in there first game of the season beating Hyde 2-0 on there own patch.

I’m sure Matt will have the players up for this encounter and the FA

Cup does bring some surprises. Lets just dream of getting a result that gets us into the next round of the best Cup competition in the World.

Our under 21’s kick off there season tomorrow night with an away fixture at Clay Cross Town. This is followed up with three consecutive home games here at the Arena.

Admission to these games is £3.00 for adults,£2-00 concessions and kids free.

We now have a contact less payment system in place and we would like as many of you to use this as you can.

Enjoy the Game and lets hope for an upset come 9.45.

C’MON YOU BULLS!!

PAGE 4 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 5

FROM THE DUGOUT Matt Chatfield first team manager

W

e have had the rub of the green in our first 2 FA Cup fixtures, where all the major decisions have just about gone our way. On Saturday we saw the flip side of that with all the decisions going against us. Thats football I suppose.

I think we definitely deserved something out of the game after playing 40 minutes with 10 men.

The red card was soft in the extreme and on another day it wouldn’t have been given.

The lads then battled superbly against a very strong Yorkshire Amateur side who will be challenging for honours come the end of the season.

Tonights opponents Gainsborough Trinity play 2 steps above us and won on Saturday. It is a tough ask for us, but of one thing I can be sure we will not lose through lack of effort. The lads have shown they can put a shift in and we will be at it again tonight.

I hope we make it an enjoyable night for you and us.

Enjoy the game!

PAGE 6 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

As it stands...

As it stands...

As it stands...

As it stands...

FIXTURES THIS WEEK

Tuesday 22nd September, 2020 FA Cup First Round Qualifying Vs Gainsborough Trinity AFC Mansfield NCEL Premier Division Vs Goole AFC Eccleshill United Vs Silsden Garforth Town Vs Hemsworth MW Staveley MW Vs Bridlington Town Knaresborough Town Vs Liversedge Maltby Main Vs Albion Sports Thackley NCEL Division One Vs Swallownest Dronfield Town Vs Armthorpe Welfare East Hull Vs Parkgate Hall Road Rangers Vs Hallam Retford FC Vs North Ferriby Harrogate Railway Ath. Vs Emley AFC Selby Town Vs Campion Worsbrough Bridge Ath. Wednesday 23rd September, 2020 NCEL Premier Division Vs Yorkshire Amateur Bottesford Town Vs Barton Town Grimsby Borough Vs Athersley Recreation Handsworth NCEL Division One Vs Nostell MW Brigg Town Vs Rossington Main Winterton Rangers

Up Next: V

V

SAT 26 SEPT | 3pm

TUE 29 SEPT | 7:45pm

SAT 3 oct | 3pm

tues 6 OCT | 7.45pm

NCEL Premier Division

NCEL Premier Division

ncel premier division

NCEL PREMIER DIVISION

V

V

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 7

acorn signs - A6 landscape advert (NEW 2018).pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

1

02/08/2019

07:48:29

PAGE 8 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 9

MEET THE T E A M Matt CHATFIELD

John STANCLIFFE

Manager Sponsored by SERENDIPITY

Andy MORRIS

Assistant MGR Sponsored by

GK

DF

Jordan ANNABLE

Hugo WARHURST

Sponsored by LES NORMAN

Sponsored by PHILIP SAUNDERS

Sponsored by SANITARYWARE SUPPLIES CO.

MF

Morgan JAMES

Sponsored by STEVE GARNER

Sponsored by MIKE ABBS FW

MF

Sam PIPES

Sponsored by

Matt SYKES

Sponsored by TERRY AUSTIN

Sponsored by ROB WAITE THE 66POW

MF

Connor McMILLAN

Sponsored by

FW

Luke WALKER

Sponsored by PAUL DEAN

MF

Bobby BATTISON

Sponsored by NEIL BIRZULIS

DF

Liam MARSDEN

Sponsored by JOAN SAUNDERS

MF

Phil BUXTON (C)

Assistant physio Sponsored by

DF

Ben ALGAR

Sponsored by

MF

Jon D’LARYEA

Physio Sponsored by

DF

Josh WILDE

Sponsored by

DF

Tom SLONE

GK COACH Sponsored by

DF

Matt WILSON

Sponsored by

DF

Jack HARRISON

Coach Sponsored by

Jason TRUSCOTT

Lucy OWENS

Fahad SALEH

Sponsored by

FW

Ross DUGGAN

Sponsored by DARREN SHAW

FW

Lynton KARKACH

Sponsored by TERRY AUSTIN

PAGE 10 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

STAT ATTACK

Statistics don’t tell everything - but they do say something.

AFC’s season 2020-21 in numbers

3

Games played

3

Goals scored

2

Wins

2

Goals conceded

1

Defeats

TOP SCORERS Lynton Karkach - 1

2-1

Biggest win

Ross Duggan - 1

Luke Walker - 1

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PAGE 12 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 13

PAGE 14 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

2020

1 Date SEPT

Opposition

Tues 01

Sherwood Colliery

H

FAC EPR

Sat 12

Cleethorpes Town

A

FAC PR

Sat 19

Yorkshire Amateur

H

NCELP

Tues 22 Gainsborough Trinity H

FAC 1Q

Sat 26 Tues 29

2

3

4

V Competition Att. F-A o.g.

Maltby Main

A

NCELP

Penistone Church

H

NCELP

300 2-1 1 238 1-0 65 0-1

5

6

WARHURST

MARSDEN

WILDE

HARRISON

WILSON

ANNABLE

WARHURST

MARSDEN

ALGAR

HARRISON

ANNABLE

WILDE

WARHURST

MARSDEN

WILDE

D'LARYEA

ANNABLE

HARRISON

7 KARKACH KARKACH KARKACH

OCT Sat 03 Tues 06

Hemsworth MW

H

NCELP

Goole AFC

A

NCELP

Sat 10

Thackley AFC

H

NCELP

Sat 17

Garforth Town

H

NCELP

Barton Town

H

NCELP

Wed 04

Handsworth

A

NCELP

Sat 07

Albion Sports

H

NCELP

Tues 10

Athersley Rec

H

NCELP

Sat 14

Liversedge

A

NCELP

Sat 21 Knaresborough Town H

NCELP

Tues 27 NOV

Wed 25

Staveley MW

A

NCELP

Sat 28

Grimsby Borough

H

NCELP

Sat 05

Bridlington Town

A

NCELP

Sat 12

Maltby Main

H

NCELP

Sat 19

Hemsworth MW

H

NCELP

Sat 26

Silsden

H

NCELP

DEC

Jan-21 Sat 02

Thackley AFC

A

NCELP

Sat 09

Garforth Town

H

NCELP

Sat 23

Athersley Rec

A

NCELP

Liversedge

FEB Sat 06

H

NCELP

Sat 13 Knaresborough Town A

NCELP

Sat 20

Handsworth

H

NCELP

Sat 27

Penistone Church

A

NCELP

MAR Sat 06

Barton Town

A

NCELP

Sat 13

Eccleshill Utd

H

NCELP

Wed 17

Albion Sports

A

NCELP

Sat 20 Sat 27 APR Sat 03 Sat 10 Tues 13 Sat 17 Sat 24 MAY Sat 01 Sat 08

Bottesford Town Staveley MW

A H

NCELP NCELP

Silsden Yorkshire Amateur Bottesford Town Goole AFC Grimsby Borough

A A H H A

NCELP NCELP NCELP NCELP NCELP

Eccleshill Utd Bridlington Town

A H

NCELP NCELP

1st Sub 2nd Sub 3rd Sub MoM đ&#x;??đ&#x;?? Goalscorers in RED OR WHITE (if MoM) CAPTAIN

Action from the 1-0 home defeat to Yorkshire Amateur

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 15

8 BUXTON

9 DUGGAN

10

11

12

14 WALKER

ALGAR

SYKES

D'LARYEA

BUXTON

WALKER

JAMES

SYKES

DUGGAN

SLONE

BUXTON

WALKER

SYKES

ALGAR

DUGGAN

MCMILLAN

15

16

17

18

MCGUIRE

JAMES

SLONE

MCMILLAN

MCMILLAN STANCLIFFE WILSON

SLONE

PIPES

19 STANCLIFFE

PAGE 16 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

IF YOU’RE

reading this, then it’s good news – you’re reading a football programme, an increasingly endangered species.

Like many things post-coved and in this ‘new normal’ there are lots of things different at our Non-League grounds now.

The National League have given their clubs the option of not running programmes this year and we’ve seen similar in the EFL. In this digital world an increasing number of clubs are looking at those avenues rather than the printed page.

Everyone will have their views on this traditional aspect of football match going.

But here we are, in a programme, talking about competitive Non-League football. Hopefully that is as good to read as it is good to write.

For many months now we’ve not had much competitive football to write about in The NLP. Yes, we had some play-off games, but the return this month of competitive football starting with the FA Cup has been most welcome.

Of course, everything around the game is different.

We’re all getting used to the added things we have to do. Book a ticket online beforehand, fill out a test and trace form, sanitise our hands as we enter the ground, follow one-way systems.

It’s very different to what we left in March when the 2019-20 season stopped in its tracks. Players are turning up in kit, staying out at half-time for team talks – the current weather helps – and sitting apart on the bench.

But, when the whistle goes, it’s back to the football we’ve all missed so much.

Crowds being allowed back in stadiums was a massive breakthrough. Hopefully Steps 2 and above will soon follow because all clubs need that money coming through the gate.

From a reporters point of view, we’ve never covered such a fluid situation. Things changed literally by the hour. Sometimes even within ten minutes of being told one thing, another call would come through saying it was now something else. It’s been a challenge!

Without crowds it would have been impossible to start the season. Then the fears for clubs as soon as the pandemic broke out would have been multiplied.

I remember one week, way back in the summer, being told four different opinions on the start date for 202021. One said September/October, another ventured November, someone else thought January and another, informed person, feared not at all!

Thankfully the first person’s guess was correct but we all are aware it’s a fine line with cases on the rise again.

Already we’re getting used to clubs withdrawing from the FA Cup at the last minute because of positive tests and there will no doubt be late cancellations of games throughout the season.

We can all play our part. Help clubs stick to the crucial social distancing rules that need to be adhered to. Fill out test and trace forms and throw a couple of extra quid into the coffers.

Every little helps. Including buying this programme.

Enjoy your football!

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 17

PAGE 18 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 19

In the hotseat:

Matt WILSON

Place of birth STOCKTON-ON-TEES Age 33 Occupation TEACHER PArtner SOPHIE kids jonah & seth Previous clubs

Most memorable moment SCORING A PENALTY AT WEMBLEY AND WINNING THE FA TROPHY, WINNING CONFERENCE NORTH

Funniest moment N/A (ITS A SERIOUS GAME!) Favourite player GAZZA Favourite pro club MIDDLESBOROUGH FC DARLINGTON, GAINSBOROUGH Favourite food trinity, ALFRETON town, BOSTON THAI UTD, GUISELEY, WORKSOP TOWN, Other info NORTH FERRIBY utd, LINCOLN UTD SUPER TRENDY SEXY BASTARD!

PAGE 20 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

AFC Mansfield YORKSHIRE AMATEUR AFC

H

eartbreak for AFC Mansfield as they conceded right at the end of the game to see visitors Yorkshire Amateur take all 3 points through a Daniel Naidole strike from the edge of the box.

Manager Matt Chatfield said after the game “It is hard to take, having played 40 minutes with 10 men we deserved something from the game. We defended well and had chances to win the game.”

It was a fairly even start to the game but on 11 minutes Fernando Moke should have done better when he fired over the bar. 3 minutes later a dangerous cross from Algar is cleared by the visitors.

Roy Fogarty saw his effort glance off the bar after a neat turn just inside the box. Steve Crawford then has his driven effort saved comfortably by Hugo Warhurst.

On the half hour mark The Bulls had the best chance of the match when Josh Wilde’s fierce drive was superbly saved by Kyle Trenerry and then Luke Walker’s follow up was cleared off the line.

Adam Priestley then headed over the bar and a few minutes later pulls his shot wide of the mark.

Luke Walker went close just before the break when his shot on the run curls and dips narrowly over the bar.

On 49 minutes AFC were left with a difficult task when Jack Harrison was shown red for an innocuous coming together that the referee deemed a last man foul.

0 1

Matt Dempsey put his chance over the bar and Matt Sykes fires well wide with a long-range effort on 65 minutes.

Ross Duggan, on as a replacement for Walker beats 3 men inside the visitor’s box but is denied by an excellent one handed save from Trenerry.

Both Moke and substitute Daniel Naidole see efforts go wide as the clock ticked down.

Duggan again cuts in from the right and his drive shaves the bar.

Just as it looked to be going to be 0-0 another fussy free-kick given by the referee saw the visitors pick up the loose ball and when it found its way to the feet of Naidole his driven shot beat Warhurst and nestled in the far corner of the net.

AFC Mansfield: Warhurst, Marsden, Wilde, D’Laryea, Annable, Harrison, Karkach, Buxton (C), Walker (Duggan 60), Sykes, Algar (Wilson 78). Subs not used: McMillan, Slone & Pipes.

Yorkshire Amateur: Trenerry, Smith, Henry, Dempsey (C), Beaston, Sharry (Naidole 70), Moke, Crawford, Fogarty, Stewart, Priestley. Subs not used: Flynn, Dixon & Killock.

MoM: Jordan Annable Att: 65

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 21

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PAGE 22 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

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PAGE 24 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

THE OPPOSITION:

G

ainsborough Trinity’s first match was against Newton Heath, who went bankrupt ten years later before reforming as Manchester United. Trinity held on to their place in Division Two but based in an area with a small population it was always a struggle and the club returned to the Midland League in 1912. Here they were to settle and earn more success, winning the championship in 1927/28, 1948/49 and 1966/67, also finishing in second place on two occasions.

Gainsborough Trinity when Peter Swan, a businessman new to town, bought out his fellow directors and took overall charge of the club. His ambition for Gainsborough and for Trinity was high and fans soon noticed this with the arrival of Luke Beckett; Huddersfield’s Town top scorer who also quickly became Trinity’s top scorer. The pace of major signings continued many with recent Football League/Conference experience.

At the beginning of the next season, it would have been fair to say that there was a real bout of optimism in the town and amongst Trinity supporters.

However after very few games in which the lack of success was noticeable, especially at home, the new owner dispensed with the services of the then manager, Steve Charles, and his coaching staff and appointed the very experienced manager, Brian Little, in his place. He brought with him a wide and successful experience as manager; his previous clubs including Aston Villa, Leicester and Hull and it was hoped he would bring the same success to Gainsborough Trinity. As the season progressed it quickly became clear that it was a false dawn - results were not going well for the Blues, this despite the Trinity has long been noted for finding players who have gone on to play in the Chairman’s continued investment in experienced players and the past success Football League and the man who was to become their Honorary Manager for of the Manager. At the end of the season Trinity narrowly escaped relegation over 30 years, Charles Caldicott, arranged the transfers to League clubs of 19 and the optimism at the start of the season had faded into disappointment with players in the 1930’s and 40’s. Several former Trinity stars went on to play for results and performances.

England; goalkeeper Ronnie Sewell, who also played for Burnley, Jackie Morton who was sold to West Ham United and left winger Fred Spicksley who went to This disappointment continued into the next season and it was not long before the manager’s services were dispensed with and his deputy Steve Housham Sheffield Wednesday and played seven times for his country, twice scoring appointed to the post. Steve was known through the respect he had earned hat tricks against Scotland. playing for Scunthorpe and through bringing success as manager at Brigg Town.

Trinity also has a proud record in the FA Cup, and between 1927 and 1939 The Steve Housham era as manager, together with the investments of the established a non-league record by appearing eight times in the Second Chairman, began to bear fruit and success at last arrived. In 2011/12 the club Round Proper. In the season 2006 - 2007 the club reached the First Round finished fourth in the Conference North, qualifying for the promotion play-offs.

Proper for the 36th time in their history before losing at home to Hartlepool.

However, after beating Halifax Town in the semi-finals, Trinity lost the final 1-0 to As a Midland League side they have recorded five victories against Football Nuneaton Town in front of a Northolme packed to capacity.

League opposition, beating Crewe twice in 1928 and 1931, Port Vale in 1937 Success continued the following season (2012/13) as Trinity reached the semiand Gateshead the following year. The first competition after the Second World War saw most rounds played over two legs, and Trinity recorded a First finals of the FA Trophy for the first time, losing to eventual winners Wrexham.

The fact that the away game was televised was a first for the club, though those Round aggregate victory over Mansfield Town. with limited technical skills found they had to cope with a commentary in Welsh!

Trinity has always been a well-run club with a dedicated team of directors However, the combination of money and Steve Housham’s undoubted skill at who kept the club solvent and, for their size, relatively successful. However, management was not to last. At the end of this season, major change was to in the spring of 2009 there was a major change in the management of come again as the Chairman took his money and moved to Scunthorpe United.

Despite the Chair fulfilling his promise of not leaving the club in debt, he did leave a club with the turmoil of finding new directors, new investment and new players on a vastly reduced budget.

In 1960/61 the league was suspended for one season and Trinity competed in the Central Alliance. On returning to the Midland League the club remained there until becoming founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1969. Gainsborough have never won the NPL although the club twice finished in 4th place and have taken league cup honours on two occasions along with the Chairman’s Charity Shield. Trinity was the longest-serving member of the NPL, ending a 36-year stay after finishing tenth in the Premier Division to earn a place in the extended Conference Nationwide North for 2004/05.

It was at this time, the beginning of 2013/14, that the spirit of Gainsborough came to the fore and local businessmen, many relatively young, volunteered to take over the helm. It was a very challenging time, but the work of the new team of directors, together with the skills of Steve Housham in choosing players, many on loan, ensured that this season of transition did not end in relegation and the town breathed a sigh of relief.

Trinity’s Northolme ground has been a home of sport for nearly 150 years, beginning life as a cricket ground, later sharing it with Trinity before it became owned by the Trinity Supporters Club. The record attendance for a football match was recorded in the Midland League during the 1940’s when 9760

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 25

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY witnessed a game against near neighbours Scunthorpe United. However, in 2009 the arrival of Peter Swann, the ambitious Chairman, nearly brought an end to the Northolme as Trinity’s home as he put forward a planning application to create a new sports complex in association with a local school to provide a new ground, improved parking, a social club as well as multi-weather training pitches for use by the club, the school and other local sports clubs. This proposal split the town and the fans but when the initial application was turned down, the Chairman decided to move on and the Northolme was saved from the indignity of being turned into a supermarket!

Richard Kane took over as Chairman of the club in January 2014 and quickly set about bringing the club back to the community. A local businessman Kane immediately set about cutting the cloth accordingly, as the sife fought to remain in the second tier of non-league football.

Steve Housham and Darryn Stamp were the men in charge when Kane took the helm. in total managing the club for five years. Despite a good FA Cup run that saw Trinity beat neigbours Boston United, lower tier Droylsden in a seven goal thriller and Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground, before a narrow defeat to Shrewsbury Town.

Club legend Dominic Roma took over in the February of 2015, on an interim basis, with the side sliding towards relegation. He oversaw the side’s safety and was subsequently named permanent manager, appointing Martin Foster as his assistant in the summer. A shift towards a more professional approach and a younger side started brightly, but with a post Christmas slide, Roma stood down. Dave Frecklington was next to be appointed as manager, making it three managers in as many years for chairman Richard Kane. Frecklington, who had good success at a lower level with Spalding & brought vastly experienced Terry Fleming as his assistant. Frecks secured the club’s National League North status by default, despite losing 5-1 at FC United of Manchester on the final day, Worcester losing to Fylde, on an afternoon of rollercoaster emotions left Trinity to fight another day.

An up and down opening half to the season saw the Holy Blues reach the first round of the FA Cup, beating Champions elect, Harrogate en-route, but a chasenting 0-6 reverse at the Martin & Co Arena literally knocked the Blues for six. With the month of February once again approaching and the Holy Blues struggling for form, a turgid away record that included 3-0 4-0 and 5-0 defeats to Leamington Blyth & Bradford Park Avenue, Lee Sinnott and John Reed were brought in to stop the rot. Ultimately, the experienced duo just came up short, despite Ashley Worsfold being in good form in front of goal, yet Sinnott & Reed were given the summer to rebuild in attempt to bounce straight back having lost the unique record of not having been promoted or relegated in 144 years.

A promising start to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier campaign harboured much hope, a resounding 8-2 victory over Chasetown in the FA Cup, but with the play-off dream slipping away with heavy home defeats to Warrington & Farsley, the managerial pack was shuffled again. Club captain, Liam King took the reins alongside experienced forward Ross Hannah, improved results and performances happened immediately, but an unforseen set of circumstances happened as North Ferriby folded, their record expunged and Trinity’s six points lost ultimately cost the Blues the final play-off spot.

With the core of the squad retained and key areas strengthened, hopes were high for a successful 2019/20 season. The season was curtailed and we noe look forward to a successful 2020-21 campaign with Manager Curtis Woodhouse.

GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY FACTFILE:

Year FOUNDED: Nickname:

1873 League titles:

4

HOLY BLUES Highest level: FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2

Chairman:

RICHARD KANE Best FA Cup run:

3RD ROUND

Manager:

CURTIS WOODHOUSE Best FA TROPHY run:

SEMI-FINAL

PAGE 26 | BULLSEYE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

cleethorpes town 0 AFC Mansfield 1

A

FC Mansfield secured an unlikely victory against Northern Premier League Cleethorpes Town with a superb performance at the My Energi stadium.

Bulls Chairman Andy Saunders said after the game “What a superb performance by the lads, this ranks up there with some of our greatest FA Cup performances. This will be the 5th year in a row we have reached the 1st Qualifying round. We look forward to the draw on Monday”.

The Bulls took an early lead when Cleethorpes keeper Theo Richardson turned a Liam Marsden cross behind for a corner. From Ben Algar’s corner kick Jordan Annable flicked the ball on and a stooping header on the back post from Lynton Karkach found the roof of the net.

2 minutes later the home side thought they had equalised when Paul Walker rattled the inside of the right-hand post and saw the ball bounce across the line before being hooked away to safety.

Karkach was involved in The Bulls next move when he went past 2 players on the right flank.

His through ball found Luke Walker and the striker forced a great save out of Richardson.

Morgan James fired wide on 15 minutes as the visitors looked to increase their lead.

Danger on 20 minutes as Ross Hannah breaks into the box but fires high from 15 yards. Another chance for the home side on 26 minutes when a curling free kick was met by Michael Jacklin but Hugo Warhurst was quickly down to smother the ball.

www.afcmansfield.net | PAGE 27

This pattern of play continued with Cleethorpes desperately looking for an equaliser.

Two minutes before the break Scott Vernon was upended just outside the box, although many thought it was inside. Jon Oglesby curled the ball around the wall and seemingly into the top corner.

Warhurst had other ideas and a superb one handed save turned the ball behind for a corner.

Hannah and at the other end Karkach both had chances before the half-time whistle, both dealt with by the respective keepers.

The tit for tat continued into the 2nd half, Caine Winnfarrah stuttering in front of goal and James firing his effort wide at the other end.

Cleethorpes began to pile on the pressure and on 69 minutes two great efforts were denied by a block on the line by Annable and another save by Warhurst as the ball bobbled around the Mansfield box.

The Bulls were still a danger on the break and a forceful run by Matt Sykes saw his 25-yard effort well held by Richardson. Ross Duggan had his 1st chance on goal after coming on. Turning his marker inside out he produced a stinging drive that went narrowly past the far post.

Warhurst again in action to deny Walker’s low driven effort as Cleethorpes looked for a way

back into the game. Bateson pulled his shot wide, Jacklin headed wide from just 3 yards and as the finalk whistle drew close substitute Oli Donald had time and space in the box but pulled his effort wide of the mark.

The final whistle was greeted with both joy and relief for the AFC Mansfield faithful.

Bulls Manager Matt Chatfield had this to say “We came with a plan and it worked, at times it was difficult but we got the goal at the right time.

Then it was a question of how hard we could work to keep that lead. The only disappointment is that we didn’t have our two most experienced players in Matty Wilson and Jon D’Laryea with us today to share in this great win”.

Cleethorpes Town: T Richardson, Topliss, Walker, Jacklin (Donald 85), Winfarrah, Bateson, Dickens (Middleton 60), Marshall, Oglesby, Vernon, Hannah (Boocock 74). Subs not used: H Richardson & Boswell.

AFC Mansfield: Warhurst, Marsden, Algar, Harrison, Annable, Wilde, Karkach, Buxton (c), Walker (Slone 84), James (Duggan 64), Sykes.

Subs not used: McMillan & Stancliffe Att: 238 MoM: Hugo Warhurst.

TO DAY’S TE A MS AFC Mansfield (manager) Matt Chatfield (ASST. MANAGER) John Stancliffe (coach) Andy Morris (GK coach) Fahad Saleh (Physio) Lucy Owens (Asst. physio) Jason Truscott (GK) Hugo Warhurst Liam Marsden Josh Wilde Ben Algar Tom Slone Matt Wilson Jordan Annable Jack Harrison (C) Phil Buxton Jon D’Laryea Morgan James Ross Duggan Matt Sykes Connor McMillan Luke Walker Lynton Karkach Bobby battison jamie mcguire

gainsborough trinity curtis woodhouse (Manager) MARTIN FOSTER (ASST. manager) john corbett (coach) leigh herrick (gk coach) jonathon whitehorne (physio)

TOM JACKSON (gk) MATTY DIXON JAMES WILLIAMSON SIMON AINGE (c) SIMON WOOLFORD ROB ORLANDO-YOUNG LEWIS cOLLINS GREGG SMITH BEN TOMLINSON RECO FYFE LEWIS DENNISON JACK WALTERS GIANLUCA BUCCI james LEVERTON LUKE LOFTS ALEX WILES anthony greaves jake scott

Referee: luke lazenby | Assistant referee: william booth | Assistant referee: karl bainbridge