Ruthless Stags blitz Burton Albion to record 6-1 win.
Our youth teamâs surge up the Football League Youth Alliance (North/East Division) shows no signs of slowing down, as they recorded their biggest victory of the season this morning â winning 6-1 at Burton Albion.Defender Kyle Hempshall bagged two goals, whilst Dan Fletcher, Anthony Dwyer â on his first appearance since collapsing in last weekâs win over Doncaster Rovers, Jacub Tabreham and Ollie Roome were also on the score-sheet.
In relentless pouring rain, the Stags demonstrated tremendous team-spirit as they ruthlessly tore apart their counterparts, showing absolutely no mercy whatsoever.
The opening goal arrived on 20 minutes, as Hempshall prodded the ball home from just a few yards out, following an excellent in-swinging corner by Conor Green.
Things quickly got even better for John Ramshawâs team.
Rory Thomson threaded an inch-perfect low ball through to Fletcher, whose diagonal run had bamboozled the Burton defence. With plenty of work still to do, the youngster rounded the home âkeeper and slotted home â showing magnificent composure in doing so.
Mansfield were flying high by this stage and put the result beyond doubt on the half-hour mark, when Hempshall scored again in a repeat of the opening goal, with Green once again claiming the assist.
The Stags oozed confidence and were unfortunate not to make it 4-0 before the interval. In yet another set-piece move, Joe Fitzpatrickâs corner was latched onto by Charlie Brownlie inside the six-yard box, but the defender saw his header ricochet back off the upright.
Nevertheless, the Stags continued to create chances at will after the re-start, and it wasnât long until they extended their advantage. Sam Wilsonâs fantastic long kick downfield was flicked on by Fletcher towards Dwyer, who hit a first time shot across the Burton âkeeper, which found the bottom corner.
Arguably the best goal of the bunch then came on the hour mark. In a free-flowing move, which involved most of the team, the Stags sprayed the ball around with a real purpose and desire, putting together some 20 passes, before Tabreham tapped home at the back-post.
The only frustration for Mansfield on an otherwise faultless afternoon is that they were unable to record their first clean-sheet of the campaign in the Football League Youth Alliance.
With 20 minutes left to play, a Burton striker got in-behind Charlie Brownlie and was tripped by an advancing Wilson. The hosts were subsequently awarded a spot-kick, which they converted for a consolation goal.
It wasnât long until the Stags were back on the attack, however, and Fletcher was desperately unlucky not to score again as he saw a curling attempt from the edge of the area cannon back off the post and into the âkeepers arms.
Mansfield rattled the woodwork for a third time just a few moments later, as Dwyer broke away down the right flank and saw his low cross into the area sliced against the cross-bar by the Brewersâ left-back.
Substitute Ollie Roome finally restored our young gunsâ five-goal lead just a couple of minutes later, when he nonchalantly slipped the ball into the bottom corner, after a great passing interchange between Thomson and skipper Chris Spencer.
Speaking afterwards, an absolutely delighted academy boss John Ramshaw said: âI thought it was an excellent all-round team display marred only by the fact that we conceded a goal that we shouldnât have done and got a bit complacent at 4-0, but this is something that we spoke about afterwards and it wonât happen again.
âHighlights were the display of Dan Fletcher, who ran the Burton defence ragged all morning in difficult conditions, and was ably supported by everyone else in the team.â
Team: Wilson, Thomson, Green, Brownlie, Holmes, Hempshall (Tabreham), Fitzpatrick, Spencer, Fletcher (Roome), Dwyer, Gibson (Harrison).