Mansfield Town

Our youth team produced a splendid performance as they brushed aside bottom-of-the-table Coalville Town to record an 8-0 win in the FCYA (Midland Division).

Ollie Roome bagged twice to take his personal tally for the campaign to 18 goals, whilst George Holloway (2), David Jones (2), Blaize Punter and Anthony Dwyer were the other scorers.

The Stags played with a real venom and showed absolutely no mercy to their opponents during a dominant first half display.

It took Roome just 10 minutes to open the scoring – the prolific frontman finding the target with a powerful half-volley after linking up well with Jones.

Holloway thought he should have been awarded a spot-kick on the quarter-hour mark, when he burst into the box and drew an untidy challenge, but no penalty was forthcoming – leaving those players in amber and blue completely perplexed.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t long until the Stags made it 2-0. Roome was the scorer, as he got on the end of a pass by Holloway, and fired venomously past the advancing ‘keeper.

Already at this early stage, the floodgates were threatening to open and a third goal almost arrived when the lively Holloway rattled the upright with a powerful shot from Tino Chavundura’s clever cutback.

It wasn’t long until it was 3-0 though. On this occasion, Jones showed good individual skill as he turned exquisitely on the edge of the area and unleashed a powerful drive into the bottom-left corner, which gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Mansfield continued to attack with menace and added a fourth goal to their tally on the half-hour mark when Denham Saxton delivered a teasing left-wing cross into the six-yard box, which was volleyed home from close-range by Holloway.

With Coalville struggling, the Stags seized upon an opportunity to add further goals to their tally and it was soon 5-0. Big Blaize Punter was the scorer as he cushioned a superb diving header past the stranded visiting ‘keeper after a cross from Jones.

Holloway then added a sixth goal when he embarked on a superb, slalom run and let fly with a powerful drive from 15 yards, which flew into the bottom corner.

The Stags had shown absolutely no mercy to Coalville during the first 45 minutes and, despite Elliot Holmes having a header cleared off the line, it was 7-0 at the break.

Jones scored arguably the best goal of the lot. Firstly, he embarked on a long run down the right flank, then looked up and let fly with a stupendous 30-yard shot which sailed over the ‘keeper and into the net.

Although Stags’ goalkeeper Frazer Hampson was rarely troubled, the 17-year-old had to make a couple of saves in the second half to keep one of his most straight forward clean-sheets of the campaign.

Coalville showed plenty of spirit and endeavour in the second half to keep their opponents at bay for 28 minutes, until substitute Anthony Dwyer won a free-kick on the edge of the box and found the target with the resulting set-piece strike.

Holmes and Chavundura both had efforts in the closing stages, whilst a good afternoon was capped off as Jack Koczalski returned to action and played over half-an-hour – his first game in over two months.

Team: Hampson, Blades, Punter (Koczalski), Holmes, Saxton, McLeod, Groves (Blake), Roome, Holloway (Dwyer), Jones, Chavundura.