Sutton United v Mansfield Town

[kpinwp]

That's a wonderful turn around from Sat. This team does not get put down.

[Stewart]

After a bright start I thought we were rather average for most of the first half. Much better second half pressing much higher up the pitch. Great strike by Omar who got his reward for another tireless performance.

[shaneaib]

Great response from the boys. Took the lead in the first half but for me it was a frustrating watch. Stop, start, ball bouncing around like it was in a pinball machine. Once the second half got underway we were much better with the ball on the floor and players running at the Mansfield defence. Then a Buigel buster of a goal sealed a victory in the cold old Gander.

[Amber Aleman]

Absolutely it was important to bounce back after the result at Orient. Mansfield were one of the dirtier sides we've faced this season, and we weren't entirely helped by the somewhat eccentric refereeing of our old friend David Rock. Getting that early goal restored some confidence, and it was nice to see Louis on the scoresheet following a cross from Ricky Korboa, the latter making a rare start. There was no Joe Kizzi or Coby Rowe in this evening's squad.

Mansfield had spells of pressure before half-time, and Deano had to be on his toes, but we stepped up a gear in the second half. Omar's sumptuous goal, which followed a penetrating run from David Ajiboye, sealed the victory. That takes us back up to 7th, just three points behind second-placed Exeter.

[os]

Nov 23, 2021 23:16:53 GMT Amber Aleman said:

Mansfield had spells of pressure before half-time, and Deano had to be on his toes, but we stepped up a gear in the second half. Omar's sumptuous goal, which followed a penetrating run from David Ajiboye, sealed the victory. That takes us back up to 7th, just three points behind second-placed Exeter.

I think that is the difference between tonight and last Saturday, I thought the opening period was similar to the match at Orient. We started on fire, went ahead and then the oppos came back at us. Tonight as you say we stepped it up after the break and found that gear we couldn't shift into on Saturday.

As others have said you have to pinch yourself to believe we are actually a very decent EFL2 side in and around those play off places, and deservedly so.

[shaneaib]

Hot of the press on a cold night, my latest blog post is now on Medium.  It's a classic(al) written in an attic .. -).  Here is a link to the blog post shanepdillon.medium.com/the-team-that-came-in-from-the-cold-with-sutton-united-earning-a-warm-win-over-mansfield-3744b9f3f640

[Del]

I thought this was another really enjoyable match to watch. Mansfield were very quick out of the blocks from the word go ,attacking in numbers trying to catch us cold. As it was, it was Sutton who got that early goal and then had to defend for large parts of the first half. Second half we pressed them back and a superb goal from Omar sealed the deal.

I thought Omar was superb last night and well deserved the man of the match award. Milsom also had a very good game at left back. I didn't think we got the ball out wide as much as normal until we got that important second goal and we played with more freedom.
Now up into the play off positions with a home game this Saturday against a Barrow team on a poor run of form. Let's hope we can consolidate this position.

[nonsuch]

Great win, three great points before another two tough weeks with 5 games, I hope we will win at least one of the Cup games (EFL plus FA) and hold on at 50% of the points in the league as well. I hope that Smith will be somehow given a game break too, he’s been 90 minutes on every game since like forever and it starts to show a bit.
I still don’t see as as a promotion team (though we are so close to the second place and have the same number of points as Port Vale) so I would trade off at this moment a victory in the league for one at Bristol in the FA Cup and for bringing a big team to GGL.

[garethl]

Hard working win. Solid if nothing else. Probably the poorest quality match of the season that I’ve seen us play. Good 3 points though, a decent goal from Omar and another home game Saturday. Back to back wins would be handy.

[bucks]

It was a funny game, not a lot of goal mouth action bar the two goals, but still a nice win to get the team up and running again. Great strike by Bugiel by the way, it went like an absolute rocket!!!

I was right behind the chance Korboa had that looked in all the way, then suddenly their number 3 slid in from nowhere to clear it.

Still yet to see Sutton concede this season.

[markf]

Bounce back once more. A decent response to the LO game. This wasn't a vintage performance but it was enough for the non leaguers (a comment from a rather uptight visiting lady fan, pissed off because not for the first time it would seem, an EFL club can't pass on instructions to a coach company or the coach company doesn't communicate with its drivers but blamed SUFC and me(!) anyway) to defeat the BBBs EFL club.

Another great start from U's forcing the visitors into some early fouls (that would persist throughout the first half) and it was from a Ricky K cross that Louis J found the net with a low strike. Ben G couldn't keep a header down following another fine cross before Mansfield started to get the ball down and play a little. Their best first half chance arrived early too, Hawkins forcing a fine save from Dean B. However, the flag kick it came from was an appalling decision by the lino. The ball didn't go anywhere near out of play (more of him and his mate in the middle later, you can't wait reader, can you?).

Mansfield continued to enjoy the lions share of the ball but did very little with it coming up against a solid U's defence well supported by the midfield. The half was littered with f-k's some given to either side for very little and it was a disjointed affair.

Second half continued to be interrupted by the ref's whistle and one bizarre stoppage over, I know not what. U's were the better side though and some good hold up play by Tanto, foreceful running by David A allowed Omar B (my MotM last night) to make space and let fly from 20 yards to net a glorious goal. Mansfield could have levelled before that second goal, a free header going begging but they got what they deserved, nought.

29 points already, great return. Well done to all.

So to Rocky and his myopic lino (blimey, I wouldn't have wanted to be on the same road as he was driving home along last night). That corner decision was a joke and he compounded the error by nodding it was the correct decision when challenged. There was probably upwards of50 witnesses behind him who would have stood in a court of law and said the opposite. Stunning arrogance. He messed up another in the second, the ball clearly coming off the defender when a goalkick was the decision. Still, should have known when he came out wearing gloves. What's he gonna wear when it is really cold, a russian bear hat, leggings and a woolly vest? His evening after that first decision was not a comfortable one.

As for Rocky, this was him at his worst; Welling away all those years back. I have seen him have some decent games down the years but last night was dreadful. Failing to give clear fouls, too lenient with yellow cards on a couple of occasions but then blowing up for the most innocuous of challenges. According to Clough's post match interview the ref told him he had made a mistake. Really? Which one? As I have said previously, this is a really slimmed down version of Mr Rock and I hope all that hard work doesn't go to waste because of performances like last night. Reffing ain't easy but it helps if you give yourself a chance in the first place. Fortunately, he did not have a say in the outcome although the lino came very close to doing so.

Barrow up next. They're all tough so expect no less.