Match Reports

01/10/2007 - Mansfield Town 0 Dagenham and Redbridge 1

Bottom of the table, four League Two defeats in a row, uncertainty over their future owners, continued injury problems, a dwindling support and another home defeat against a poor Dagenham side. It is hard to envisage how things could get any worse for Mansfield right now.

But that is no reason for the players to throw in the towel for the rest of the season, as they did for the last 27 minutes of this match.

Having been by far the better side and been a little unlucky not to score against a visiting side who offered little attacking threat, Mansfield suddenly fell behind after 63 minutes.

Shane Huke's header from Danny Foster's right-wing was Dagenham's first goal away from home in the Football League - and their first effort on target in the game. It came as a big shock to the system for the Stags.

But instead of fighting back, there seemed to be a general acceptance from the hosts it was not going to be their day.

So while the Mansfield supporters could forgive the slack marking for Huke's strike, or Michael Boulding's inability to capitalise on a number of shooting opportunities, what they won't condone was the 'c'est la vie' attitude shown in the closing stages.

The boos and chorus of 'What a load of rubbish' reflected the disappointment and frustration they felt.

And if the players do not begin to believe in themselves when faced with adversity, the supporters' heartache is going to intensify.

Stephen Dawson had said Mansfield needed six points from the games against Accrington and Dagenham. And neither of those teams has a better squad than manager Billy Dearden has at his disposal at Field Mill.

But the difference is those sides are battling for every ball and not conceding an inch until the final whistle has blown.

Injuries have played a part in Mansfield's struggles, and Chris Wood's withdrawal early in the second half with an ankle injury was a real stroke of misfortune for a player who had just started to find his way at first-team level.

Martin McIntosh and Gareth Jelleyman were also missing, while Jake Buxton and Alex John-Baptiste had returned from the sidelines after suspension and injury respectively.

But while lack of continuity in the back four cannot help in the quest for a clean sheet, it does not explain the rudimentary defensive mistakes Mansfield keep making.

The lack of shape in midfield is also causing problems. Too often the Stags are caught out on the break with no one protecting the back four.

They also suffer from the lack of a naturally left-sided player, which hampers the team's attacking threat down that side as well as making it hard work for the left-back who, at times, can often be left with two men.

Up front, John McAliskey held the ball up well, despite getting plenty of stick from the fans before being substituted midway through the second half, while Boulding got in good positions but couldn't make it count.

Worryingly, though, after a bright start together, the goals have dried up and the Stags have failed to score in either of their last two matches.

Yet Mansfield might have been immune from such criticism if they had made a breakthrough in the first half when it seemed only a matter of time.

John-Baptiste should have forced a save from Tony Roberts with an early header from Matt Hamshaw's free-kick, while Boulding forced a decent save out of the Dagenham keeper and then curled wide.

Dawson missed his volley when well placed, Buxton had a goalbound shot blocked by Ben Strevens and Boulding and Johnny Mullins were denied by goal-line clearances within seconds of each other by Scott Griffiths.

Although the game was still goal-less, more of the same in the second half looked likely to produce only one result. But Wood's departure slowed Mansfield's momentum and his replacement, Nathan Arnold, fired an angled shot just past the left-hand upright.

It was easy to see why Dagenham have struggled to score away from home and it was against the run of play they got the goal - playing just one up front in the second period.

Mansfield rarely went close after that as John Still's men, led by the outstanding Anwar Uddin, refused to buckle.

The five minutes of stoppage time should have been the incentive Stags needed to find a leveller.

But it was the visitors who almost claimed a late second on the break with Carl Muggleton saving well from substitute Sam Sloma and Sam Saunders firing the rebound into the side-netting.

Some Mansfield supporters will take this result to mean the team are destined for the drop to the Conference, despite the season having only just reached the end of September.

A record of eight defeats from ten competitive matches shows things have to change quickly if that is not to be their fate.

But whatever the wrongs and rights of what is happening at the club, Mansfield must make sure this defeat is the nadir of the season. Or non-league football beckons in 2008-2009.