Nottingham Evening Post ANALYSIS BY MATT HALFPENNY
Derby day may have ended all square, but there was one glaringly obvious difference between the two sides - up front.
While Notts' strikers have struggled to make an impact for much of the season, Mansfield's front line is one that strikes fear into League Two defenders.
Teenager Danny Reet - who has scored three goals since signing for the Stags in January - ruffled a few feathers in the Notts ranks, even if that made him a target of boos from the home fans.
The former Sheffield Wednesday trainee also went the closest to scoring for Mansfield in the first period when his 30-yard drive produced a terrific save by former Stags keeper Kevin Pilkington.
But he was just the start of the headache for the Notts defence.
The real stars of Mansfield's attack have been Richie Barker and Simon Brown. They have formed a terrific understanding, scoring 31 goals between them this season, even though both have been injured for periods.
That contrasts with the problems Gudjon Thordarson has had in finding a consistent front two. He has tried 15 partnerships... and is yet to find his ideal strike force.
Barker and Brown are the classic partnership. Former Rotherham man Barker has the brawn to wrestle with the toughest of defenders, holding the ball up and posing a threat in the air.
But he also has the intelligence to pick out his team-mates with accurate passes and take up positions in the box that lead to goalscoring opportunities.
Brown is short in stature but big in pace. His electric bursts create chances for himself and others. He gives Mansfield what his manager Peter Shirtliff refers to as a "spark".
It was 57 minutes before the pair were reunited at Meadow Lane - Brown's hernia injury limits him to substitute appearances - and within eight minutes they had turned the game on its head.
First Brown, who has scored 11 this campaign, used his pace to get to the right byline and pull the ball back for Laurence Wilson to sweep home a leveller to Chris Palmer's first half strike.
The goal was his first in a Mansfield shirt and sent the visiting fans, just yards away, into raptures.
Then Barker stepped up to take centre stage, putting the Stags ahead just three minutes later.
He showed why he is such a penalty box predator by heading in from the edge of the six-yard box after Notts had only half cleared a cross into the box. Again it sparked wild celebrations, especially as it was Barker's 20th goal.
On another day, that might have been enough to give Mansfield victory, but a stroke of luck gave Chillingworth a chance to bring County level.
On the balance of play, a draw seemed a fair result and the feeling coming out of the Stags' camp was that they were happy with a point, having trailed 1-0 at the break.
It also carried Mansfield's unbeaten run to six games with six home games to come out of their last ten matches.
But there would have been some disappointment among the magnificent following of 3,743 Stags fans heading back up the A60.
They were left wondering what might have been when Giles Coke had a golden chance to win the match when he raced clear and rounded Pilkington only to hit the left-hand post with his shot.
It shows how far the Stags have come. When Shirtliff took over, the supporters would have gladly taken a point away from home anywhere.
Now, because the Mansfield manager has a youthful side playing with purpose and confidence, they believe the Stags can achieve so much more.
--------------
more reports and full reaction in todays Evening Post
------------
Picture of the Stags Support:
|
