A tepid performance which lacked any spark,  we never looked like scoring, in a match which barely rose above the throughly abject. But for two outstanding goal-line clearances by George Pilkington, we would have lost in yet another dour, tedious attrition battle against the men from Nottinghamshire.  In our last four matches, in three of them are best performers have been Tyler ( twice) and Kovacs tonight does say a awful lot. The big man looked like our only goalscoring threat, headed most things away including Green's wild elbow in his face, missed by Ray Charles in charge of the game. Who also missed a clear hand ball by Pilkington (George not Kevin, obviously (only joking - vaguely)) in the first half which would have resulted in a penalty.

Starting off trying to pass it, but then just hoofed it as the game went on it's drab little way. It's the same old story, Im afraid, come up against a side who hassle us in possession, keep their shape/formation and know their jobs, we struggle to break them down unless one of their creative players has a glorious day. It's always difficult to play well against these teams, but impossible when so laboured in possession. Unless the passing and movement is spot on the 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 formation looks a hapless mess. When it does, it can work well. Trouble if we go back to 4-4-2, don't think whichever two we select in midfield works. Lawless and Keane would be the always starting point, both have had indifferent seasons, Brabin doesn't like Watkins in a two, can't see Poku getting much of an opportunity in the short term. Prefer Howells on the wing, personally. Midfield has been the problem for a while. We are short of a player who can organise and take a game by the short and curlies, dragging us through even when not playing well.

A telling  summary of the game is the only net in danger was the John Dreyer net above the beach huts, pelted around half a dozen times. In goal Marriott wearing pink ( people in Mansfield have been burnt alive for less, the place where most of population look like Fred Flintstone and that's just the women) hardly had an opportunity to dirty his pretty little outfit, a couple of comfortable catches and the odd simple save ( of which two he spilt), fair to say he wasn't over worked.

We didn't run out of ideas, as we had few to begin with anyway. Too many passes misplaced, or just sideways and backwards, resulting in a hopeful punt forward. All rather futile. Mansfield did defend well, but it was very easy for them, the service and movement to the forwards very poor. Hugely frustating and disappointing off the back of a bright attacking performance at Southport and the results, Fleetwood apart, which went in our favour on Tuesday.

The starting eleven was the one which finished at Southport. Not going to mention about the Tyler situation again, as my PC will go flying out of the window in disgust ( Hooray you cheer). It was asking a hell of lot for a  not match fit AMS to play ( in part) his third game in five days after a lengthy lay off, also it meant shifting Howells back into the midfield, after an excellent performance on the left wing on Saturday. Appreciate Poku doesn't bring a heap of creavity to the party, but our recent encounters against Mansfield have been feisty affairs, could have done with his combative approach against the likes of Murray and Roberts in the central areas. Then bring AMS on later if we needed a goal. With his injury record, he is obviously a player who needs careful handling or indeed accurate medical help or just rest. Unsurprisingly, AMS found the going tough and hobbled off on just before the hour mark.

No Kissock on the bench, no problem with a  manager who is strict on disclipine, but not one who bares a grunge. Not the biggest fan of Kissock, but it's not surprising he is fed up with his lack of opportunities since joining. Also with the disrespect Brabin shows to officials( even if they are idiots), it's  double standards, to have a pop at his players for getting arsey.

With Taylor double marked and rarely involved as an attacking source, we didn't shift the ball quick enough around. Little is going to come from the other full back position. The midfield was poor. Lawless for a player of his ability and seniority shocking. His passing completion ratio non existent. Howells worked hard but was't his night and Watkins, a fine mazy run apart,  spent most of the edge of affairs. It needed changing earlier, the shape if not the players and when the change did come Fleetwood on the wing. Haven't we been there before? The result being epic fail.

With a group of eight men defending deep, we bossed possession in the first half, but never had a cutting edge, often the ball would get shifted wide, but the cross wasn't good. Corners looked like being our likely source of a goal, Kovacs rattled the bar with a toe poke and sent two headers over from close range.

We didn't have any fluency in our play. A rudderless display, where a goalless draw looked the likely outcome from the early stages. Mansfield look a well drilled team, difficult to break down, didn't come with much attacking threat, although finished the game stronger. Playing only Green upfront, the roly poly king at Oxford ( remember the Nicholls sending off there?), their main source seemed to be the left back O'Neill knocking the ball long to Dyer to flick the ball on. Their position of top half, without threatening the play off spots is an accurate reflection on them.

First half, we had plenty of the ball, but with the midfield struggling to get a grip on the game, except for a reasonable spell of ten minutes as half time approached.  It was the sort of game we could havde done with a Kissock or someone run at their defenders, both Dempster and Riley are decent centre backs, but neither is that quick, the more we had the ball the less we looked likely of being able to do something useful with it.

Gleeson's pass forward found AMS in space, he managed to get a shot in which Marriott gathered at the second attempt. Crow took advatange of Murray's sloness to the ball, sent in a arching entre to the far post, Sutton climbed higher than AMS to concede a corner. 

A really poor misjudgement by Kevin Pilkington could have cost us dear, a ball played down the left channel, towards Green, K.Pilkington ambled out no real chance of getting the ball, decided to shadow the Mansfield forward ( maybe he is the answer to our right back problems), Green played the ball back to Smith, who swung the ball goalwards, inch perfectly before G.Pilkington had the presense of mind to guard the gaping hole left by his namesake , to head it away.

Chances were non existant, a good cross dug out by O'Connor, another player anonymous due to the lack of service, but again Sutton who marshalled AMS well all evening got there first. Watkins run in space, could only help the ball into Marriott. Even from the early stages, it was crying out for a change, Howells on the left, AMS through the middle with Crow. The only change that happened was O'Connor swopping wings. Crow tried to link the play up on occassions, he's up against it when the ball goes a foot over his head. 

Although Mansfield did have the ball much, Roberts was able to spray it around well with Murray cajolling his team mates with his amusing high squeaky voice, they were nevr really tested.Kovacs apart we don't nearly have enough leaders in the side, when things go wrong, too many heads drop.

Kovacs did test the woodwork with a poked shot after AMS's effort was semi blcoked by Dyer from Howells' corner, eventually the ball was played back to Howells, his dinked delivery was nodded over by Kovacs.

We embarked  on our best spell( not saying much, but), K.Pilkington collected Hutchinson's weak header from Roberts ' corner, sent Howells on his way with a quick throw, Howells made impression ground cutting a swaythe through the powder blue shirts, sadly his shot was powder puff and dribbled wide. Our best piece of football came from Lawless, clever drag back, into Crow, feeding O'Connor on the left, waiting for Crow to move for the return pass, but Dempster managed to get enough on the ball to deflect it wide. A lovely pass around the corner by Crow found AMS a positive side foot brought Watkins some space, a tricky run defeated Murray with ease, before O'Neill lunged in took a piece of the ball and Watkins, went over the trailing leg.

AMS and O'Connor both had attempts straight at Marriott, a fine slide rule ball by Lawless saw O'Connor got behind Dempster and draw a save from Marriott's legs. On the stroke of half time, a miskick by Dempster brought a corner, which Howells delivered and Kovacs bravely through a crowd of players won the header but the ball missed the target.

The second half didn't have any improvement, as our tempo was flat. Mansfield gaining confidence had their best spell of the game, although Howells's pass down the right towards O'Connor, he had plenty of options but elected to side foot straight at Riley. AMS turning infioeld, squaring to Watkins patiently waiting for Taylor to arrive, his side foot strike lacked the power to trouble Marriott although he made a meal of the save parrying it down to his right.

Roberts dispossessed Watkins, rolled pass, which Kovacs slide across an make a vital inceptence otherwise Green would have been clear through. Roberts' corner played out to Smith, cut side, his strike came off O'Connor and fly just wide of the right upright. 

With AMS struggling, Fleetwood replaced, but went like for like on the left wing. FFS, Fleetwood is a goal poacher, he has been stuck out on the wing, a number of times, hasn't worked, so why should this be the occassion it did? Any chance of the less spotted Chrlie Henry getting a game or even on the bench? Why Brabin doesn't always select his best players in their best roles is unfathomable. Hear Brabin is still interested in Shaw, if he continue to play one central striker, how may strikers do we need to warm the bench? Until we are able to find a 25 goal a season man, this tortune in this League will continue. Sometimes you have tio fiddle around with a player ( ooh er missus) in an different role due to injuries. But Howells was outstanding out wide on Saturday,not having a great game back in midfield, so make the obvious swop. If you want Fleetwood on, he could have given Crow some much needed support. Some of his changes are  baffling, then maybe a reasoning behind them,but they are beyond my little brain.

The best chance of the evening came after a good dink over the top from Howells, perhaps the first time we got behind them all agme and Crow could only help his attempted chip into the body of Marriott, after an excellent off the ball run. He was soon hooked off in favour of McAllister, who had rather a cumbersome debut. He looks to be lacking confidence after his stint at Newport, but to mis time his first two leaps against Dempster so badly as he did, doesn't auger well. Just got to hope he regains his Crawley form sharpish rather than his Newport slump. 

Decent little turn and run forward by Fleetwood, tried an optimstic strike, which went wide. Not a great effort, but at least he tried something different. By this stage we were struggling to put two passes  together to an orange shirt. Fleetwood again involved found Lawless, finding O'Connor, good tackle by O'Neill denied a crossing opporuntity.

Had Mansfield not been so hell bent on gaining a 0-0 draw, and showed a more positive approach, they could have won the game, our confidence does drain away so quickly. Dyer wasted a chance , just rolling the ball back to Pilkington. It does sum up their negative attitude, when Smith took an age to walk to their bench ( a dead man without food or water for 3 days crossing the Sahara) would have got there quicker). It's pathetic and sums up the negative, pathetic nature of too many clubs in this division. About time referees booked players doing this.

Mind you, Smith probably did us a favour, taking time out of the game,as we were reduced to hopeful punts up the middle. Hutchinson turning onto Roberts pass, smashed a shot wide, on the break, McAllister wasn't far away, rolling an effort from the left channel. 

A free kick on the left, just inside our half, was drilled impressively across by O'Neill, firm header by Dyer, little flick by green and G.Pilkington again just got there in the nick of time, with K.Pilkington floundering. 

Taylor got the faintest  flick on a bullet of a centre by O'Neill to deny Dyer. The same two Mansfield players were involved, as Dyer knocked down to Briscoe to arrow a shot adroitly onto the advertising signs above the goal.

Thankfully, it wasn't next goal wins, we would have all been there until August. August 2027.

Kevin Pilkington 5.75, Dan Gleeson 5.5, Janos Kovacs 8.25, George Pilkington 7.5, Greg Taylor 6.5, Alex Lawless 5, Adam Watkins 6, Jake Howells 6.75 , Aaron O'Connor 6, Danny Crow 6.5( Craig McAllister 5.5), Amari Morgan-Smith 6.75 ( Stuart Fleetwood 6).

*THE DISCLAIMER*  The above ratings were picked on a whim and very rarely are an accurate reflection on the player's performances simply to annoy the reader. Today's fatuous comments are  about this Harold Redknapp trial. Taking their time, he is gulity of some offence. Or should that merely very offensive, he is certainly very taxing.  Look at his shifty sunken eyes and the fact he comes from Poplar, blimey even the pavements carry knives down there and have ASBO's. Knowing the British Justice system aided by The Sun, Harry will get off scott free and Rosie his bulldog will get sent down.