1. 80 Scunthorpe Telegraph Thursday, January 16 - Wednesday, January 22, 2014 STE-E01-S2Breaking news 24/7 on scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk
RUSS WILCOX
Mansfield started the
game really well, like they
did at Glanford Park on
the opening day of the season.
We had to be strong, resolute
and stick together and managed
that period really well. Then we
grew into the game.
We probably scored against the
run of play with a fantastic goal.
But it settled our nerves and
really, from then on in, I felt fairly
comfortable.We knew they were
always going to give us
problems from set plays, but
again we stood tall and stood
strong.
Getting the second goal was the
key. I think after that we
managed that period well. We
kept the ball off them and
restricted them to very
little. I think you’ve seen
all sides of our
game today.
Slippers
on, gloves
off – Hayes
stakes his
claim to
stay in the
starting XI
ADAM MURRAY
You could see today
what we are up against,
but the frustrating thing
is we did have chances.
At half-time we were only losing
to a wonder strike while we
could have had three goals.
That’s the fine lines you are
dealing with and that’s why they
are where they are and we are
where we are.
You will probably see that goal
(Hayes’ first) on the television for
a few days as he put it into the
top corner. We had a couple of
chances down the other end
when we could have done that.
That is the bit of X-factor we are
missing right now. We know we
need extra quality – the question
is can we get it?
We keep saying the same thing,
that we let ourselves down. Our
defending is sloppy at
times and we make bad
decisions.
REACTION
The Iron Camp
The Media
The Terraces
Midfielder Dave Syers
(@davesyers): Another 3 points
to keep the run going, great to see
fans selling out the away end
#greatsupport #3points
Dave Boy Green
(@irongreeny180): Still grinning
from ear to ear, being a lifelong
Scunny fan, why shouldn’t I be?
“We’re Scun Utd, we’re top of the
league”
Nottingham Post writer Matt
Halfpenny (@matthalfpenny):
Not much you can do about goals
like that. Just have to take your
hat off to scorer and go again.
THREE TWEETS
MANSFIELD: Marriott, Sutton,
Dempster, Tafazolli, Westlake,
Stevenson (Daniel 63), Howell,
Clements, Jennings, Palmer (Briscoe
63), Rhead. Subs not used: Deakin,
Dyer, Beevers, Meikle, Murray.
SCUNTHORPE: Slocombe, Ribeiro,
Mirfin, Canavan, Nolan, Hawkridge,
Syers (Collins 74), McAllister,
Williams (Adelakun 78), Winnall
(Madden 87), Hayes. Subs not used:
Severn, Sparrow, Esajas, Waterfall.
MATCH STATS
Mansfield Town
0
Scunthorpe Utd
2Paul Hayes (9), (74)
ATTENDANCE: 4,211 (1,211 from Scunthorpe)
BOOKED: None BOOKED: None
Possession
Shots on target
Shots off target
Corners
Fouls Committed
Caught Offside
45%
4
7
55%
5
11
3
8
0
5
3
1
TWO hours after setting Scun-
thorpe United on their way to a
third successive victory, Paul
Hayes likened his return to the
club with whom his two pre-
vious spells are synonymous
with success as ‘putting on
comfy slippers’.
Fitting then that while the
pre-match focus was on the big,
noisy steps taken by chairman
Peter Swann in the transfer
market 24 hours earlier, Hayes
used those aforementioned
slippers to sneak into the start-
ing XI and then the headlines.
The decision to fork out an
undisclosed, six-figure fee for
Paddy Madden – the top scorer
in League One last season –
and then add to it with per-
manent moves for Dave Syers
and Marcus Williams was a
bold statement by a United side
now looking every inch title
contenders.
But prior to their masterly
victory at Mansfield Town,
you’d have to have argued that
Hayes, back for a third stint
at the club he ‘football-wise’
labels home, was fourth in the
striking pecking order, such is
the almost embarrassment
of riches at Russ Wilcox’s
disposal.
Sam Winnall (13 goals), Deon
Burton (four goals in four
games and December’s League
Two Player of the Month) and
of course Madden had to be
ahead of a 30-year-old strug-
gling for fitness and form, on
the back of being frozen out at
Brentford.
But an injury to Burton
opened the door for Hayes and
he took his chance with both
hands – and his right boot.
Just nine minutes had gone
when a knock-down from Win-
nall fell into the path of Hayes.
He picked up possession and
then his spot, lifting a
first-time shot into the top
corner, in front of 1,200 trav-
elling fans.
The fact he later hooked
home a match-clinching
second, from the edge of the
six-yard box, capped a brilliant
afternoon’s work. If that fam-
ous firm of Danish brewers
made debuts, this would have
been one.
It is difficult to put your fin-
ger on why Hayes and Scun-
thorpe go together like hand
and glove. It just works.
“I’ve had good patches at oth-
er clubs, and success now and
again, but every year I’ve been
here it’s been consistent,” ac-
knowledged the Iron striker,
who has failed to muster more
than 12 league starts for any of
the seven clubs he has played
for in the three and a half years
since he quit Glanford Park.
“It’s probably more down to
luck than knowing a specific
reason why it works.
“I haven’t been here for half
of this season and the team has
done well without me.
“It’s not my doing (the fact
the Iron sit at the top of League
Two), but now I am here I want
to help carry the run on during
the next 21 games. Hopefully
we can all celebrate at the end.”
Hayes’ display against the
Stags was every bit as remin-
iscent of the old Paul Hayes,
MAN OF THE MATCH
PAUL HAYES
Back with a bang and a
brace to boot. What
price another promotion
for the Iron and one of
their most
successful
strikers?
the one fans revered on the
club’s way to and stay in the
second tier.
Now a lean, mean goalscor-
ing machine – Wilcox revealed
after the game that the
striker’s body fat levels are
lower than they ever have been
when he’s been on United’s
books – he dropped deep and
drifted wide in a bid to create
chances for others as well as
having a go at goal himself.
His partnership with Win-
nall already oozes potential. At
Field Mill, Winnall could not
get on the scoresheet, but he
almost had a couple of decent
openings, thanks largely to the
unselfish work of his fellow
front man, once, ridiculously,
dubbed ‘lazy’ by his critics.
While Hayes was responsible
for the Iron’s goals against a
Stags side who, with good reas-
on, carry a reputation for be-
ing one of League Two’s most
physical outfits, he was not the
sole reason for their victory.
Like in so many matches dur-
ing their rise to the summit, it
was a team effort. It is im-
possible to accuse any indi-
vidual in the current starting
XI of not pulling their weight.
Sean McAllister was his cus-
tomary, hard-working self. Sy-
ers was class with the ball and
willing to drop back when
without it. Defenders Niall
Canavan and David Mirfin
stood up to a stiff battle with
six foot plus strike duo Matt
Rhead and Ollie Palmer.
Every player plays their part
– which is why it’s hard not to
MATCH REPORT
CHRIS SUMPTER
reports from Field Mill
as arguably the
unlikeliest of the Iron’s
new recruits
steals the
show
’’
‘‘
‘‘
Mansfield Town 0 Scunthorpe United 2
‘‘
see Scunthorpe further their
challenge for promotion.
Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe
was alert enough to tip a low
drive from Rhead wide of the
post in the third minute, after
Anthony Howell had caught
Williams napping and played
the striker in. But it was the
only real effort on target the
hosts could muster.
Once Hayes had found the top
corner, there was an assurance
about Scunthorpe’s play. Albeit
helped by the Stags’ lack of goal
threat, not once did you fear an
equaliser was coming.
The only surprise was that it
took the Iron until the 74th
minute to net a second goal
with Hayes also proving to be
the man in the right place at
the right time to force a shot
home after Winnall had done
brilliantly to head a deep Wil-
liams cross back into the box.
Any success at Mansfield is
worth shouting from the
rooftops where Scunthorpe
United are concerned.
This was their first victory at
Field Mill – or the One Call
Stadium to give it its current,
sponsor-led title – in more than
20 years. An Andy Toman
strike last earned a 1-0 success
in August 1993.
In nine visits since, United
have lost eight, making this
one quite a landmark win.
When it comes to the pro-
motion battle, Hayes is not the
only one in comfy slippers.
WAITING GAME: Paddy Madden
makes a late appearance from the
bench at Field Mill
WHAT A STRIKE: Paul Hayes peels
away in celebration after volleying
the Iron in front in the ninth minute
against Mansfield Town, in what
was his third Iron debut Pictures:
Carl Gac