I thought it was a decent performance in the first half today. We did not create a huge amount, other than one header Norwood should have done better with, but we moved the ball well in midfield and did have a constant attacking threat down the right hand side through Caprice. At the other end, we contained Mansfield quite comfortably, harrying and pressing in midfield and defending well, and there was very little between the sides: other than the first goal, I don't think Mansfield had a shot on target in the first half. We did, however, give away too many free kicks around the edge of our eighteen yard box, one of which resulted in a goal. The referee, Mr Tomer, was useless, pulling back play for the slightest contact from a Rovers player and booking several of our players for neglible offences. However, I thought Banks's two yellow cards were deserved.
I agree with Boz that Mansfield were quite flat for long periods of this match, even the first fifteen minutes after half time, when I still felt we were in the game. However, they then upped the tempo with a move of sharp passing and cut us open for the second goal, after which there was no way back. Even taking account of our missing player, I thought the second and third goals were poor defensively: the defence were too slow to react when Davies parried the shot for the second goal, and I think Davies should have done much better for the third, perhaps even holding the initial shot.
Individually, I thought McCullough had a decent game and Buxton did well at centre back. Norwood's workrate and movement was as good as ever, but he understandably had limited service. Caprice was good on the right hand side, and Pringle showed some nice touches when he came on. Ridehalgh struggled defensively. My man of the match was Perkins who rarely gave the ball away and made a big difference to the quality of the midfield passing in the first half.
We are still within reach of the play-offs and we have some reasonable fixtures coming up, so I am not too despondent.