Boss Taylor to leave AFC Mansfield

Taylor will take charge of his last game for the club tomorrow night when they entertain Hall Road Rangers at The Forest Town Arena.

In two seasons Taylor has helped the club win four trophies.

In his first season the club won their first ever trophy, the Notts Intermediate Cup which was quickly followed by the CML Floodlit Cup and runners-up in the league and League Cup.

Taylor and his team then gained promotion in his second season by winning the CML North Division and also claimed the CML League Cup while finishing runners-up in the Floodlit Cup.

In eight games this season the club have won five and lost three, including progression in the FA Vase. The club currently sits in sixth place in Toolstation NCEL Division One.

Last Saturday a depleted AFC Mansfield were hit by two early goals as they went down 3-1 at Yorkshire Amateur.

The Bulls included three debutants on the bench and were missing regulars Dean Rick, Phil Buxton and Darren Bettison, so it was no surprise when after 20 minutes they were 2-0 down.

Adam Kimberley had the first chance of the game on three minutes, but his effort from outside the box was straight at keeper Suwara Bojang.

The home side opened the scoring on six minutes when Joel Hughes was given too much space in the box and went past Chris Timons and Kyle Ludlow before firing a low drive past Gavin Saxby from 12 yards.

Carl Haslam had both legs scythed from under him by Chris Hitchings and then seemed to be punched three times by the same player as he tried to get up.

Amazingly the referee only showed a yellow to the home player and AFC felt it was open season on their players after that.

Joe Naylor was elbowed in the back of the head and Danny Naylor was kicked while on the ground later in the game.

Hughes’ second came on 21 minutes and again he was allowed too much room in the box before turning Timons and squeezing the ball past Saxby at the near post.

At last AFC began to wake up and Carl Haslam saw two efforts go narrowly wide before on 28 minutes he pulled a goal back.

Neat passing on the edge of the box from Kimberley and Joe Naylor set up Haslam to fire home from 10 yards.

The Bulls finished the half on top but could not find an equaliser.

Another setback for the Bulls came on 55 minutes when substitute Roy Stammer pounced on a loose ball to fire home from 15 yards.

Youngster Liam Carver, on as a second half substitute, fired over the bar after a good ball from Kimberley on 75 minutes and Haslam saw another effort saved by Bojung on 80 minutes, but their was to be no comeback and the game finished in defeat for the Mansfield side.

YOKSHIRE AMATEUR: Bosang, Harding, Hammond, Hill, Freeman, Hitchings, Heard Ca, Blakey, Heard Cr (Stammer 55), Hughes, Marsden. Subs not used: Rose, Blair Mottley_Henry , Harding

AFC MANSFIELD: Saxby, Wilson (Sargent 45), Kitchen, Ludlow, Timmons (C), Naylor D, Brewin, Naylor J, Pereira (Carver 45), Haslam, Kimberley. Subs not used: Fuller-Nadin, Camps.

REFEREE: Mr R. Taylor of South Yorkshire.

ATTENDANCE: 51

AFC MAN OF THE MATCH: Carl Haslam.