CATLING'S CORNER: Frustration as Wycombe keeper stars

After the win in the local derby we were once against left frustrated with Saturday's result in a game we should be winning against what turned out to be a poor Wycombe team.
Mansfield Town v Wycombe Wanderers.
Matt Green equalises in the second half.Mansfield Town v Wycombe Wanderers.
Matt Green equalises in the second half.
Mansfield Town v Wycombe Wanderers. Matt Green equalises in the second half.

Their goalkeeper had probably the game of his life with some excellent saves.

To be honest though we weren’t fantastic, we did have a fair amount of chances to have won, Shearer having very little to do all game.

Now since doing my blogs people will know I have said my fair piece on referees, but for a change I thought he was one of the best refs I’ve seen at Mansfield for a long while.

Looking back today on the game, my first thought is we need to be beating poor teams like Wycombe.

They played like the Wimbledon of last year and the statement ‘hoof ball’ springs to mind for them – a very poor team.

It showed at the end of the game as their manager squared up with one of his own players on the pitch.

As Murray said in his interview after the game it was there for the taking and we would have taken all three points for sure if we had got going for maybe an extra 20 minutes in the game, our subs once again making the difference.

Matt Green once again scored and for me should be starting next week’s game, Darius Henderson playing very well and our very own Jack Thomas also making a impact. But Pat Hoban was my man of the match.

Danny Rose for me maybe needs to have a couple of games on the bench like Greenie has done to get his confidence back. He did look a little out of form on Saturday but I’m sure he will come good.

But the main point from Saturday for me was how much we missed the massive influence and voice of Jamie McGuire when he doesn’t play.

Players need to learn to be vocal during a match and encourage others as we don’t have many who do.

Players now such as Chris Clements, Mitch Rose, Mal Benning and Krystian Pearce have got to open their mouths and be leaders as they have more than enough experience to do so.

Another point I’ll make is how long Shearer takes to kick the ball out of his hands, although half way through the game I did see Murray shouting to him to quicken him up! It’s just a little point so that other teams don’t have chance to get all there players back before we kick the ball.

Although it was frustrating we didn’t win, the fact we didn’t lose was also good, that being because we now go to Luton, who look like they could this year be in the play-off positions. Let’s get one over them and get ourselves into the play off mix. Let’s have em!

A reminder that the FA Cup draw takes place tonight at 7.

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