Staggered

Rix - 19 years old on wednesday

The Alex were expecting the Alex to take the victory, so much so that half failed to turn up. Just 4,500 watched the start, 2,000 saw the end as Crewe sailed to victory over the stags who we had already beaten 4-0 and 5-0. In the stands it was a strange atmosphere as the fans only burst out into songs once every 20 minutes, including Mansfield fans. First five or ten minutes were mainly Mansfield who had a reason to impress... for their new manager Keith Curle. It was the Alex who took the opening goal though, probably against the run of play, Brammer knocked it out of the Crewe half to Lunt on the edge of the centre circle who knocked it long into space and while the stags keeper and defence stood and watched Rix popped in from the left to drag it accross the keeper into the bottom left corner at the railway end. It was expected that the Alex were going to get something in the first few minutes. The Alex settled back, but maybe too much. From a corner Lever hit the target with his header but Vaughan cleared right on the goal line. The Alex didn't seem bothered about attacking more about getting the ball down to play. Mansfield always gve the Alex time and space to move, especially Ashton and Brammer who charged at their defence a few times. Meanwhile Mansfield charged at us with long ball being hit to Iysden Christie and MacKenzie. After a few corners and a few block tackles they found it hard to find a way through Walton and Foster until a long ball sent MacKenzie cutting in down the right and when he beat Foster he placed his shot into the bottom corner or would have if Ince didn't pull off his best save of the season as he went full stretch to punch the ball out for a corner. Lunt then scuffed a easy chance as Ashton and Brammer ripped open the stags defence and when Brammer squared it to Lunt to his right Lunt hit a weak shot at the keeper.
Jack then had a goal ruled out for offside when a infulencial Rix attacked down the left and from jusrt inside the area Rixy squared it for Jack to tap home but the linesmans flag went up straight away.

Captain Brammer's 1st goal of the season!

A very dull first half saw the Alex lead 1-0. Few chances for each team and even fewer clear cut ones for the teams. It was the Alex in front against a not very organised side who seemed to go for headers against each other.
Second half saw much better football from the Alex and unlike the last half saw us dominate play. It was partly helped due to new Mansfield manager Keith Curle taking off Danny Bacon and changing to a 4-5-1.
15 minutes in and it was 2-0 with Brmmer again palying a key role in it when he plit the Mansfield sdefence in half with a pass to Lunt on the far left of the area and as he tried to nip past 2 defenders Jervis tugged Lunts shirt right in front of the ref and he wasted no time in pointing to the spot. Our first penalty since Shaun Smith left and although Ashton wanted it Brammer was promised it by Dario and Brammer hammered home into the bottom left corner as Pilkington went the wrong way. The players were taking the piss as they passed it and stroked it around the pitch with ease. It looked as though it

What a goal!

would end 2-0 with no chances at either end since the penalty but when the Deano started to go forward noone was expecting him to smack it into the back of the net, via the crossbar and keepers hand, from 20 yards. What a beauty. Made it onto the end credits of Match Of The Day - which isn't bad.
The game just fizzled out with Crewe having all the possesion. Dull FA Cup game with no flair to the game and just DULL!

Man of the match - Ben Rix.