Nick Proschwitz strikes as Hull City reserves beat Mansfield
NICK Proschwitz’s strike just before half-time gave Hull City a deserved 2-1 win over a stubborn Mansfield Town.
In the third successive night of Tigers football, the reserves followed in the footsteps of Steve Bruce’s first team and Billy Russell’s youth side.
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Nick Proschwitz challenges for the ball with Andy Dawson in Hull City's reserve match at Mansfield.
Stephen Clemence’s team made it two wins from the three but they were made to withstand a few jittery moments before securing the points.
It was a strong Tigers side that took to the field with Egyptian international Ahmed Fathi forming a strong central midfield partnership with former Nigerian international Seyi Olofinjana.
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Fellow first-team squad members Andy Dawson, Tom Cairney and £2.5m striker Nick Proschwitz made it a formidable Tigers line-up.
But it was Mansfield, who only had one substitute on the bench, who took a surprise seventh-minute lead. Nick Wright had time to cross for an unmarked Ben Hutchinson to head past Mark Oxley.
But the Stags’ lead barely lasted two minutes.
Tom Cairney drifted in from the right hand side and played a clever one-two with Danny Emerton before his shot took a wicked deflection over Shane Redmond to make it 1-1.
Both sides created chances but were unable to trouble either keeper.
Will Aimson was in the right place at the right time to clear the danger from under his crossbar when Mansfield threatened.
But the game swung City’s way two minutes before the break.
Proschwitz found some space on the edge of the box and curled a shot for the top corner but was denied by a lick of paint on the crossbar.
The chance awoke the big German who was off target with a couple of easier chances earlier in the half.
Barely a minute later, the German put City ahead for the first time, when he ran on to Cairney’s through ball and fired past Redmond with a first-time shot.
Unfortunately for the supporters who braved the cold weather, the second half failed to live up to the standard set in the first. Wright should have troubled Oxley when the ball came to him at the back post but he lacked composure and fired high and wide.
Andy Todd squandered another good opportunity for the Stags but his finish didn’t match the superb cross-field pass that found him from Louis Briscoe.
City’s chances were few and far between after half-time with McCaffrey forcing a save from Redmond but his back post header was tame.
Fathi should have scored but he blazed over when a more subtle chip over the grounded Redmond would have sufficed. Proschwitz, to his credit, kept running all night and his blocked shot was the last half-chance of the night.
Overall, City were good value for their win, but Mansfield made it tough for them.
Tigers: Oxley, Dillon (Armstrong 72), McElroy, Olofinjana, Aimson (Clarkson 72), Dawson, Emerton, Fathi, Proschwitz, Cairney, McCaffrey (Jahraldo-Martin 72).
5 Comments
by bored_marker
Thursday, March 14 2013, 3:26PM
“@footpower. Agreed.
Not sure but maybe one reason for us playing reserve teams from lower leagues might be the potential for players to "do someone in" from a rival club. Imagine if we played Cardiff Reserves at a time like this and one of their players took out Cairney or Proschwitz for the remainder of the season. Alright, neither have been key players for us this year but it would leave us without the strength in depth in the squad and negates the whole purpose of playing these matches which is normally just to improve match fitness.
Not playing devils advocate here btw, just a theory.”
by footpower
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:00AM
“Hmmmmm, cannot help thinking that these reserve games against mickey mouse opponents are not really doing the squad members any good at all. We need to be playing reserve teams from the Championship in order to hone the sharpness of these fringe players.
It would be good to have it explained by someone in the know why we play the likes of Hartlepool, Grimsby, Chesterfield and Gateshead as oppose to Middlesborough, Leeds etc.”
by footpower
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:00AM
“Hmmmmm, can't help thinking that these reserve games against mickey mouse opponents are not really doing the squad members any good at all. We need to be playing reserve teams from the Championship in order to hone the sharpness of these fringe players.
It would be good to have it explained by someone in the know why we play the likes of Hartlepool, Grimsby, Chesterfield and Gateshead as oppose to Middlesborough, Leeds etc.”
by footpower
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:00AM
“Hmmmmm, can't help thinking that these reserve games against mickey mouse opponents are not really doing the squad members any good at all. We need to be playing reserve teams from the Championship in order to hone the sharpness of these fringe players.
It would be good to have it explained by someone in the know why we play the likes of Hartlepool, Grimsby, Chesterfield and Gateshead as oppose to Middlesborough, Leeds etc.”
by VoiceNreason
Thursday, March 14 2013, 10:44AM
“I was at the game and even though it was only Mansfield Town I was impressed with the midfield of Fathi - Oli and Cairney. They nworked well as a 3 some and maybe worth a shout in the Huddersfield game. I feel that many of the regular first team will need a rest after being away with the International sides.”