sherm

Bagshaw's transfer had not yet been confirmed, contract talks still ongoing with Peterborough, but due to a slight injury crisis in that position, he was forced to take the field from the start in the FA Cup game, as they travelled to Rushden without Renner, Lawrence and Greenacre. This meant Cesar and Stuart Dawe also came in from the off, and Peter was confident his side could do the business and progress. The problem was, they must have had a hangover from the poor performance in the previous game, as in the first half, they were utterly dreadful. Passes were misplaced, they struggled to get space to get shots off and they just could not get a grip on the game. Come the interval, they had registered just one shot on goal, which was half the amount of the goals that the home side had scored, a double from Jean Michel Sigere, the first a simple finish from a Simon Wormull pass and the second a powerful header from a corner, and with half the game remaining, they looked to be heading out The proverbial game of two halves was certainly appropriate, as a completely different Mansfield side came out for the second half, led largely by the superb Cesar, who had a hand in all three goals to lead the comeback and win the game. The Spaniard took the game by the scruff of the neck, creating two opportunities for Dawe and then Bagshaw, before again setting up the on loan midfielder, who collected the ball and rifled the shot home. This stunned the home side, and within a minute, they were level, Dawe flicking the ball on to Hartmann, who slid the ball across the goal for Cesar, who met the ball and side footed home. From that point on, there was only one winner, and the winning goal came from Stuart Dawe, as he made a run to the near post, which Cesar spotted, and he fizzed a ball across for the big striker to meet with his head and seal their passage through to Round Two -- "I don't know Damian, something still doesn't seem to feel right" "How do you mean?" They were studying the video from the game the next day "I just think we're missing that little spark, that magic something" His coach raised his eyebrows "I knew you had high standards boss but didn't expect this. I like it" A slight smile "Always looking for ways to improve. I'm still new to this game don't forget. Got a lot to learn" "Well from what I can see, you're learning pretty quickly!"

It was gone 9pm when they got back to his flat, both exhausted from the long day, but both elated. It literally couldn't have gone any better. Charlotte retreated to the bathroom to run herself a bath, while Peter grabbed himself a beer and, seeing the red light on his answering machine, hit the play button. He was greeted by the familiar voice of his chairman "Afternoon Peter. I know you're out for the day but we need to talk. Come to my office as soon as you get her in the morning..." He finished his bottle before heading to the fridge for a second, possibly less celebratory beer .. He arrived at the ground just before 8.15 the next morning, seeing the Chairman's blue Jaguar already in the car park. He headed down the corridor, and, knocking on his door, braced himself "Come in!" He entered, the chairman surprisingly not sat down as he usually was "You wanted me Keith?" Haslam sighed "Had Southampton on the phone. They want you as their new manager..." "Not interested" "... and I thought...sorry, what?" He turned to give him a quizzical look "I said, I'm not interested. I'm happy here, I've got no reason to want to leave" Whether the Chairman had expected him to leave, or just thought the lure of a bigger club would entice him, he wasn't sure, but after the short conversation, he headed back to his own office A trip to Tranmere was next on the agenda, but Peter was not happy going into the game. This was due to the fact that Wigan, despite being keen on sending Paul Bagshaw to them on loan, had suddenly accepted a permanent offer for him. While that was within their right, he just felt they had shown an enormous lack of disrespect, and he voiced that opinion to Paul Jewell when he took the phone call from him. With that, the midfielder was dropped from the squad, although it wasn't actually his fault, while Rusk and Moukoko both got given a rest, with Agustin and Littlejohn coming into the side. That didn't seem to matter, as it was probably the worst game of his tenure. His side were slow, lethargic, and the passing was terrible. That said, the home side were just as poor, and Peter felt sorry for the fans in attendance at having to watch such a poor game. Only a handful of clear cut chances came through the 90 minutes, but fortunately, the winner came their way seven minutes from time, Agustin striking the ball sweetly from just inside the box and beating the 'keeper to seal the win, but there was no doubt it was a terrible game of football

"Listen, don't be nervous. Just be yourself and she'll love you" Peter had turned to Charlotte as they walked up the front path to his mums house "I'm not nervous as such. Just want her to like me" "She will" He opened the door and shouted as he entered "Mum? We're here" A shout echoed from another room "Hiya love. I'm in the kitchen" They headed through into the kitchen, pecking his mum on the cheek as they did so "You alright?" "Yeah I'm good. Just making some pasta, if you're hungry?" He smiled at her "Always, you know me. Anyway, as you've probably guessed..." He didn't even get chance to finish his sentence, his mum having made a beeline for Charlotte "You must be Charlotte?" She took her hands in her own hand, smiling as she did so "Yes. Hi Mrs Daish" She laughed "None of that. Marie please" That seemed to break the ice, and both women trotted off for a chat. Peter opened the fridge to grab a drink ... Half an hour later, both women chatting away, Peter was watching the 4pm Premier League game, as Newcastle took on Chelsea, when he saw his mum entering the kitchen. He looked up to see that twinkle in her eye "Peter, she's lovely!" His mum was positively giddy "I know that. Glad you two are getting on so well" His mum gave him a small hug before filling up the wine glasses and retreating back into the lounge

The time was rolling around for his mum to meet Charlotte, and while she seemed to be taking it in her stride, he was bloody nervous. His mum had really liked Fiona, hitting it off with her immediately, and he felt that since their split, his relationship with his mum had been affected. That was partly his fault, not making enough effort to reach out to her, but this was something, with encouragement from Charlotte, that he wanted to do. For himself, and for his mum Before then though, there was the small matter of a visit from Wigan. Bagshaw had been doing well in the previous games, and he looked well up for this game in the build up. The team from the North West had been expected to be amongst the front runners for the title, given they had spent almost four million, a ridiculous amount for this level, but had been inconsistent, despite showing glimpses of what they can do. The teams were out warming up 45 minutes before kick off, and after a customary chat with his opposite number, Paul Jewell, he spotted Shayne Bradley and headed over to his former charge. The striker saw him and smiled, heading over to meet him "Hiya gaffer" He embraced him warmly "Hey, don't let Paul hear you say that. Good to see you son. Keeping well?" He shrugged his shoulders "I'm OK. Not had as much game time this season as I'd have liked, Jason and Lee have been on fire" He clapped him on the shoulder "Don't you worry lad. If you do what we both know you're capable of, you'll soon be in the team" "Thanks boss. It's nice to see you and the boys doing well. I saw Chris earlier, congratulated him on breaking the record" He smiled "Look, I know you wanted more game time..." "Boss, it's fine. Chris was in the form of his life and I know you couldn't say no to the money. No hard feelings, honestly" They shook hands and went their separate ways, both getting ready for kick off The pace at the start of the match was frantic, both sides looking like they would be going out for the win, and it took just three minutes for the first goal. Lawrence had jinked into the box before cutting it back to Greenacre, who was caught as he controlled the ball. The referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot, and Simon Rusk stepped up to sweep it home. The Scotsman could have easily had a second shortly after, his one two with Kos seeing him fire a shot off that rattled the crossbar, before Greenacre's header was ruled out for offside. They looked vulnerable at times though, the visitors easily capable of creating chances, and it was in a three minute spell that the game turnes on its head. Jason Roberts had caused problems all day, and it was his strength that caught out Mark Arber, as he muscled around the defender, collecting the ball as he did so and firing a shot that Tony Warner couldn't hold, and the rebound fell straight to Paul Mitchell, who poked it home. This stunned the home crowd, and not long after it was 2-1, McCulloch's movement allowing him to get free and meet a cross on the full, knocking the ball past Warner before he had a chance to move. Improvement was required in the second half, and that was the general message in the dressing room. With the instruction to go for it ringing in their ears, this was exactly what they did, chance after chance falling the way of the home side. Greenacre, Renner, Kos, and Moukoko all missed good chances, and just as it looked like it might not be their day, Moukoko slid in the advancing Hartmann, the German controlling the ball and beautifully firing into the goal. He could have snatched the win in injury time too, rising highest but seeing his header tipped over the bar, and both sides had to settle for a point

"Morning Peter" Keith Haslam had caught him walking down the corridor "Morning Keith. What news?" "Thought you'd like to know, the training facilities are complete. You can start using them again tomorrow" He nodded "Thanks Keith, good news" "I also just wanted to say congratulations too. The whole board are delighted with the way things are going on the pitch" "The players deserve the credit Keith. My job is simple really" -- The new facilities were impressive, everyone taking a bit of time before training to have a look round, but after that it was business as usual. As well as league action, the FA Cup would also be on the calendar for November, Rushden having been drawn as their opponents for the first round. While Division Two was a priority, the FA Cup always provided a nice distraction and a decent run would provide a good cash injection into the club "No Mum, I'm eating properly" "..." "Well as much as I appreciate you saying that, I promise I'm eating fine" "..." "We're both coming round on Sunday" "..." "Don't you worry, you'll love her. Do you need me to bring anything with me?" "..." "OK. Bye Mum, see you Sunday"

"OK lads, lets have you for a minute?" The players gathered round their manager "OK, first of, well done on the Wycombe game. Solid and professional performance..." Some murmurs from the squad "...and second of all, let's hear it for Chrissy, the club's new all time record scorer" Cheers and applause rang around, the striker hiding his embarrassment well but a hint of a smile on his face "Anyway, Chris, I hope you don't mind, but I've had a little gift made for you..." He bent down to the bag and pulled out a varnished ball "...in the form of this" He handed the ball to his striker, who was immediately drawn to the words on the ball Chris Greenacre Mansfield Town Record Goal Scorer October 28th 2002 vs Wycombe 86 goals He said his thanks to his teammates and his manager, giving the ball back to Inga Anderson who took it back inside, before beginning training, still taking some ribbing from the rest of the lads -- October 2002 Results [Division Two unless stated otherwise] Mansfield 2-0 Swindon [Riza 8, Lawrence 54] Notts County 0-5 Mansfield [Greenacre 9,29,66,90,90+3] Mansfield 3-0 Bristol Rovers [Moukoko 9, Bagshaw 18, Hartmann 66] Oldham 0-2 Mansfield [Greenacre 17, Edwards 47] Mansfield 5-2 Huddersfield [Hartmann 9, Rusk 17, Riza 27,71, Kos 67 ; McCann 21, Clemence 38] Wycombe 0-2 Mansfield [Greenacre 13,62] Chris Greenacre becomes Mansfield's all time record scorer

"Hey. Come on in" Charlotte had earnt a couple of days off, so he had promised a takeaway and a quiet night in. There was also something he wanted to talk to her about. He kissed her as she entered the flat, looking lovely in her beige jumper, tight fitting black jeans and pristine white Reebok classics "How's work?" She had kicked off her trainers as soon as she get on, sitting on the sofa with he legs tucked under her "Busy. I'm loving it though" "Good. I've gone simple tonight by the way, spaghetti and meatballs" She smiled "Perfect" They had eaten dinner and shared some wine, and it was while they were talking afterwards that he mentioned to her what was on his mind "Listen, there's something I wanted to run by you" She popped her wine glass on the table "I'm all ears" "Well, people have realised we're a lot more than just friends now. I've actually also told my mum about you. Needless to say, she wants to meet you..." "Now there's a coincidence. My parents want to meet you too" "OK. Well that could make it easier. I was actually thinking that we could go and see her one Sunday? Maybe go round, have a brew and a chat?" She flashed a smile "Sounds good. I'll speak to Mum and Dad and see what they say " He had expected a little more of a tougher conversation, but things had gone well and with that, his smile lasted all week, and going into the final game of the month, a trip to Wycombe, the mood in itself among the squad was superb. Greenacre had recovered and was back in the squad, while Kos had been rested for Geir Olsen and Karl Owen took the place of the unfit Rob Kozluk. As it happened, he probably could have played himself in the game, as it was the most simple and comfortable win of the season so far. It was so easy in fact that they limited the home side to just two shots on their goal, neither forcing Tony Warner into a save. There was however, reason to celebrate, as a little bit of history was created in the game. Chris Greenacre had headed home the opening goal after 13 minutes, rising to meet Moukoko's corner, and levelling the club record for leading scorer in their history It was the solitary goal at half time that seperated them, despite having controlled and dominated the game, but just before the restart, Peter had gone to the referee's room. He had asked if, should Greenacre score again, he could have the ball at the end of the game, as he wanted to surprise his striker with a little present. The referee had agreed, and it was now down to hope that the goal came. It almost looked destined not to be going to happen, chances falling to other players, Moukoko and Olsen missing the two best chances, but eventually, two minutes after the hour mark, it happened. Lawrence had linked with substitute Victor Renner, and having picked up the ball, he saw Greenacre making the run. He lofted the ball into the strikers path, and while still on the run he took it on the chest and volleyed it past the 'keeper before he could even move. He headed straight for the travelling 500 that had made the trip, his teammates right behind him, and they mobbed their new record goalscorer on his achievement

His mood had been tetchy for a couple of days after the news, and Beardsmore had slinked away quietly. Adverts had been placed out, and for the second time that season, he was looking for a new member of staff. He had calmed down a little bit before the next game, a trip to Oldham, and this was mainly because he had arranged to meet Charlotte on the Saturday night. She was covering Rochdale that day, and would travel back with the team before they had dinner that night. David Edwards was back in the team, while Vance Warner slotted back into the centre of defence. The game itself was, for want of a better word, drab. Oldham had made a poor start to the season, inconsistency in their results seeing them sitting 14th, and this was something Peter expected his side to use to their advantage. They did early on, Kos firing a stinging shot into the arms of the 'keeper, while Warner headed wide from a corner, but it was Liam Lawrence who linked with Simon Rusk to set up the opener, the Scottish midfielder curling a ball in behind the defence for Greenacre, who collected it and hit it first time into the bottom corner. There was only one winner from that point, and despite there being no goals in the remainder of the half, it was less than two minutes into the second half when the second goal came, Greenacre flicking the ball on to David Edwards, striding forward from midfield, and the Welsh midfielder slid the ball in with ease. The game was a stalemate after that, the home side struggling to break their opponents down, while Peter saw his side contain them and control the game with composure, and eventually the whistle brought the curtain down on the game with a 2-0 victory -- Beardsmore had gone, the end of the working relationship that had developed over the previous 18 months fizzled out with a whimper. However, it hadn't taken long to find a replacement. In fact, he had found two, having been given the green light to sign on two coaches to add to his bench. The first of these was Claus Estevaag. The Norwegian had almost ten years of experience with the likes of Rosenborg and Tromso, and having been released from the latter when the new regime came in, he was available without compensation. It hadn't taken long to thrash out the details, a three year deal agreed for the 44 year old, and he would begind immediately, although he would be allowed time to go back and get some stuff from his old home. He was only the first new face though, 31 year old Damien Matthew also securing a two year deal. He had no experience at all, having only passed his badges in the summer, but in his interview there was something about him that Peter liked, just his enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game shining through, and his instinct told him to add the youngster (well, in coaching terms), to the team Both men had taken their place alongside him for the visit of Huddersfield, a team who were struggling to live up to the hype that had followed them at the start of the season, a bad start in August meaning they currently sat six points outside the Play Off places. Peter couldn't have any sympathy for them, and he intended not to have, but he did have a couple of injury concerns which forced some changes. Greenacre had picked up an illness so he wasn't in the squad, Omer Riza coming in to replace him, while Glenn Hartmann took his place alongside Kos in the midfield. The giant German justified his place in the team, causing all sorts of problems for the weaker Huddersfield midfield, and he even opened the scoring, a scramble in the box falling to him and he swept the ball home within the first ten minutes. Riza saw a header chalked off three minutes later, adjudged to have been offside, but Simon Rusk did double the lead not long after that, controlling the ball from a fizzed pass and firing a low drive past the fingertips of the 'keeper. The visitors seemed to wake up after that, and within four minutes they had pulled a goal back, Clyde Wijnhard feeding Grant McCann, and the midfielder deftly guiding it past Warner. The game, however, looked to have been sealed ten minutes after that, a ball over the top finding Riza, who managed to bring it down, muscle past the last defender and lash it into the roof of the net for his first goal for the club. The visitors would not go away though, and they managed to pull another one back before the break, reducing the deficit to one goal again, this time McCann had a hand in providing the goal, curling a pass behind the defence that Arber just found was out of his reach, and young striker Andrew Clemence latched on to it and flicked it past Warner with the outside of his right foot. The team had felt Peter's wrath at half time, despite winning he had made it clear that the performance could, and should have been better, and they responded magnificently in the second half, not allowing the visitors into the game at all, aswell as adding two more goals to seal the points. Kos had added the fourth, but this was not before a Liam Lawrence goal had been ruled out for a push, and Riza had hit the bar so hard with a shot it was still shaking almost three minutes later, but it was from a Lawrence cutback that the little Dutch maestro scored, meeting the ball first time and guiding it into the goal. Rusk set up the fifth and final goal, slipping in Riza and the former West Ham man completed his man of the match performance with a lovely little dink over the visitors goalie

Despite winning their last four games, that wasn't the most pleasing aspect. They had done it without conceding in those games, keeping four clean sheets and scoring 15 goals in the process, so things were really motoring along, and this was evident amongst the squad too, as the mood was great going into the next game, a home clash with Bristol Rovers. Wouter Kos had played virtually every minute this season, and he had been advised to rest him, and he duly did so, bringing Glenn Hartmann to replace him in the midfield. Arber had not passed fully fit either, which meant Vance Warner took his place too, while Bagshaw took the place of Lawrence, but other than that, they were at full strength as much as possible. This showed early on in the game too, as they raced into a two goal lead in the first twenty minutes. The first of these came from Moukoko, from a move that he started, as he sprayed the ball out wide to Bagshaw, who jinked himself to the byline, before pulling a low cross back. Greenacre dummied it deftly and Moukoko was there to meet it and slide it home. Bagshaw had been instrumental in the goal, and he grabbed the second for himself, stepping up to take the free kick that had been won by Greenacre, and he curled it into the top corner to double the lead. The game was never in doubt after that, and despite Greenacre, Bose and Bagshaw all missing good second half chances, but Hartmann scored the third and final goal, using his strength and sheer size to maraud clear and slot the ball home into the corner -- "What the...?" He stared incredulously at the email on his screen. He picked up his mobile and dialled the number "Russ? My office. Now!" If his coach hadn't known anything was wrong before the call, the tone those four words were spoken gave it away "Gaffer..." "Sit down!" Beardsmore sat opposite him "Russ, we've worked together a while now. You know I value loyalty..." "Yeah boss..." "...so why the hell have I just had an email from Bradford confirming you've accepted their offer?" "It just seems like the right time to move on..." Peter slammed his fist on the desk "Bollocks. Have they offered you more money? When we discussed your extension on Monday, why didn't you mention it?" He looked sheepish "They phoned me on Tuesday. I wanted to tell you..." "You should have told me. We could have discussed it. I don't think you realise how angry I am right now!" "I'm sorry boss..." He shook his head "Forget it. I'll wish you luck at Bradford, and we'll leave it at that" With that, he stamped out of the room

Collins came straight into the starting line up for the trip to Notts County, Bagshaw staying on the bench, while Moukoko and Greenacre were both back in the starting eleven, and come the end of the game, it had all been about one man, as Chris Greenacre exploded, scoring all five of their goals in an absolute mullering of the home side. It was a remarkable display of goalscoring from the striker, one that even the Notts County fans had to applaud at the end of the game as he walked off. It had started inside the first ten minutes, Kos feeding Jervis, who whipped a cross to the far post and Greenacre nodded in, unmarked and free. By the time he scored his second, twenty minutes later, he could have had another two, as he cracked the bar with one effort before heading wide with another, but he did double the tally soon enough, a scramble in the box that fell to him, and he stroked it home with his left foot It had been a simple team talk at half time, and the team had responded in kind, with Bagshaw, Moukoko and Collins all having the chance to extend the lead and put the game beyond doubt, but it was Greenacre's hat trick goal that sealed things, as he completed his perfect treble by rolling the ball past the defender, using his strength to muscle past him, before turning and shooting in one motion and the ball fizzed into the roof of the net. This put the result beyond doubt, but the game continued into five minutes of injury time, enough time to allow another two goals. Lawrence pulled the ball back to the edge of the six yard box where Greenacre was waiting to tap it in, before a long ball saw him racing on to the end of it, getting there before the 'keeper and flicking past him which allowed him to stroll the ball into the open goal. He walked off with the match ball to a standing ovation, and Peter rushed over to his striker "Chrissy my son, absolutely phenomenal!" He tousled his hair as he did so "Thanks Boss. I wanted to repay the faith you've had in me" They walked off together, Peter pulling back a little bit and allowing the striker to walk off alone, which was the least he deserved -- "Tell you what gaffer, that was some performance from Chrissy wasn't it?" He was sat having a Sunday afternoon pint with Russ Beardsmore to celebrate the emphatic result "Incredible. And to think, he was doubting himself at the start of the season" "You're joking? You never told me that" "Did I not? Yeah he came to me start of the season. Reassured him but that was all him yesterday, nothing to do with me" Beardsmore took a long swig of his pint "You know, he's only three short of becoming the clubs leading scorer?" "Is he? I didn't know that" "Read it in an article this morning. He's got 83, record is 85" He wasn't sure if the striker was aware himself of the record, but he decided not to mention it to him anyway, not wanting to add any undue pressure onto him

It was back to business on Wednesday, as Swindon were the next visitors, but there was a couple of forced changes to the team for the game. Greenacre had needed to go back home for a family emergency, and had been granted leave, while Moukoko had looked tired and sluggish the day before in training, and it was only when examined that he was diagnosed with a stomach bug, so he missed out on the game too, which meant Omer Riza, coming in for his first start, and Victor Renner both took their place on the field. Riza would have been keen to impress, knowing he was behind Greenacre in the pecking order, and he certainly did himself no harm when he scored the opener after just 8 minutes, Lawrence and Rusk combining in the midfield and the Scotsman feeding in the former West Ham man, who curled the ball on the run past the 'keeper. The visitors were disappointing in the game, really struggling to create any openings in the first 45 minutes, but the reason that the lead was only one goal was thanks to some poor finishing from their opponents, as Lawrence, Renner and Rusk all missed good chances, but Lawrence made up for that just nine minutes into the second half, as he scored a superb goal, flicking the ball over the head of his marker and hitting it first time as it dropped over his shoulder, leaving the 'keeper with no chance. There were no more significant chances, both teams playing a stalemate and only a couple of half chances falling the way of substitutes Bagshaw and Bose, and a routine win was completed .. Lee Collins had bedded in well, making his mark in training with a crunching, but ultimately fair tackle, on Liam Lawrence just five minutes into his first training session. He was an ideal Division Two defender. Although not a man mountain, standing at 6'0 tall, he was not afraid of a tackle, was very good in the air and was surprisingly quick and agile, and he looked like the perfect partner for Mark Arber in the middle of defence. He had impressed early on, while Bagshaw seemed to be going through the motions, although nothing was thought of this too much, knowing he hadn't played much so far "Peter, have you got five minutes?" Keith Haslam had called him in as he walked past his office "Morning Keith. What's up?" "Nothing, just wanted a general chat. Seems like we've been unable to catch up" "Well it seems busier this season, even though I know it's not really. How's the training ground coming on?" He nodded vehemently "Well on track, should be finished on time, if not earlier" "Perfect. You're on holiday soon aren't you?" Another nod "Yes. End of the month. It's the first time I've ever gone on holiday and not worried about the team" Peter laughed "Well things have certainly started better than I expected, I can't deny that. Long way to go, and we still have to be realistic. That said, if we're in this position come New Year, we'll have to look again!"

"Hi mum. How are you?" He walked through his mums front door, as she was washing the dishes "Oh hello son. Didn't expect you today" "Spontaneous visit. Any chance of a brew?" He smiled as he said it, knowing exactly what the answer would be "You know where the kettle is!" Having made a brew for them both, he sat down, waiting for the barrage of questions "So, how are things at work?" "Not bad. Going well and the lads have seemed to take to the new division like a duck to water" "Oh that's good. And outside of work?" There's the shot "How do you mean?" "Well, are you still moping about or have you got back out there?" He lowered his cup and raised his eyebrows "I wasn't moping about, thankyou very much. But as it happens, I have been seeing someone..." She was about to get excited "...but, it's early days yet. We're taking it slowly, not rushing things" "So what's she like?" "Her names Charlotte, she's 28..." An inquisitive eyebrow "She's a bit young isn't she?" "Well we both discussed it and it doesn't bother either of us. As I was saying, she's 28, a journalist. She's lovely" "And when do I meet her?" It had been nice to spend the day with his mum. Due to her being in Liverpool and he was based in Mansfield, their conversations had been limited to phone calls so to actually spend the day with her and speak in person had been really nice. He had expected a barrage of questions about Charlotte, which he had gotten, but he was concerned about her being on her own. She wasn't getting any younger and couldn't get about as much as she used to, so he had considered getting someone in once a week to keep her company

"Paul, welcome to Mansfield son" Bagshaw had come to the club, his club having agreed to send him on loan for the season. He didn't look particularly happy to be there though "Thanks. I just want to play games" Very abrupt "Well you'll get the chance. We need to get you up to fitness levels first but that will come" The Wigan man had been shown round the club, before going to training with the lads "Boss, got a minute?" Russell Beardsmore had popped his head around the door "What's up Russ?" A smile appeared across his coach's face "Halesowen have bitten. They accepted the bid. Collins will be here tomorrow" That was great news. Lee Collins, a long time target, was on his way for his medical with the club. Halesowen had been playing hardball on the price but had eventually agreed on a fee, and Collins would be a huge addition to the backline -- The Collins' medical had gone well, no injuries or lasting damage, and he had agreed terms swiftly, penning a four year deal. He was a very good centre half, quick, agile and a great reader of the game. He had gone back to Halesowen to collect his stuff, while the club had arranged accommodation for both he and Bagshaw, although neither of them were in the squad for the trip to Rotherham. Relegated last season, the Yorkshire side had kept most of their squad together, and their fans were expectant about bouncing straight back, but they had suffered an indifferent start and sat 8th in the table. They were looking to get back on track after a couple of poor results, but they didn't start well and did themselves no favours when Guy Branston saw red after thirteen minutes. It was a pretty innocuous tackle that earnt him his first booking, but it was pure stupidity for the second one, dragging down Greenacre while tussling for the ball and deservedly earning his marching orders. This seemed to affect his team mates, and they couldn't get their heads into the game, although the had their goalkeeper Mike Pollitt to thank for the score being level at the break, as he pulled off several saves from various Mansfield players to keep things deadlocked. In fact, it almost looked like being one of those days for the visitors, and it wasn't until the hour mark that they finally brought things to a head, Liam Lawrence floating a cross into the danger area, and Greenacre rising to nod it home, heading it into the ground before it hit the roof of the net. There were a couple of other decent chances but Greenacre sealed the game in stoppage time, breaking free and slotting the ball home past Pollitt --- September 2002 Results [Division Two unless stated otherwise] Chesterfield 1-2 Mansfield [Lawrence 7, Dawe 90+2 ; Edwards 74] Mansfield 1-0 Cambridge [Rusk 37 ; Melville s/o 7] Cardiff 2-4 Mansfield [Kos 8,53, Renner 90+1, Greenacre 90+4 ; McLeod 31, Thorne 72] Mansfield 4-0 Lincoln [Edwards 9, Moukoko 17,25, Hartmann 18] Rotherham 0-2 Mansfield [Greenacre 60,90+2 ; Branston s/o 13]

"You reckon he's worth getting in?" Peter and his scouts sat in his office, eating lunch with paperwork scattered over his desk "I do yeah. Think he'll really add something as a creative force" "How much we looking at?" Waldron checked his notes "Probably outside of our price range at the moment but they'd be willing to loan him out" He nodded "OK. Get on to Wigan and see if they'd be willing to do business. What about Collins?" Waldron again checked his notes "Still working on it boss. We've gone up to a hundred grand but they're still playing hardball" He thought for a minute "OK. Go up to hundred and fifty, and if they say no we'll look elsewhere" .. Training had been exciting over the next few days, with Cesar, now fully fit, impressing everybody with his range of passing and his ability on the ball, so it was a good time to be involved on the field right about now. Following the win over Cardiff, the players were in a good mindset, so much so that only two changes to the team were made for the visit of Lincoln, as David Edwards took Agustin's place, while Moukoko, back from international duty, also took his place back in the team, fairly fresh having only played 45 minutes over the two games he was away for The visitors were sitting just outside the play off spots, but in this game, they were never even in with a sniff. From the moment David Edwards went racing clear and slid the ball underneath Steve Simonsen, it was all one way traffic, and the game was sealed in a sixteen minute period. Kos and Moukoko were both magnificent, the Dutchman absolutely mercurial in the middle of the park, and he grabbed the assist for the second goal, a little pass with the outside of his right foot finding Moukoko, who spun his marker and whipped a shot into the goal with his left foot. Within 60 seconds, it was three, Moukoko intercepting a poor pass, laying it off for Cesar, who lifted a gorgeous ball over the top for Hartmann, and the German giant sent a looping header over the stranded Simonsen. The 'keeper was having a mare, but there was absolutely nothing he could do about the fourth goal, a brilliant bit of skill by Kos finding him in space, and then he released Moukoko. He set off towards goal, beating three men as he did so, before chipping the ball into the goal from 25 yards out, an absolutely brilliant goal, and the hapless visitors had no response Naturally, they did take their foot off the gas, knowing the game was won, but they had battered Lincoln into submission and could easily have extended that lead, as they created chances in the second period. Greenacre headed over from a corner, Simonsen had to make a fantatstic double save from Hartmann and then Moukoko, before the best chance of the half fell to substitute Victor Renner, who found himself with space in the area, and almost surprised, he fired wide past the far post. It made no difference though, and the game finished 4-0, a result that Peter was delighted with

"So you've started well then?" Charlotte had been given a couple of days off, so Peter had cooked her dinner before opening a bottle of wine "Yeah but there's so much more to come from the lads. If we're still in this position come Christmas time, I think we could easily go up again" A raising of the eyebrows while she drank "You think you're ready for that?" He sighed "Truthfully, probably not. But I can't tell them to ease off and stop picking up points" "Touche. Can I ask you something?" He turned away from washing the dishes, leaning back on the counter "Sure" "What's your ultimate goal? I mean, you don't see yourself at Mansfield in ten years time right?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully "To be honest, I haven't thought about it. There's a couple of teams in my past, and one in particular I have fond memories of, but in this game, you just kinda go with the flow" -- The build up in the week had been, for want of a better word, eventful. Liam Lawrence had sprained his ankle, meaning he would miss the next week or so, and this seemed to be a catalyst for a spate of niggles, as Rusk, then Edwards, and then Mark Arber picked up knocks that would rule them out of the next game, so for the trip to Cardiff, it was a changed eleven, with Renner, Hartmann and Vance Warner coming into the starting eleven, with Amit Bose drafted into the squad too, while Cesar made his first start for the club The home side had lost just once since the start of the season, and they were sitting third in the table, so it had all the makings of a tough game, and so it would prove the case. It started on a bright note though, Wouter Kos opening the scoring with a lovely goal, having been threaded through by a pinpoint pass from Hartmann, he raced into space and dinked the ball deftly into the goal. The little Dutchman had been one of the stars the previous season and he had continued that form to start this campaign, and having signed an extension, he would be the lynchpin of the midfield for a while to come yet. However, he couldn't prevent the game from being level at the break, as a short backpass from Rob Kozluk allowed on loan Everton winger Kevin McLeod to nip in and round Warner, slotting the ball home as he did so. It was against the run of play, although neither side created many clear cut chances, and while they didn't get a real telling off, Peter did tell them he expected more from them, and this was what he got to start the second half, and it was Wouter Kos once again who gave them the lead, this time drilling a low driven shot past the outstretched 'keepers right hand, after a fine pass from Cesar. The Spaniard himself had a chance to extend that lead, but he poked the ball wide, before a brilliant whipped cross from Renner just missed Chris Greenacre's foot, but as so often happens in football, the tide turned, McLeod feeding Tony Thorne, and the striker lashed it home to once again even the game up. The drama didn't end there though, and Peter did see his side go on to claim the points, but boy did they leave it late, as Victor Renner, from the edge of the six yard box, meeting a Cesar cross, and then Greenacre, after being fed through by Renner, sealed the game with injury time goals, extending their unbeaten run and keeping them top of the table

"What's up boss?" Russell Beardsmore had entered the video room, surprised to see his manager already there "Morning Russ. I don't know, something doesn't feel right" "How do you mean?" He paused the video "I don't know. Our passing and creative play doesn't seem as slick as it was last season" "It's early days yet. The lads seem to have adjusted. All it will take is one game where everything clicks and then that will be it" Peter shook his head "I was actually thinking of a slight tactical switch. I think we're too narrow through the midfield, if we push the likes of Liam and Moukoko further up the pitch, it should open it up more" .. He entered the boardroom, his files tucked under his arm "Morning gentlemen" Keith Haslam looked up "Morning Peter. Well done on Manager of the Month for August by the way" He held his hand up in acknowledgment. The hubbub died down eventually and the chairman spoke "OK. Thankyou for attending today gents. I won't keep you long so lets get to it. First of all, the revamping of the Training facilities has been approved. Work will start on the 12th of this month, and should take around two months to complete" Peter was the first to speak "That's good news. Can we still train there?" "Unfortunately not. I'm expecting a call today to confirm the use of a temporary facility" A nod "Secondly, and Peter this will interest you in particular, this will cost in the region of £50,000. This will not affect the ability to bring in players should you need to, but we still will not be shelling out huge unnecessary fees for transfers or wages" "Understood. I know the budget and I intend to stick with it" A collective smile from the board Cesar had been declared at a level of fitness for him to be considered for selection, and with that in mind he was given a place on the bench for the visit of Cambridge to Field Mill. Littlejohn had not been fit enough after his knock in the previous game so he was out of the squad and Victor Renner took his place, While Rusk and Agustin both took their place together for the first time, giving some extra reassurance to the midfield. The visitors were a tough tackling physical team, so it was expected to be a gritty affair, but their cause wasn't help when experienced defender Andy Melville, a Welsh international, lunged in with two feet on Liam Lawrence, It was a terrible tackle, late and with studs in the air, and the referee David Barrowdale had no hesitation in showing the red card to the defender. From that point on it was all one way traffic, and the only mystery was how the game only finished 1-0. Renner shaved the post, Greenacre smashed a shot towards the corner that was brilliantly saved, and Wouter Kos had a great chance the he fluffed, and it was only thanks to a brilliant free kick from Simon Rusk that they headed into the break ahead, the Scotsman curling home beautifully with his left foot. Cesar made an appearance for the second half, and he showed brief flashes of brilliance, particularly a curled through ball with the outside of his right foot that sent through Renner, but Cambridge 'keeper Les Sealey earnt his man of the match award, keeping everything they threw at him at bay, and keeping the score at a respectable one goal margin

They couldn't have wished for a better start to the Division Two campaign, 13 out of a possible 15 points, some superb football played, and the players all on board with the philosophies, but as a realist, Peter knew things could get more difficult as the season progressed, so he wasn't getting ahead of himself. He was however, delighted that he had managed to tie down some of his key players to longer deals. The chairman had agreed pretty quickly to the use of the wage budget for this purpose, mainly due to how well the team had performed on the pitch, so he had taken the opportunity to offer new deals to Greenacre, Kos, Moukoko, Lawrence and Mark Arber, and all five had signed without any hesitation, meaning a core of the team had been tied down for the next four years "Peter Daish" "..." "Pearcey. How are you mate? Keeping well?" "..." "Perfect. Family well?" "..." "Aye it's been a good start, can't complain. Shame about Forest though?" "..." "How's things in Manchester?" "..." "Sounds good. Listen I've got to go to training but give us a bell and we'll catch up properly?" "..." "OK mate. See you soon" It had been nice to chat, albeit briefly, with his former teammate, and it was even nicer to hear that Stuart Pearce was doing well in his coaching, having retired from playing in the summer to concentrate on that side of it. Maybe one day they could actually work together, but for now he was focused on Mansfield, and their next game, which was a visit to Chesterfield David Edwards was back in the line up for the game, while Rusk and Jamie Clarke also started the game. Adrian Littlejohn also came in for Moukoko, who had started his international duty. It was a fast start and it didn't take long at all for the scoring to be opened, Moukoko and Jervis linking down the left for the full back to clip the ball back into the danger area, and Liam Lawrence met it on the half volley and lashed it into the goal, leaving the 'keeper with no chance with the shot. The game petered out slightly after that, both sides struggling to find that killer ball or put the right cross in, and there was hardly a chance in the remainder of the game, the only opportunity coming from the visitors, Lawrence laying off Greenacre and the striker firing over the bar The second half started a little better, but a change was forced early on, Dawe coming on for Littlejohn after the midfielder tweaked his ankle, and the team moving to a 4-4-2. This made all the difference, Dawe using his strength and size to set up a couple of chances, firstly flicking on for Greenacre, who just went too far wide past the 'keeper before hitting the outside of the post, and then chesting into the path of Rusk, who fired straight at the 'keeper. The visitors levelled up with their first real opportunity, Rob Edwards rising to head home Marcus Ebdon's corner. Peter decided to go for it, telling his players to just bomb forward, and it looked forlorn, every chance being denied, until a simple route one ball from Clarke found Greenacre, who found himself and Dawe two on one with Jamie Hewitt, Greenacre recognising his strike partner was better placed and rolling the ball into him, for the big man to slot home and win the game with the final kick

There was a positive though, and they did have him for the final game of the month, as fellow promoted side Luton made the visit to Field Mill. They had inflicted one of his side's very few defeats towards the end of last season, so he was looking to get a measure of revenge for that, and let his players no in no uncertain terms that was what he expected, but whether it was a hangover from the previous game, or just one of those things, he didn't know, but his side started about as badly as he had seen during his tenure, and found themselves two goals behind within the first 22 minutes. Tony Warner had already made two saves before Liam George clipped the ball over him to open the scoring, the 'keeper's position slighty off and allowing the striker to chip him, and just five minutes later, it was his strike partner who doubled the lead, Douglas rising highest to bullet home a header They were given the proverbial hairdryer treatment at half time, something they hadn't had too often, and it made a difference to their performance, as they came out all guns blazing, pulling a goal back within 67 seconds, Greenacre outmuscling his man, turning him and lashing a ball into the goal. This was the spark they needed, and they were soon level, Moukoko winning the penalty following a trip from Valois, and Rusk stepped up to slot it perfectly into the corner. Both sides went for the win after that, with both 'keepers forced into good saves, but Greenacre thought he'd won it three minutes from the end, although he was deemed to be just offside, and in the end, they had to settle for a share of the spoils -- August 2002 Results [Division Two unless stated otherwise] Mansfield 2-0 Portsmouth [Lawrence 7, Agustin s/o 16, Moukoko 37] Blackpool 1-3 Mansfield [Moukoko 11, Lawrence pen 32, Kozluk 53 ; Fenton 43] League Cup Round One Mansfield 2-4 Sheffield United [Agustin 35, Dawe 56 ; Warhurst 32, Ndlovu 50, Devlin 53, Croft pen 90+1] Mansfield 2-0 Stoke [Greenacre 15, Rusk 48] Gillingham 0-3 Mansfield [Greenacre 47, Moukoko 55,80] Mansfield 2-2 Luton [Greenacre 47, Rusk pen 55 ; George 17, Douglas 22]

Good news had followed within 48 hours of the Gillingham game, as Cesar had decided that Mansfield was the place he wanted to continue his career, and had penned a two year deal with an option for a third year. He was still short of fitness so wouldn't be in the squad for the first couple of weeks while he worked with the fitness coach, but it was a signing that he was delighted with. As he was drawing up some training plans for the Spaniard, he noticed an envelope in his in tray, with an unusual heading on it International Call-Ups He grabbed the envelope and ripped it open, all the while thinking it was delivered to the wrong person. He started reading when he saw his name -- Peter cursed. Then he cursed again. Then he buzzed his intercom "Hello?" "Lindsey, can you ask Russ to come and see me. And when the players come in, send Moukoko to my office?" "Will do" Beardsmore entered the open door a couple of minutes later. No words were exchanged, he just handed over the sheet of paper After silently reading, Beardsmore looked up, a look on his face that spoke volumes "Cameroon? I thought he was Belgian?" "So did I. I've checked though, his mum's Cameroonian. So he's eligible" "****. That's a blow" Peter shrugged "It is but what can we do? We can't stop the lad going" Just then, the midfielder knocked on the door "You ask for me boss?" Needless to say, he was thrilled with the news. It was an honour to represent your country and Peter was never going to stop him, but it was a blow to lose such an influential player

It had been great to catch up with his old mate, and Reid had promised to stay around for the next few days before they left for the next game, eventually heading back on the Friday morning. Peter had to admit, Reid had looked refreshed and energized without the strain of management, but he knew that eventually, the wily old fox would find his way back into the game somehow. With an early coach trip on the Saturday morning, he headed to the fridge for a beer before turning in for an early night The squad for the trip to Gillingham were in a buoyant mood. They had started the campaign well, the core of the lads from the previous season were still here, meaning the harmony in the squad was great, and card school was in full flow. That said, when they stepped off that coach, it was business as usual, and he had every faith in the lads to do that "Sorry boss, he's tweaked the ankle. No way he'll make the game now" Peter stood in the Physio's room, Liam Lawrence grimacing in pain on the table in front of him "Damn. Right thanks Frank" He headed into the dressing room, team sheet in his hand. Popping his head around the door, he caught the eye of Victor Renner "Victor, you're starting. Liam's not fit to play" With that he headed to the referee's room to hand in his altered team sheet The home side had obviously come with a game plan, and this was to try and nullify the attacks down the flanks, and while it wasn't pretty on the eye, the tactic worked, Peter watching as his side struggled and toiled to create any real openings, the only chance of any note falling to Moukoko, although he fired wide from just inside the area. The home side were delighted going in at the break, although it can't have been much fun for their fans, but the second half was a different story, as Mansfield came out all guns blazing, finding the opening goal inside two minutes of the restart, Kos slipping through Greenacre, who raced forward and fired through the 'keepers legs with ease. This was the catalyst for the game to get out of reach for the home side, and just eight minutes later, the lead had doubled, Kos sending Rob Kozluk down the right hand side, the full back whipping a cross to the far post and Moukoko meeting it on the full with his left foot. Once again, Simon Rusk was controlling the tempo, and it was his link up with Renner that secured the third and final goal, Renner playing a beautiful ball in behind the defence, which Moukoko latched onto and lifted over the 'keeper into the goal to seal a very very nice win

"Boss, can I have a word?" Adrian Littlejohn had pulled him to one side after training "What's up Adie?" "I just wanted to let you know before I make it official, I'll not be signing an extension this season" Peter nodded. He had expected this. Littlejohn had slipped out of favour towards the end of the previous season "I understand son. I know you're disappointed you've fallen down the pecking order a little but I'll still need you for this season" The veteran clasped him on the shoulder "I'll be giving everything this year, don't worry" .. "Well well, look what the cat dragged in" He got up and greeted his old friend in an embrace "Look who's talking. How are you Reidy?" They sat down at the table as the drinks were delivered "Not too bad. Honestly, kinda just enjoying punditry at the minute since leaving Sunderland" Reid had been dismissed late last season with his side 18th in the Premier League, although they eventually survived by the skin of their teeth "I'm sorry about that by the way. Did you get my text?" "Aye, thanks for that. Shame about our old club though eh?" He raised his eyebrows "Yeah. The fans don't deserve that, they're a brilliant bunch. You not fancy taking over?" "To be honest they did approach me but I just fancied a break away" Peter nearly choked on his pint "You're joking?! I thought you'd have snapped up the chance?"

Peter was thrilled to get that deal over the line, and the new striker was in the squad for the next game, as Sheffield United made the trip to Field Mill for League Cup action. This was a competition that, while a cup run was always nice, would certainly be taking a back seat to the League games, so he took the opportunity to rest several of his regulars for the game, although he always sent his sides out to win. Amit Bose, Vitor Pereira, Victor Renner, Karl Owen and Vance Warner all came in, while Adrian Littlejohn came in for his first appearance of the season. Agustin also played, before his suspension kicked in The game started slowly, both sides feeling each other out, and chances were few and far between early on. Renner flashed a shot wide of the post, before Devlin hit one straight at the 'keeper. Peter was disappointed in his side's passing, the final ball not being good enough through the first half, and it was one of those sloppy passes that led to the visitors taking the lead, Paul Warhurst capitalising on an error by Vitor Pereira to race through and slot past Kevin Pilkington. This was the eye opener the home side needed, and within three minutes they were level, Littlejohn winning a free kick, which Agustin stepped up to curl past the 'keeper and into the top corner. This was how the score remained at the break, both sides cancelling each other out, but the visitors showed their quality at the start of the second half, scoring twice in the first eight minutes of the restart. Peter Ndlovu had been introduced at the break and it was he who restored the lead, using his past to explode past Karl Owen and get on the end of a long ball, before poking it into the goal. He provided the next one too, sliding in Paul Devlin despite being held by Vance Warner, and the midfielder dinked it over Pilkington This made things more difficult, but they did give themselves a chance when Stuart Dawe pulled one back, chesting and volleying in one swift movement, and from them on they created chance after chance, Peter instructing his side to go for it, and he saw Dawe, Renner, Agustin and Vance Warner all miss opportunities, and as usual in football, they paid the price when the visitors broke in injury time, a long throw from the 'keeper finding Devlin, who slipped in Peter Ndlovu. He was fouled by Pereira (who was probably lucky to stay on the field to be fair), and Lee Croft stepped up to slot home the spot kick and seal the win -- Despite the defeat, Peter had been delighted with his side's efforts in the game, but he was always on the lookout for extra quality to add to the squad, and with that in mind, he was ready for his meeting with Cesar and his agent. He was expecting a difficult time, the Spaniard having played for some big clubs, but he would certainly add a quality and creativity in the midfield that would give them an extra edge. He was distracted from his thoughts when he saw the player coming through the terminal gate He walked over to greet them "Mr Juarez?" The man held out his hand as he approached "Mr Daish? Thankyou for meeting us here" "My pleasure. I have a car waiting for us outside to take us to the ground. Dinner is there if you're hungry?" "We had a slight breakfast earlier so that would be good, thankyou" Just under an hour later, they arrived at Field Mill, having had a good conversation in the car. "Gentlemen, we'll have some dinner, then we can do a tour of the ground and facilities if that's ok?" They both nodded -- "How did it go gaffer?" Russell Beardsmore had approached him later on in the day, Cesar and his agent having left for their return flight "OK I think. Did my hospitality bit, offered the contract. Can't do anymore" "They gonna think about it?" "Aye. They've got a couple of other offers on the table though. Realistically, I'm not confident" They were still waiting on the Spaniard's decision come the next game, a visit from Stoke, but there was positive news with the return of Chris Greenacre to the team. The striker had privately expressed his worry that he wouldn't live up to the heights of the previous season, but Peter had given him assurances that he was first choice, and as long as he hit 20 goals, that would help them achieve their ambitions In all fairness to the striker, he went some way towards that mark by notching his first of the season when he headed home from a Moukoko corner, rising above everyone to open the scoring. He still wasn't fully fit so he wouldn't last the full game, but he could easily have had a hat trick before the break, volleying against the post and almost getting on the end of a whipped cross from Liam Lawrence, but even though they had other chances, it remained just a one goal advantage at half time. The visitors had offered nothing through the half, and at the start of the second half, they found themselves two behind, Rusk marauding forward to latch onto the end of Jervis' clipped pass, and the Scotsman slid the ball past Steve Simonsen to double the lead. Rusk had shown his class in the game, controlling the tempo, his passing almost perfect, and he could have had a couple of assists before the end, Riza missing the chance to open his account after being fed through, before Moukoko curled wide of the far post from his lay off, but they didn't find the net again, securing a two goal win and maintaining their early 100% record in the league

Training had finished, the lads having ran their socks off, and Peter was completing some reports when there was a knock on his door "Boss? Riza is here with his agent?" "Oh thanks Russ. Take them into the boardroom, I'll be down in five" Five minutes later, he entered the room "Omer, thankyou for coming son. Journey OK?" "Yes thankyou Mr Daish. This is my brother, Saiful. He acts as my agent" Peter extended his hand out "Welcome to Mansfield gentlemen. Should we get down to business?" Riza's brother cleared his throat "I hope you don't mind Mr Daish, I prefer to keep things brief" "OK. So what do you propose?" "My brother would like a three year deal. He realises he may not be first choice straightaway but he'd like opportunities through the season" Peter smiled inwardly "That is exactly what we're looking for. As it happens, this is the contract we'd drawn up" He slid the contract across the desk. Both men looked at it, muttered some quick dialogue and looked up "Sir, we are both more than happy with that. Do you have a pen?" And with that, Riza had signed a three year deal

Following the opening day win, Peter was keen for his side to carry on in the same manner, and a trip to Blackpool was the next opportunity to do that. Having narrowly missed the Play Offs last year, they were keen to push on this season, although having lost Richie Wellens and Danny Coid over the summer, arguably their two best players, they were considerably weaker. As for the team, the only changes saw Rusk take the place of Agustin, and Dawe started ahead of Greenacre, and it was the big striker who caused all sorts of problems for the home defence. He used his size and strength the hold the ball up, and this allowed the midfielders to bomb forward, and it was through this that they opened the scoring, Dawe flicking on for Moukoko and the mercurial Belgian slotted in beautifully. Rob Kozluk was having a fantastic game on the right hand side, and he won the penalty that led to the second goal, producing a brilliant bit of skill to turn his man and flick the ball past him, getting caught as he did so, and Liam Lawrence stepped up to send the 'keeper the wrong way They had been cruising the first half and looked certain to go in at the break with a two goal advantage, but a defensive mix up between Clarke and Arber allowed Graham Fenton in, and the striker took advantage and poked home the loose ball. That was a disappointment but they started the second half really well, creating a couple of half chances, Dawe missing the best of them, but it was Rob Kozluk who restored the two goal lead, deservedly so too for his performance, when he overlapped Lawrence and received the pass, firing into the goal with a fierce shot. It could have been more come the end, Lawrence, Dawe and substitute Victor Renner all missing the opportunity to score, but the home side couldn't get a grip on the game and the score remained 3-1 -- "How's the travelling?" "..." "I can imagine. Where are you on Saturday?" "..." "OK. Well they provide entertainment so you shouldn't be bored!" "..." "When are you back this end?" "..." "OK. Well when you are and you have some time, we'll grab dinner and a drink?" "..." "Perfect. I've got to go to training but I'll speak to you later on" Charlotte was enjoying her new job but the travelling was, understandably, taking it's toll on her, and she was feeling tired between trips, so it would be nice to give her something to look forward to when she was back in Mansfield

The day had been great, with Martin and Shaun both enjoying their time with the players and touring the ground, but when Peter left them at half past one, he immediately put his business head on and headed to the dressing room. They had been handed a tough start, as recently relegated Portsmouth, huge favourites for Promotion, were the first visitors to Field Mill. While they had lost some of their better players, they still had the quality to mount a serious title charge, so Peter had warned his troops that their focus needed to be spot on from the first whistle. Rusk had failed a late fitness test so Agustin started in the holding role, while Greenacre, Moukoko, Kos and Lawrence all took their places, meaning it was, aside from Rusk and the still suspended Tony Warner, their strongest available side. They got off to a superb start too, stinging the hands of Kawaguchi twice in the opening five minutes through Moukoko and Greenacre, but it was the seventh minute that saw the opening goal, Moukoko slipping in Liam Lawrence, who adjusted his body and slotted the ball past the diving Japanese 'keeper to give them the lead. The visitors looked shell shocked at the way their opponents had come out of the blocks, but after a quarter of an hour, the game changed perspective. A long ball over the top from Nigel Quashie finding Peter Crouch, who was battling with Agustin. Suddenly, the striker went down, his arms in the air, and before Peter could blink, the red card was out and the Spanish midfielder was walking off having been deemed to have stopped a clear scoring opportunity It had seemed a ridiculously harsh decision, and the readjustment saw Greenacre replaced by Clint Easton to shore up the midfield. This actually proved to be a masterstoke, as he sat back and backed up the defence, allowing Peter's side to create chances, and Moukoko doubled the lead seven minutes before the break, jinking in from the right and firing past Kawaguchi. The away fans got restless, but Peter and his players realised that they needed to shut up shop, so for the second half he decided to tinker and make sure they held their own at the back. This is precisely what happened, Portsmouth unable to break down the resolute defence of the home side, and the game petered out into a 2-0 win. It wasn't pretty, but sometimes, pretty doesn't always get the job done -- "Boss, got a sec?" John Waldron had popped his head in the office door "Come in John" He sat at his desk, pulling a piece of paper out of a file in his hand as he did so "I've been looking at the Free Agents like you asked. Found a few we could utilise" "Sounds good. What we got?" He whizzed a sheet across the desk "Omer Riza. Just released by West Ham. Think he could provide useful back up at this level" Peter studied the sheet. He had good attributes, pace, quick feet and an eye for goal "I like the look of him. Reckon he'll come?" "I think so. This man could prove tougher to snare..." Another sheet across the desk "...Cesar, Spanish midfielder. He's utter class but not sure if we'd be able to entice him" "Well let's give it a go anyway. I'll sort out meetings with them and their agents, see what we can do"