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Bradley stars for the reserves
Shayne Bradley came through a full 90 minutes for Stags in their Avon Insurance League clash with Hartlepool United yesterday.
But, as one striker moves towards full fitness, another looks set to miss out this weekend against Plymouth Argyle as Danny Bacon limped off with a groin strain.
Bradley at least gave himself and the club a boost with his first full game since badly bruising his heel in a pre-season friendly.
"Shayne looked a bit rusty as you would imagine, but he did all right and his sharpness will only return with matches," said manager Billy Dearden.
"I am considering having him on the bench at the weekend as he is always likely to score a goal and its puts pressure on the others to see him on there.
"We all know what he and Chris Greenacre looked like pre-season. They seemed like they could tear any team apart between them."
With Hartlepool fielding a side, six of whom had first-team experience - including the former Mansfield midfielder Darrell Clarke returning from injury - the reserve clash proved to be an entertaining game.
Stags fell behind after sloppy marking early in the second half, and then laid siege on the Hartlepool goal, but could not find an equaliser.

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“It was a better game than last week when we beat Chesterfield 3-0,” said manager Bill Dearden, “We battered them second half but we couldn’t get the equaliser”

“We let in a bad goal but there was a few pluses,” he said, “the young lads did alright and Shayne Bradley 90 minutes.”

Shayne Bradley played his first full game for a few months but as Bill Dearden suggested he still needs more games under his belt before making a full return to first team action: “He looked a bit rusty at times but I’ll have to look it.” he said.

www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk
Hartlepool Reserves 1 Mansfield Reserves 0

Colin West’s Reserve side made it four wins in a row with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mansfield at Seaham this afternoon.

There were few real chances in the first half in which the sides cancelled each other out in a midfield battle. Tony Sweeney saw a lot of the ball in midfeld but Pools were unable to make much impact in the final third – their closest chance being Tony Lormor’s header from Marc Batey’s left wing cross which drifted just wide.

The second half was just two minutes old when pools scored the only goal of the game. Jon Bass set Lormor away on the right. The experienced striker pushed the ball past his marker and whipped in an early cross which Stephen MANSON met at the near post to volley home. The youngster had a chance to make it two but failed to realise how much time he had and his volley was saved by the Stags keeper. Lormor volleyed just over from 6 yards out and Sweeney had a one on one with the keeper but he saved with his feet.

The visitors had a 15 minute spell when they dominated the game, but Pools’ defence held out with Simms and Wear outstanding. The Stags were reduced to hitting long balls into the box which were meat and drink to the central defenders and Martin Hollund, who didn’t have a save to make in the whole game, swept up the remainder of the crosses.

Darrell Clarke played the full 90 minutes and seemed to suffer no adverse reaction. Ian Clark and Tony Lormor, both also returning from injury also completed the full game.

West was delighted, “ A good battling team performance – we defended well when we had to, and kept a clean sheet too. Mansfield are a good footballing side who like to play football and we forced them to change their game plan. Stephen took his goal well – we encouraged him to take a gamble by going to the near post and it came off – he took it really well.”

Teams :
POOLS : Hollund, Bass, Wear, Simms, Batey, Ormerod, D Clarke, Clark, Sweeney, Lormor, Manson.
Subs not used : Provett, Craddock, McKenzie, Peachey, Piggott

Mansfield : Bingham, Archer, Jervis, J Clarke, Holyoak, Barrett, Lazarus, Tankard, Bradley, Harris, Bacon
Subs : A White, Elliott, Rew, Carter, J White

Full-time : POOLS 1 Mansfield 0