Cheltenham Town 1-0 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 22.02.20

Another defeat for Mansfield Town against playoff chasers Cheltenham but Manager Graham Coughlan stated that his side were the better team on a day when things didn’t go the Stags way.

The Stags should have taken the lead in the first half when Nicky Maynard looked to have rounded the goalkeeper when racing through on goal only for Evans to get fingertips on the ball.

The homeside had earlier gone close when Alfie May blasted over after cutting in from the right.

In a first half with chances at both ends Chris Clements blasted over for Cheltenham before Danny Rose headed into the side netting up the other end with the home side going close through May who headed wide.

In the second half Cheltenham went close heading over when it looked easier to score before Charsley raced through and blasted over when the young Stags midfielder looked certain to score but it was the home side who took the lead when a brilliant right wing centre was headed home by Reuben Reid on 65 minutes.

Mansfield pressed for an equaliser as time ran out, Hayden White crossing into the danger area but eluding everyone. Cheltenham holding on to victory in a boost to their playoff aspirations.

After the game Manager Graham Coughlan was proud of his teams performance stating ““I felt we deserved to win the game. We were the better team and we didn’t win the game. We’ve come away with nothing again.”

“We were excellent in the first-half with the chances we created and we defended manfully again. They did everything we asked of them.”

“I thought we were very good today and it’s very, very hard to take to be honest. The performance levels have really risen and the fitness levels have gone through the roof.”

Stags: Stone, Sweeney, Watts (Davies 86), Pearce, White, Hamilton, Bishop, Tomlinson, Charsley (Benning 71), Maynard, Rose.

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc goalmouth action from the Jonny Rocks Stadium.