Cheltenham Town 0-0 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 24.10.20

It was a fifth draw of the season for Mansfield but against a Cheltenham Town team in the automatic promotion places it was a good point for the Stags at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium yesterday.

The away side were the better of the two teams in the early stages as Charsley and Maris struck wide in the opening ten minutes before a McLaughlin free kick on twelve was easily saved by the Robins goalkeeper Griffiths.

Maris again tried his luck on 27 only for his goal bound effort to be blocked by Tozer before Griffiths did well halt a goalmouth scramble when Perch looked destined to get there. The Cheltenham shot-stopper again to the rescue saving from Lapslie on 31.

As the rain came down Gordon whipped a tantalising left footed shot across the face of the goal which agonisingly evaded a touch that would have taken it in between the posts.

In the second half Marek Stech was forced into his first piece of real work on 58 minutes when he saved well from a header after a long throw in before Charsley cleared off the line as May looked certain to score.

As both sides struggled with the conditions Cook had a shot blocked for Mansfield before Clements blazed wide for the hosts and on 85 minutes Mansfield might have won it when Maynard went through to strike wide from just outside the box.

After the match Manager Graham Coughlan stated “It looked like it was a game of two halves. It looked as though we were the better team in the first-half and they probably shaded the second-half.”

“A point at Morecambe and a point at Cheltenham away from home – that certainly shows character and that we’re going in the right direction.”

“I would say the next two games are vital to us, if we’re to build on the Morecambe and Cheltenham games.”

Next up the Stags have Barrow at home on Tuesday before taking on Walsall at Field Mill on Saturday.

Cheltenham Town: Griffiths, Raglan, Tozer, Boyle, Blair (Thomas 59), Sang (Addai 83), Clements, Sercombe, Hussey, May (Williams 69), Reid.

Mansfield Town: Stech, Menayese, Rawson, Sweeney, Gordon, Perch, Lapslie, Maris (Maynard 78), McLaughlin, Charsley, Cook (Reid 78).

Venue: Whaddon Road

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc goalmouth action from a scoreless draw in League Two.