Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 03.11.20

It was a ninetieth minute goal that denied Mansfield Town from picking up their first win of the season as caretaker Manager Richard Cooper drew his second successive game in charge.

It was a lively start as Nicky Maynard was first to test the Wanderers goalkeeper as his shot stung the palms of Billy Crellin before the home side tried their luck from range with Sarcevic forcing Stech into a good save down to his right.

Mansfield might have gone in at the break with the lead as Bowery shrugged off a defender to shoot at goal but Crellin stood up to the task to keep the scores at nil nil.

In the second half Maris shot inches wide after Nicky Maynard pulled back to him following a mazy dribble by George Lapslie and on 56 minutes Benning drove inches wide a low effort from distance. Crelling adjudged to have tipped it around the posts and from the resulting corner Mansfield took the lead when Lapslie headed in from McLaughlin’s left footed inswinger.

As the game filtered out to what looked to be a huge three points for Mansfield a long ball found a darting run by Sarcevic in the final minute who got between the defenders and poked past Stech for the ball to bobble home for a late leveller.

Manager Richard Cooper after the game said “I think we deserved the three points. We really got about them in the second-half and created chances.”

“We asked the players to be brave on the ball and they did that. There was just a moment where a gap became too big and unfortunately we’ve been punished for it.”

“We played some good stuff. There was an overload in midfield and we coped with that. Second-half, I was really proud of that performance.”

The draw means Mansfield are 22^nd a place above the relegation places but worryingly now having played three more games than Scunthorpe in 23^rd who are three points below the Stags.

Attention now draws to Saturday and a tough test in the FA Cup at Sunderland perhaps a wanted distraction for the club.

Bolton Wanderers: Crellin, Baptiste, Almeida Santos, Delaney, Kioso, Sarcevic, White, Brockbank (Gordon 29), Crawford, Darcy (Gnahoua 57), Delfouneso (Miller 70).

Mansfield Town: Stech, Gordon, Rawson, Perch, Benning (O’Keefe 71), Charslie, Lapslie, Maris (O’Driscoll 86), McLaughlin, Maynard (Reid 77), Bowery.

Venue: University of Bolton Stadium

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc another draw for the Stags under Richard Cooper.