Scunthorpe United 2-3 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 26.12.20

The Stags won an entertaining match at Glanford Park with plenty of drama in this Christmas Cracker and more importantly, three much-needed points, taking the Town level with the Irons to 19^th on twenty from twenty matches and still four away from the drop zone.

George Lapslie opened the scoring for Mansfield on sixteen minutes, ghosting in at the far post to nod down into the bottom corner after some good old fashioned wing play from full back Kellan Gordon who cut in and crossed left footed after a couple of step overs bamboozled his opposite full back.

On the opposite flank, left back Mal Benning got forward on 29 minutes to cross low into the danger zone where a stretched-out foot of Scunthorpe centre half Emmanuel Onariase diverted the ball goal bound with Mark Howard in the home team goal at full stretch himself, unable to keep the ball out from crossing over the line. Some debate whether the whole ball went over the line but no doubt in the Referee Salisbury’s mind who signalled for a goal.

Another own goal brought Scunthorpe back into the game as Gilliead’s miss-cued cross come shot from range was diverted by the fully stretched foot of Farrend Rawson into the corner of Marek Stech’s net.

A scrappy goal on the hour also restored the Stags two goal advantage, Rawson heading a Mal Benning free kick onto the post before hitting Bowery on the chest and trickling over the line. A desperate clearance couldn’t fully stop the ball going over completely but Ollie Clarke fired home to make sure for certain, goal credited to Bowery, his third in the league this season.

Scunthorpe did fire back on seventy minutes when Loft picked out McAtee at the back post to ensure a nervy last twenty of the game but the Stags held on to a much-needed win, their second in Scunthorpe under Manager Nigel Clough who after the match stated “I thought we did deserve it on the balance of play. Of course, the performance could have been better, but it’s about the result and nothing more than that today.”

Scunthorpe United: Howard, Clarke, Onariase (Codner 56), Bedeau, O’Malley, Gilliead, Beestin (Green 82), Spence (Taylor 66), Eisa, McAtee, Jarvis (Loft 66).

Mansfield Town: Stech, Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning, Clarke, Lapslie, Maris, Charsley, Reid, Bowery.

Venue: Glanford Park

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Bowery scores as Ollie Clarke makes sure.