Mansfield Town 1-0 Morecambe (EFL League Two) 27.02.21
Stags Manager Nigel Clough said that the single goal win against the Shrimps was “the best three points of the season so far” after Mansfield battled to end a run of three straight defeats to beat a side very much in the promotion picture.
The home side started well with Bowery’s effort saved by the visitors goalkeeper and Reid heading over the rebound in the opening three minutes, Ollie Clarke’s effort blocked on nine as the Stags laid siege on the Morecambe goal early doors.
Benning then forced Letheren into another save with a deflected free kick before Clarke headed over from a Maris cross, just after the half hour mark Reid headed inches wide of the post from Gordon’s delivery before Bowery finally delivered the games opening goal, guiding home confidently from a Quinn cross down the left. Four to play to the break, the Stags might have had another on the stroke of half time, Quinn blazing over after Law laid off to the midfield man.
In the second half it was again the Stags that dictated the play, Maris curling in on 56 to force the Shrimps goalkeeper into another save. Ten minutes later his deflected effort had the goalkeeper shuffling over to stop a corner, a busy afternoon for the 33-year-old who was at Chesterfield last season.
As the minutes died down, it was Mansfield stronger, more hungry for goals, Bowery heading straight at Letheren from a corner the best opportunity in a one-sided, dominant affair which ended with the Stags seeing out a much-needed confident boosting win.
Clough was delighted after with te performance saying “We dealt with everything brilliantly today. There are going to be League Two games like that, and we’re learning how to better deal with them.”
“When you haven’t won for five, and have lost the last three, so to get the three points is a big boost for everybody.”
Stags currently sitting sixteenth on 36 points, 11 points from any danger and ten from the playoffs.
Mansfield Town: Stone, Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning, Clarke, Maris, Quinn, Law (Charsley 90), Reid, Bowery.
Morecambe: Letheren, Mellor, Lavelle, Davis, Gibson (Hendrie 54), Songo’o (Leitch-Smith 81), O’Sullivan (McAllinden 81), Wildig, Diagouraga (Lyons 66), Mendes Gomes, Stockton.
Venue: Field Mill
*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Jordan Bowery’s winner enough to give Stags all three points.
