Mansfield Town 0-3 Preston North End (EFL Cup Round One) 10.08.21

Like last year, Mansfield hosted Preston North End in the first round of the league cup and like last year, it was the Championship outfit that ran out convincing winners to go through to round two.

It wasn’t quite as bad as the 4-0 thumping the Stags got from the Lillywhites in August 2020 but a year on things have improved, just, the new look men in yellow making four changes from the side that beat Bristol Rovers in the first league match of the season on Saturday.

The first half was competitive, chances on target at both ends before Sean Maguire sent winger Scott Sinclair on his way to calmly finish home past Nathan Bishop on the stroke of half time.

Things only got worse when Bishop kicked his goal kick straight to Sinclair, the former Celtic man couldn’t convert but the ball eventually found its way to substitute Emile Riis who danced his way to smash home from close range.

With ten minutes to go the game was put beyond any doubt after Preston finished a slick move in style, the ball eventually finding Sinclair who placed home left footed for a second on the night, some of the football Frankie McAvoy’s side played was exceptional, keeping the ball, probing, and unlocking the doors of the Stags defence.

After, Mansfield Manager Nigel Clough was left annoyed by the opportunities his side gave to their opponents, saying “You can’t afford to give Championship sides with ex-Premier League players those types of opportunities.”

“I actually thought we played better than we did on Saturday at times. It was just that final ball. We’re bitterly disappointed with the first two goals we conceded.”

“Both were avoidable and both came from mistakes. That’s what changed the game.”

Next up for Mansfield is a return to league action on Saturday as the Stags host Newport County at the One Call Stadium.

Mansfield Town: Bishop, Gordon, Rawson, Burke, McLaughlin, Stirk, Maris (Law 74), Clarke (Johnson 78), Lapslie, Bowery, Oates (Sinclair 65).

Preston North End: Iverson, Storey, Bauer, Hughes, van den Berg, Whiteman, Johnson, Cunningham, Potts (Thomas 83), Sinclair (Rodwell-Grant 82), Maguire (Jakobsen 67).

Venue: Field Mill (2,526)

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Jordan Bowery couldn’t find the target for Stags.