Mansfield Town 2-1 Newport County (EFL League Two) 14.08.21

Mansfield Town have won for the second match in succession in League Two, this time seeing off a tough opponent in Newport County at the One Call Stadium.

A flying start to the match saw Irish winger come full-back Stephen McLaughlin flash wide inside two minutes before George Maris fired in past County keeper Joe Day to open the scoring on seven minutes. Maris stealing the ball from his opponent and smashing home his first of the campaign to send Field Mill into raptures.

That lead didn’t last long, Wilmott equalising for the visitors on nine minutes before a stoppage in play for an injury to Oates ensured a breather and some parity restored over a decent length of the half.

That level of calm ending two minutes before the break when Ollie Clarke ran through one on one and slammed home to put the Stags back in the lead.

The second half ebbed and flowed early doors, Abraham dragging wide for Newport before Gordon chipped over for the Stags, Nathan Bishop making a fantastic save on the hour tipping over from Azaz.

Danny Johnson could have wrapped things up late on but his shot was saved by Day, the Stags in the end happy to hear the whistle and another victory against tough opponents in the league. Mansfield after two games sitting pretty in third with maximum points.

Captain Ollie Clarke who scored the first goal, saying after “The boys were digging in deep, fighting for each other and sticking their bodies on the line towards the end. It wasn’t pretty but we got the job done and I think that bodes well for the season.

Whilst Manager Nigel Clough said “It was a tough game again, we’ve had two unbelievably tough home games in the league so far but I thought we deserved it again.

“I still think, similar to last week, that we can play better. We can be better with and without the ball, but we’re finding a way to win.”

Mansfield Town: Bishop, Gordon (Hewitt 78), Rawson, Perch, McLaughlin, Clarke, Maris, Quinn, Oates (Lapslie 65), Hawkins, Johnson.

Newport County: Day, Norman, Farquharson, Bennett, Clarke (Collins 77), Haynes, Willmott, Azaz, Missilou (Fisher 66), Abraham, Greenidge 72).

Venue: Field Mill (3,793)

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc action from Field Mill as Mansfield beat Newport.