Mansfield Town 3-1 Scunthorpe United (EFL League Two) 20.11.21

Mansfield Town continued their recent improvement in form by beating bottom of the table Scunthorpe United at Field Mill.

The Stags had to do it from behind too as Myles Hippolyte, brought down by Nathan Bishop on 15 minutes, picked himself up to score from the penalty spot, it could even have been worse when through on goal, Ryan Loft dragging a shot wide of target.

Mansfield though went close when Jordan Bowery hit a post, Scunthorpe’s downfall trying to play out from the back, George Lapslie robbing possession to put the Stags number nine through, Bowery’s low left footer coming off the outside of the upright and away from danger.

Ollie Clarke did square things up on 28 though, Stirk’s clever reverse pass was ran on to by Clarke who jinked inside to a shooting position on the edge of the area before hitting left footed into the bottom corner of Kieran O’Hara’s goal.

The homeside then took the lead on the stroke of half time, Lapslie’s effort well saved by O’Hara but the ball fell to Bowery who prodded back towards goal with the keeper getting hands to the ball but enough to keep it out of rolling over the line.

In the second half Ollie Clarke grabbed his second goal of the game on the hour to put the match out of sight for the trailing Irons, Perry robbed in possession with Scunthorpe again caught short playing out from the back, Clarke muscling in to run through on goal and slot home to all but confirm Stags fifth successive win.

After the match, Stags skipper Clarke, the hero of the hour after his double, stated “I think we dominated the majority of the game. We created good chances and probably should have had a couple more.

Mansfield next face Sutton United and a trip to Gander Green Lane on Tuesday.

Mansfield Town: Bishop, Hewitt, O’Toole, Hawkins, McLaughlin, Maris, Clarke, Charsley, Stirk (Forrester 88), Quinn (Sinclair 62), Bowery (Gale 69).

Scunthorpe United: O’Hara, Rowe, Taft, Onariase, O’Malley, Kenyon (Beestin 61), Hippolyte, Perry (Pugh 78), Hackney, Loft (Jarvis 73), Scrimshaw.

Venue: Field Mill (4,904)

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Ollie Clarke celebrates one of his two goals on the day.