Newport County 1-1 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 19.02.22

Mansfield took an honourable point in South Wales after being reduced to ten men and conceding a late penalty in a feisty encounter at Newport.

The Stags first opportunity came on seven minutes when Ollie Clarke found Longstaff with a ball into the box but the Newcastle United loanee shot straight at the Newport goalkeeper from close range. Two minutes later McLaughlin crossed dangerously in to the area which was inches away from Lucas Akins connecting.

Stephen Quinn on thirteen shot right footed from the edge of the area but his effort deflected off his own man Akins and went out for a goal kick, Telford then got in behind the Stags defence at the other end lashing a left footed strike into the side netting.

The chances kept coming for Mansfield, on 22 Maris fired over from inside the box before Quinn volleyed wide from a tight angle five minutes later.

Some excellent football from the away side saw Quinn again go close with Hewitt picking out the Irishman who flashed over the bar before another superb move from Mansfield resulted in Akins turning his marker to shoot left footed which Townsend got down to well.

In the second half Nigel Clough’s men continued to push for an opener with Quinn again trying his luck from distance but blazing over before Mansfield did finally get their goal, Stephen McLaughlin finding space on the edge of the area to shoot home via a deflection off Josh Pask on 69 and send the away support into raptures.

Those Stags supporters soon fell from joy to agony as shortly after, John-Joe O’Toole was sent off following an altercation where a number of other players were booked for brawling before a penalty awarded to Newport was dispatched by Telford on 82.

In the end Mansfield had to dig in deep and defend a point on the road which at least stretches the Stags run to twelve unbeaten.

Newport County: Townsend, Pask, Dolan (Wilmott 46), Demetriou, Lewis, Cain (Waite 76), Bennett, Azaz, Haynes (Norman 46), Baker-Richardson, Telford.

Mansfield Town: Bishop, Hewitt, O’Toole, Hawkins, McLaughlin, Clarke, Longstaff (Bowery 83), Maris (Rawson 75), Quinn (Wallace 83), Akins, Stirk.

Venue: Rodney Parade

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Elliott Hewitt heads clear in the draw at Rodney Parade.