Salford City 2-2 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 02.05.22
It was a frustrating Bank Holiday Monday for Mansfield Town who were held at Salford City which means the Stags miss out on the chance to move up to the third automatic promotion place in League Two.
Fastest out of the blocks needing a win themselves to enter the playoff race with one game remaining to follow, the home side managed by Gary Bowyer, took the lead through Jordan Turnbull who headed home after just two minutes but Mansfield soon levelled through Stephen McLaughlin on fifteen with a trademark free kick from the Irishman, his sixth goal of the campaign.
Rhys Oates was a constant thorn in the Salford City defence and he went close on a couple of occasions in the first half before the Stags eventually took the lead after persistence, on the stroke of half time when after a handball inside the area, Stephen McLaughlin grabbed his second of the match, netting a penalty by placing straight down the middle with King diving to his left.
Salford were back level just seven minutes after the break when Lund netted his seventh goal of the league campaign with a diving header following a left wing cross by Thomas-Asante and that led to a frantic following ten minutes of action. Lund then headed a corner against the bar as Oates went straight up the other end and forced a save from King on the counter-attack.
With Salford pressing to regain the lead, Lowe fired wide from range before Kelly shot straight at Bishop and Donald Love then had an effort deflected wide.
On 66 minutes George Maris curled from outside the box inches wide as Mansfield themselves went for a winner but the best chance for either side came late on when Matt Smith headed wide for Salford from another tantalising centre from Thomas-Asante.
In the air the point shared did neither team too much good, Salford now miss out on the playoffs for certain whilst a defeat at home to Forest Green at the weekend could see Mansfield miss out completely, the Stags now relying on other results going their way for a slim chance of getting top three, whilst looking over their shoulder with Playoff not yet cement going into the last match of the campaign.
Salford City: King, Love (Henderson 76), Vassell, Turnbull, Love, Watson, Lund (Hunter 85), Kelly, Thomas-Asante, Smith, Touray.
Mansfield Town: Bishop, Perch (Hewitt 88), O’Toole, Hawkins, McLaughlin, Lapslie (Wallace 77), Maris, Longstaff, Murphy, Oates, Akins (Bowery 71).
Venue: Moor Lane
*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Longstaff in action as the Stags are held.
