Gillingham 0-2 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 17.09.22

Mansfield Town produced a strong away performance to see off their League Two hosts Gillingham at Priestfield on Saturday.

Kellan Gordon returned to the starting eleven as the only replacement in the side that drew blanks with Carlisle in midweek. The wing back delivering the cross that Lucas Akins would acrobatically score from after just seventeen minutes.

The former Burton man volleying home his third of the season from inside the box after a right wing centre, and it should have been four for the campaign too for Akins, on 29 minutes George Lapslie was bundled over in the box, Akins stepping up to shoot low to the Goalkeepers left, Morris however in the Gills goal guessed right to keep out his spot kick.

Despite his efforts, Morris could do nothing to stop Lapslie making it two though on 33 minutes. The midfielder latching on to a superb through ball by Anthony Hartigan to round the keeper and give Stags strong advantage.

Gillingham were much stronger in the second half and fought back against a resilient Stags defence as they looked to get back into the game. Christy Pym’s goal however never really seriously troubled, an Akins header at the other end with ten minutes remaining perhaps the best opportunity for either side in the second 45, McLaughlin’s cross was met powerfully by the striker who headed well over.

After the match, Manager Nigel Clough stated “I thought it was excellent from the first minute to the last.”

He continued “I thought the second half we managed the game brilliantly. I don’t think Christy had a serious save to make.

“We looked a threat still in the second half, so I thought all round it was as good of an away performance as we’ve had for some time.”

Gillingham: Morris, Mnoga (Law 46), Ehmer, Baggott, McKenzie, Williams, O’Keefe, Reeves (MacDonald 73), Adelakun (Green 61), Mandron, Walker (Gbode 61).

Mansfield Town: Pym, Gordon (Bowery 80), Hewitt, Hawkins, Harbottle (Perch 73), McLaughlin, Clarke, Hartigan, Maris, Lapslie, Akins.

Venue: Priestfield (4,185)

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc the Stags players celebrate during a dominant display.