Carlisle United 0-4 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 14.02.23

Mansfield Town boss, Nigel Clough, made two changes as his Stags side made the long trip to Cumbria, on Valentine’s night, coming away with a more than comfortable, 4-0 win.

Christy Pym returned in goal, at the expense of the reliable, Scott Flinders, and Jordan Bowery started ahead of George Maris as the visitors moved up a spot, to fifth, on goal-difference, and stretched their current, unbeaten run, to five games.

The hosts were seen to make the early running, but the first, real chance, fell to the ever-dangerous, recent signing, Davis Keillor-Dunn, his effort, in the opening ten minutes, blocked, after he was played through by Stephen Quinn.

As the game began to open up a little, both sides would be seen to have chances, in quick succession, but the respective defences were equal to the attacks on goal, that was until the 14 minutes, when the visitors broke the deadlock and, effectively, opened the floodgates.

Quinn found himself with space on the left and supplied a pin-point cross for captain, Ollie Clarke, to head home his second goal in as many games, the ball flying past Tomas Holy, in the home goal, and into the bottom corner.

Consecutive offsides were flagged for the hosts inside the next few minutes, before Quinn proceeded to send an effort high and wide, the Riley Harbottle saw his effort, from outside the box, saved well by Holy with the ball arrowing towards the top corner.

Moments later, the visitors doubled their lead during what was a devastating, fifteen minute spell.

Carlisle thought they’d cleared their lines sufficiently following an attack by the visitors, but the ball went out for a corner which, taken by Keillor-Dunn, is met by another headed goal, this time by Alfie Kilgour, who bagged his third goal in just four games since joining last month.

Right before the half-hour mark and the Stags were all but out of sight, adding a third, from the penalty spot; the instrumental Keillor-Dunn was bundled over in the box and, having done so at the weekend (home to Gillingham), Lucas Akins stepped up and sent Holy the wrong way.

The Stags’ devastating, first half rout, continued when, with seven minutes remaining, they bagged a fourth goal; of course, Keillor-Dunn again played his part in the goal, working well down the right before pulling the ball back for Elliott Hewitt to curl home a right-footed effort, from 12 yards out.

Pym, on his return to the starting line-up, was called into action, in first half stoppage time, Kristian Davis had broken free for the hosts and his through-ball reached Jon Mellish, who, in going one-on-one with Pym, saw the visiting shot-stopper get down well and keep his goal intact.

Going in four goals to the good at the interval, it could easily have been a case of, how many, for the visitors, and damage limitation for the hosts, fortunately, the Cumbrian outfit didn’t concede any more in the second period – not through the lack of trying that is.

The introduction of Hiram Boateng at the break would see the Stag put himself about in the early throes of the second period, winning a free-kick early on, whilst the hosts, Kristian Dennis saw a left-footed shot go wide of Pym’s goal, whilst at the other end, Jordan Bowery saw a chance blocked for the visitors.

Akins had a couple of efforts, in quick succession, miss, as the visitors hunted a fifth; Kilgour then missed consecutive chances as the game ticked, comfortably, past the hour mark, without any further goals.

John-Joe O’Toole came on for the injured Kieran Wallace with twenty minutes remaining, the Stags’ medical team being kept a little busy of late, and the hosts would have been delighted to see the back of Keillor-Dunn with fifteen left, he being replaced by Will Swan,

Mellish, and one of several chances from the hosts’ Morgan Feeney, went begging as the game ticked into the final ten minutes, them with a few minutes of normal time remaining, the Stags made a significant change.

Taylor Anderson, of the Mansfield Town Academy, was brought on for his Stags debut, in the 88 minute, replacing that of the visitors’ fourth scorer, Elliott Hewitt, before a fellow substitute, Will Swan, struck Holy’s post in the last minute.

The Stags, they had to make do with those four, first half goals, romping to a win that sees them move within three points of their third place hosts, with a game in hand, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Merseyside, and mid-table Tranmere Rovers.

Mansfield Town: Christy Pym, Elliott Hewitt (Taylor Anderson 88), Riley Harbottle, Alfie Kilgour, James Perch, Jordan Bowery, Ollie Clarke (Hiram Boateng 46), Kieran Wallace (John-Joe O’Toole 69), Stephen Quinn (Jason Law 75), Davis Keillor-Dunn (Will Swan 75), Lucas Akins.

Venue: Brunton Park (4,645)

PROMOTION RIVALS

Now at the business end of the league season, how are those promotion rivals getting on in-and-around Nigel Clough’s side, at the top end of League Two.

Leaders Leyton Orient (67) still hold a sizable advantage at the top, boasting a ten point lead on second place Stevenage (57), then things start to get interesting, as six points separate third, to ninth place, Mansfield sandwiched within.

Carlisle (52) are third, on goal-difference, from Northampton Town (52), then its Mansfield and Salford City (49), Stockport County and Bradford City (48), and Doncaster Rovers (46) – in effect, it’s a battle for the third, automatic promotion spot (second place Stevenage have game in hand which, in theory, moves them closer to first place).

Last night saw the leaders win 2-1 at home to Rochdale, and the second place side draw 2-2 at Newport; Carlisle lost to Mansfield, Northampton were held to a goalless draw at home to AFC Wimbledon, whilst Salford were also held when in a 1-1 draw with Harrogate Town, Stockport won 2-1 against Crawley, and Doncaster defeated Barrow 1-0.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc Alfie Kilgour doing what he does best for Mansfield.