Mansfield Town 0-0 Sutton United (EFL League Two) 25.03.23
A third, consecutive draw, for Nigel Clough’s Stags, is certainly not helping Mansfield’s promotion aspirations, however, a point is a point, and they earned it without conceding.
Away to Stockport, it finished 1-1, then, last week at the One Call Stadium, it was 0-0 with Grimsby Town; and then, on Saturday, again at the One Call, it was 0-0 with Sutton United. It was to be a point that kept the Stags on the fringes of the play-offs.
A game more about fouls, than chances, was punctuated more because of injuries, in each half, than it was goalmouth opportunities, visitors’ Ben Goodliffe having the first chance of each half, the first going wide of Christy Pym’s goal, the second, blocked.
Sutton would have a number of chances throughout the contest, but Pym, and a we-marshalled back-line would hold firm, despite being rocked twenty minutes in when the medical room gained another visitor, this time it being Riley Harbottle.
Just twenty minutes in, a bad collision of heads with Sutton’s Coby Rowe, would see both players require treatment, Harbottle needing replaced by James Perch for the remainder of the game; with few chances of a dour, first period, the visitors also needed to make a change due to injury.
Heading towards the half, Sutton’s David Ajiboye also received treatment, he being replaced during half-time by Enzio Boldemiyu, the sides going in goalless at the break; the afore-mentioned Goodliffe, he had the first real chances of the second period, both with his head.
Alistair Smith would then see an effort for the visitors, well-saved by Pym, before the Stags finally had an effort on goal, Alfie Kilgour, having enjoyed his start to life in Nottinghamshire, would get on the end of a Kieran Wallace cross, would see his goal-bound header saved by Jack Rose in the middle of the goalmouth.
Elliott Hewitt was then felled by a bad challenge by Joe Kizzi shortly after the hour mark, and the same player would find himself in referee, Simon Mather’s notebook, after a couple of bad fouls in quick succession.
Seemingly waking up the Stags, the hosts would find themselves having a couple of chances, in quick succession, , Kieran Wallace seeing an effort blocked, then Davis Keillor-Dunn, sent a left-footed shot, high and wide, of Rose’s goal.
Rhys Oates, on for Danny Johnson on 65, would see a headed effort fly wide of goal in the closing minutes, whilst Harry Beautyman sent an effort wide of Pym’s goal; with the game heading into stoppage time Craig Dundas would have an effort blocked for the visitors, before Hiram Boateng, also on in the 65 minute, he replacing James Gale, would see the games last, real chance, but his chance would be blocked, the game petering out into a goalless draw.
On the back of two, goalless draws at home, Stags fans will be hoping for a lot more when third bottom Crawley Town visit the One Call Stadium, on April Fools’ Day; Clough, he’ll be hoping that medical room is cleared out sooner, than later.
Mansfield Town: Christy Pym, Riley Harbottle (James Perch 20), Alfie Kilgour, Elliott Hewitt, Lucas Akins, Ollie Clarke, Kieran Wallace, Davis Keillor-Dunn (Jason Law 93), Jordan Bowery, James Gale (Hiram Boateng, 65), Danny Johnson (Rhys Oates 65).
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @mansfieldtownfc action from Field Mill as Mansfield drew again.
