Stags Held In Donny Draw

Mansfield Town 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (EFL League Two) 29.12.23

Nigel Clough’s high-flying Stags stretched their current unbeaten run to five matches as they finished 2023 with a hard-fought draw, at the One Call Stadium, against League Two struggles Doncaster Rovers, this past Friday night.

Again, Mansfield wasted a plethora of chances in which they could have been out-of-sight, racking up a good dozen plus, many of which were on target, but the Rovers ‘keeper, Ian Lawlor, and his back-line, put in a resolute performance to keep the Stags attack at bay.

It would be midway through the first half when the Stags struck their opening salvo, and from an unlikely source; defender Callum Johnson had pushed forward during a Stags attack and, once Stephen Quinn had floated a lovely cross into the box, the defender thudded home a diving header for his first of the season.

Johnson’s goal means he’s now the fourteenth player in which to register for a sometimes free-scoring Mansfield side during the first half of the season and, with Davis Keillor-Dunn already in double figures, the likes of Lucas Akins (9), George Maris (6), and Rhys Oates (5) will be looking to join him in the opening throes of 2024.

In fact, Keillor-Dunn came closest to doubling the Stags’ lead shortly after the opening goal, however, his effort went agonisingly wide of Lawlor’s goal.

Both sides created chances throughout, Luke Molyneux forcing Christy Pym into a save at his near post, whilst Harrison Biggins headed over Pym’s crossbar; Jamie Sterry then saw his strong effort come back off the upright as the visitors probed for an equaliser.

That arrived just before the hour mark, Aden Flint blocking the initial effort from Joe Ironside, who’d been found by team-mate Jack Senior, before the Rovers player pounced quickest to curl a right-footed rebound beyond Pym to level proceedings.

Lawlor then saved a close-range header from Flint and, from the resultant corner, Lucas Akins fired wide to the right of goal; the chances came, and went, for both sides, with Ollie Clarke seeing his shot from the outside of the box saved by Lawlor then, at the other end, Pym did similar from Biggins, then denied Owen Bailey as the visitors gained a little momentum.

A tetchy closing ten sprung back to life in stoppage time when Rhys Oates forced a save from Lawlor following a header, and Lewis Brunt headed wide as the game slowly fizzled out, neither side able to produce a winner.

Although it was just a point to close out the year, it was one which, alongside fellow promotion-hopefuls Wrexham dropping points in a 3-1 loss away to mid-table Walsall, sees Clough’s side close out the year in second place.

Next up, it’s a trip to Edgeley Park, the home of leaders Stockport County, on New Year’s Day, with Mansfield just five behind, and with two games in hand – any kind of positive result there could go a long way to defining how their season actually goes.

Stags: Christy Pym, Callum Johnson (Stephen McLaughlin, 79), Aden Flint, Baily Cargill, Jordan Bowery, Lewis Brunt, Louis Reed, George Maris (Aaron Lewis, 83), Stephen Quinn (Ollie Clarke, 64), Lucas Akins (Will Swan, 79), Davis Keillor-Dunn (Rhys Oates, 64).