Stockport County 0-2 Mansfield Town (EFL League Two) 01.01.24

A goal at the beginning and end of the second half, from George Maris and Davis-Keillor-Dunn respectively, gave EFL League Two high-fliers, Mansfield Town, victory at Stockport County.

It was a battle of the division’s current, front two sides, Stockport’s advantage having been eaten away at in recent weeks by both Nigel Clough’s Stags, and league newcomers, Wrexham, both of whom picked up a New Year’s Day success to enhance their promotion credentials.

Both sides, Stockport and Mansfield, lost players through injury, the Edgeley Park hosts the first to do so, inside ten minutes when Ethan Pye was replaced by Jaden Richardson, play having been stopped twice; the visiting Stags were, just ten minutes later, forced into a change of their own when Rhys Oates was replaced by Lucas Akins.

Another ten minutes had elapsed and Clough needed another reshuffle when losing defender Callum Johnson, Louis Reed taking his place; that wasn’t the end of the injuries either, but there was some first half chances, for both of League Two’s top two.

Paddy Madden was instrumental in the hosts’ first half chances, he sending an early effort wide of Christy Pym’s upright, the same player involved in a fast break after twenty minutes before releasing Ibou Touray, who also shot wide of goal.

Callum Camps forced the first real save of the game, Madden again involved in the build-up, but the right-footed shot, after 33 minutes, from outside the box, was saved by Pym; Camps repaid Madden in first-half stoppage time, releasing his team-mate who again shot wide, the hosts having the better of the first but having to settle to go in goalless at the break.

Mansfield came out for the second half with the bit between their teeth, taking the game to their hosts, rewarded with the opening goal after just four minutes of the restart; Ryan Croasdale conceded a corner which Ollie Clarke took, and was met by the head of Maris in the middle of the box.

The Stags midfielder, outjumping the home defence, headed high and beyond Ben Hinchcliffe and into the back of the net for his seventh of the season.

The hosts though, they were far from out of it, Odin Bailey releasing Camps five minutes after the opening goal, but the effort was blocked; the same happened a minute later for a frustrated Camps, before a serious injury held up the game for a good ten minutes plus.

A clash of heads in the Stockport box would see home defender, Kyle Knoyle, stretchered off in the 66 minute, following a lengthy hold-up.

Upon the restart, and following a plethora of substitutions for the visitors, one of those being Keillor-Dunn on for scorer, Maris, with twelve minutes of regulation time remaining; with a couple of minutes remaining Keillor-Dunn crossed for Stephen Quinn however, his goal-bound header was saved by Hinchcliffe.

Madden was again amongst the thick of it at the death, however, his header, following a cross from Nick Powell, went over Pym’s goal, whilst Kyle Wootton sent a close-range effort wide of goal as the game moved into stoppage time, and burst into life.

Isaac Olaofe saw a header saved by Pym, before Powell’s headed effort was blocked and his follow-up was saved low in the bottom corner; in the tenth minute of added time Keillor-Dunn fired wide of Hinchliffe’s goal before the second was finally grabbed at the death.

Camps, who along with Madden had been a thorn all game for the hosts, gave away a free-kick following a foul on Lucas Akins; from the resulting free-kick Ollie Clarke’s ball was claimed by Keillor-Dunn and his right-footed shot went past Hinchcliffe and into the bottom corner, in the 102 minute of an enthralling, top-of-the-table clash, his fourteenth of the season sealing a 2-0 win.

Victory for the Stags, as well as for joint-second Wrexham, saw both close the gap to two points on Stockport, and with games in hand, Wrexham keeping pace following Steven Fletcher’s hat-trick in a 4-1 home win over Barrow.

Mansfield, with two games in hand on Stockport, host sixth place Crewe Alexandra at the One Call Stadium, on Saturday, 6 January (KO 15:00), the Stags’ promotion challenge heating up.

Stockport County – Ben Hinchcliffe, Akil Wright, Fraser Horsfall, Ethan Pye (Jayden Richardson, 9), Kyle Knoyle (Isaac Olaofe, 66), Callum Camps, Ryan Croasdale (Nick Powell, 82), Ibou Touray, Odin Bailey, Paddy Madden, Kyle Wootton.

Mansfield Town – Christy Pym, Callum Johnson (Louis Reed, 30), Aden Flint, Baily Cargill, Jordan Bowery, George Maris (Davis Keillor-Dunn, 78), Lewis Brunt, Ollie Clarke, Aaron Lewis, Stephen McLaughlin (George Williams, 78), Rhys Oates (Lucas Akins, 20).

Venue: Edgeley Park

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc celebrations as the Stags wrap up three points late on.