Mansfield Town 1-1 Birmingham City (EFL League One) 26.10.24
Mansfield Town fought back to share the spoils with runaway League One leaders Birmingham City at the One Call Stadium today.
In a one sided first half, Birmingham took an early lead after just ten minutes when Icelandic international Willur Willumsson slotted home his fourth of the season from a cut back from the left wing by Keshi Anderson. The away side looked to immediately double their advantage, again Anderson causing trouble out wide, his cross into the box half cleared and Alex Cochrane blazed over.
Lyndon Dykes was next to try his luck with a deflected effort which went out for a corner, whilst Christy Pym handed the ball on a plate to Anderson, he couldn’t find Willumsson to spare the Stags goalkeepers blushes.
Birmingham for long periods shown their class and had further half chances without troubling Pym, Dykes blasting over and Stansfield turning and shooting wide as Mansfield battled hard in the first half with bodies behind the ball, George Maris booked for a heavy tackle in midfield before another effort was blazed over by Paik for the Blues from outside the box.
Half Time: 0-1
Manager Nigel Clough made three changes at the break and their fortunes would improve, but first opportunity again went to Birmingham as Lyndon Dykes diving header was easily stopped by Pym.
Chris Davies’ multi-million-pound men continued to probe and push for a second but a free kick conceded outside their own area was curled home emphatically by Lee Gregory, right footed his seventh of the season into the bottom corner past a sprawling Allsop, which gave the Stags an unlikely leveller.
Looking to regain their advantage, Birmingham should have retaken the lead when a goal mouth scramble saw Pym save from May before the ball deflected onto the post and Lyndon Dykes put wide the rebound when it looked easier to score.
Both sides attacked and an Akins header was easily dealt with before Evans tried to loft a volley under the bar unsuccessfully, at the other end Birmingham sub Leonard tried his luck with a long range free kick to no avail.
Mansfield got better and better through out and on 73, McLaughlin struck from wide a shot fisted out by Allsop before Evans headed over from six yards out and a ding-dong game saw Anderson volley inches over the bar for Birmingham, at the other end McLaughlin was played in by Evans before shooting straight at the goalkeeper. Evans then blazed over on 81 when he should have done better.
In the end it was Birmingham back pushing for a late winner but the Stags held firm until the end, a point shared which keeps the Stags within touching distance of the automatic promotion places, just five behind the table topping Blues.
Mansfield Town: Pym, Bowery, Oshilaja, Cargill (Flint 46), Hewitt (Akins 46), Baccus (Quinn 80), Lewis (Boateng 63), McLaughlin, Maris (Blake-Tracy 46), Gregory, Evans.
Birmingham City: Allsop, Laird (Gardner-Hickman 72), Klarer, Davies, Cochrane, Iwata (Leonard 71), Paik, Anderson (Yokoyama 80), Willumsson, Dykes (Harris 71), Stansfield (May 59).
Venue: Field Mill (8,583).
*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).
*Main image @BCFC Birmingham’s Keshi Anderson hunted down by George Maris.