Mansfield Town progressed to the Second Round of this season’s Emirates FA Cup at the weekend, following a comfortable, 4-0 win, away to National League North outfit, Curzon Ashton, on Sunday afternoon; their reward for that success, another road trip, this time to fellow League One side, Stevenage.
Netting twice in each half, the second half goals coming from substitutes, the game was actually turned on its head early in the first, the Stags having been awarded a penalty that was despatched by Lucas Akins on 16 minutes.
A goal-bound effort was deemed by referee Thomas Parsons to have been deliberately handled on the goal-line by home centre-half, Marcus Poscha, and he was subsequently shown a straight red card for the offence; Akins proceeded to send home ‘keeper, Bobby Jones, the wrong way, from the spot, putting the ball into the left-hand corner to afford the League One side the lead.
The lead was doubled less than fifteen minutes later following a squared ball into the box from Geroge Maris and Stephen Quinn fired home, right-footed, from eight yards out, and past the despairing dives of ‘keeper and defender.
Jordan Bowery and Aaron Lewis both took to the field at the start of the second half, but it was the introduction of the two Ben’s, Waine and Quinn, later on, that settled the contest.
Just before the hour mark the hosts were afforded a rare sight of Christy Pym’s goal; Isaac Buckley-Ricketts driving forward from midfield before firing his effort wide of goal.
Ben Waine, on for Will Evans just after the hour, netted the Stags’ third goal, effectively killing the game off, he and Ben Quinn, combining well after the latter slid a pass to the former, and the ball was fired first-time, past Jones, and in off the post.
The goal came after the hosts had seen a possible foul on Jordan Richards waved away by the referee on the left, the Stags taking full advantage of the situation.
With just under ten remaining the hosts had another sniff of the visitors’ goal, this time substitute Luis Lacey firing a free-kick from just outside the box, hard and low at Pym, but the visiting keeper saved well.
Ben Quinn meanwhile, having come on for Louis Reed minutes before setting up his sides third, added the fourth late on, Waine and Akins combining well to create the chance and Quinn slotted the ball calmly into the bottom corner.
The Stags could have added a late fifth also, defender Aden Flint’s headed effort however striking Jones’ crossbar instead, the Stags settling for four, and a spot in the next round.
Afterwards, Stags manager, Nigel Clough, told the BBC; “We have to give a lot of credit to Curzon for the way they played, first with 11 and then with 10.
“They are above the standard of the league where they are at the minute.
“It is so difficult to play with the same tempo and intent in those situations. There is a tendency to keep the ball without purpose. But we still got the four goals and the clean sheet.”
It’s back to league duty for Clough’s charges, and a pair of road trips on the next two Saturday’s first at Wrexham (9 November) in another 12:30 kick-off, followed by a trip to Leyton Orient the following week (16 November) – the FA Cup Second Round clash at Stevenage, that’s been scheduled for Saturday 30 November.
Mansfield Town – Christy Pym, Aden Flint, Alfie Kilgour, Deji Oshilaja, Stephen Quinn (Stephen McLaughlin, 74), Elliott Hewitt (Jordan Bowery, 46), Louis Reed (Ben Quinn, 70), George Maris (Aaron Lewis, 46), Frazer Blake-Tracey, Will Evans (Ben Waine, 61), Lucas Akins.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @mansfieldtownfc a good result for Mansfield wo will next face Stevenage in r2.
