Mansfield Town 2-1 Barnsley (EFL League One) 15.03.2025

Nigel Clough’s charges celebrated a rare win on Saturday afternoon, winning for the first time fifteen games, following a late, late goal by defender Deji Oshilaja.

Their last success, a 2-1 win at Stockport County, came on 4 January, a lifetime ago for Stags faithful, was then followed by some fourteen games without a win – four draws and ten losses, as a slide down the League One table was endured.

It would be the Stags who’d take the lead, early in the first half, through January’s Brighton loanee, Caylan Vickers’ first for the club, after the visitor’s had created two great chances via Stephen Humphrys and Josh Benson.

Immediately before the goal, the Stags could have led through the eventual match-winner, he putting over Jackson Smith’s crossbar; minutes later and Stephen McLaughlin drives forward on the left before crossing for Vickers to score via the visitors’ post.

The visitors were forced into a change, in the goalkeeping department, after just fifteen minutes, Smith going off clutching his leg to be replaced by debutant, Kieren Flavell, who was called into quick action when saving from Lucas Akins’ dipping volley, then a 25-yard free-kick from Louis Reed.

The visitors had the last chance of the first forty-five, Humphrys stinging the gloves of Christy Pym at the home shot-stopper’s post, the Stags leading by one at the half.

Having needed treatment during the first half, Baily Cargill was replaced by striker Jordan Rhodes at the interval, but it would be the visitors who’d equalise early in the second – through former Stags favourite, Davis Keillor-Dunn providing an assist.

Barnsley’s central midfielder, Adam Phillips, started the move which led to the equaliser, giving the ball to Max Watters, who then plats in Keillor-Dunn; the former Stag releases Josh Benson who, cutting in on the right, fires a powerful effort past Pym and into the roof of the Stags’ net.

Some trickery and neat footwork from Vickers surely warranted a goal on the hour, but, having passed to Hiram Boateng, the final effort was blocked, whilst Keanu Baccus fired one at the visiting defence less than ten minutes later.

Oshilaja again came close to scoring with a little over ten minutes left on the clock, however, his headed attempt was wide of Flavell’s goal; but he did manage to find the back of the net, at the death, amidst euphoria, both on, and off the pitch.

After numerous attempts probing the visiting defence, the ball eventually found McLaughlin who, having had a hand in the opener, saw his first attempt fired back across goal by Akins; Oshilaja, lurking on the edge of the six yard box, took a touch, before stabbing the winner past Flavell – ending that horrible, winless streak.

Although victory, and three points, sees the Stags in a lowly fifteenth place, it’s a now a break for freedom if you will, by themselves, and sides around them in the table, with just three points splitting fourteenth to twentieth – Rotherham United, Mansfield Town, Exeter City, Wigan Athletic, Peterborough United, Northampton Town, and Bristol Rovers.

It’s the visit of Leyton Orient, to the One Call Stadium, next up, they arriving this coming Saturday (22 March), before the Stags hit the road a week later for a trip to fellow relegation rivals, Bristol Rovers, on 29 March,

Mansfield Town – Christy Pym, Jordan Bowery, Baily Cargill (Jordan Rhodes, 46), Deji Oshilaja, Stephen McLaughlin, Louis Reed, Lucas Akins, Hiram Boateng (Aaron Lewis, 74) , Keanu Baccus (Aden Flint, 92), Caylan Vickers (Ben Waine, 83), Will Evans.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc a huge three points for Mansfield against Barnsley.