Everton 2-0 Mansfield Town (EFL Cup Round Two) 27.08.2025

Despite a battling, spirited performance away to a Premier League side, it just wasn’t to be for EFL League One side, Mansfield Town, on Wednesday night, eventually falling to a 2-0 defeat at the brand-spanking new, Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Visiting Stags boss, Nigel Clough, named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that had stretched their winning streak to four matches at the weekend, for this historic encounter, and they didn’t disappoint; not only was this the first ever cup tie at Everton’s new stadium, and first night game, but it was also the first-ever senior meeting between the two clubs.

Mansfield, they held their own for good portions of the contest, as both sides created early chances; the hosts saw Carlos Alcaraz’s effort from the edge of the area saved well by Liam Roberts, whilst minutes later a header from Max Dickov was claimed by home shot-stopper, Mark Travers.

Roberts would then prevent Dwight McNeill from scoring via a free-kick, and James Tarkowski saw a header blocked by Baily Cargill from the resulting corner, the Toffees attempting to assert some kind of early dominance.

Ex-Notts County loanee, Jack Grealish, and summer signing for the hosts, was putting himself about in an attacking midfield sense, but the Stags defence, well-marshalled by Roberts at the back, were having none of it; again though, Clough’s charges enjoyed lengthy spells of possession but without really threatening Travers in the home goal.

Goalless at the break, it was as-you-were at the start of the second, home boss, David Moyes, making his first changes on the hour, and his opposite number minutes later; by that time the hosts had taken the lead, doing so six minutes after the restart.

It was a beautifully worked goal from the Premier League side as well, and, following some lovely build-up play, Harrison Armstrong took the ball into the box and, following some hold-up play, laid the ball out of the box to the incoming Argentine, Alcaraz, who curled a right-footed effort past Roberts from fully 22yds.

Grealish was one of two, home substitutions made on the hour as Moyes brought on the Guinea-Bissau international, Beto, and someone who looks will be a fan favourite on the banks of the River Mersey, 19-year-old Tyler Dibling.

Clough countered with four changes of his own, bringing on Luke Bolton, Stephen McLaughlin, Elliott Hewitt, and George Maris, of which the former came close to sneaking an equaliser, cutting inside five minutes after coming and curling an effort towards Travers’ goal, Tarkowski however headed away for a corner.

It was Tarkowski who was proving a little bit of a thorn for the Stags’ attack, he looking rock-like in the home defence as the visiting tried in vain to find a breakthrough, whilst at the other end, the killer second would soon come.

With Mansfield having had some good spells of possession, in both halves, hearts of the 6,000-plus visiting faithful (48,500+ attendance) were broken at the death when Harrison Armstrong bagged another assist with a cushioned pass into the path of Beto who tapped home the second goal at the far post.

Despite the 2-0 loss, Clough et al can certainly hold their heads high from assured, workmanlike performance, one in which they can take back into the league this coming weekend, as they look for a fourth successive league win when they make the trip to seventh place Lincoln City, a point and two places above the Stags.

MANSFIELD TOWN – Liam Roberts, Kyle Knoyle (Elliott Hewitt, 62), Jordan Bowery, Baily Cargill, Frazer Blake-Tracy (Stephen McLaughlin, 62), Jamie McDonnell, Louis Reed (George Maris, 66), Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Regan Hendry, Max Dickov (Luke Bolton, 62), Will Evans (Ryan Sweeney, 75).

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc action between Everton and Mansfield at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium.