Stunning Stags Shock Sheffield United

Sheffield United 3-4 Mansfield Town (FA Cup Round Three) 11.01.25

In a weekend of shocks the FA Cup third round delivered a spectacular show at Bramall Lane as League One Mansfield Town beat Championship opponents in their own back garden.

The Stags fans followed in huge numbers with 4,800 making way across to South Yorkshire and in full voice it seemed they enjoyed their day out in Sheffield as United were fallen by a rampant Stags.

Nigel Clough’s men started on the positive front foot and might have found themselves ahead even before Louis Reed’s stunning thirteenth minute opener, the former Blade Academy star drilling back a half cleared corner to score with a sensational strike from outside the box.

Gustavo Hamer not to be outdone by Reed, shown he can strike bullet like belters from long range as he levelled with an absolute beauty that had Liam Roberts full stretch beaten, United level but ahead of half time, the home side failed to learn from their mistakes, another corner by Nathan Moriah-Welsh half cleared, headed out only as far as Reed who on the edge of the area struck gold again, this one via a slight deflection.

That gave Mansfield a deserved half time lead and as United fans returned to their seats to start the second half the Stags went instantly in for the killer third, Rhys Oates flying down the left wing before cutting back for Lucas Akins who slotted home hard and low on 50, and if that didn’t spark enough celebration, enter Oakes again, running rings around Ben Mee to run through on goal and dink over Adam Davies, Mansfield 4-1 up with the fans behind the goal by now in delirium.

Sheffield United did fight back, they brought on three subs and one of those, Patrick Bamford poked home from a set play before another, Andre Brooks teased down the right and crossed into the box, Moriah-Welsh getting the final touch to put into his own net.

But with 25 minutes and more still to play, Mansfield buoyed by their fabulous support, clung on, defending well, breaking brilliantly, and were more than deserving winners, to reach the fourth round of the cup.

Stags: Roberts, Oshilaja, Sweeney, Cargill, Akins, McDonnell (Lewis 76), Reed, Blake-Tracy, Moriah-Welsh (Russell 76), Oates (Adeboyejo 76), Evans (McLaughlin 84).