Midweek action in the Football League saw Notts County continue their unbeaten start to the new season with another point, this time on the road at Doncaster Rovers, whilst Mansfield Town followed up their weekend thrashing of visitors Lutton Town, with a chastening drubbing away to Reading.

Having won one and drawn two of their opening three matches to the EFL League One season, Martin Paterson’s Magpies found themselves on the back foot ten minutes before the interval when away to Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night.

Rovers took the lead on 36 minutes when home striker, Brandon Hanlan’s effort was deflected into the path of Isaac Hutchinson, and he proceeded to fire past James Belshaw in the County goal from close range.

The goal meant that the hosts went into the break with a slender advantage, and County with work to do following the restart, although they nearly fell further behind when, in the 50^th minute, Alfie May saw a 20-yard effort tipped over the bar by Belshaw.

A double substitution from the visitors just after the hour mark though paid instant dividends, Callum Roberts and Daniel Kanu replacing Conor Grant and Luka Smyth on sixty-three; a minute later and Roberts danced his way down the right before crossing for Ollie Cooper to volley home the equaliser.

Both sides had chances to win the game from hereon in, the hosts seeing a goal-line clearance thwart them on seventy, before firing over ten minutes later, whilst the visitors, and loanee Rory Finneran, also created, the Newcastle United teenager on-loan at Meadow Lane coming close deep in stoppage time, but fired wide from range.

Spoils shared, Paterson’s tenth place Magpies are on the road again on Saturday afternoon, this time the tricky challenge of leaders Huddersfield Town.

NOTTS COUNTY – James Belshaw, James Gibbons, Lucas Ness, Jacob Bedeau (capt), Nick Tsaroulla, Ollie Cooper, Rory Finneran, Darius Lipsiuc (Maziar Kouhyar, 46), Conor Grant (Callum Roberts, 63), Hindolo Mustapha (Jack Evans, 70), Luka Smyth (Daniel Kanu, 63)

Wednesday night though, that was certainly a case of after the lord mayors show, Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town side following up Sunday’s 5-2 win over Luton Town, with a thumping, 5-0 loss away to Reading.

The contest spun on a devastating, nine-minute spell, late in the first half, the hosts Royals hitting three, unanswered goals in the run-up to half-time with the first coming via an own-goal from a corner, the second from Benn Ward capitalising on a spill from Harry Lewis in the Stags, and the third, George Earthy getting on the end of Kyreece Lisbie’s cutback and into the top corner.

Proceedings didn’t get much better in the second half either, Jack Marriot on-hand to add a fourth just before the hour mark and putting the hosting Royals out-of-sight, before a fifth came with a little over ten minutes remaining.

Lisbie launched a ball over the top which was claimed by Jacob Brown, he knocked the ball out wide to Randall Williams before continuing his run to tap home the subsequent return, and cap a drubbing for the visiting Stags.

Clough’s charges will look to put this result behind them quickly at the weekend when they travel to Bradford City on Saturday afternoon.

MANSFIELD TOWN – Harry Lewis, Elliot Hewitt, Deji Oshilaja, Ryan Sweeney (capt), Louis Reed (Tyler Roberts, 68), Lucas Akins, Nathan Moriah-Welsh (George Maris, 46), Liam Thompson (Regan Hendry, 46), Owen Dodgson, David McGoldrick (Frazer Blake-Tracy, 68), Rhys Oates (Luke Bolton, 76)

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @Official_NCFC Rory Finneran in action for Notts County.