Mansfield Town 1 Harrogate Town 2: Sulphurites sink promotion-chasing Stags

Harrogate Town recorded back-to-back away wins for the first time this season as they upset promotion-chasing Mansfield at Field Mill.
Matty Daly made a big impression for Harrogate Town during their 2-1 success at Mansfield having come off the substitutes' bench to replace the injured George Thomson. Picture: Matt KirkhamMatty Daly made a big impression for Harrogate Town during their 2-1 success at Mansfield having come off the substitutes' bench to replace the injured George Thomson. Picture: Matt Kirkham
Matty Daly made a big impression for Harrogate Town during their 2-1 success at Mansfield having come off the substitutes' bench to replace the injured George Thomson. Picture: Matt Kirkham

The Sulphurites headed into Saturday’s fixture having secured their League Two status courtesy of a 3-2 victory at Newport County in midweek and picked up where they left off in South Wales.

Two goals to the good at the interval following an impressive first-half showing, Simon Weaver’s men came under serious pressure after the break, but just about did enough to leave Nottinghamshire with their lead intact.

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In need of points in order to force their way into the play-off places, it was Nigel Clough’s Mansfield who made the better start to proceedings, asking some early questions of the Town back-line.

But, expertly marshalled by the returning Joe Mattock on his first appearance in three months, Harrogate prevented the Stags from creating anything resembling a clear-cut scoring opportunity.

Indeed the first decent chance came at the other end on 16 minutes after Mattock’s intelligent pass found Kazeem Olaigbe, who cut in off the left and fired into the side-netting.

Four minutes later, Hiram Boateng fired over the top for Mansfield, however that was about as good as it would get for the home side during the opening period.

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With 27 minutes on the clock, the visitors broke the deadlock, Sam Folarin cutting the ball out in the middle of the pitch and driving forward before slipping it left to substitute Matty Daly.

His return pass would have left the former Middlesbrough winger one-on-one with Christy Pym had he been able to control it, but, fortunately for Town, the sliding Alfie Kilgour diverted the ball into his own net as he attempted to intercept.

Town went close to adding a second soon afterwards, Olaigbe again drifting inside from the left flank and unleashing a right-footed effort which was deflected narrowly past the far post by Callum Johnson.

They would however double their advantage six minutes before half-time, Daly curling a lovely finish across Pym and into the bottom corner from the left-hand side of the box having been played through on goal by Olaigbe.

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And it was almost three before the interval, Luke Armstrong meeting Toby Sims’ low right-wing cross first-time at the near post and steering an effort beyond Pym but narrowly wide.

The second half was a completely different story, with Mansfield bossing proceedings having made four changes at the break.

They very nearly halved the deficit within two minutes of the resumption, George Maris playing in fellow substitute Will Swan down the right, though his finish across the face of goal flashed past the back stick.

With Harrogate seemingly outnumbered whenever the Stags came forwards, they struggled to escape their own half and needed a brave block by Matty Foulds to divert Ollie Clarke’s shot over the cross-bar.

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A goal looked very much on the cards, however, and eventually arrived in the 67th minute.

The Sulphurites were unable to clear their lines as a spell of pinball played out inside their penalty area and the ball was eventually pulled back by Johnson for Swan to slot beyond Oxley from close range.

Mansfield continued to turn the screw, Toby Sims and Mattock winning crucial headers in their own six-yard box before Oxley produced a sensational save, diving at full stretch to his right to keep out Lucas Akins’ header from a right-wing corner.

Oxley made another important stop late on, getting down well to push away Clarke’s low strike, then Sims and Tom Eastman popped up with perfectly-timed last-ditch challenges to prevent the hosts from levelling matters.

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Saturday’s result saw Weaver and his men complete their first league double of the campaign and means they have now won six and drawn one of their seven Football League meetings with the Stags.

It also lifts them up one place to 19th in the table with one fixture left to play this term.