Hopeful Stags look to lift themselves off the bottom of Group E in the Papa John’s Trophy with a trip to Scunthorpe United

The Stags travel to Glanford Park as they face Scunthorpe United in the last game of the Papa John’s Trophy as the two battle to not finish last in Group E.

The amber and blues head into the game fresh off the back of a fantastic win in the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light.

The first half exchanges between Sunderland and Mansfield were quite tight. Both teams had a few chances to get the breakthrough, but nothing came of it.

As the second half commenced the Stags were out the block straight away and in the 49th minute of the game, Mansfield would get the lead through George Lapslie.

Kellan Gordon curled a ball into the box which Lapslie connected with and, with a bullet header, he squeezed it past Sunderland goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

The Black Cats pilled the pressure on, but a resilient performance from the battling Stags saw them keep that one-goal lead until the very end and progress into the Second Round of the FA Cup.

The Irons, meanwhile, entertained National League side, Solihull Moors, in the First Round of the FA Cup as the two went to battle at Glanford Park.

Moors took the lead first as Stephen Gleeson put his side into a 1-0 lead after a penalty in the fourth minute of the game.

Scunthorpe struck back ten minutes later through John McAtee.

Six minutes into the second half, ex-Mansfield Town defender Krystian Pearce nodded the National League side back in front.

The tie was beyond reach in the 80th minute as Gleeson scored another penalty to put Solihull 3-1 up. Kevin van Veen got one back for Scunthorpe four minutes later, but it was the end of the FA Cup run for the League Two side as they lost 3-2 and on top of that Tyler Cordner got sent off in added time.

Scunthorpe sit third and Mansfield sit last in Group E of the Papa John’s Trophy. The Irons have picked up one point in the competition so far.

They drew with Lincoln City 1-1 on Matchday One but lost out to the Imps on penalties 4-2. Manchester City U21’s followed and the Citizens youth products brushed aside the League Two side 4-0.

Whereas for the Stags, they have recorded zero points from six available in this year’s competition.

Manchester City U21’s beat the amber and blues 3-0 at the One Call Stadium and a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Lincoln City followed on Matchday Two.

Mansfield will have more confidence behind them after three great performances under Richard Cooper and their first win of the season.

The Irons go into this game on a downer as they are without a win in seven competitive matches. The last time they won was on the 26th September, when they recorded a 1-0 victory over Carlisle at Glandford Park.

Scunthorpe will be playing on home soil and will try to use that as an advantage, but Mansfield have been victorious in the three of the last five meetings between the clubs and will bring fire and resilience to the table and a hungry Nigel Clough that will look to turn fortunes around at the Stags.

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