Mansfield Town look to have a winning start to 2021 when they face Port Vale at the One Call Stadium

The Stags will want to start 2021 in the best possible way and put 2020 in the past as they look to move up the League Two table as they face Port Vale at the One Call Stadium.

The last time the amber and blues were in action was on Boxing Day as their match against Salford City was postponed due to heavy snowfall in Mansfield. The Stags made their trip to Lincolnshire to face Scunthorpe United in their first game of the festive period.

Mansfield got off to the start they really wanted as George Lapslie bundled in Kellan Gordon’s cross in the 16th minute to give the Stags a 1-0 lead and that strike gave the midfielder the sole lead at the top of the goalscoring charts for the amber and blues this season with five goals in all competitions.

The lead was doubled on the half-hour mark as Mal Benning looked to fizz a ball into the Scunthorpe penalty area.

Mansfield’s number three tried to find a Stags shirt, but could only find Manny Onariase who bundled the ball into his own net after he intercepted the cross and left his goalkeeper, Mark Howard, with very little time to react to the danger caused by his defender.

Scunthorpe allowed themselves back into the game near the end of the first half. Alex Gilliead similarly to Benning a couple of minutes earlier crossed the ball into Stags’ penalty area to find a Scunthorpe player. His cross only found Ferrand Rawson who intercepted the ball but passed it into the back of his own goal.

In the second 45, Stags regained their two-goal lead on the hour mark. Benning’s set-piece saw Rawson head the ball at goal. As the ball rattled the post, Jordan Bowery was there to bundle the ball across the line for his second goal in the same amount of appearances.

John McAtee gave Scunthorpe the second after Ryan Loft crossed the ball from the by-line into the forward’s path and he sidefooted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner past Marek Stech.

The scoreline remained in Stags’ favour as Mansfield Town beat Scunthorpe United 3-2 and gained a valuable three points which propelled them ahead of the Irons and into 19th place.

Mansfield’s opponents this weekend, Port Vale, were able to play during midweek as they were on their travels to face a rejuvenated Bradford City at Valley Parade.

After a performance that was quite lacklustre and no goals going in at each end the game finished 0-0 and each team took a point away from the fixtures which has been vital for both Bradford and Port Vale.

The Nottinghamshire club will look to turn to confidence-growing Jordan Bowery after he grabbed his third goal of the season and seems to be finding his shooting boots.

George Lapslie will also be key for the Stags in making everything flow and using his passing ability and goalscoring abilities to take all three points for Mansfield.

For the visitors, David Worrall has been instrumental for the Valiants in their current season which has been slightly lacklustre for the side that nearly finished in the Play-Offs last season.

Eight assists and two goals in 17 appearances for the League Two outfit have propelled the 30-year-old winger to the top of the playmaking charts and an important asset for the side that currently sit mid-table in 16th, five points ahead of the Stags and having played one more match.

Tom Conlon has also been a fantastic player for Port Vale notching four goals and three assists from the centre of midfield. The 24-year-old has been the Valiants’ highest rated player on average during the season ahead of Worrall by 0.09 of a rating which shows what the midfielder can do and he has been clearly doing something right to earn that accolade up to now.

The last three matches between the Stags and the Valiants have ended in 2-2 draws and you will have to go back to March 2019 that time Port Vale came out on top beating Mansfield Town 2-1 at Vale Park.

Two quick second half goals from ex-Stag Ricky Miller saw Vale take a 2-0 in the 52nd minute. Nicky Ajose was able to get one goal back for the amber and blues in the 61st minute but it wasn’t enough for Mansfield Town to mount a comeback as they fell to a loss away from home.

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