League Two status ensured for another year. A dominant performance from the Amber and Blues saw them over the line with three games to go.
Nigel Clough’s primary aim was reached and the 55-year-old was absolutely delighted with the manner in how his team went about dismantling the Iron yesterday evening. He said:
“It [achieving safety]is cause for celebration – minor celebration – as it’s not the extent of our ambitions, but it’s nice to do it with three games to go,” he told the club media.
“You saw that belief from the players tonight in the way we played. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish.
“We wanted to dominate the game and wanted to score goals. The only disappointing thing is that it was 1-0 for so long. We could’ve scored five or six tonight.”
In addition to that, it was Mansfield’s second consecutive victory, the first time they have done that since the fantastic five-game winning run at the start of the year.
The game was dominated by the Stags from start to finish, and the hosts allowed the visitors to do little to nothing throughout the 90 minutes.
It was a true team performance from Clough’s men that encapsulated exactly what they were after, survival in the division.
Grit, determination and togetherness were three key components that made this performance one of the best the Stags fans have seen this season.
Every Mansfield Town fan enjoyed George Lapslie’s 19th minute strike. James Perch crossed the ball into the box and saw the number 32 waiting in the box. Both Rory Watson and Manny Onariase looked to clear the ball but it hit Lapslie and rolled in.
The ex-Charlton Athletic midfielder looked to be back to his pre-injury best as he tirelessly chased after the ball, putting all the Scunthorpe players under pressure.
Another performance that went under the radar was the fantastic defending from the two centre-backs, Ferrand Rawson and Ryan Sweeney.
Stags’ number six has been a mainstay in the side and has improved his performances game by game which has seen him play 42 out of the 43 league games so far this season.
Sweeney on the other hand has a mixed season. Starting with Rawson but then dropped with Perch filling in at centre-back saw the Irishman benched.
The duo is well and truly back and with back to back clean sheets it will give them the confidence to continue performing to the highest standards and proving that they are extremely reliable as partners at the heart of the defence.
Perch was another player that has impressed wherever he plays. A cracking strike from outside the box and two assists against one of his old clubs was delightful for the veteran.
Either as a right-back or centre-back, the Mansfield-born player has coped well and has added the needed experience into the side.
Tyrese Sinclair was the final goal scorer and the youngster was alert when the aforementioned Perch mishit his shot with Stags’ number 27 pouncing and sliding the ball into the back of the net.
It was the 20-year-old’s second home goal in two games and proved how much he can still learn and grow as the years go by.
With three games to go, Mansfield can now enjoy the end of the season and get prepared for the 2021/22 season which will be a huge one in terms of the transition stage between Graham Coughlan’s squad and the squad that Nigel Clough builds.
The Stags boss has plans to utilise some of the players that have not been featured many times this season and use these final games to get them back up to speed.
“We can hopefully have a look at two or three of the young lads, certainly Jamie Pardington, who we want to give a game to.
“James Clarke is another one who has been very patient this season and trained [well]. Jaden Charles [as well], they’re the main three we want to have a look at.
“We’ll certainly get Kellan [Gordon] more time and Jason Law. It was good to see the youngsters at the end of the game as well.”
Plans will be big for the Stags in the upcoming season but most importantly they will want to finish this season positively and with the highest possible points tally by the end.
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