Johnson at the double as the Stags beat Championship side Hull City in their sixth pre-season friendly

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Mansfield Town’s number 11 scored his second brace of pre-season as his goals allowed the amber and blues to come out as 2-1 victors against the Tigers.

Danny Johnson proved his goalscoring prowess once more as he was able to score twice in a game had almost everything.

Both sides had plenty of opportunities to score more but the two goalkeepers, Hull City’s Matt Ingram and Mansfield Town’s George Shelvey, were alert to danger making fantastic save after fantastic save.

Stags manager Nigel Clough named Johnson and Oli Hawkins as the strike duo once more. The ex-Leyton Orient man and the ex-Ipswich man have started to understand each other and looked to prove to their gaffer that they deserve to be the duo starting up front for the amber and blues the first game of the League Two season against Bristol Rovers.

The pair first combined in the 21st minute. Hawkins used his height effectively as he held up the ball and passed the ball onto Johnson, who took a touch and stung the palms of Ingram but the shot-stopper made a comfortable save.

Only 10 minutes later, Mansfield Town won a penalty after Stephen Quinn’s shot was handballed by Lewie Coyle inside the Hull box. Johnson stepped up to take the spot-kick and calmly placed the ball into the back of the net wrong-footing Ingram in the process.

Before the half-time interval, the forward could have easily made it 2-0. Hawkins flicked the ball into the path of his strike partner as he charged at goal. If it wasn’t for a fantastic save from Ingram, Hull could have found themselves two goals down at the break.

Johnson, who scored 20 goals in all competitions for Leyton Orient last season, was on the scoresheet once more in the 55th minute. A Stephen Quinn delivery to the back post reached the forward who headed the ball into the net to double Mansfield’s lead.

Stags’ number 11 was replaced by Nathan Caine in added time of the second-half, but showed what he is capable of and especially against a Championship opposition.

The aforementioned Shelvey also had a very good game as his saves in the final minutes kept the amber and blues in front after Josh Magennis’ goal in the 71st minute.

Signing from Nottingham Forest, the 20-year-old gave a good account of himself and made a stake for the number one jersey as his main competitor, Manchester United’s Nathan Bishop, has not yet joined up with the Mansfield Town squad and will probably do so within the next coming days.

Clough and his men will now welcome Championship side Coventry City to the One Call Stadium as Stags supporters return to the stadium for the first time in 18 months.

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