Nine-man Stags beaten by Harrogate Town for the second time in the space of a week

Defensive problems continue as Mansfield Town were well and truly beaten by Harrogate Town and now boast an unwanted record of conceding the joint-most amount of goals so far this season.

The Stags have hit a brick wall as their form as of late has been poor, to say the least. Facing Simon Weaver’s unbeaten Harrogate side was never going to be an easy task and it proved a mountain to climb for the amber and blues as they continue their winless run.

Mansfield did start the game on the front foot and took the lead in the third minute. A Stephen McLaughlin free-kick found Rhys Oates at the back post with the forward meeting the ball on the slide and guiding it past Mark Oxley.

Only moments later, the visitors equalised through the brilliant Luke Armstrong. George Thomson found Harrogate’s number 29 inside the box as he rose to head the ball into the back of the net.

Nigel Clough’s men looked to hit back and were close to doing so in the eighth minute. Another McLaughlin delivery was on course to finding Oates, who was in position to tap the ball in from close range, but Oxley came out to intercept the ball and claim it into his grasp.

The Sulphurites almost took the lead on 25 minutes. Alex Pattison’s effort was saved by Nathan Bishop’s outstretched boot as Stags’ shot-stopper denied a certain goal.

Before the half-time interval, George Maris won his side a free-kick and McLaughlin shot directly from the set-piece with Oxley tipping the effort over the crossbar.

However, it was the visitors that took the lead in the second minute of added time. Armstrong flicked on a Pattison cross into the path of Jack Muldoon who fired the ball in from close range.

Ollie Clarke looked to ignite a Stags comeback at the start of the second half but blasted his long-range effort over.

Harrogate were close to being 3-1 ahead, however, the linesmen flagged Armstrong offside after he nodded Warren Burrell’s attempted overhead kick over Bishop.

In the 73rd minute, Mansfield were reduced down to 10 men after skipper Ollie Clarke fouled Jack Diamond and was adjudged to have denied a clear goalscoring ability. In the immediate aftermath, Stephen Quinn was shown a straight red card and the Stags were down to nine.

Another delivery and another goal came in the 81st minute as Thomson met Lewis Page’s delivery to put Harrogate into a 3-1 lead that they held until the end of the match.

Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough gave his thoughts after the defeat and on the two red cards that were branded to midfielders Ollie Clarke and Stephen Quinn.

“Just prior to that [two red cards], we should’ve had a penalty. Stephen Quinn went down [in the box]literally 20 seconds before that.

“I’m not sure it’s a clear, goalscoring opportunity [for Clarke’s dismissal]. Richard Nartey was a yard or so behind, so I don’t think it’s clear enough to send him off. We’re going to have a good look and appeal it.

“It wasn’t the referee [who saw the reason for Quinn’s dismissal], it was the assistant. He said he’d seen a kick. So, if that’s the case, that’s inexcusable, and he’ll be fined and dealt with accordingly.

“I don’t want to be moaning about referees, but they are playing an instrumental part in our results at the minute.”

The Stags now have face an away trip to Walsall next Saturday with a win needed to bring back some belief and confidence into the amber and blues.

Harrogate confront Newport County on Friday evening at Wetherby Road as the Sulphurites aim to continue their unbeaten league run.

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