Dominant Stags earned well-deserved point against high-flyers Port Vale

Mansfield Town responded tremendously to last weekend’s defeat against Northampton Town with a performance full of heart and desire as they earned a 1-1 draw against Port Vale.

The Stags showed grit and determination in an encounter they should have won with the sheer amount of chances they had alongside a first half penalty from Oli Hawkins which was saved by Vale goalkeeper Lucas Covolan.

Nigel Clough made two changes from the defeat to the Cobblers at the weekend as James Clarke and Danny Johnson dropped to the bench.

Nathan Bishop kept his spot in goal with a back four of Elliott Hewitt, Ferrend Rawson, Oli Hawkins and Stephen McLaughlin in front of the young goalkeeper.

Stephen Quinn returned at the left-midfielder spot after his six-game suspension as he joined George Lapslie, captain Ollie Clarke and Harry Charsley in the midfield department.

Clough opted to use two strikers in his favoured 4-4-2 formation as Jordan Bowery lined up alongside Rhys Oates upfront.

The hosts were out of the blocks quickly as the Stags pilled on the pressure from the get-go. The first chance fell to Charsley in the third minute as Bowery laid the ball off to the midfielder whose effort deflected out for a corner. The subsequent set-piece saw Hawkins’ shot blocked and Bowery’s header was caught with ease by Covolan.

Mansfield continued to break the deadlock throughout the first half but it was Port Vale who had a brilliant opportunity to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Ex-Manchester United forward James Wilson had acres of space to run into after Hawkins and Rawson ran into each other. However, the former did very well to recover as he made a timely block to deny the Vale striker.

Darrell Clarke’s men took the lead three minutes later, however. A clumsy free-kick given away by Rawson on the edge of the area gave the Valiants a perfect opportunity to score. Captain Tom Conlon fired a fantastic effort into the top right-hand corner of Bishop’s goal as the visitors took a 1-0 lead.

The amber and blues looked to hit back almost instantly as McLaughlin’s pass found Quinn inside the area with the experienced goalkeeper forcing Covolan into a save at his near post.

Just before the half-time, Mansfield were awarded a penalty after Oates was brought down in the penalty area. Hawkins stepped up to take the spot-kick but his effort was saved as the Valiants held their 1-0 at the interval.

In the second half, it was more of the same as the Stags continued their search for a goal. On numerous occasions, they’d get close but just not close enough.

The time-wasting tactics kicked in from the start of the second period as Covolan took an eternity to take his goal kicks in a desperate attempt to run down the clock.

Mansfield did find a leveller in the 64th minute with a well-worked goal. A passing move from McLaughlin, Quinn and Bowery saw the latter square the ball to Lapslie inside the Vale penalty box. The midfielder simply side-footed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner as the One Call Stadium erupted.

The Stags continued to battle until the very end as they had a penalty decision waved away when Quinn was brought down but the referee was uninterested and the play went on.

Vale had a chance of their own in the dying embers of the game as another dangerous free-kick from Conlon hit the crossbar.

Clough’s side will definitely take this point as a confidence-boosting one after their poor displays in recent weeks. Mansfield now travel to St James Park on Saturday to take on Exeter City with Port Vale facing Colchester United at Vale Park.

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