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Mansfield Town’s 3-2 defeat against Middlesbrough put an end to a fantastic FA Cup run that saw them beat two oppositions from the league above.
With that being said, focussing solely on the league after a brilliant cup run could be a perfect platform for the Stags to challenge at the top end of the table.
Last season, the amber and blues were knocked out in the Third Round stage of the competition and went on to ensure their survival after a memorable FA Cup run.
Confidence was high last season and it certainly will be this campaign as they challenged Middlesbrough to the very end but were knocked out in unfortunate circumstances.
In a game that saw the Stags go 2-0 down very early on after goals from Uche Ikpeazu and Caolan Boyd-Munce propelled the visitors into the lead, but the amber and blues were able to implement their playstyle and create a number of chances in the second half.
One of their very good opportunities resulted in a goal with about 20 minutes left to play. Stephen Quinn’s inviting cross found the head of the rising Oli Hawkins with the forward nodding the ball past Boro goalkeeper Joe Lumley.
In the 80th minute, Mansfield had a brilliant chance to draw the game level at 2-2, but substitute Danny Johnson was adjudged offside after putting the ball into the back of an empty net and the hosts continued scrapping for an equaliser.
That leveller finally came five minutes later as Jason Law’s through ball found Rhys Oates who rounded Lumley to complete the comeback for the Stags.
In the end, it was not meant to be for the amber and blues as an own goal from John-Joe O’Toole following an Isaiah Jones cross knocked them out of the competition at the Third Round stage for a second successive season.
As attentions turn to league action, Nigel Clough’s men take on fellow promotion hopefuls Swindon Town, who were also eliminated from the FA Cup last weekend.
The Robins welcomed COVID-19 affected Manchester City to the County Ground, but the Citizens were still equipped with firepower, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, İlkay Gündoğan, Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus in the starting lineup.
City raced into a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute as Cole Palmer’s low cross was tapped into the back of the net by the striker-thinking Silva. The current Premier League champions scored their second just before the half-hour mark after a poor error from Swindon. After trying to play out from the back, the hosts tried to clear their lines but the ball fell to De Bruyne who slipped in Jesus for an easy goal.
A fantastic curling free-kick from Gündoğan beat Lewis Ward at his front post as the Manchester outfit went 3-0 in front. Jesus should have extended the advantage even further from the penalty spot but the Robins goalkeeper did brilliantly to get down low and deny the Brazilian.
The hosts were able to score a goal against the top-flight side as in-form Harry McKirdy slotted the ball past Zack Steffen to give Swindon a consolation goal.
Palmer completed the scoring with a brilliant top corner finish as City advanced into the Fourth Round with a 4-1 win over the Robins.
In the latest instalment of the Mansfield v Swindon fixture, it was in fact Ben Garner’s side that came out on top after a Tyreece Simpson goal in the 56th minute. The Stags should have left the County Ground with a point however as Tyrese Sinclair’s late free-kick clearly crossed the line, but the referee and the linesmen were not convinced.
The last five matches between the two sides have ended in three 1-0 wins in Swindon’s favour and two goalless draws. However, the Robins are in poor form having only picked up five points from their last five league games, and with the Stags in brilliant form, Clough’s side will be hoping to close the gap to the play-off places even further.
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