Mansfield Town 2 v Tranmere Rovers 0
Saturday 30th October 2021, 3pm KO
English Football League 2
@FieldMill
It was a frustrating afternoon in Nottinghamshire for Tranmere as the Whites aimed to put all worries to bed, following a home defeat to Northampton.
The hosts, Mansfield Town, showed their attacking intent from the off as they were awarded a penalty within the opening few minutes. However, the effort was fired over the bar much to the Rovers keeper’s delight.
Tranmere thought that they had put themselves in front on the five minute mark but due to the final touch coming from a man in an offside position, the goal was eventually ruled out to bring an ecstatic away end back down to earth.
Two of Town’s shining lights throughout this performance were Rhys Oates and Danny Johnson, Oates opening the scoreline halfway through the first half as the 26-year-old forward slotted home calmly after a great threaded ball into the box by Stephen Quinn.
Micky Mellon’s chosen eleven tried to get themselves back into the game. However, their crossing efforts weren’t enough, bringing an element of frustration not too long afterwards. Jay Spearing being booked for a late challenge.
Town went into the half 1-0 up, Rovers coming back out with two substitutions made. Mark Duffy and Paul Glatzel on for Calum McManaman and Liam Feeney.
It would be twenty minutes later that the hosts made their first change, Kellan Gordon on for Stephen McLaughlin as the Irish defender received his team’s first booking of the game.
However, the booking didn’t mean that the hosts had backed down and were on the ropes of conceding an equaliser. Johnson doubled the scoreline, Oates showing his brilliance once again with a run and a pass into his fellow forward’s direction leaving little work left to do.
A goal that would’ve been of great frustration to Mellon as a sub was on it’s way of being completed, Elliott Nevitt for Mani Dieseruvwe up top.
Similar to the closing stages of the first half, there wasn’t much to comment on in the last few moments other than the hosts completing their allocated substitute count. Tyrese Sinclair coming on for goalscorer Johnson, John-Joe O’Toole replacing Oates to a round of applause following a great afternoon’s work.
Mansfield Town: Bishop, Hewitt, Rawson, Hawkins, McLaughlin, Maris, Charsley, Quinn, Clarke, Johnson, Oates. Subs used: Gordon, Sinclair, O’Toole.
Tranmere Rovers: Doohan, Cogley, Davies, Clarke, McDonald, Morris, Spearing, Foley, Feeney, Dieseruvwe, McManaman. Subs used: Glatzel, Nevitt, Duffy.
Attendance: 3,381 (630 Tranmere).
Officials: Referee – James Bell. Assistants – Robert Atkin and Lisa Rashid. Fourth Official: Lee Freeman.
Rovers are next in action next Saturday as they travel south to face Crawley Town in the FA Cup 1st round.