Mansfield Town 3-4 Forest Green Rovers (EFL League Two) 11.01.20

Mansfield Town were left to rue missed opportunities in what turned out to be a cracking game at the One Call Arena against playoff pushers Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.

The Stags raced into a two goal lead with CJ Hamilton netting early on before Danny Rose doubled the home sides advantage on 40 minutes but a goal on the stroke of half time by Rawson halved the defecit at the break and the away side turned things around in the second half when Rawson again, netted the leveller and his second of the match on 52 before Winchester struck on the hour to give the visitors the lead.

The Stags pushed and pushed for an equaliser and in the final minute Nicky Maynard thought he had saved a point for his team netting following good work from youngster James Clarke but deep into injury time Aaron Collins scored a dramatic winner to inflict the second home defeat in succession for Mansfield who lie sorrowfully in 18^th place in the Football League Two table.

After the match Manager Graham Coughlan said “I’m crestfallen. I’m heartbroken. And I’m really, really annoyed to be honest. We conceded four goals at home and the manner of which we conceded you can’t concede four goals at home.”

Coughlan added “Sometimes in football you have to hit rock bottom before you bounce back. That, for me today, in my gut, was rock bottom.”

“It wasn’t acceptable. I feel for the fans because they’ve probably had to watch this all season. I can only imagine what they’re going through.”

“At a time like this, we have to stick together as one with a unity. It makes us better and stronger, and we’ll enjoy the success when it comes, because we’ve had to scrape ourselves off the ground.”

Mansfield Town: Olejnik, Benning, Preston, MacDonald (Khan 73), Maynard, Tomlinson (Smith 36), Bishop, Sweeney, Clarke, Hamilton, Rose (Cook 63).

Forest Green: Smith, Bernard, Rawson, Kitching, Mills, Adams, Winchester, Mondal, Brown (Collins 76), Aitchison (Freer 73), March (McCoulsky 69).

Venue: Field Mill (3,956)

*Main image @mansfieldtownfc action from the match at Field Mill.