Mansfield edge out Newport County in League Two play-off push

The Exiles were aiming to back up their successes against Northampton and Hartlepool on home soil but it was the Stags that took the spoils to boost their top-seven bid.

County trailed 1-0 at the break after the only goal of a battle came from Hiram Boateng, who exposed hesitant defending from a long throw.

The Exiles were pushing for a leveller when the Stags doubled their lead in the 73rd minute through James Gale, who finished calmly after a counter-attack from a home corner.

County stuck at it and got a lifeline with five to go when substitutes Aaron Lewis and Aaron Wildig combined, the latter heading in at the far post.

The Exiles felt they should have been given a chance to level from the spot in the first of eight added minutes but their appeals for handball were waved away on a night of infuriating officiating.

It certainly looked like a spot kick.

Aaron Wildig heads in to give County a chance against Mansfield (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Mansfield held on but this provided more evidence that County, in 18th, are not far off those that are at the right end of the table.

They are now mathematically safe courtesy of Hartlepool’s defeat at Salford but boss Graham Coughlan, formerly of the Stags, will be frustrated that they couldn’t win three on the spin.

The club last did that in the 2020/21 run-in, which was followed by a fourth against Forest Green Rovers in the play-off semi-final.

Coughlan kept with the same 18-man squad but made four changes to his starting line-up – freshening up or an eye to the future?

Priestley Farquharson came in for Matt Baker to start at the heart of the defensive three and James Waite made his first start since Crawley on January 2 in midfield alongside Nathan Moriah-Welsh at the expense of Aaron Wildig and Aaron Lewis.

Omar Bogle dropped out of the XI for the first time since the end of February with loanees Charlie McNeill and Calum Kavanagh paired up top.

Cameron Norman was fit to retain his bid for back-to-back ever-present seasons after his collision with the right post at the north end of the ground at the end of the Hartlepool game.

It was a battle from the off at the County end – with Farquharson adding physicality – while their lively and diminutive attackers looked to stretch the Stags.

The first shot of note came in the 16th minute when Mansfield defended a Mickey Demetriou long throw and the ball fell to McNeill, who worked a bit of space on his right before curling a shot a couple of yards over from the edge of the box.

County went close twice in quick succession with 20 minutes on the clock when Will Evans beat Christy Pym to an up and under from Mickey Demetriou only for the ball to deflect behind off the goalkeeper.

The roles were then reversed; Evans then swung in a deep corner and Demetriou headed against the top of the bar with a looping effort.

That gave County reason for optimism but they were soon behind after failing to deal with a Mansfield throw into their box.

Jordan Bowery flicked the ball on and Boateng eluded the leaden-footed Farquharson before beating Joe Day from close range, with Norman failing with a block.

Suddenly Mansfield looked more like promotion contenders and a good run and cutback by Lucas Akins found Elliot Hewitt on the edge of the box but his effort was saved by Day low to his right.

With four players in the book – Scot Bennett and Demetriou for County, Hewitt and James Perch for the Stags – it was a feisty encounter and Farquharson got away with a lack of composure as half-time approached.

He missed his kick on halfway, scrambled to recover and then overhit his pass back to Day a couple of yards wide of the ‘keeper. Thankfully the corner came to nothing.

County were forced into a chance in added time when Declan Drysdale, recently back from January knee surgery, limped off to be replaced by Baker.

Davis Keillor-Dunn showed quick feet but dragged a shot wide in the opening exchanges of the second half as Mansfield started on the front foot.

Farquharson was having a torrid time and was outmuscled by Akins before dragging the forward down to see yellow.

County were forced into a second change approaching the hour when Bennett limped off to be replaced by Wildig.

The experienced midfielder promptly created a golden chance for a leveller with a dangerous cross into the box but Will Evans couldn’t find the finish, nor could Kavanagh from the rebound.

County were having their best spell, helped by the loud baking from behind the dugouts, and Coughlan brought on Lewis and Bogle to push for the equaliser.

That saw Farquharson and Waite head for the side, meaning a change of shape with Lewis deployed very high up the pitch on the right.

County were pushing for a leveller, and then got hit by a sucker punch.

Lewis was dispossessed on the edge of the box after a corner and Mansfield broke at pace with Moriah-Welsh and McNeill scrambling.

Gale chopped inside and kept his cool inside the box to give the Stags breathing space.

The frustration was helped by a fussy and perplexing performance from referee Thomas Kirk while the Peter Crouch-sized assistant was receiving plenty of barbs from Coughlan.

Mansfield were close to a third after 83 minutes when Gale’s superb curler beat Day but not the left post, meaning the Exiles still had a chance of getting something.

Then they struck with five to go thanks to a patient attack that ended with a peach of a Lewis ball to the far post where Wildig, who timed his run to perfection, headed down and into the roof of the net.

County had eight added minutes to rescue a point and their mood wasn’t helped when the ball seemed to bounce up against a Mansfield hand in the box but the officials disagreed.

The boos at the final whistle and reaction from those in amber showed the home verdict.

County: Day, Norman, Drysdale (Baker 45), Farquharson (Lewis 66), Demetriou (captain), Evans, Bennett (Wildig 57), Waite (Bogle 66), Moriah-Welsh, Kavanagh, McNeill.
Substitutes not used: Townsend, Bowen, Rai.
Goal: Wildig.
Yellow: Bennett, Demetriou, Farquharson.

Mansfield goals: Boateng, Gale.
Yellow: Hewitt, Perch, Keillor-Dunn.

Referee: Thomas Kirk.
Attendance: 3,575 (200 Mansfield)