Match preview: Northampton Town vs Stags

12 April 2019

Stags travel to face Northampton Town on Saturday 13 April for our latest Sky Bet League Two clash. Here's all you need to know ahead of the game...

Manager David Flitcroft confirmed in his Thursday morning news conference that defender Ben Turner will miss the game with a calf problem.

The Stags will be without forwards Craig Davies, Nicky Ajose and Jordan Graham for the match.

Long-term absentees Bobby Olejnik and Hayden White will also miss out.

For the Cobblers, George Cox could return from an ankle issue he picked up in January, and Shaun McWilliams could be in contention for selection after missing last week's draw with Notts County.

The Stags have won their last two matches heading into Saturday's clash, winning 4-1 at Exeter and 1-0 at home to Cambridge, respectively.

Northampton will be looking to overturn a winless run of four matches on Saturday. Before this run, however, the Cobblers impressively won four games in succession.

STAGS' LAST FIVE GAMES: 2W | 2D | 1L

NORTHAMPTON'S LAST FIVE GAMES: 1W | 2D | 2L

We last faced the Cobblers in September 2018, a game that ended 4-0 to the Stags. Danny Rose scored twice in the game, along with further strikes from CJ Hamilton and Timi Elsnik (now at Northampton).

The referee for Saturday's game will be Paul Marsden, assisted by Adrian Tranter and Marvyn Amphlett. The fourth official will be David Plowright.

Mr. Marsden last took charge of a Stags' fixture on the opening day of this season, our 3-0 victory over Newport County at One Call Stadium. Otis Khan scored twice in the win, along with a strike from Tyler Walker.

Tickets for this match have now sold out. Stags will take 1,465 supporters to Sixfields. Tickets cannot be bought on the day of the game.

We have received the following parking information from Northampton Town...

With the continued issues around the South Gravel Car Park and a long standing arrangement with the Fun Fair on the North Gravel Car Park over Easter, Northampton Town can confirm plans have been put in place to deal with the reduced parking for the Mansfield Town.

For those supporters who hold a seasonal, gravel car park pass, parking is reserved in the north overflow car park, this is the car park opposite the north gravel car park, behind Nuffield and the Walter Tull pub.

This car park has a capacity for 300 cars and the remainder of these spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Additional parking will be made available by the opening of the Claret Car Park, which can be found along Edgar Mobbs Way, while parking will also be available in Duston Mill.

Away supporters are asked to use either the Claret Car Park or Duston Mill.

Any supporters who have mobility issues are asked to please contact Christine Clark on 01604 683700 or email christine.clark@ntfc.co.uk for assistance.

At the stadium itself is the Carrs Bar (the entrance to which is at the back of the Main Stand), which allows in away supporters. As the stadium is built on a leisure complex on the outskirts of Northampton, there are a number of food outlets with bars - a Flaming Grill pub, T.G.I. Fridays, Frankie & Benny's and a Tenpin Bowling Alley. There are also a variety of other eating places nearby including a KFC, McDonald’s and a Pizza Hut. Food kiosks serve the usual fayre within the ground.

Going to the game? Read our travel guide!

You can follow the game live via our Twitter updates, which can be found at twitter.com/mansfieldtownfc. The match centre on the website will also contain Opta-populated updates, which can be found here.

iFollow Stags subscribers can listen to full-match commentary of the match courtesy of Martin Shaw and Dean Foulkes by logging into www.mansfieldtown.net/ifollow.

A match report will be available to view on our website shortly after the full-time whistle, and full post-match reaction will be available for iFollow Stags subscribers by logging in through the aforementioned link.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report: Northampton Town 1-1 Stags

13 April 2019

Mansfield Town were held to a 1-1 draw by Northampton Town after Mal Benning’s extraordinary goal was cancelled out by Sam Foley at the PTS Academy Stadium.

In the first period, Benning found the back of the Northampton goal direct from a corner kick with chances at a premium for both sides.

The Cobblers then restored parity through Foley’s second-half header and, despite their best efforts, Mansfield could not regain the advantage as the points were shared on the road.

Stags’ boss David Flitcroft opted to restore centre-half Ryan Sweeney to the starting line-up, in place of the injured Ben Turner.

Jason Law subsequently found himself in the matchday squad as he made up the seven-man substitutes’ bench.

Northampton boasted the first dangerous chance of the afternoon via a dangerous free-kick on the near side.

David Buchanan’s wicked delivery was met by hosts’ skipper, Aaron Pierre, at the far post but the centre-half could only find the side netting with his header.

And Mansfield heeded that early warning sign with 12 minutes elapsed.

Benning, assuming responsibility of the Stags’ first corner, delivered a teasing ball that somehow travelled through a mass of bodies and into the back of the net.

It was an extraordinary way to open the scoring but Benning – recently named in Sky Bet League Two’s Team of the Season – could care no less as he notched his third goal of the campaign.

Soon after, Tyler Walker took aim from just inside David Cornell’s penalty area – but saw his fierce attempt blocked in timely fashion.

The Cobblers sought an instant response, however, Mansfield were able to plug any potential avenues to deny a quick-fire equaliser.

Another training ground routine from the home side caused momentary chaos inside the Stags’ penalty area, yet they were able to clear without devastating effect.

Walker then escaped the attentions his marker minutes later but, again, his shot towards goal was smothered by an on-rushing Northampton defender.

Sam Hoskins had an attempt of his own blocked just past the half-hour mark from edge of Conrad Logan’s 18-yard box.

The second period began in similar, battling fashion to the first as both sides tussled for possession in the middle of the park.

The hosts’ seventh corner of Saturday afternoon was hooked clear by Alex MacDonald before the visitors’ fourth found Matt Preston – only for his goalbound header to be blocked.

Flitcroft’s first roll of the dice reared its head before the hour as Jacob Mellis entered the fray in place of Will Tomlinson.

Mansfield’s goalscorer, Benning, then attempted to slide CJ Hamilton through but his pass carried too much weight allowing Cornell to claim.

However, Keith Curle’s side restored parity with 69 minutes on the clock at the PTS Academy Stadium.

Their latest corner finally bore fruit as Sam Foley rose highest in the middle to head home from point-blank range.

Less than two minutes thereafter, Preston looked to conjure a shooting chance for one of his teammates but his header was punted clear.

Mansfield’s second substitute, Danny Rose, then had a penalty appeal waved away as he tumbled to the turf under pressure from Pierre.

And the striker spurned a fantastic opportunity to restore his side’s lead with five minutes remaining.

Rose latched onto Sweeney’s flick-on but, with pressure from the Cobblers’ defence, fired his effort over Cornell’s crossbar.

Mansfield continued to press for that all-important winner and they were given a golden chance to do so when Rose was fouled 25 yards from goal.

Mellis assumed responsibility of the subsequent free-kick, however, it was drilled over to ensure it ended a point apiece.

The Stags are next in action on Good Friday when they take on Morecambe at One Call Stadium.

STAGS XI: Logan (GK), Benning, Preston, Pearce ©, Bishop, MacDonald, Tomlinson (Mellis 56’), Sweeney, Walker, Jones (Rose 65’), Hamilton.

SUBS NOT USED: Smith (GK), Atkinson, Grant, Law, Hakeem.

NORTHAMPTON XI: Cornell (GK), Facey, Buchanan (Cox 89’), Goode, Hoskins, Foley, Williams, D. Powell (Morias 82’), Pierre ©, Turnbull, Pollock (O’Toole 90+2’).

SUBS NOT USED: Coddington (GK), J. Powell, Bowditch, Elsnik.

REFEREE: Paul Marsden.

ASSISTANTS: Adrian Tranter & Marvyn Amphlett.

FOURTH OFFICIAL: David Plowright.

ATTENDANCE: 5,905 (1,465 away).

Match Reports

Standings