Preview: Stags vs Everton U21 (Leasing.com Trophy)

26 August 2019

The Stags welcome Everton under-21s to One Call Stadium on Tuesday 27 August for their opening Leasing.com Trophy clash (7.45pm kick-off). Here's all you need to know ahead of the game...

Mansfield were without defenders Krystian Pearce and Kellan Gordon on Saturday, with the pair both failing a fitness test in the hours preceeding the draw with Stevenage. Manager John Dempster added after the game that it is unlikely the pair will be fit for Tuesday evening's encounter.

The game will also likely come to soon for striker Nicky Maynard, midfielder Neal Bishop and wing-back Hayden White, along with forward Andy Cook.

Long-term absentees Craig Davies, Bobby Olejnik and Jordan Graham will also miss out.

The referee for Tuesday's match will be Ben Toner, assisted by Lisa Rashid and Stephen Wade. The fourth official will be Steven Rushton.

The Stags have slashed prices for Tuesday's game, with ticket prices set at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions (under-18 and 65+).

Supporters can purchase tickets by calling our ticket office on 01623 482 482 (option 1), by visiting us in person at our ticket office or online via stagstickets.co.uk. Please note that the ticket office is closed on Bank Holiday Monday (26 August).

Supporters who have purchased tickets via stagstickets.co.uk and selected the 'print at home' option can now use their mobile ticket received via email to access One Call Stadium. Just scan the barcode on your mobile ticket using the scanners at the turnstiles.

Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game up until kick-off and see no extra price increase on matchday.

Away supporters will be housed in the Ian Greaves Stand lower tier, Block H, for Tuesday's fixture. The North Stand, which typically holds away fans on a matchday, will be closed for the match.

Visiting supporters are able to purchase tickets from the main ticket office on Quarry Lane up until kick-off on Tuesday.

Please note that, on police advice and for ease of congestion, the gate between the North and Ian Greaves Stand will be closed after every home game this season, re-opening approximately 20 minutes after the final whistle.

The newly-refurbished Sandy’s Bar & Kitchen will be open from midday, serving food from the main menu until 5pm.

After this time, a selection of matchday food will be served from 5pm until 8.30pm.

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available for both home and away supporters, and the bar is located at the rear of the Ian Greaves Stand.

The bar will remain open until 11pm after the match.

Supporters should note that the Kevin Bird Suite will not be open for Tuesday evening's match due to ongoing refurbishments.

Supporters will also be able to purchase a poster edition of our new-look matchday programme The Stag for just £1.50 prior to the game.

The Stag can be purchased from the merchandise stand near Sandy’s Bar & Kitchen, our matchday kiosks, or any mobile programme vendor around One Call Stadium.

The Stags Supporters' Association will also be selling a selection of matchday pin badges for just £4 in and around Sandy's Bar & Kitchen before the game.

Car parking is severely restricted at One Call Stadium and works on a first come, first served basis. All reserved car parking spaces are within the location of the Ian Greaves Stand car park.

Matchday parking costs £5 per car. Please note that the car park shuts 30 minutes prior to kick-off due to safety regulations.

The following sites, owned by Mansfield District Council and with easy access to One Call Stadium are Grove Street, Victoria Street, Garden Road and Church Lane.

Charges are as follows:

Grove St 50p/hr
Victoria St 50p/hr
Garden Rd 50p/hr
Church Lane 80p/hr

All of the above pay and display surface level car parks offer cashless parking via RingGo as an additional way to pay.

Every car park has a unique code so people can either pay over the phone, by text, online or by using a free smartphone app.

Details of how to do this are displayed in each car park. Information about all Mansfield District Council car parks can be found at www.mansfield.gov.uk/carparks.

Where do I go when I get to One Call Stadium?

Hospitality

If you are a hospitality guest, please enter the stadium via the brown double doors to the rear of the Ian Greaves Stand, which is the entrance to our hospitality suites.

The doors are located to the left of the white merchandise stall outside Sandy’s Bar & Kitchen, backing onto the main car park and sign-posted 'The Kevin Bird Suite'.

Media

Members of the media are asked to also head to the entrance to our hospitality suites, where our media steward will provide you with the necessary accreditation.

The required entrance is located to the left of the merchandise stall outside Sandy’s Bar & Kitchen and signposted 'The Kevin Bird Suite'.

Supporters

For ticket purchases, please visit the matchday ticket office, adjacent to the Quarry Lane Stand, around the corner from the main ticket office.

The Ian Greaves Stand is the main stand at One Call Stadium, which backs onto the main car park.

Supporters can watch the game live on iFollow Stags - the club's digital online channel - by purchasing a match pass for the fixture here.

You can follow the action live via our Twitter match updates, which can be found here.

The match centre on mansfieldtown.net will also contain Opta-populated updates, and can be accessed here.

A report of the match will be published on the club website following the full-time whistle, and post-match reaction will be available to view on mansfieldtown.net and iFollow Stags.

iFollow Stags subscribers can listen to full-match commentary of the clash - courtesy of Martin Shaw and Dean Foulkes - by logging into iFollow Stags 15 minutes before kick-off.

Supporters who are blind or visually impaired can take advantage of our fantastic free audio descriptive commentary service.

Provided by Alan March Sport, supporters can listen to commentary from trained audio description broadcasters.

To take advantage of this free service, please visit the entrance to the Kevin Bird Suite at One Call Stadium after 6pm on Tuesday.

Follow us across our social media accounts to keep fully updated on all areas of a Stags’ matchday. Click the below links to redirect to the corresponding social media account.

Facebook
Twitter
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YouTube

To add us on Snapchat, search ‘mtfcofficial.’

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Stags 1-1 Everton U21 (1-4 pens)

27 August 2019

A mixed Mansfield Town lineup secured a point following a 1-1 draw against Everton U21s, yet fell to a penalty shootout defeat in their opening Leasing.com Trophy fixture.

Under the floodlights in Nottinghamshire, Omari Sterling-James cancelled out Anthony Gordon’s fine effort to leave a penalty shootout to decipher who would gain an extra point following a 1-1 draw.

However, the Stags were undone by a set of fine spot-kicks from the Merseyside outfit, which ensured they travelled home with two points.

John Dempster opted for a mix of youth and experience for his side first Leasing.com Trophy outing of the 2019/20 season.

The likes of Mal Benning, who captained the side, and Matt Preston at the back were coupled with Jimmy Knowles and Jason Law further up the pitch.

It was the visitors who boasted the first meaningful opportunity of the evening when Gordon, slipped in down the right side, was thwarted by the feet of Aidan Stone.

However, the Stags had soon gained some momentum and were looking to break the deadlock through Sterling-James.

The winger had rippled the side netting with a long-distance effort before striking the upright from a set-piece.

The Toffees’ youngsters still posed a threat and it proved as such in the 28^th minute.

With superb solo work from the centre of the field, Gordon made space to fire a curling effort into the far corner.

Mansfield had their sights set on an equaliser and twice came close before the half-time interval.

Jacob Mellis assumed responsibility of the Stags’ latest dead ball situation, only to watch his shot rise over the bar.

This preceded an almost sublime piece of skill from Sterling-James, who was unlucky not to have turned home CJ Hamilton’s cross after a deft flick at the near post was saved by Harry Tyrer.

It meant Dempster’s side trailed narrowly as they entered the tunnel at the interval.

And just two minutes after the restart, the hosts came agonisingly close to restoring parity once more.

Sterling-James, amidst the action yet again, was unable to fumble the ball across the line from close-range.

Matt Preston was then left in disbelief as his powerful volley from Benning’s corner whistled the wrong side of Tyrer’s upright.

After a quiet spell in the second period, the visiting side were dealt a blow as Baningime’s lunging challenge meant referee Ben Toner had little choice in brandishing a second yellow card to the Everton youngster.

Alistair Smith also though he had wiped away the arrears with a drive from the edge of the Toffees’ box – however, the attempt was palmed away to safety.

And Mansfield’s continual pressure finally told in the 87^thminute.

Sterling-James, causing problems once more, wriggled away from several bodies before drilling a low shot beyond the reach of the Everton’s shot-stopper to level the scores.

There were seven additional minutes at One Call Stadium but the home side were not able to capitalise on their dominance.

This left a penalty shootout to decide who would emerge with an additional point from their night’s work.

And after Otis Khan and Sterling-James were unable to find the back of the net, it meant Dempster’s men would have to settle for just a single point.

Sky Bet League Two action is on the horizon for Mansfield as they travel to St James Park to face Exeter City on Saturday afternoon.

STAGS' XI: Stone (GK), Benning ©, Preston, Mellis, Clarke, Hamilton, Sterling-James, Law (Khan 46’), Gibbens, Knowles (MacDonald 46’), Smith (Sinclair 90’).

UNUSED SUBS: Logan (GK), Sweeney, Fielding, Chisholm

EVERTON U21 XI: Tyrer (GK), Charsley, Baningime, Adeniran (Simms 68’, Mampala 88’), Feeney ©, Foulds, Evans, Gordon, Denny (Astley 86’), Markelo, John.

UNUSED SUBS: McIntyre (GK), Anderson, Iversen, Carroll.

REFEREE: Ben Toner

ASSISTANTS: Lisa Rashid & Stephen Wade

FOURTH OFFICIAL: Steven Rushton

ATTENDANCE: 824 (55 away)

Match Reports

Standings