Preview: Stags vs Morecambe (Carabao Cup)

12 August 2019

The Stags welcome Morecambe back to One Call Stadium on Tuesday evening for their first round Carabao Cup encounter. Here’s your match preview ahead of the game…

Team news.png

Mansfield will be without long-term absentees Craig Davies and Bobby Olejnik for the clash. The game will also likely come too soon for midfielder Willem Tomlinson.

Fellow midfield man Jacob Mellis, alongside defender Matt Preston, are suspended for the fixture.

However, assistant manager Lee Glover confirmed in Monday morning's news conference that defender Hayden White is in contention to start Tuesday's match.

The Shrimps will be without A-Jay Leitch-Smith at One Call Stadium.

Both sides met at One Call Stadium on Saturday for their respective second league games of the season.

Mansfield were made to come back from two goals down once more to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign, with the Shrimps’ promising performance earning them their first point of the season after an opening day defeat to Grimsby.

The referee for Tuesday’s game will be Robert Lewis, assisted by Paul Hobday and Matthew Perry. The fourth official will be Conor Brown.

Mr. Lewis last took charge of a Stags’ fixture when we visited Carlisle in January 2019, a 3-2 loss at Brunton Park.

Ticket prices for the fixture have been slashed and are therefore set at £10 for adults or £5 for concessions (under-18s and over-65s).

To purchase tickets for the fixture, visit the One Call Stadium ticket office on Quarry Lane, call us on 01623 482 482 (option 1) or buy online at stagstickets.co.uk.

Tickets can be purchased on the day of the game at no extra price increase, with the ticket office remaining open until kick-off.

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 special team photo 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 their Stags vs Morecambe 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

If you need to collect tickets, please head to the main ticket office on Quarry Lane. 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.

Away supporters are housed in the North Stand, which can be accessed via Portland Retail Park. Please note: there is no matchday parking at the retail park.

Can't make it to the game? 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
Instagram
YouTube

To add us on Snapchat, search ‘mtfcofficial.’

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Stags 2-2 Morecambe (5-6 pens)

13 August 2019

Goals from Krystian Pearce and Omari Sterling-James were ultimately in vain as Mansfield Town were beaten 6-5 by Morecambe on penalties in Round One of the Carabao Cup.

Two headers from Morecambe’s Steven Old were twice cancelled out by the Stags as Pearce and Sterling-James both found the back of the net to the delight of the home faithful.

The draw signalled a penalty shootout to decide the evening’s victors – and the Shrimps eventually came out on top.

John Dempster made a total of five changes from Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two outing, including starts for both Dion Donohue and Andy Cook.

Hayden White also featured amongst the starting line-up after fully recovering from a hamstring strain.

And Cook sought to get his side off to the perfect start with a dangerous, downward header that trickled across the face of goal and away to safety.

There were hearts in mouths soon after, though, when Alistair Smith’s clearance had to be pounced upon by Conrad Logan as it rebounded against his own man.

But Mansfield were evidently buoyed by their bright opening spell – highlighted when Cook escaped the attentions of his man only to see his goalbound strike deflected into the grasp of Mark Halstead.

However, for all of the Stags’ endeavours it was instead the visitors who broke the deadlock on Tuesday evening.

In the 18^th minute, Old found himself with enough space inside the area to nod into the far corner and give his side the advantage.

The contest continued to ebb and flow until tempers flared just minutes after the opening goal.

Luke Conlan’s heavy challenge from behind on Kellan Gordon resulted in a straight red card for the visitor’s left-back – something the Stags almost immediately profited from.

Cook, causing havoc once more, rattled the crossbar from Benning’s low delivery as the hosts inched closer to restoring parity.

Soon after, Smith took aim from distance but his powerful effort whistled wide; meaning Old’s header was the difference at the break.

Mansfield showcased their intentions as they threatened an equaliser from the restart.

CJ Hamilton pressured Ritchie Sutton into a hurried pass back to Halstead, before Benning’s rapid cross narrowly evaded the touch of the Stags’ number 22.

But the home side would have their much-deserved goal on 56 minutes.

Khan’s wicked corner kick was turned goalwards by Ryan Sweeney, and while there was an initial save from Halstead, the loose ball was knocked in by Pearce with little hesitation.

Although, despite Dempster’s side working themselves back into the tie, they quickly fell behind once more.

Old notched his second of the game with a looping header on the hour mark meaning the amber and blue were reverted back to need yet another goal.

And it duly arrived just nine minutes thereafter, in the shape of substitute Sterling-James.

A neat touch coupled with a first-time effort saw his effort ripple the back of the net after creeping in at the near post.

The home side had their tails up following a second equaliser and the tables were almost completely turned when Sterling-James flicked a header marginally wide of the upright.

The fingertips of Halstead then denied both White’s cross and Benning’s powerful shot from crossing the goal line.

Mansfield mounted the pressure in search of a late winner and there was almost a dream ending for Smith, on only his second ever senior appearance.

The youngster picked up possession and drilled a venomous strike from 25 yards only an inch wide of the post.

The home side were unable to conjure a late winner leaving penalties to decide who would progress.

Mal Benning, Danny Rose and Pearce were all on target during the initial five penalties as the night descended into sudden death.

And both sides continued to tuck home the spot kicks before Ryan Sweeney fired his penalty above the crossbar, sending the visitors through.

STAGS' XI: Logan (GK), White, Benning, Pearce ©, Khan, Donohue (Tomlinson 46’), Sweeney, Cook (Rose 66’), Gordon, Hamilton (Sterling-James 66’), Smith.

UNUSED SUBS: Stone (GK), Clarke, Sinclair, Gibbens.

MORECAMBE XI: Halstead (GK), Conlan, Old, Alessandra (Kenyon 46’), Sutton (Buxton 76’), Brewitt, Lavelle ©, Oates (O’Sullivan 76’), Miller, Tanner, Cranston.

UNUSED SUBS: Roche (GK), Stockton, Ellison, Jagne.

REFEREE: Robert Lewis

ASSISTANTS: Paul Hobday & Matthew Perry

FOURTH OFFICIAL: Conor Brown

ATTENDANCE: 1,884 (66 away)

Match Reports

Standings