Preview: Bradford vs Stags

27 December 2019

Here's all you need to know ahead of Sunday's fixture at the Utilita Energy Stadium.

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Wing-back Hayden White remains a doubt, despite returning to training recently.

Fellow defender Kellan Gordon will miss the game with a back issue whilst Conor Shaugnessy (hamstring) is also sidelined.

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Stags sit 19th in Sky Bet League Two and head into Sunday's contest following a late fightback on Boxing Day at home to Port Vale.

Mansfield fell 2-0 behind but goals from Nicky Maynard and a last-gasp strike from CJ Hamilton earned a valuable point.

Stags have drawn their last three matches.

Bradford have also drawn their last three encounters and are perched in fifth position in the division.

Their most recent fixture, yesterday (Thursday), finished goalless away at Carlisle.

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Stags secured a 2-1 victory when they last faced Bradford, in West Yorkshire, in March 2008.

Caretaker boss Paul Holland led the amber and blue to what seemed a vital victory, but ultimately it wasn't enough to save Stags from relegation as they feel through the trapdoor and into the conference.

Nathan Arnold and Micky Boulding were on the scoresheet for Mansfield, whilst ex-Stag Barry Conlan fired home for the Bantams.

Sunday's referee is Ross Joyce. His two assistants will be Stephen Wade and Alix Pashley. The fourth official will be Peter Gooch.

Stags' supporters should pay-on-the-day in West Yorkshire.

For full ticket information, click here.

On-street parking is available around the stadium, with large stretches of Midland Road and Queens Road generally being used by supporters for matchday parking.

There are several pubs and bars located near the ground. North Parade, a street situated 0.6 miles away from the ground (approximately a 12-minute walk) has a number of bars and pubs in which supporters can enjoy refreshments before and after the match.

The city’s leisure centre, The Broadway, has a Taco Bell, Subway, Burger King and various other eateries and is also around a 15-minute walk away. There is also a Greggs, Costa and McDonald's in Foster’s Squad shopping centre. Alcohol is not normally available inside the ground for away fans although food is on offer.

Can't make it to the game? iFollow Stags subscribers - both in the UK and abroad - can watch this encounter as it happens.

UK subscribers to iFollow Stags can buy a match pass for just £10 to watch the action live. Click here to purchase a match pass.

Commentary will be by Martin Shaw and Dean Foulkes.

Not an iFollow Stags subscriber? Sign up by heading to mansfieldtown.net/ifollow.

You can also 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.

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Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Bradford City 2-0 Stags

29 December 2019

James Vaughan’s brace from the penalty spot separated the sides as Mansfield Town suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bradford City on Sunday afternoon.

After promising beginnings in the Stags’ latest venture, the striker notched his first of the afternoon when Alex MacDonald brought down Matt Palmer.

And while the visitors spent the remainder of the afternoon hoping to restore parity, their endeavours were not enough as Vaughan fired home his second with less than 10 minutes to go.

Graham Coughlan made two alterations for his side’s trip to west Yorkshire beginning with Conrad Logan returning in place of Bobby Olejnik.

Otis Khan was also handed a starting place ahead of Neal Bishop, who dropped to the bench.

Mansfield had made an enterprising start at the Utilita Energy Stadium and forced the first save of the afternoon through a pre-planned routine.

Mal Benning’s throw allowed Khan to lay into the path of MacDonald, whose effort was grasped at the second attempt by Richard O’Donnell.

The visitors continued their assault on the Bradford goal and watched a handful of opportunities pass them by in agonising fashion.

Andy Cook was unable to retrieve possession from underneath his feet on a difficult surface, before Danny Rose had possession pinched as he looked primed to net.

The hard work, however, was undone with the hosts’ first attack.

MacDonald was adjudged to have bundled into the back of Matt Palmer inside the area – leaving skipper Vaughan to dispatch the spot-kick with his right boot in the 13^th minute.

The hosts then chipped one into Ben Richards-Everton but the centre-half, who had traversed forward for the free-kick, was caught pulling on Matt Preston’s shirt on the process.

Soon after, Benning was afforded space inside the Bantams' 18-yard box, yet his cross was hooked clear with several players queuing up to stroke home.

Ryan Sweeney had suffered a knock earlier in the contest, and despite his best efforts to continue, he was replaced by Krystian Pearce on 38 minutes.

Coughlan’s men then produced a sublime passage of link-up play, which unfortunately ended with Adam Henley nipping ahead of Cook before the striker could pull the trigger.

Another half-chance came the Stags’ way just minutes prior to the interval. Rose leaped highest in the middle but flicked a difficult header wide of the mark.

It proved to be last notable action of a first half that left the Stags facing a one-goal deficit.

Into the second period and the visiting side should have been level inside one minute.

MacDonald – looking to atone for his earlier wrongdoing – sent a beautiful curler into the path of Cook who nodded over from close range.

Similarly to the first, Mansfield began the half with energy and pressed the Bantams to the edge of the area.

Rose had two strikes in quick succession before it fell to Khan who forced a corner via a deflection. The subsequent delivery from powered back across goal by Preston but there proved to be nobody on hand to pounce.

Gary Bowyer’s men traversed forward through Dylan Connolly as spaces began to appear but the lively playmaker was booked for diving instead of seeking a teammate.

Then, possession broke kindly to Cook whose attempt from distance looped upwards against the leg of Anthony O’Connor and safely into the palms of O’Donnell.

And in the 83^rd minute, the hosts rubber-stamped the victory with yet another goal from the spot.

Connolly had skipped beyond Preston, who was then penalised for bringing the No. 19 down, leaving Vaughan to bag his second from 12 yards.

Mansfield are back on the road on New Year’s Day when they take on Cambridge United in Sky Bet League Two.

STAGS XI: Logan (GK), Benning, Preston, MacDonald, Khan (Mellis 61’), Tomlinson, Sweeney © (Pearce 38’), Cook, Clarke, Hamilton, Rose (Maynard 72’).

UNUSED SUBS: Olejnik (GK), Bishop, Davies, Knowles.

BRADFORD XI: O’Donnell (GK), O’Connor, Richards-Everton, O’Connor, Reeves (Cooke 74’), Vaughan © (Oteh 87’), McCartan (Taylor 66’), Palmer, Connolly, Henley, Wood.

UNUSED SUBS: Sykes-Kenworthy (GK), Ismail, Gibson, Anderson.

REFEREE: Ross Joyce

ASSISTANTS: Stephen Wade & Alix Pashley

FOURTH OFFICIAL: Peter Gooch

ATTENDANCE: 15,197 (1,141 away)

Match Reports

Standings