Preview: Stags vs Morecambe

25 February 2021

The Stags are back on home soil this weekend, with a visit from Morecambe in Sky Bet League Two. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the clash…

Midfielder George Lapslie will miss the game due to a hamstring injury.

Right-back Joe Riley is a long-term absentee and will also miss out.

The Stags will be hoping for a return to winning ways after seeing their form dip since their enforced break due to home and away postponements.

Saturday’s visitors sit in an impressive fourth place heading into the clash, following their dramatic 2-1 win over Salford on Tuesday, in which the Shrimps scored two stoppage time goals.

We last faced Morecambe in October, a game that ended 1-1 at Globe Arena.

Midfielder Harry Charsley scored for the Stags to earn a point after Adam Phillips’ early opener.

The referee for Saturday’s match will be Anthony Backhouse, assisted by Stephen Finch and Martyn Holmes. The fourth official will be Danny Gratton.

Mr. Backhouse last took charge of a Mansfield match in our memorable 1-0 win away at Sunderland in this season’s Emirates FA Cup.

Supporters wishing to watch this match live can do so on iFollow Stags. Please do not try to attend this match, as it will be played behind closed doors. Match passes are available at just £10, and can be purchased here.

A reminder that season ticket holders are able to watch this game free of charge, due to it being a home league game.

All season ticket holders' iFollow accounts have now been automatically granted access to the live video stream for home league games.

There is no need to input promo codes and supporters simply need to log into their iFollow account.

We have provided the EFL with season ticket holders' email addresses (data is being passed securely and purely for the purpose of providing access to iFollow).

It is therefore essential that season ticket holders use the same e-mail address registered on their iFollow account to the one which we have on our season ticket database (which is the e-mail from which you have previously received the promo codes for home league games).

If you already have an iFollow account registered using the same email as the club has for your season ticket account, you do not need to do anything else, simply log into your iFollow account on matchday.

If you have changed e-mail addresses to the one the club has for you on its database, or if you have any questions or queries about the above, please email ticketoffice@mansfieldtown.net.

In order for you to check whether you have been granted access to the Season Ticket Licence, it's a simple three-step process to do so:

Log in to iFollow on your club website
Click your name in the navigation bar to get to their 'My Account page'
Click the + sign next to 'Purchased Packages'

If you have been granted access, you will see 'Season Ticket – Mansfield Town’

We also suggest that new users familiarise themselves with their iFollow Stags account ahead of Saturday’s game, so that no issues arise on matchday when going to watch the game live.

Looking to watch the game on your tablet or mobile? You will need to download the new EFL iFollow app. Read more here.

iFollow Stags match commentary will be provided courtesy of commentators Martin Shaw and Dean Foulkes.

As ever, 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.

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.

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To add us on Snapchat, search ‘mtfcofficial.’

Match Reports

Report: Stags 1-0 Morecambe

27 February 2021

Jordan Bowery's first-half goal earned Mansfield Town an impressive victory against Morecambe on Saturday afternoon.

The deadlock was broken courtesy of an intelligent assist from Stephen Quinn, who found Bowery for a close-range goal.

The Stags battled in the second-half to defend their one goal lead, ultimately securing a well-earned clean sheet.

Nigel Clough made three changes to the starting line-up, with Kellan Gordon, Mal Benning and Stephen Quinn replacing James Perch, Stephen McLaughlin and Harry Charsley respectively.

Perch and Charsley dropped to the bench, meanwhile left-back McLaughlin, who limped off at half-time against Harrogate on Tuesday, was absent from the squad. James Clarke replaced him as a substitute.

The Stags started the brighter of the two sides, with Jordan Bowery curling an effort goal-bound after three minutes. Morecambe keeper Kyle Letheren parried the effort into Jamie Reid’s path, but he could only head the rebound over the bar.

Much of the opening ten minutes were contested in midfield, with Mansfield winning a greater share of 50-50 challenges. George Maris picked up a loose ball and looked to play Bowery in behind the Morecambe defence, albeit for an interception from Harry Davis.

On 11 minutes, Nigel Clough's men again came close to the opener. Mal Benning had a 23-yard free-kick saved by Letheren, who could have been deceived by the wall's deflection.

With a quarter of an hour played, Maris turned provider once more. He floated in a couple of corner kicks into the six-yard box and Ollie Clarke headed the best of those set-pieces wide.

Morecambe gained composure after their shaky start to proceedings. Neat build-up play brought about a chance for Toumani Diagouraga from 12 yards out, but his shot was blocked effectively at the expense of a corner.

Neither side had joy in dominating possession as the half progressed, however the amber and blue put a few dangerous crosses into the box.

On 33 minutes, Gordon and Reid linked up well. The former burst down the right wing and found his teammate in space, only for the striker to head an effort comfortably wide of Letheren’s near post.

Seven minutes later, the Stags had their opening goal of the game. Quinn tricked his way past the Morecambe defence and drilled a low cross into Bowery’s feet. His first-time effort from inside the six-yard box nestled into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, giving the hosts a fully-deserved lead.

As the half-time whistle loomed, Mansfield pushed for a second. Jason Law reached the byline and dragged the ball into Quinn’s feet, yet his shot from 15 yards sailed over.

The Stags maintained their momentum after the interval. Gordon darted down the right flank after 51 minutes, being fouled by Gibson as he looked to unleash a curling cross. The resulting free-kick was looped in by Maris, but no-one was able to get a touch onto it.

Although outplayed for large parts of the game by the hour-mark, Derek Adams’ side searched for an equaliser. Lee Hendrie asked questions of the Mansfield defenders with a searching cross, but Maris cleared the danger without hesitation.

The central midfielder came to the rescue again minutes later, intercepting and clearing a ball that seemed destined to find Cole Stockton in the penalty area.

On 71 minutes, Bowery dribbled past two players before nutmegging Kelvin Mellor on his drive into the penalty area. With the option to shoot or pass, Bowery picked the selfless one, but had his delivery blocked by Morecambe skipper Sam Lavelle.

Aidan Stone, who was relatively untested all game, came into life with three minutes to go. As Hendrie found space in front of goal, Stone launched himself at the opponent’s feet to deny a certain goal scoring opportunity.

Leitch-Smith also had a golden chance in front of the Stags goalmouth, but he could not connect with a half volley and Stone managed to clutch the ball to guarantee the win.

STAGS XI: Stone (GK), Gordon, Rawson, Sweeney, Benning, Maris, O. Clarke (C), Quinn, Law (Charsley 90+2’), Reid, Bowery.

UNUSED SUBS: Stech (GK), O’ Keeffe, Perch, J. Clarke, Wright, Sinclair.

MORECAMBE XI: Letheren (GK), Mellor, Lavelle (C), Davis, Gibson (Hendrie 53‘), Songo’o (McAlinden 80’), O’ Sullivan (Leitch-Smith 80‘), Wildig, Diagouraga (Lyons 66‘j, Mendes Gomes, Stockton.

UNUSED SUBS: Halstead (GK), Slew, Cooney.

REFEREE: A. Backhouse

ASSISTANTS: S. Finch and M. Holmes

FOURTH OFFICIAL: D. Gratton