Mansfield Town bowed out of the Emirates FA Cup as fellow League Two high-flyers Wrexham claimed a 2-1 win at One Call Stadium.

Sam Dalby and Paul Mullin struck in either half and despite Rhys Oates’ thunderous goal on the hour to reduce the deficit, Stags exited at the first round stage.

Three changes were made from Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fourth round exit at the hands of Port Vale as defenders Baily Cargill and Callum Johnson, along with forward Rhys Oates, were introduced to the lineup.

Calum Macdonald, George Maris and Will Swan were moved to the substitutes’ bench.

As the contest ticked over the first minute mark, Wrexham were first to try their luck when Andy Cannon’s low 20-yard drive flew wide of the left post.

Two minutes later, Stags burst forward and Davis Keillor-Dunn sent a lovely throughball to the advancing Rhys Oates, whose right-footed shot inside the box was well saved by goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

Keillor-Dunn transferred from architect to shooter on eight minutes as he curled an effort wide from the edge of the area after good work by Rhys Oates.

Okonkwo was well behind Keillor-Dunn’s next attempt from 25 yards as Stags continued to look dangerous heading forward.

Mansfield threatened again on 17 minutes when Johnson set Oates away on the right flank. And the striker tried to find his forward partner Jordan Bowery with a sizzling ball across the face of goal, which was missed by a stride.

At the other end, Sam Salby got the better of Louis Reed, but met his match in Stags’ goalkeeper Christy Pym who produced a fine one-handed low stop from the frontman’s shot.

Mansfield midfielder Ollie Clarke fly from 25 yards, but Oates stopped its route to goal with the back of his leg.

It was Wrexham who took the upper hand with 23 minutes played. James McClean found space through the middle before threading a smart ball to Dalby, who did the rest with an accomplished left-footed finish from the left of the box.

Cargill then embarked on a mazy run for Mansfield, twisting and turning on the inside left channel to lay it off to Louis Reed, who drilled a low attempt wide from 18 yards.

Oates was next to have a crack, 25 yards out, but it arrowed off target and on 29 minutes, midfieder Arron Lewis – from a similar distance – lashed wide.


Stags were almost undone on the half-hour mark as Elliot Lee set up Dalby to smash against the woodwork from the same position which he scored earlier on.

The end-to-end action continued and Cargill was well forward to strike which spun behind for a corner following a deflection.

Referee Ed Duckworth brandished his first yellow card – to Wrexham’s George Evans – for a foul on Aden Flint ten yards outside the visitors’ box.

On 40 minutes, Ollie Clarke appeared to pick up an injury and was replaced by George Maris.

Seventy seconds later, Pym produced a superb double save to push away Elliot Lee’s attempt and then react brilliantly to get up off the deck to stop Dalby’s close range strike.

Pym again was called upon a minute later to force behind Paul Mullin’s drive on the left of the box.

Three minutes after the break, Stags aimed for a leveller and Reed tested Okonwko with a right-footed strike inside the box after being teed up by Reed.

Okonkwo stood firm to keep out Stags’ next charge. Keillor-Dunn cut through the middle to feed Oates, who was driven wide before firing at the Reds’ ‘keeper.

Bowery should have hit the target on 53 minutes. Johnson sent a short pass to the goalline for Keillor-Dunn, who whipped a ball to the front post for Bowery to fire wide.

Stags upped the ante and saw another great chance go begging two minutes later.

Oates cut back in the area, but Keillor-Dunn couldn’t connect from 12 yards and the chance slipped away.

But it was Wrexham who were to find the next on 58 minutes.

Johnson was unable to effectively clear his lines and Dalby pounced to slide in Mullin, who smashed home from 15 yards.

Stags’ heads didn’t drop and they pulled one back on the hour.

Oates robbed Wrexham of possession to drive forward and direct an unstoppable piledriver into the roof of the net from 14 yards.


And Mansfield should have levelled a minute later when an off-balance Jordan Bowery ghosted in at the far post to hook behind following a left wing delivery.

On 64 minutes, Cannon saw a rasping low strike fly narrowly beyond the post before Stags made a double change.

Defenders Callum Johnson and Baily Cargill made way for Stephen McLaughlin and Will Swan.

Reed was then shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Cannon, prior to the  diminutive midfielder smacking a 20-yard shot over the bar on 78 minutes.

Mullin tried to put the game to bed three minutes later, collecting the ball on the inside left before cutting inside to strike at Pym.

Stags made another double change as Oates and Lewis made way for Calum Macdonald and James Gale.

As the tie edged towards the 90, Keillor-Dunn struck wide with a low effort from 15 yards and in stoppage time, Jordan Davies was given a yellow card for a foul on Keillor-Dunn.
Stags huffed and puffed but were unable to find an equaliser.

STAGS: Pym, Johnson (McLaughlin 64) , Flint, Brunt, Cargill (Swan 64), Reed, Lewis (Gale 84), Clarke (Maris 40), Keillor-Dunn, Oates (Macdonald 84), Bowery

UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Cooper, Flanagan, Abdullah

WREXHAM: Okonkwo, Evans, Tozer, O'Connor, Forde (Mendy 66), Jones, Cannon (Young 71), Lee (J. Davies 82), McClean, Dalby (Palmer 82), Mullin

UNUSED SUBS: Howard, Cleworth, Boyle, Hosannah, Bickerstaff

REFEREE: Ed Duckworth
ATTENDANCE:  6,158 (560 Wrexham fans)