Preview: Accrington Stanley v Stags

7 September 2023

Mansfield Town face Accrington Stanley this Saturday in a Sky Bet League Two encounter at Wham Stadium (3pm kick-off). Here's all you need to know...

Aaron Lewis has returned to training following a calf injury he sustained at Doncaster last month and is in contention to return to the matchday squad.

Callum Johnson (hamstring) and Hiram Boateng (groin) are likely to miss the fixture but are making good progress in their rehabilitation.

Stephen Quinn (knee) and Rhys Oates (ankle) will not feature and are expected to be out of action for three to four and two to three months, respectively.

The club has been allocated 1,260 tickets, which includes 700 in the Coppice Terrace, 548 in the Studio Stand (seated) and six pairs of wheelchair disabled and carer tickets.

Tickets are now on general sale. Online tickets can be purchased here.

Prices are:

Adult (18+): £20

Concession (64+): £15

Student*: £15

12-17: £10

U12s £5

*Must be purchased with a valid NUS card

The club can no longer post tickets.

Tickets will go off sale at midday on Friday 08 September.

Accrington confirmed to us on Thursday that tickets can now be bought on the day at Wham Stadium from a white ticket booth outside the away end. Cash or card is accepted, with no price increase applicable. On the day tickets are for the standing only area at Accrington.

The easiest and quickest way to purchase tickets is online via www.stagstickets.co.uk. The club's ticket office at One Call Stadium is open from Monday to Friday between 10m until 5pm. The ticket office can also be contacted via telephone between these hours (01623 482 482, option 1).

The referee for Saturday's match is Ross Joyce. Mr. Joyce will be assisted by Bradley Hall, Alan Clayton and fourth official, Conor Brown.

Supporters can view Accrington Stanley's first-time visitor guide by clicking here.

Sandy's Bar & Kitchen will be open from 8.30am and serving breakfast cobs on matchday.

Stags Supporters' Association coaches will be departing One Call Stadium at 10am.

There are limited spaces available.

Prices are as follows:

£15: Amber/junior members

£20: Blue members

To book, text or ring 07967 689597. Non-members can use the aforementioned phone number for price and availability details.

Unable to make it to the game on Saturday?

iFollow Stags subscribers – inside the UK and abroad - can watch the game live for just £10.

Commentary of the contest will be provided by Martin Shaw and Dean Foulkes. Coverage starts approximately 10 minutes before kick-off.

You can follow all the action from the fixture live via our Twitter match updates here.

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

A report from the match will be published on the club website following the full-time whistle, and post-match reaction from the dressing room 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.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report: Accrington 0-3 Stags

9 September 2023

Mansfield Town claimed their first away league win of the season with an impressive 3-0 win as they brushed aside Accrington on a sweltering afternoon in Lancashire.

Stags continued their unbeaten start to the season and are now nine games unbeaten in league and cup, with this latest triumph likely to inject further confidence into the camp.

Davis Keillor-Dunn netted a magnificent first-half overhead kick, while George Maris was also on the scoresheet seven minutes later with a well-planted finish.

And the best was to come as Aaron Lewis made sure of the victory in the second-half with an outstanding 35-yard volley to seal Stags’ win.

The victory ends Mansfield’s hoodoo against Accrington, burying a winless league run of 14 games which stretches back to March 1961.

Aaron Lewis returned to midfield following injury while forward James Gale was handed a first start of the season as part of two changes from last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to Bradford.

Referee Ross Joyce brandished the game’s first yellow card after six minutes when Jay Rich-Baghuelou hacked down James Gale on the left touchline amidst a promising breakaway.

And the same man got away with a second booking four minutes later when he escaped punishment after hauling down Gale again, this time midway inside the home half.

After an unsettled start from both teams, right-back Jordan Bowery attempted to spark the game into life with a curling right-flank cross in the 20^th minute. But George Maris, well-monitoed at the back post, was unable to find another amber shirt as he tried to head deeper into the goal area.

Stanley carved out their first opening after 23 minutes following a counter-surge, though Josh Andrews headed narrowly wide from the edge of the six-yard box after a well-weighted cross from the left.

Keillor-Dunn gave the game the kiss of life with a sensational opening goal in the 29^th minute.

Lucas Akins held it up in the Stanley half to slip it to Aaron Lewis. And after he found Gale on the right flank, the ex-Long Eaton man delivered into the centre of the area, where the ball bounced for Keillor-Dunn to control with his chest before he executed a terrific overhead kick into the net from eight yards.

And Keillor-Dunn turned from goalscorer to provider on 36 minutes as Stags again hit Stanley on the right channel.

From halfway, Lewis threaded a fine ball to Keillor-Dunn on the inside right. And his cross was inch perfect for the advancing George Maris, who did the rest with an accomplished left-footed finish from eight yards.

Akins tried to set Gale away in the 43^rd minute with a rising flick-on into his path, but Gale saw his 22-yard shot quickly charged down.

In first-half injury time, Stags’ goalkeeper Christy Pym was called upon for the first time to beat away a rasping 25-yard strike from Jack Nolan.

Thirty seconds after the interval, Maris was shown a yellow card for a trip on the halfway line.

Soon after, Keillor-Dunn was in the clear as he looked to inflict further damage on Stanley.

The attacker latched on to Akins’ clever throughball to chest down and advance in between two defenders. But goalkeeper Toby Savin made a smart stop with one-hand as Keillor-Dunn attempted a shot inside the box.

On 57 minutes, George Maris made way for Hiram Boateng in Stags’ first change.

Stags presented a chance to Stanley moments later when Aden Flint was dispossessed in defence as he tried to bring the ball out from the back.

Stanley took over and Josh Andrews lashed one towards goal which Pym had to push away, before Nolan failed to make the most of the rebound as he sent his rising shot over the target.

At the other end, Stags looked to put the game out of sight and Boateng curled a venomous 25-yard shot wide of goal.

On 74 minutes, midfielder Louis Reed cracked a 25-yard free-kick behind the goal, with Stags still on top.

And Mansfield wrapped up the points on 75 minutes with another hair-raising goal.

Stanley ‘keeper Savin made a mess of a clearance upfield, directing it straight to Aaron Lewis. And the midfielder, 35 yards from goal, replied with a first-time volley which flew into the inside left post to spark the Stags’ fans into raptures behind the goal.

On 77 minutes, Stags made a double change as Will Swan and Baily Cargill were introduced for Davis Keillor-Dunn and Calum Macdonald.

There were further changes as the contest crept into injury time, with George Williams and Ollie Clarke taking to the field.

In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Swan’s sizzling low effort was turned away by Savin at his near post and at the other end, Tommy Leigh bent a 25-yard free-kick beyond the wall before it smacked into an advertising hoarding behind the goal.

ACCRINGTON: Savin, Rich-Baghuelou (Gubbins 67), Mellor, Hills, Coyle (Adedoyin 77), Whalley, Longelo, Nolan (Lowe 90+5), Leigh, Andrews, Conneely (J. Woods 90+5)

UNUSED SUBS: McIntyre, B. Woods, Quirk
STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Brunt, Macdonald (Cargill 77), Reed, Lewis (Williams (90+1), Maris (Boateng 57), Keillor-Dunn (Swan 77), Gale, (Clarke 90+1) Akins

UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, O'Toole

REFEREE: Ross Joyce

ATTENDANCE: 3,094 (1,034 Stags’ fans)