Mansfield Town's under-21s comfortably dispatched Notts County in a Central League Cup victory at One Call Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The match, scheduled as a Notts County home fixture, was rearranged this week to take place at One Call Stadium.
First team defenders Baily Cargill and John-Joe O’Toole netted headers either side of half-time, while under-21s’ midfielder Finn Flanagan and forward McKeal Abdullah were also on the scoresheet.
Both teams looked to stamp their authority in the opening stages of the game and it was Mansfield who carved out the game’s first chance after eight minutes when Wauchope squared for Abdullah inside the box, but the forward was unable to tap home from close range.
Three minute’s later, attacker Liam Loughlan whipped in a corner from the right which found Cooper at the back post, who headed over from six yards.
Stags broke the deadlock on 25 minutes as County’s goalkeeper punched thin air from Loughlan’s corner, allowing Cargill to head home nine yards out.
Stags’ goalkeeper Louie Turner was called upon later in the half as he expertly tipped wide a powerful drive from a County striker.
At the break, first team players George Williams and Baily Cargill made way for Louis Bonser and Tyler Whyle.
Soon after the restart, Abdullah shrugged off the challenge of a County defender before breaking into the box and hitting the side netting with a dinked effort.
Enjoying success with corners, Loughlan’s delivery from the right was partially cleared on 52 minutes. Midfielder Finn Flanagan struck the looping ball on the volley from the edge of the area – arrowing a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
Mansfield’s two-goal advantage was halved only a minute later. Captain George Cooper played the ball back to Turner in the Stags’ net, but the ‘keeper’s mis-control saw the pass roll into the goal.
Eager to put Notts’ goal behind them, Loughlan delivered another fine corner from the right. John-Joe O’Toole rose highest to steer the ball into the net via a superb header.
On 79 minutes, Abdullah netted the goal his performance deserved. The forward tackled the Notts goalkeeper before tapping into an empty net for Stags’ fourth of the afternoon.
STAGS: Louie Turner, George Williams (Tyler Whyle 46), Darien Wauchope, Charlie Carter, George Cooper, Baily Cargill (Louis Bonser 46), Finn Flanagan, Ronnie Kokkinos, McKeal Abdullah, John-Joe O'Toole (Lewis Warnaby 69), Liam Loughlan (Alfie King 76)
UNUSED SUBS: Harrison Leech
