Mansfield Town

Theo Robinson put the visitors ahead from the spot on 34 minutes, but the Stags hit back with second-half goals from Lindon Meikle and Matt Green.

On a mild evening in Nottinghamshire, the visitors began in dominant fashion and could have opened the scoring within 20 seconds when Ben Davies whistled an effort inches wide of Alan Marriot’s posts after a lay-off from strike-partner Robinson.

Andy Owens enjoyed the Stags first chance on six minutes. The former Southport full-back cut inside from the left channel but was unable to trouble Saul Deeney with an effort that sailed over the woodwork.

Ross Dyer put Green through on goal a minute later, but under pressure from Rams captain Richard Keogh, the talisman failed to find the target with a strike from the edge of the box.

Both Robinson and Jamie Ward then whistled separate attempts high over the bar from distance at the other end, before Marriott parried away a powerful shot from Robinson at the midway point in the first half, following an intricate through ball from Ward.

Mansfield then enjoyed two chances in quick succession as Dyer fired wide from the right-angle of the area, moments prior to Lee Stevenson coming even closer with a low 20-yard shot that went only inches wide of Deeney’s right-hand post.

On the half hour mark, Derby created their best chance when an exceptional dummy from Ward set Robinson clear on goal. 

However, defensive duo George Pilkington and Lee Beevers did enough to distract the former Millwall striker, who failed to find the target after advancing into the area.

Nevertheless, Robinson soon grabbed the first goal of the evening, which brought to an end the Stags 394 minutes of pre-season action without conceding. 

Michael Jacobs’ exquisite movement on the left flank was too much for Beevers, who felled the Derby winger inside the area, allowing Robinson to step up and send Marriott the wrong way with the resulting penalty in order to put the Rams ahead.

The Stags hit back with a flurry of chances before the break, yet somehow still trailed at the interval.

Luke Jones forced Jeff Hendrick to clear from the line with a powerful header, but found the net from the resulting corner after Jacobs had initially cleared another effort from the line, only to see his effort chalked off by referee Andy Woolmer who had spotted a foul.

Dyer then cushioned a header the wrong side of the post as Mansfield ended the half on top.

Typical of many pre-season friendlies, the Championship visitors emerged for the second period with an entirely different eleven, whilst Anthony Howell for Stevenson was the only half-time change for Paul Cox’s side.

Mansfield deservedly grabbed an equaliser on 52 minutes. Meikle passed to Green, who bustled his way down the left flank and then into the area, before tapping into an empty goal from close range after a mix-up between goalkeeper Mats Morch and central-defender Stef Galinski.

Nathan Tyson soon whistled an effort over the woodwork at the other end, before Meikle turned from provider to goalscorer on the hour mark.

Green again showed strength to hold off his marker and played a simple ball to Meikle, who raced into the box and then fired into the roof of the net from 12 yards to send the One Call Stadium crowd into celebration.

Derby struggled in their attempts to find a route back into the game and could have fallen further behind on 70 minutes when Chris Clements long pass almost picked out Green.

Chris Jones tame left-foot shot was comfortably saved by Marriott two minutes later as the Rams enjoyed a rare foray into the Stags half, before a more powerful attempt from Craig Bryson was also comfortably gathered by Marriott.

The Stags then made a series of substitutions and comfortably saw out the closing stages to record an impressive pre-season victory.

Attendance: 2,596

Mansfield Town: Marriott, Beevers (Thompson 55), Pilkington, Jones, Owens (Sutton 78), Tolley, Clements (Roberts 77), Stevenson (Howell 46), Dyer, Green (Rhead 78), Meikle (Briscoe 75).