Our reserve team were beaten 2-1 by Hull City in a combative Central League (East Division) encounter at North Ferriby United tonight.
Matt Rhead put us ahead with a bullet header midway though the first half, before The Tigers struck twice after the re-start to steal all three points.
The Stags had trialist Steve Jennings controversially sent-off in the closing stages, with the midfielder having appeared to do nothing to merit the bizarre red card.
On a cold autumn night in East Yorkshire, the hosts created the first opportunity, when Paul McShane headed wide from Connor Henderson’s corner.
Rhead, whose physical presence caused constant problems for Hull, hit a low 20-yard drive narrowly wide, as our team enjoyed their first chance on 12 minutes.
However, the bustling frontman nodded us ahead on 24 minutes, with a powerful header, following Ben Hutchinson’s long set-piece into the area.
The Stags gradually began to dictate play and Hutchinson had a free-kick deflected wide on the half-hour mark, before John McCombe was off-target from the subsequent corner.
On the stroke of half-time, Liam Mitchell produced a superb fingertip save to keep out a curling right-foot attempt by Tigers’ striker Yannick Sagbo.
The hosts equalised shortly after the re-start when Nick Proschwitz’s unleashed a low 25-yard strike, which squirmed under the body of Liam Mitchell.
Our side almost regained the lead on 53 minutes, when the outstanding Godfrey Poku began a move that ended with Meikle curling an effort wide.
The Stags went even closer on the hour mark as Rhead connected to Hutchinson’s sublime 50-yard cross, which forced Eldin Jakupovic to make a superb diving save.
Rhead, Hutchinson and Ollie Palmer all had further chances saved, before James Armstrong stabbed home a cross by Will Aimson to put The Tigers ahead on 69 minutes.
Our team’s miserable night in East Yorkshire was compounded in the closing stages, when Jennings received a bizarre red card for seemingly no reason.
Team: Mitchell, Marsden, Black (C.Green), McCombe, Tafazolli (Birch), Poku, Hutchinson, S.Jennings, Meikle, Rhead (Hemagou), Palmer. Unused Subs: Waldram, J.Thomas.
