The Stags returned to the Football League after a five-year absence.
Vs Scunthorpe United, L 0-2. You can read the match report by clicking here.
Vs Tranmere Rovers, L 0-2. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Exeter City, D 0-0. You can read the match report by clicking here.
Vs Wycombe Wanderers, W 1-0. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Portsmouth, D 2-2. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Dagenham & Redbridge, W 3-0. Watch highlights by clicking here.
After weeks of waiting, the new season finally arrived and 1,500 Stags fans packed into the tiny away stand at Glanford Park for our first match back in the Football League.
Glorious weather warmed the appetite, but two goals in a crazy nine-minute spell shortly before the break earned Scunthorpe United all three points. Louis Briscoe’s late penalty miss only added to our misery.
Three days later, we made our first appearance in the Capital One Cup for six seasons, but we bowed out at the first hurdle in slightly subdued fashion, going down 2-0 to Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park.
By the time Exeter City visited One Call Stadium, the pressure was already beginning to grow for us. Striker Calvin Andrew, signed following his fruitful pre-season trial, was handed a start and our first point in Sky Bet League Two was secured with a gritty 0-0 draw.
Our search for our first goal of the new campaign was finally brought to an end at Wycombe Wanderers seven days later, when Ollie Palmer, who joined us from Havant & Waterlooville, found the target in a 1-0 victory.
An entertaining 2-2 draw with Portsmouth, in which Ben Hutchinson opened the scoring with a sublime strike, followed, and we ended the month with another three points when Dagenham & Redbridge were thumped 3-0 in North Nottinghamshire with goals from Sam Clucas, Jamie McGuire – his first in a Stags shirt, and burly frontman Matt Rhead.
Our results during August heralded a total of eight points, the same amount as fellow new boys Newport County, who were our next opponents.
In transfer news, full-back Paul Black joined Carlisle United on a one-month loan, whilst George Pilkington agreed a loan switch to Forest Green Rovers.
Goalkeeper Liam Mitchell also created a rare piece of history as he played both for and against us on the same day. The youngster appeared in our line-up in a reserve team fixture at Doncaster Rovers, before playing against us for Carlton Town in a friendly, later the same day.
