The Stags are involved in two nine-goal thrillers during a month of frustration.
Vs Southend United, L 0-3. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs St Albans City, W 8-1. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Oxford United, L 1-3. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Fleetwood Town, L 4-5. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Burton Albion, L 0-1. Watch highlights by clicking here.
Vs Morecambe, L 1-2. Watch highlights by clicking here.
The highlight of an otherwise disappointing November came in the FA Cup, where we romped to an incredible 8-1 victory over St Albans City in the First Round.
Sam Clucas grabbed four goals in a deadly 17-minute spell which earned him the much-coveted ‘Player of the Round’ accolade, whilst Junior Daniel and Ollie Palmer were also amongst the scorers.
However, it was two goals in quick succession from Lee Stevenson and Anthony Howell prior to the interval, which changed the direction of the tie as St Albans initially led.
In Sky Bet League Two action, we endured a difficult month, which started with a 3-0 loss at Southend United. Debutant James Alabi, who had joined us on a one-month loan just days before from Stoke City, received a straight red card in the defeat, whilst Lee Beevers was also sent-off late on.
Oxford United were the next team to inflict defeat as they won 3-1 on a wet and windy afternoon at One Call Stadium thanks to goals from Sean Rigg, James Constable and Ryan Williams.
A week later, we endured more misery as we lost at Highbury to Fleetwood Town in a nine-goal thriller, which was the highest-scoring match of the Sky Bet League Two season.
The hosts opened the scoring in the very first minute, but a low free-kick by Chris Clements – his first goal in a Mansfield Town shirt, followed by Anthony Howell’s close-range strike soon put us ahead.Antoni Sarcevic made it 2-2 before the interval and the visitors soon opened up a two-goal cushion, which seemed to have put them in cruise control.
However, Clucas quickly reduced arrears and Ross Dyer seemingly earned us a point when he stabbed home from point-blank range on the brink of five minutes of injury-time.
But there was one dramatic, agonising and utterly heart-breaking late twist, as Sarcevic pounced upon a defensive error, won a spot-kick and then successfully converted it, to earn Fleetwood a remarkable 5-4 win.
Three days later, we lost 1-0 to Burton Albion in a midweek clash at the Pirelli Stadium, before the month ended with another defeat as Morecambe earned a surprise 2-1 victory here in North Nottinghamshire.
Our team could have taken all three points in the meeting with Jim Bentley’s team, had Shrimps shot-stopper Barry Roche not saved a penalty by Clucas with less than a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.
However, the positive news in November was that our injury crisis had improved. Midfielder Chris Clements, who had been out for two months, was amongst those to return to action.
Elsewhere in November, Micky Moore, who was our assistant-manager in the 2011/12 season, returned to One Call Stadium in the capacity of first team coach. Striker Jake Speight was also recalled from his loan stint at Alfreton Town, whilst teenager Jack Blake returned to Nottingham Forest after completing a one-month loan with us.
