A first half strike from Mickleover frontman Adam Baskerville was the difference between the Derbyshire outfit and a Mansfield Town XI in tonight's pre-season friendly at the Don Amott Stadium.
Stags’ line-up saw a mix of youth and experience with Brian Jensen keeping guard of goal, Jamie McGuire, James Baxendale and Adam Chapman in midfield,  CJ Hamilton on the flank and Adi Yussuf in attack. In the second half, first team coach Karl Hawley played for 45 minutes after being brought on as a substitute at the start of the second half.
For Mickleover, former youth team player Ben Turner started at left back and Mansfield-born midfielder Jack Broadhead was in midfield.Â
Mansfield had a number of chances to find the net, but came up against a Mickleover 'keeper, Liam King, in good form.
Adam Murray's men registered the game’s first shot inside the opening two minutes when frontman Adi Yussuf fired wide from 25 yards.
A minute later, Mickleover forward Danny Schofield was put through one-on-one with Stags’ goalkeeper Brian Jensen, but the big Dane stood strong to deny him from 12 yards out.
Mickleover were almost in the clear again on eight minutes when Andy Dales slipped it through to Adam Baskerville just outside the box, but a crucial intervention from Kieran Harrison allowed Jensen to gather.
Stags’ first corner saw Adam Chapman’s inswinger headed forward by towering defender Corbin Shires, but it was a routine claim for home goalkeeper Lewis King.
Mickelover continued to threaten in attack and almost made the breakthrough on 14 minutes.Â
Andy Dales played it low into the box and after Harrison miscleared, Schofield could only blast over the bar from short range when he should have scored.
Midway through the first half, Adam Chapman struck audaciously from 35 yards which sailed into the ‘keeper’s hands.
Then Chapman sent a lovely ball onto the left to CJ Hamilton who got the better of the Mickleover right back before squaring for Yussuf, but the Tanzanian was unable to apply the finish from inside the box.
At the other end, Schofield fed Brody Litchfield inside Stags’ 18-yard-area, but Jensen was well positioned to deny the shot from 15 yards.
Mickleover’s keeper was then called upon as Baxendale’s pin point pass was latched onto by an advancing Yussuf, but his low shot towards the far corner was denied by King’s trailing leg.
A well-worked move by the home side was enough to break the deadlock with 32 minutes on the clock.
Left-back Ben Turner picked up a smart central position outside of the Stags box to supply Adam Baskerville, whose crisp floating finish found the top corner of the goal.
Four minutes later, Shires connected with another corner for Mansfield, this time from Baxendale, but it flew harmlessly wide.
On 43 minutes, a strong block from Mickleover defender Tom Burgin prevented Stags of an equaliser.
Yussuf started the move in midfield, slipping it forward for Baxendale who spotted Chapman’s run, but the midfielder’s effort from 12 yards was charged down by Burgin and it rolled out for a corner.
Baxendale turned from provider to shooter a minute later but his effort from 15 yards was well saved by King.
After an end-to-end first half, Stags’ boss Adam Murray made a solitary change in attack as first team coach Karl Hawley replaced Jason Law. Â
The experienced striker partnered Yussuf up front as Baxendale moved to the right of midfield for the start of the second half.
On 53, Teddy Bloor, the right back, swung in from the right but Hamilton’s header was off target from 16 yards as Stags searched for an equaliser.
Mickleover had a penalty appeal turned down two minutes later when Dales linked up with Baskerville who attempted to round Jensen inside the area. And after Baskerville went to ground, with home players claiming he had been caught by the shot stopper, the referee signalled a goal kick.
At the other end, Hamilton, who had now switched to the right wing, picked up a good position to sweep in a good cross to Hawley, whose header from 15 yards was well saved by a diving King.
Hamilton sped away on 62 with a rapid run on the right before delivering for Yussuf to stab a shot against the post.
Mickleover tried to double their advantage a minute later when Litchfield assisted Baskerville only for the forward to prod it wide from inside the goal area, under pressure from Jensen.
Within a heartbeat, Adi Yussuf forced King into a save with a low shot inside the box.
Stags were unable to clear a home corner on 72 minutes and almost paid the price. Dales whipped in the flag kick and a half clearance fell to Baskerville who could only stab it over.
Mickleover striker Litchfield then drew a save from Jensen with a shot from an acute angle as the home side pushed forward.
Mansfield pressed forward on 82 and forced another save from King when Baxendale’s low cross from near the goal line was powered forward by Hawley, only to be denied by the in-form shot stopper.
MICKLEOVER: King, Grocott, Turner, Broadhead, Mills, Burgin, Dales, Norcross, Litchfield, Baskerville, Schofield
STAGS: Jensen, Bloor, Shires, Harrison, Danquah, McGuire (C), Chapman, Baxendale, Hamilton, Yussuf, Law (Hawley 45).
REFEREE: Ian Smedley