York City 2-1 Mansfield Town

York City 2-1 Mansfield Town

Goals

Naylor 27 (Mansfield)

Reed 58,68 (York City)

Attendance 2261 (128)

Bootham Crescent, York

York City

M. Ingham

L. Darville

D. Parslow

C. Smith (YC 4min)

J. Meredith

J. Smith

S. Kerr (Yc 14min)

D. Mcdermott

D. Racchi

M. Rankine

P. Till

Subs

D. McGurk

J. Reed (On for Racchi 55)  (2 Goals)

W. Hatfield (On for McDermott 75)

L. Constantine 

A. Boucaud (On for Till 78)

Mansfield Town

D. Grof

D. Spence

T. Naylor (1 Goal)

S. Foster

P. Stonehouse

A. Cain

A. Murray

S. Istead

A. Smith

N. O'Rafferty

D. Mitchley (YC 70min)

Subs

A. Marriot

K. Sandwith

L. Briscoe (On for A. Cain 65)

K. Nix (On for Mitchley 75)

P. Connor (On for O'Rafferty 56)

Match Report

                                          Mansfield were beaten in a game of two halves tonight, making 6 changes from Sundays FA Trophy Semi Final 1st Leg against Luton. Niall O'Rafferty making his Mansfield Debut failed to impress. After a pretty convincing first half in which the stags had all the chances. Tom Naylor headed Mansfield into the lead on 27 minutes from a free kick delivered by Adam Murray. Moments earlier Dan Spence had a shot tipped onto the bar. The possesion was pretty even but Mansfield Town where edging the attacking play. Ashley Cain had been played through by Danny Mitchley but wasted a guilt edged chance on 15 minutes. David Grof was called into action in the last 10 minutes of the first half making a couple of fantastic saves but Mansfield seemed to have the game under control.

                                          The second half got underway with York looking pretty hungry but after 5 minutes they seemed to have gone stale and the home crowd where starting to get on their back. What seems like an inspired substitution from Gary Mills saw him bring on Jamie Reed and he was to be the downfall for Mansfield. After some pretty awful defending he was able to pounce from 12 yards out and fire a low shot into the centre of the net to equalize for the home side. He sealed Mansfield's fate 10 minutes later when a run from Michael Rankine resulted in him firing an effort on goal that hit the bar before looping back out and Reed was there to strike again 2-1 York. 

                                                   Mansfield tried in vain to bridge the gap but the final ball was never good enough and seemed to limp to their first defeat in games. All focus will now be shifted to Saturdays FA Trophy semi final second leg away at Luton Town. Mansfield have a 1-0 lead from the first leg and only need to avoid defeat to progress to the final. The 6 players rested for todays game will no doubt be raring to go again on Saturday and take Mansfield back to the home of English Football, Wembley. We will all keep our fingers Crossed.

Bookings

C. Smith (York)

S. Kerr (York)

D. Mitchley (Mansfield)

Match Report by Paul Lewis