A healthy 5000+ crowd greeted the two League Two promotion contenders on an unseasonably warm sunny day in North Nottinghamshire for this intriguing battle.

The hosts were quickly out of the blocks and Rovers defender Joseph Mills had to be alert in cutting out a CJ Hamilton cross that looked perfect for Stags loanee Gethin Jones after just 20 seconds.

Out come the teams

Hamilton then forced a good save from Rovers keeper Lewis Ward on six minutes following good work from the impressive Jorge Grant. The away side’s first chance came after eleven minutes when a goal bound George Williams’ effort was expertly blocked by Stags defender Mal Benning. Back came the Gloucestershire side and forward Junior Mondal forced a good save from Mansfield keeper Jordan Smith on 20 minutes. It was certainly a frantic opening to the game and the crowd was loving the entertainment.

The midway part of the first period was marred by some “tasty” challenges that saw referee Mr Donahue wave a raft of yellow cards(Preston & Benning for Mansfield, Digby for FGR) affecting the flow of the game a little.

As the action moved towards the interval the Stags had two chances to gain the half-time initiative. On 33 minutes Jones fired weakly wide when well positioned, on 40 minutes a long-range Benning shot cannoned off Rovers defender Gavin Gunning & deflected just wide with Ward beaten. Perhaps the best chance, however, was in added time at the end of the half for the visitors when Smith brilliantly parried a Paul Digby effort that looked destined for the net. All in all a thoroughly entertaining 45 minutes showcasing all that is good in League Two.

HALF TIME: MANSFIELD 0-0 FGR

Mansfield were unlucky not to take the lead in the opening two minutes of the second period when striker Tyler Walker forced another great stop from Ward with Jones heading the rebound over the bar. The Green Devils keeper then denied Walker again on 51 minutes as the Stags ramped up the pressure on the visitors.

All hands to the pump

Carl Winchester became the fourth player yellow carded on the hour, cynically pulling back Hamilton to halt a break on halfway. Just after this and out of nothing, Rovers had their best chance of the game when Williams looked odds-on to score before a brave block by Stags defender Matt Preston denied a certain goal.

Gunning was the next player yellow carded for a cynical challenge on Jacob Mellis. The home team were applying the greater pressure and were rewarded on 69 minutes when the ball was played to Hamilton just inside the area, Ward parried his shot, the ball looped into the air and Walker got to the ball before the keeper heading the ball towards net. The Forest loanee was credited with the goal but it looked to me that in trying to keep the ball out, Rovers full-back, Mills got the final touch.

Walker celebrates the winning goal

The goal seemed to knock the spirit out of the visitors for a while and the hosts looked comfortable with their lead. In the last ten minutes, however, and to their credit the men from Gloucestershire gave it a real go with efforts by Williams plus two by the largely quiet Christian Doidge going mighty close to giving them a share of the spoils. The Stags young striker Tyler Walker then apparently verbally abused a linesman in the last of the four additional minutes and received a straight Red card for his stupidity, earning the in-form striker a three-game ban. This could cause a headache for boss David Flitcroft in the Stags promotion push.

FULL TIME: MANSFIELD 1-0 FGR

A thoroughly absorbing game despite being short on quality football at times, but royally entertaining, saw the home team deserving of the points. Credit to both teams, neither of which would look out of place in League One, for 100% effort and commitment.

words Ian Bradley, D3D4 roving reporter