Battling AFC Mansfield bow out of FA Cup at home to Carlton Town
Despite a 3-1 home defeat by one step above Carlton Town in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, it was a hard-fought display from AFC Mansfield and a promising sign of things to come.
The opening 10 minutes saw Carlton Town looking to get on the front foot with Lamin Manneh making a few darting runs down the wing and managing to drill a few balls into the box.
Another ball was also played over the top by Michael Ford for Carlton, which also came to nothing in the final third.
There was a good duel between Manneh and Will Heather for The Bulls.
The first decisive moment in the game, however, came in the 18th minute as the Bulls gave away possession in the middle of the park to Manneh who dribbled through the middle of the pitch, advancing forward, and drilled a shot from just outside the area that came rattling off of the post and rebounded to Nat Watson, who volleyed the rebound home off the crossbar to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
But the lead only lasted five minutes as in the 21st minute Bulls’ Jack Gibb played a wonderful laced through ball to Kaylum Mitchell, who produced a lovely low finish past Carlton keeper Felix Annan to make it 1-1.
Then 10 minutes later saw the first booking of the game as Nat Watson received a yellow for dissent.
Carlton from then on had a dominant 15-minute spell before half-time with one close effort winded over the bar by Niall Davie.
A corner just before the break saw a ball into the box headed inches wide by Carlton’s Lewis Durow.
In first half injury time Kacper Rajter tried an audacious halfway line attempt which seemed to trouble Carlton keeper Felix Annan.
Early on in the second half, an awkward challenge was made by ex-Bull Khyle Sargent, seeing him make the referee's book.
Shortly after, a Carlton throw was launched into the box and Niall Hylton tried a low close strike which was saved and cleared by Bulls’ keeper Josh Turton.
In the 55th minute of the game Carlton Town had a free kick effort just hit wide by Nat Watson.
Shortly after that Carlton’s dominant spell continued with a ball crossed in by Lewis Durow onto the head of Nat Watson, who forced another save from keeper Josh Turton.
Carlton’s pressure paid off as a ball into the box saw Nat Watson volley in Carlton's, and his, second of the afternoon to make it 2-1.
Then 10 minutes later saw a delay in the encounter after a challenge from Bulls’ midfielder Liam Mays on Sargent, which saw medical treatment needed on the striker.
Late substitutions for Carlton included Jonny Gilbert replacing Alex Howes and Lord Marfo replace Niall Hylton and the late subs for the Bulls included Louis Richardson on for Harley Bates and Ewan McKenna also made his way onto the pitch.
Late on in the afternoon a corner whipped in by Carlton met the head of defender Dean Freeman, who headed home to secure Carlton's place in the First Qualifying Round, sealing a 3-1 victory on the afternoon against the Bulls.
The Bull's next fixture is an FA Vase Trophy fixture away at Newark Town on Saturday.
AFC Mansfield: Turton, Heather, Bates (Batty 87), Mays, Sowerby, Rajter, Mitchell, Parton, Curtis (McKenna 68), Gibb, Ingram. Subs not used: D’Laryea, Jemson, McMillan, Sylla, Buxton.