High frustration as Mansfield Town lose Trophy opener at Rotherham United

Stags dominated the game and the chances, but lost to the home side's only two shots on target, were denied two clear penalties for handball and were still unable to break through when ex-Stag Alex MacDonald was sent off on 69 minutes,

Early goals at the start of each half, both from experienced striker Jordan Hugill, did the damage as former Stags boss Steve Evans got one over his former club at The AESSEAL New York Stadium.

But Evans had to watch from the stands as he served a touchline ban.

As expected, Nigel Clough made wholesale changes — eight in fact — from the side which earned a last-gasp draw in a six-goal thriller with Burton Albion at the weekend.

The Millers, relegated from the Championship last term, started the game brightly and almost scored inside the opening minute as Scott Flinders kept out Mallik Wilks.

But the Stags failed to heed the early warning shot as Hugill opened his account for the season in the third minute.

And it was a well-worked piece of football as MacDonald unlocked the door with a perfectly-weighted pass that Stephen McLaughlin was unable to cut out before the former £8million West Ham striker duly chipped over Flinders to open the scoring.

Will Evans was unable to direct Ben Quinn's cross at goal as it skimmed his head and Aaron Lewis was left frustrated on 23 minutes as he smashed against the post in the visitors’ best chance to level.

United also escaped an almighty scramble soon afterwards in which Evans and Lee Gregory both looked set to score.

After the break, Wilks blasted an effort marginally wide as the Millers threatened once more.

But Hugill put the game to bed in the 55th minute with a coolly-taken finish from 14 yards from Reece James’ ball.

Down the other end, substitute Keanu Baccus — part of a trio of half-time Mansfield switches — forced Cameron Dawson into a good save on the hour.

Clough’s charges were gifted a glimmer of hope when MacDonald was red-carded for a terrible tackle on the influential Hiram Boateng.

Stags then went on the assault after the sending-off with home keeper Dawson pulling off a string of fine saves to ensure the points.

First he kept out Boateng’s low effort on 76 minutes and then grabbed an effort from the same opponent on 81 minutes.

And on 83 minutes he brilliantly tipped over Ben Quinn’s header from Jordan Bowery's cross.

The Millers were pinned into their own box and Bowery shot into the sidenetting while Quinn also laced a strike just wide in stoppage time.

When Dawson dived to palm away yet another Boateng effort in the sixth of the seventh added minute the home side had sealed their clean sheet.

Stags boss Nigel Clough was left frustrated but also incensed at the officials missing two blatant handballs in the box by United players on the hour and in the 90th minute.

The first – by MacDonald – came just after United's second goal and could have massively changed the complexion of the game.

Stags next host League Two Bradford City on 17th September before Newcastle U21s come to town on 29th October to finish the group stage.

ROTHERHAM: Dawson, Bramall, James, MacDonald, Jules, Humphrys, Hatton (Holmes, 64), Osong (Nombe, 77), McWilliams (Odoffin, 89), Wilks (Powell, 64), Hugill (McCart, 89). SUBS NOT USED: Phillips, Clarke-Harris.

STAGS: Flinders, Williams, Hewitt (Bowery, 71), McLaughlin (Oshilaja), MacDonald, Boateng, Lewis, S.Quinn (Baccus, 45), B.Quinn, Gregory (Keillor-Dunn, 45), Evans (Akins, 45). SUBS NOT USED: Mason, Flanagan.

REFEREE: Scott Jackson.