Late Newcastle United equaliser and penalties defeat leaves Mansfield Town Vertu Trophy progress hopes hanging by a thread​​​​​​​

It was a first point for Stags in the group but Newcastle won a penalty shootout 5-3, with one game left away at Huddersfield Town next month that they will need to win to have any chance of making the knockout stages.

As in the group opener, Stags started slowly and conceded an early goal as Cathal Heffernan netted from a fourth minute corner.

But Stags slowly took control and were fully deserving of their 24th minute equaliser by Max Dickov.

Newcastle's stars of the future then had to soak up a lengthy spell of pressure with a string of crucial blocks to stay level by half-time.

Stags continued to press, but home keeper Owen Mason did have to make a crucial save from Park Seung-Soo's shot on 65 minutes before 20-year-old Academy product Finn Flanagan headed Stags in front three minutes later with his maiden goal for the first team.

However, just when it seemed Stags were home and dry, Charlie McArthur's low cross from the left by-line deflected past Owen Mason off the leg of sub Ollie Taylor to force penalties.

Newcastle then kept their cool from the spot while Dom Dwyer crucially blazed one over.

Boss Nigel Clough elected to pitch Lucas Akins immediately back into first team action tonight following his recent release from prison, having served six months of a 14 month prison sentence for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

That followed an accident in March 2022 when Akins' car hit cyclist Adrian Daniel which led to his death 10 days later in hospital.

Akins had been keeping as fit as possible in prison and Clough said yesterday that it would be up to the player when he felt ready to start a game.

But, in a lesser competition with a smaller crowd and diminished atmosphere, both parties decided it would be the perfect chance to get the moment out of the way and wear the shirt once more.

Several first teamers were given starts to get vital minutes, including Jordan Bowery, back from injury.

Stags played a 4-2-3-1 with Akins on the right of the midfield three.

Neave went on a menacing run from halfway on three minutes that ended with him bursting into the left of the box and seeing a low shot deflect for a corner.

And from that the Magpies took a fourth minute lead.

The corner was allowed to bounce in the six yard box and, with no one clearing, skipper Heffernan was left with a simple close range finish at the far post as the ball deflected towards him.

On seven minutes had a shot blocked on the edge of the box and when it rebounded to him he forced Taylor to turn round his second attempt.

From the corner Sweeney headed over.

Stags began to ask questions and Flanagan headed over from another corner on 18 minutes.

A great pass from Maris put Anderson into space on the right, but no one was able to turn it home from close range as he sent in a low, hard cross in front of goal.

Gardner's snapshot on 22 minutes forced another save out of Taylor as Stags built up a head of steam. And it resulted in an equaliser on 24 minutes.

Gardner turned well in the middle and went on a powerful run before picking out Dickov to his right. He cut inside and curled a superb low finish beyond Taylor and inside the far post.

Maris came desperately close on 36 minutes. Anderson sent over a good cross from the right and Maris met it with a powerful close range header that zipped just over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

A Dickov cross on 40 minutes reached Dwyer and looked a goal all the way only to see his close range header blocked.

Dyer sent another close range header straight at Taylor from Akins' cross on 44 minutes and when the ball rolled to Flanagan he saw his shot deflect for yet another corner as United defended desperately.

Sweeney headed over from a stoppage time corner, the ninth of the half, as the sides went in all square.

Mansfield began the second half on the front foot though Newcastle almost went back in front on their first attack on 51 minutes as Seung-Soo beat Bowery to the ball and slipped a pass ahead to Neave, whose low shot was just wide of the far post.

Flanagan had a shot deflect wide from 25 yards, then Gardner drilled a ball across goal that beat everyone, while on 54 minutes Dwyer was just wide on the turn.

A minute later Taylor was firmly behind a low central blast from Maris.

Bowery was booked on 58 minutes for hauling back Neave.

Taylor was back in action on the hour as Maris fed Gardner to his right and his angled drive was well saved at the near post.

McArthur's trip on Dickov saw him booked on 61 minutes.

Two minutes later Akins and Maris were replaced by Moriah-Welsh and Lewis.

Mason made his first real save of the night of 65 minutes as he stretched out his left arm to thump away a goalbound curler from Seung-Soo.

But the home side were ahead for the first time on 68 minutes as Lewis sent over a corner from the right to the far post where youngster Flanagan headed home from close range.

Before the game restarted Bowery was replaced by Blake-Tracy.

Mason was comfortably behind a McArthur half-volley as was Taylor from a far post Anderson header.

Gardner almost scored on 76 minutes as he made space for a 20 yard shot that Taylor half-saved but fumbled against a post before safely grabbing at the second attempt.

Flanagan, who was cramping up, and Gardner were replaced by McLaughlin and Taylor on 79 minutes in the final home changes.

Alabi saw a good shot deflect wide for a corner with 10 minutes to play.

Five minutes were added in which Taylor was booked for holding Munda.

But in the second added minute the visitors stunned Stags with an equaliser.

Seung-Soo played McArthur into space on the left by-line and his low cross-cum-shot deflected in from a tight angle off Taylor as he tried to block for an agonising leveller.

That brought penalties which saw Newcastle go first and Neave blast home high past Mason to the left.

McLaughlin levelled hard and low into the bottom right before Alabi sent Mason the wrong way for 2-1.

Stags were first to blink as Dyer blazed his spot kick over the bar and high into the stand.

Brayson sent Mason the wrong way to make it 3-1 before Moriah-Welsh beat Taylor low to the left for 3-2.

Seung-Soo's cool, low finish put the Magpies 4-2 ahead, but Lewis kept things alive as he smashed home down the centre.

McArthur then made no mistake with a powerful finish inside the right post to seal the shootout and the extra point.

STAGS: Mason, Anderson, Bowery (Blake-Tracy 69), Sweeney, McAdam, Maris (Lewis 63), Flanagan (Taylor 79), Akins (Moriah-Welsh 63), Gardner (McLaughlin 79), Dickov, Dwyer. SUBS NOT USED: Roberts, Kokkinos.

NEWCASTLE U21s: Taylor, Heffernan, Thompson, McArthur, Alfie Harrison (Waddani 84), Bailey (Brayson 84), Munda, Neave, Seung-Soo, Pivas, Wooster (Alabi 58). SUBS NOT USED: Adam Harrison, Charlton, Harper, Watts.

REFEREE: Andrew Humphries. ATTENDANCE: 1,180 (88 away).