Losing run halted as Mansfield Town earn fine point away at Charlton Athletic
Mansfield Town halted their losing streak and earned an excellent away point with a 0-0 draw against Charlton Athletic at the Valley this afternoon.
Chances were at a premium in a tight encounter between two sides struggling for results in recent weeks.
Stags had lost five league games on the bounce and not won in six while the Addicks had only won one league game in eight.
But the Stags defended well for a precious clean sheet, had their moments at the other end, and will be well satisfied with their afternoon's work.
After an early scare, Mansfield dominated much of the first half and both Will Evans and Lucas Akins wasted opportunities to put the visitors ahead.
The Addicks tried to go up a gear after the break and Miles Leaburn put a great chance wide and clipped a post.
Jordan Bowery and Aaron Lewis had chances too for the visitors, but a draw was a fair result in the end and the 1,500 Stags fans gave their side warm applause at the end.
Stags made two changes from the side that faced Huddersfield last weekend with Aden Flint and George Maris replaced by Bowery and Elliott Hewitt.
Bowery slotted into the three man defence with Hewitt at right wing back, allowing Akins to move up front to partner Evans.
Conor Coventry returns to the Charlton starting line-up as Nathan Jones makes three changes from the team that secured a point on the road at Lincoln City last Saturday.
Thierry Small and Matty Godden, who both played in midweek against Leyton Orient, also started with Josh Edwards, Greg Docherty and Gassan Ahadme moving to the substitutes bench.
The selection meant there was also a 50th Charlton appearance for Lloyd Jones, who wore the captain’s armband.
It was only the sixth time the sides had met, three previous clashes being cup games and the only league meetings being back in 1977/78 when Stags lost 3-0 at home and drew 2-2 away – and Mansfield have still never beaten Charlton.
Stags began well with some early possession and comfortably saw out an opening corner from the home side.
A great ball down the centre by Tyreece Campbell put Anderson into the left of the box, but after a poor second touch, he was quickly closed down by a combination of Bowery and Pym before he could do any damage.
Blake-Tracy saw a cross strike Anderson on the elbow in the home box, and there were shouts for a penalty, but the referee disagreed.
On 20 minutes, from the second Stags corner, the ball dropped in the box to Blake-Tracy who acrobatically played an overhead kick to the far post where Evans headed well over.
But Mansfield should have gone ahead on 27 minutes.
A neat move saw the ball worked to Blake-Tracy on the left by Evans' cutting pass. He pulled it back low to Akins who, from 10 yards out, sent his left-footed finish high over the bar.
Three minutes later slack home defending gave Evans a brief sight of goal but he was unable to control the ball and it was quickly poked away before he could test the keeper.
Another chance came along on 35 minutes as Oshilaja put over a great cross from the right which Evans put wide of the near post after being quickly closed down.
The home wall blocked a Lewis free kick as the visitors continued to dominate.
The half ended with a tame header from Jones straight at Pym and the sides went in all square at 0-0.
Charlton wanted a penalty on 48 minutes after Oshilaja wrestled with interval sub Leaburn, but the referee decided both players were holding each other.
Reed slid into a tackle on 51 minutes on Jones and won the ball, but the follow-through saw him collide with the Addicks skipper and he was harshly booked.
The home side had come back out on the front foot so Clough withdrew the booked Reed and Baccus and sent on Maris and Boateng within 10 minutes of the restart.
Stags hacked clear from a scramble in the box from a free kick.
Charlton's best chance so far came on 58 minutes as Anderson flicked the ball into the path of Leaburn, who raced into the box. Pym came out to meet him and did enough to force the Charlton man to finish wide of the right post.
Two minutes later Leaburn stretched to head a great Tyreece Anderson cross against the outside of a post as the home fans began to warm to their side's improving display.
On 63 minutes Stags created a chance of their own as Hewitt's hard, low cross from the left was sent over first time by Lewis.
Four minutes later Maris did well to win the ball and Evans took over to lash wide from 25 yards.
Berry sliced wide from a tight angle at the other end from a long, far post cross.
Stags replaced Evans with the pace of Oates, continuing his return from his long term injury, for the last 18 minutes.
Mitchell took out Akins on 73 minutes for a booking as the Stags man beat him to the ball down the left.
Bowery almost broke the deadlock on 77 minutes after a Lewis shot was blocked and Oates set him up for a first time effort he put over the bar.
Bowery then halted a home break down the left with a trip that saw another booking with seven minutes to go, Coventry doing the same on 88 minutes to be added to the book.
Charlton were piling on late pressure so Flint was sent on to shore things up a minute from the end of normal time.
Three minutes were added on, Cargill's pull-back as Leaburn tried to break earning a booking in the second of them, but there were no late heroes as the sides settled for a share of the spoils.
CHARLTON: Maynard-Brewer, A. Mitchell, Jones, Gillesphey, T. Campbell, Coventry, Taylor, Anderson (Ahadme 79), Small, Kanu, Godden (Leaburn HT). SUBS NOT USED: Mannion, Edwards, Docherty, A. Campbell, Berry.
STAGS: Pym, Hewitt, Bowery, Oshilaja, Cargill, Blake-Tracy, Reed (Maris 55), Baccus (Boateng 55), Lewis (Flint 89), Evans (Oates 72), Akins. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, McLaughlin, Waine.
REFEREE: Ben Speedie.