Mansfield Town beat Barrow to progress to next round of FA Cup

Ollie Hawkins scored the only goal of the game as Clough’s charges ended a three-game winless run with a hard-fought win.

Clough made a trio of changes for the cup clash.

James Perch, Anthony Hartigan and Lucas Akins replaced John-Joe O’Toole, Hiram Boateng and Will Swan from the side which was hammered 5-2 by Swindon Town last time out.

The visitors had to soak up the early pressure as Christy Pym made a string of fine saves in the first half.

First the Stags’ stopper kept out Billy Waters’, who scored a hat-trick in mid-week, early effort.

Pym once again frustrated the hosts as he kept out Josh Kay’s strike, before pulling off his best save of the bunch later in the half when he somehow denied the midfielder’s point-blank header with his feet.

Hawkins put the Stags ahead six minutes before half-time as his effort deflected back into his path so he could poke home whilst on the ground.

The Stags were let off early in the second half as Kay’s dangerous delivery flashed across the face of goal.

Clough’s charges could have put the game to bed when Paul Farman’s poor clearance fell to Kellan Gordon, but he passed instead of shooting with the Bluebirds’ stopper out of his ground.

Stephen McLaughlin stung the palms of Farman from 20 yards out.

Substitute Ben Whitfield went close for the hosts as his effort whistled past the post.

Farman, Warren, Ray (Bennett, 74), Canavan, Kenlock (Brough, 63), White (Foley, 63), Neal (Nwaboukei, 78), Waters (Whitfield, 63), Gordon, Kay, Mojo.

Unused subs: Lillis, Brown, Taylor, Smales-Braithwaite, Nwaboukei.

Mansfield: Pym, Hewitt, Hawkins, Perch (Harbottle, 83), Gordon (Bowery, 64), Maris, Hartigan (Clarke, 45), Quinn (Wallace, 45), McLaughlin (O’Toole, 78), Lapslie, Akins.

Unused subs: Flinders, Harbottle, Gale, Law, Swan.

Referee: Andy Haines