Mansfield Town claim first win of season as they knock Sunderland out of FA Cup

George Lapslie scored his second goal in as many games to finally end Mansfield’s wait for a first win of the season.

Lapslie fired the Stags into the second round of the FA Cup ahead of Nigel Clough’s tenure as new boss.

The signs were good with a dominant performance to send League One Sunderland crashing out at the first hurdle of the cup at the Stadium of Light.

Caretaker boss Richard Cooper named an unchanged starting line-up to the side which drew at Bolton in midweek.

The Stags made a strong start to proceedings with a trio of chances to take the lead.

Nicky Maynard twice went close to breaking the deadlock either side of James Perch heading wide of the mark.

And those missed chances almost came back to haunt the visitors as Danny Graham’s effort hit the post after eight minutes.

Moments later Graham was denied by the woodwork for a second time as his close-range header cannoned off the bar.

George Maris did well to find Jordan Bowery inside the box with the latter poking over.

Marek Stech did well to keep out the Black Cats’ best chance of the half with a good low stop to deny Callum McFadzean.

The Stags once again stormed out of the blocks after the break.

Stephen McLaughlin stung the palms of Sunderland stopper Remi Matthews.

And the pressure told in the 49th minute when Lapslie headed home Kellan Gordon’s inviting cross to give the visitors a deserved lead.

Down the other end Sunderland’s players were left seething when shouts for handball in the box were waved away.

The Stags had to cling on for dear life to avoid extra time.

Charlie Wyke almost made an instant impact after coming on but couldn’t quite get on the end of McFadzean’s low cross.

Wyke presented Jack Diamond with a great chance as the midfielder fired into the side netting.

And keeper Stech was fortunate Wyke could only nod his effort straight at him late on.

Sunderland: Matthews, McLaughlin, Flanagan, Sanderson, Power, Dobson, Diamond, McFadzean (O'Brien, 75), Maguire (Embleton, 66), Graham (Wyke, 66), Grigg. Unused subs: Burge, Willis, Neil, Leadbitter.

Mansfield: Stech, Benning, Rawson, Gordon, Perch, Charsley, Maris, Lapslie, Bowery, McLaughlin, Maynard (O'Keeffe, 81). Unused subs: Stone, Menayese, Sinclair, Reid, O'Driscoll, Cook.

Referee: Anthony Backhouse.

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