Mansfield Town held to friendly draw at Alfreton

Mansfield Town were pegged back and held to a 1-1 draw at Alfreton Town on Saturday.
Alfreton Town v Mansfield Town.
Alfreton's Andy Monkhouse.Alfreton Town v Mansfield Town.
Alfreton's Andy Monkhouse.
Alfreton Town v Mansfield Town. Alfreton's Andy Monkhouse.

Stags were in front after five minutes with a header by Matt Green, before the Conference North side levelled after 29 minutes through Adam Priestley.

Stags boss Adam Murray set this game up to provide a physical encounter and he certainly got it in a game with plenty of tough challenges.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And, had it been a league game, there would have been at least half a dozen bookings, and probably a sending off, mostly for the home side.

Home striker Paul Clayton, a thorn in Mansfield’s side during our Conference days, has returned to Alfreton from a spell at Harrogate, and gave Krystian Pearce a stern test, with plenty of physicality and winning most of his headers.

Indeed, it was a good test for the Stags all over the pitch against this big physical Alfreton side.

Afterwards Adam Murray said it was just what his team needed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mansfield had started the game well during the opening 25 minutes with some good movement forward and Kevan Hurst looking particularly impressive, including plenty of good crosses.

Alfreton then forced their way back into the game with direct football that really gave Mansfield a test at the back.

Mansfield used this game, and the game against Hull on Tuesday, to give a run out to two different left back trialists.

The trialist left back had a good game, looking solid defensively with timely clearances, and getting forward at every opportunity, with some good interplay down the left and good crosses.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mansfield Town: (4-1-3-2): Scott Shearer; Rhys Bennett, George Taft, Krystian Pearce, TRIALIST LEFT BACK; Lee Collins; Kevan Hurst, Chris Clements, Ashley Hemmings; Danny Rose, Matt Green.

Subs (with formation changes):

55 mins Mitch Rose for Hemmings. Rose to right of midfield three, with Clements in the middle and Hurst switching to the left.

67 mins CJ Hamilton for Hurst.

72 mins Baxendale for Green. (Stags move to a 4-1-4-1 formation which is 4-3-3 when pushing forward, with Mitch Rose in central midfield, Baxendale on the right, Hamilton on the left. Danny Rose up front in the middle).