Mansfield Town slip to defeat at Harrogate Town
Mansfield Town slipped to their third straight league loss after a frustrating 1-0 defeat at Harrogate.
Stags have lost three league games on the spin for the first time this season after Aaron Martin scored the only goal of the game just after half time.
The visitors have now gone five games without a win after their impressive five-game winning league run.
And it’s the worst spell since Nigel Clough took the helm back in November.
Clough made a solitary chance to the side which were well beaten by league leaders Cambridge last time out.
Versatile Jason Law replaced Stephen Quinn, whilst defender Kellan Gordon returned to the match-day squad after missing three games with injury.
The Stags started brightly and had an early chance to break the deadline through Ollie Clarke, but James Belshaw recovered after a poor clearance.
Harry Charsley and Clarke both failed to hit the target as the visitors continued to assert their dominance.
And Clough’s charges went close twice in as many minutes but were frustrated by the resilient hosts.
First Clarke saw his powerful free-kick turned wide by a good Belshaw stop.
And then Farrend Rawson squandered the best chance of the half when he glanced Law’s corner wide at the far post.
Down the other end, Stags’ stopper Aidan Stone produced a fine fingertip save to keep out Josh March’s curling strike.
And the Stags were made to rue their missed chances in the first half as Harrogate struck straight after the break.
The ball fell nicely for Martin as his sweetly-struck effort from the edge of the box found the back of the net.
And the hosts grew in confidence as Josh McPake sliced his strike wide.
The Stags sprung into life but couldn’t quite carve out a meaningful opening.
Stone was barely troubled as he easily grasped substitute Lloyd Kelly’s effort.
Substitute Quinn had a late sniff at stealing a share of the spoils but he could only smash Belshaw’s half clearance wide.
Harrogate: Betshaw, Burrell, Smith, Hall, Francis (Jones, 72), Power (Kerry, 63), Thomson, Falkingham, McPake, March (Muldoon, 76), Martin (Beck, 76).
Unused subs: Minter, Fallowfield.
Mansfield: Stone, Perch, Rawson, Sweeney, Law (Quinn, 73), Charsley (Gordon, 56), Maris (Sinclair, 84), Clarke, McLaughlin (Benning, 45), Reid, Bowery.
Unused subs: Stech, Sarkic, O'Driscoll, Perch.
Referee: Ross Joyce (Cleveland)