FA CUP: Hemmings misses out as Stags make two changes for big replay

Mansfield Town striker Kane Hemmings again missed out with his hamstring problem as the Stags prepared to battle it out with Championship high-flyers Cardiff City for the prize of a home tie with Premier League Manchester City in tonight's FA Cup third round home replay.
Mansfield's Kane HemmingsMansfield's Kane Hemmings
Mansfield's Kane Hemmings

Hemmings is back in training but was not deemed fit enough to face the Bluebirds in front of a sell-out home crowd.

Instead, boss Steve Evans chose to play Alex MacDonald in an attacking role.

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Striker Lee Angol dropped to the bench, as did winger Alfie Potter, with Hayden White restored to right back and Paul Anderson pushed forward into a right midfield role after deputising at right back.

Also back in the side into central midfield after injury was Joel Byrom.

With Manchester City waiting to face the winners, Cardiff inevitably named a strong line-up with just two changes from the weekend 4-0 win over Sunderland – their first win in six games.

Anthony Pilkington and Loic Damour came in for Sol Bamba and Nathanial Mendez-Laing.

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The Stags forced tonight’s replay with an impressive 0-0 draw in Wales a week last Saturday.

STAGS: Logan; White, Bennett, Pearce, Benning; Anderson, Byrom, Mellis, Hamilton; MacDonald, Rose. Subs: Olejnik, Digby, Diamond, Angol, Atkinson, Spencer, Potter.

CARDIFF: Etheridge, Bennett, Morrison, Ecuele Manga, Richards, Ralls, Zohore, Pilkington, Paterson, Damour, Hoilett. Subs: Murphy, Tomlin, Feeney, Halford, Mendez-Laing, Bogle, Healey.


REFEREE: Geoff Eltringham of County Durham.