MATCH REPORT: Stags again fail to beat bogey side Wycombe in damp squib of a game

It is now seven games and over 10 years since the Stags beat Wycombe at the One Call, but they rarely looked like doing it tonight in a game that saw much hard work and endeavour but little quality.

Stags started well and had chances, but Wycombe dominated the rest of the first half and only some brilliant stops by keeper Conrad Logan kept them off the score sheet.

The second half saw few chances at either end as Krystian Pearce and David Mirfin shut out the visitors with solid displays.

Stags remain unbeaten at home and Wycombe unbeaten away with the 0-0 a fair reflection of a night to forget.

Mansfield boss Steve Evans eventually named an unchanged side.

Evans had said yesterday he may make a change or two with three games in eight days but settled on the XI that saw off visiting Grimsby Town 4-1 on Saturday.

That meant skipper Zander Diamond once again had to make so with a place on the bench.

Wycombe made three changes with two loan players given full EFL debuts Birmingham City defender Dan Scarr and QPR midfielder Eberechi Eze.

But they were again without injured striker, Ade Akinfenwa.

Mansfield made a bright start and on four minutes Angol almost netted as Mellis pulled the ball back to him from the right by-line and Angol forced a save with his first time finish well saved by Brown.

Seconds later Bennett headed a far post cross at the keeper.

A great series of one-touch passes worked the ball to MacDonald for a shot that deflected for a corner on 12 minutes as the home side kept up the pressure.

Then neat footwork by Angol on the right saw him send over a cross that was inches too high for Hemmings right in front of goal.

Wycombe finally fashioned a chance on 17 minutes as Hunt was robbed by Eze, who sent a low shot just wide of the far post.

But Logan was forced into a fine save on 22 minutes after Byrom had conceded a free kick on the left by-line.

Jacobson swung it in and Logan reacted well to claw away Scar’s powerful close range header.

Logan was again the hero on 25 minutes as he twice denied Bean with successive low shots and then got in the way of O’Nien from point blank range from the second rebound when the Wycombe man should have scored.

On the half hour Mansfield had another let-off as O’Nien flicked a header just wide from a Jacobson free kick.

We then had a hold-up as referee Rob Lewis went down injured and eventually limped off to be replaced by Alf Greenwood as Stags enjoyed a much-needed breather from being under the cosh.

But it was the visitors who were straight back onto the offensive as Eze warmed Logan’s hands from 25 yards.

Bean fouled Hemmings on a Stags break a minute from the break to see the night’s first yellow card.

The first half had belonged largely to Wycombe but they had failed to find the net.

Stags made a double change at the break, taking off MacDonald and Mellis and sending on Atkinson and Anderson, Butcher moving inside.

Hemmings helped the ball into the sidenetting in Stags’ first raid of the half.

Butcher hacked down Eze for his third booking in as many appearances on 51 minutes.

Mackail-Smith created danger on 56 minutes with a neat turn but sent his finish over the bar from the right hand side of the box.

On 58 minutes O’Nien was booked for taking both Bennett’s legs with a late sliding challenge.

Stags swapped things round again on 61 as Potter replaced Butcher with Atkinson moving into the middle alongside Byrom.

Potter was immediately clattered by Jacobson and needed treatment, the Wycombe man booked.

Mansfield almost stole an 82nd minute winner as Potter went past Jacobson on the right and sent the ball across the face of goal where Gape did enough to prevent Anderson turning home.

Four added minutes failed to provide a winner at the end of a poor game of football.

STAGS: Logan, Bennett, Pearce, Mirfin, Hunt, Butcher (Potter 61), Byrom, Mellis (Atkinson HT), MacDonald (Anderson HT), Hemmings, Angol. Subs not used: Olejnik, Diamond, Rose, Spencer.

WYCOMBE: Brown, Harriman, Jacobson, Scarr, Stewart, Bean, Gape, O’Nien (Bloomfield 74), Eze, Umerah (Southwell 83), Mackail-Smith (Cowan-Hall 68). Subs not used: Richardson, Jombati, El-Abd, Freeman.

REFEREE: Rob Lewis of Shropshire.

ATTENDANCE: 2,938 (154 away).
CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Conrad Logan.