Wrexham hold impressive Mansfield Town in thrilling draw

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Promotion rivals Wrexham denied impressive Mansfield Town victory in a thrilling 0-0 draw at the One Call Stadium tonight, but Stags' unbeaten record remained intact.

The sold-out game produced the biggest home crowd since the Radfords took over the club, a gate of 8,612 pipping the new record of 8,535 recorded last month when Bradford City were the visitors.

Stags' first half display was simply terrific, some of the best football seen at the One Call for many years, and it was a mystery how they did not go in ahead at the break.

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They twice hit the woodwork and pinned the visitors in their own half for much of the 45 minutes with great retention and passing movement.

Action during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.mediaAction during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media
Action during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023 Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media

The visitors were much more in it after the break and had chances to win it.

Nigel Clough made one change with Baily Cargill replacing Lewis Brunt in the centre of defence.

Stags set off in superb fashion and in the opening minute Lewis had a shot blocked for a corner from Akins' lay-off.

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Another corner followed and Clarke had a shot blocked as the visitors were penned back in their own half.

Action during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.mediaAction during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media
Action during Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023 Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media

Akins got Lewis into another shooting position, but the angle was tight and it was eventually blocked for another flag kick. But this was an excellent start by the home side.

On 17 minutes Wrexham keeper Okonkwo had his first work to do, parrying an explosive low 20 yard shot from Lewis.

Clarke then impeded Okonkwo's attempt to kick clear and was booked on 18 minutes. A minute later Cargill joined him for a trip on Palmer.

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Wrexham were finally in the home box on 20 minutes as they forced a corner which saw Tozer get a header on target that Pym punched away, Evans unable to make use of the loose ball.

Action from Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.mediaAction from Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023
Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media
Action from Stags' Sky Bet League 2 match against Wrexham AFC at the One Call Stadium, 03 Oct 2023 Photo credit : Chris & Jeanette Holloway / The Bigger Picture.media

Keillor-Dunn should have broken through on 25 minutes. Picked out by a superb left wing cross by Macdonald, he headed straight at the keeper from six yards.

Five minutes later another great home move saw Keillor-Dunn fire low past the keeper from the right only to see the ball rebound off the far post.

On 33 minutes Macdonald whipped in another tempting low cross from the left which Lewis met first time from 12 yards but lifted over.

Three minutes later dominant Stags again hit the woodwork.

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A fantastic reverse pass from Keillor-Dunn put Clarke into space and he smashed a low 25 yards on target that Okonkwo managed to tip onto the post and wide as the Welsh club's goal continue to live a charmed life.

Some rare Wrexham pressure on 40 minutes ended with Evans blazing well over to jeers from the home fans as the visitors survived a tough 45 minutes of intense pressure.

Wrexham came back out trying to force the issue a bit more in front of their own fans and quickly won a corner that Bowery headed clear. Seconds earlier Bowery had also won a crucial foot race to a through ball.

And ex-Stag Palmer almost broke through on 52 minutes as he flicked a header just wide from 12 yards from McClean's free kick from the left.

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The visitors forced two more corners in what was now a more even contest, the second seeing Lee volley high and well over the roof of the North Stand to huge jeers.

Gale took over from the superb Clarke on 63 minutes to try to give Wrexham new problems to think about and within a minute he had forced the keeper to turn round his near post shot.

And from the corner a Lewis shot hit team mate Cargill.

As the pressure continued, Bowery then crossed for Keillor-Dunn, who mis-timed his finish and it trickled to the keeper. Soon after Keillor-Dunn was well over with another effort.

Evans pulled back Keillor-Dunn in the centre circle for a booking on 69 minutes.

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Mulin had a shot on the turn deflect over on 72 minutes, Hayden heading the corner straight at Pym.

With five minutes to go a loose ball flew up invitingly at the far post, but McClean volleyed over to Stags' relief.

In the last minute Keillor-Dunn was just wide from 25 yards as it ended a point apiece.

STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Cargill, Macdonald, Reed, Lewis, Clarke (Gale 63), Maris (Boateng 75), Keillor-Dunn, Akins. SUBS NOT USED: Flinders, Brunt, Johnson, Williams, Swan.

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WREXHAM: Okonkwo, Hayden, O'Connor, Mendy, Tozer, Jones (Cannon 71), Evans, Lee, McClean, Palmer (Fletcher 85), Mullin (Dalby 90+2). SUBS NOT USED: Howard, Tunnicliffe, O'Connell, J. Davies.REFEREE: Adam Herczeg.

ATTENDANCE: 8,612 (1,484 away).

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