Report by John Lomas
Mansfield Chad
Mansfield Chad
IF Stags can make it all the way to the final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, few will remember this cold and largely unexciting Halloween 3-0 win over Grimsby at Field Mill.
There were more fireworks in the sky than on the pitch over much of a game in which a depleted but hard-working Stags led from the 36th minute thanks to a Danny Boshell own goal.
But the night eventually belonged to Chris Beardsley who made sure of Mansfield's place in the Area quarter-finals with two late goals inside five minutes.
Stags boss Peter Shirtliff rang the changes with five players left out from the weekend win in Macclesfield. Carl Muggleton, Jon Hjelde and Gareth Jelleyman were rested while strike force Danny Reet and Richie Barker, with 17 goals between them, were both nursing knocks.
In came White in goal, Buxton to centre half, Michael Boulding and Beardsley up front and Lloyd at left midfield.
A surprise on the bench was the welcome return of Brown after seven weeks out.
Mansfield made a positive start and Lloyd and Coke had efforts blocked in quick succession as Stags forced an early corner.
Then Barnes left his box to kick clear as Boulding chased John-Baptiste's forward ball.
Boulding came even closer on seven minutes as he cut inside McDermott from the left and drilled a low shot across the face of goal.
Butler got away from his marker from Toner's corner but just failed to get a head on it from three yards when any contact would have left Stags in trouble.
Neat play from Rankin and James got the ball to Toner in space on the far side of the box. He laid it into the path of Ravenhill and his 18 yard blast wasn't far over.
But the Stags were given a helping hand on 36 minutes as Grimsby put through their own goal. Hamshaw swung the fourth Stags corner over from the left and Boshell inadvertently turned it past his own keeper from five yards.
With North on for Bore up front for Grimsby after the interval, it was Mansfield who carved out the first danger as Beardsley was well over with a 16-yard dipperdipping shot from 16 yards.
On 50 minutes the visitors were indebted to Barnes as Boulding sprinted clear into the box and the keeper did well to parry his firm on-target finish.
White was comfortably behind Toner's stabbed shot on 53 minutes - their first shot on target - and Stags broke quickly, Hamshaw's cross a fraction too high for the head of Beardsley.
Rory Boulding came on in place of Lloyd for his debut on 57 minutes, brother Michael moving to left midfield.
Hegarty was booked for dissent within three minutes of coming on as a sub, Sheehan joining him soon after, also after words with referee Mr Miller.
Another Grimsby sub, Hegarty was even quicker to see yellow, booked within a minute of joining the action after shoving Mullins over and kicking the ball away.
Michael Boulding raced forward to set up brother Michael who forced a save from Barnes with a rasping low shot.
Mansfield finally looked to have clinched the win 10 minutes from time when substitute Brown chipped an inviting ball over a square defence and Beardsley fended off the chasing defender to plant it past Barnes.
It was certainly all over five minutes later as Beardsley made it 3-0. Chasing a Michael Boulding ball over the top, he did superbly well to get there first and squeeze it between two defenders and the keeper as they converged on him.
MANSFIELD: White, Mullins (Wood 84) M. Boulding, D'Laryea, Buxton, John-Baptiste, Hamshaw (Brown 74), Beardsley, Coke, Sheehan, Lloyd (R. Boulding 57). Subs not used: Jelleyman, Birchall.
GRIMSBY: Barnes, McDermott, Fenton, Toner, Ravenhill, Rankin, Butler, Bore (North ht), Boshell, Croft (Harkins 73), James (Hegarty 67). Subs not used: Whittle, Murray.
REFEREE: Nigel Miller.
ATTENDANCE: 1,761.
GOALS: Stags - Boshell og 36; Beardsley 80, 85.
CAUTIONS: Stags - Sheehan 71 (dissent); R. Boulding 90 (foul). Grimsby - Hegarty 70 (unsporting); Harkins 73 (unsporting)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Boulding.
But the night eventually belonged to Chris Beardsley who made sure of Mansfield's place in the Area quarter-finals with two late goals inside five minutes.
Stags boss Peter Shirtliff rang the changes with five players left out from the weekend win in Macclesfield. Carl Muggleton, Jon Hjelde and Gareth Jelleyman were rested while strike force Danny Reet and Richie Barker, with 17 goals between them, were both nursing knocks.
In came White in goal, Buxton to centre half, Michael Boulding and Beardsley up front and Lloyd at left midfield.
A surprise on the bench was the welcome return of Brown after seven weeks out.
Mansfield made a positive start and Lloyd and Coke had efforts blocked in quick succession as Stags forced an early corner.
Then Barnes left his box to kick clear as Boulding chased John-Baptiste's forward ball.
Boulding came even closer on seven minutes as he cut inside McDermott from the left and drilled a low shot across the face of goal.
Butler got away from his marker from Toner's corner but just failed to get a head on it from three yards when any contact would have left Stags in trouble.
Neat play from Rankin and James got the ball to Toner in space on the far side of the box. He laid it into the path of Ravenhill and his 18 yard blast wasn't far over.
But the Stags were given a helping hand on 36 minutes as Grimsby put through their own goal. Hamshaw swung the fourth Stags corner over from the left and Boshell inadvertently turned it past his own keeper from five yards.
With North on for Bore up front for Grimsby after the interval, it was Mansfield who carved out the first danger as Beardsley was well over with a 16-yard dipperdipping shot from 16 yards.
On 50 minutes the visitors were indebted to Barnes as Boulding sprinted clear into the box and the keeper did well to parry his firm on-target finish.
White was comfortably behind Toner's stabbed shot on 53 minutes - their first shot on target - and Stags broke quickly, Hamshaw's cross a fraction too high for the head of Beardsley.
Rory Boulding came on in place of Lloyd for his debut on 57 minutes, brother Michael moving to left midfield.
Hegarty was booked for dissent within three minutes of coming on as a sub, Sheehan joining him soon after, also after words with referee Mr Miller.
Another Grimsby sub, Hegarty was even quicker to see yellow, booked within a minute of joining the action after shoving Mullins over and kicking the ball away.
Michael Boulding raced forward to set up brother Michael who forced a save from Barnes with a rasping low shot.
Mansfield finally looked to have clinched the win 10 minutes from time when substitute Brown chipped an inviting ball over a square defence and Beardsley fended off the chasing defender to plant it past Barnes.
It was certainly all over five minutes later as Beardsley made it 3-0. Chasing a Michael Boulding ball over the top, he did superbly well to get there first and squeeze it between two defenders and the keeper as they converged on him.
MANSFIELD: White, Mullins (Wood 84) M. Boulding, D'Laryea, Buxton, John-Baptiste, Hamshaw (Brown 74), Beardsley, Coke, Sheehan, Lloyd (R. Boulding 57). Subs not used: Jelleyman, Birchall.
GRIMSBY: Barnes, McDermott, Fenton, Toner, Ravenhill, Rankin, Butler, Bore (North ht), Boshell, Croft (Harkins 73), James (Hegarty 67). Subs not used: Whittle, Murray.
REFEREE: Nigel Miller.
ATTENDANCE: 1,761.
GOALS: Stags - Boshell og 36; Beardsley 80, 85.
CAUTIONS: Stags - Sheehan 71 (dissent); R. Boulding 90 (foul). Grimsby - Hegarty 70 (unsporting); Harkins 73 (unsporting)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Boulding.
