Field Mill, the One Call Stadium, home of Mansfield Town based in Nottinghamshire and play their trade in League 2. Nicknamed the “Stags” after the town’s situation near to Sherwood Forest which is home to a number of Deer. For the first time since January 2020, I’m coming back to Field Mill!!!! The groundhopping bug has kept me away for too long! And today could be a famous day for Mansfield as automatic promotion is a possibility! But only if results go our way…
Northampton Town in third travel to Barrow and Bristol Rovers host an already relegated Scunthorpe United… Automatics is not looking likely is it…? Port Vale travel to an already promoted Exeter City who could win the League today! Swindon Town travel to Walsall. A Mansfield loss today to Forest Green who could also win the League today could see Sutton United sneak in to the Play-Offs and they travel to Harrogate Town. Tranmere Rovers could also sneak in and they travel to Leyton Orient. No room for error Mansfield! Just 1 point will do!
The time has come for me and Broseph to head to Shirebrook train station and head for Mansfield to meet the Super Stag along with Tom, Jack and Lewis HC! 10 minutes later and here we are!
Now we walk to the Swan… Plenty of Stags fans in already! “YELLOWS YELLOWS!” It’s hotting up too! But no sign of Clarke… They’re in Cohen’s Corner! Off we go! Just around the corner and here we are! And here they are! 1 quick drink later and we’re off back to the Swan! Getting busier and busier now with a sea of Mansfield fans!
The atmosphere is booming now!! Curtis has finally woken up and has joined us!! Time rolls on and Luton Town are in the Play-Offs!! 4 years ago they were promoted from League 2!! What a story! “Spireites are staying down!!” Chesterfield have lost again… They could be losing their play-off place if they carry on! But for now is time to head to the ground!!!
The short walk over the bridge and through the car park into the ground… A big queue… But we are in with plenty of time to go before kick off! £18 to get in here! Biblical! The drum is already banging and the noise is fantastic!! It’s great to be back in Block Q!! Oh hello Alex!! The squad is strong today and not just the Mansfield lineup!
Out come the teams to a wall of noise!!!!! A sell out crowd here in the home end today and it’s great to see a packed out Quarry Lane stand again!! “And I just can’t seem to get enough of Super Mansfield!”
Kick Off! “Cloughy said! F***ing loves Stephen Quinn! OHHHH words can’t describe! Bowery running down the right hand side! Oates hair is fine! Scores belters all the time! That’s why we sing this song! For the Mansfield all night long!!!” It’s a new one! AND IT’S A GREAT ONE! Northampton have taken the lead at Barrow… Swindon have also scored at Walsall… Automatic promotion is disappearing like the late Tommy Cooper would say: “Just like that!”
11 minutes in and Mansfield have a free kick from around 25 yards out, Stephen McLaughlin will step up, can he do it again like at Salford City…? No! It’s wide! 5 minutes later and Mansfield come forward down the left with Jamie Murphy, he plays a ball across, it’s deflected and it’s come for Matty Longstaff in the box and he shoots… It’s saved but he’s there for the rebound… IT’S A GOAL FOR MANSFIELD!!!!!! LIMBS IN BLOCK Q!!!! CRAZY!!! Never been pushed and shoved so much in a celebration there before!!! 1-0!
18 minutes on the clock and Forest Green bomb down the right wing, it’s played across low, it’s Jamille Matt… It’s a brilliant save by Bishop!!! Big moment! Whilst the game has slowed down it’s time for some score updates. Barrow 0-3 Northampton Town, Bristol Rovers 2-0 Scunthorpe United, Walsall 0-2 Swindon Town, Harrogate Town 0-1 Sutton United, Exeter City 0-1 Port Vale… No room for error Mansfield! Forest Green can win the title now…
“Yellow & Blue army!” Relentless from the Mansfield fans today so far!! Into stoppage time in the first half and Mansfield play down the left with Rhys Oates, he plays it across low, Stephen McLaughlin is there with the backheel… It rolls away from goal and Forest Green clear and that is the last action of the first half with the score at 1-0.
Second half, 49 minutes now and Mansfield have a corner, in it comes… The keeper has dropped it… It comes for Stephen McLaughlin and he shoots… Blocked! Forest Green get it clear. Forest Green are starting to bring it now… Don’t blow it Mansfield!
59th minute and Mansfield play down the right with Jamie Murphy, he plays it across low and here’s Rhys Oates sliding IN! OH! He can’t get there and it rolls away… 4 minutes later and Forest Green play a through ball to Ebou Adams, he’s onside here and out comes Bishop to the edge of his box, Adams gets his shot away… It’s there! Forest Green are level! The title is in their hands as it stands! 1-1!
Oh no for Mansfield… It’s quieting down a bit in Block Q now… 66th minute and Forest Green work it forward, it’s a good passing move and it’s played to Nicky Cadden in the box on the left in space, he shoots… What a sliding block that is from George Maris!!! It is a corner for Forest Green, in it comes… Jamille Matt with a FREE HEADER… It’s so close… Poor defending from Mansfield there… A heart in your mouth moment for all of us around the ground there… PHEW!
A very good spell for Forest Green now… “We’re losing this!” The Super Stag not feeling confident now… I’m not enjoying this… 72 minutes played and Forest Green play down the right again, it’s played across low and it comes for Jack Aitchison and he gets his shot away… It’s saved by Bishop… How did he get a free shot there…?
The game goes on and the Super Stag’s prediction is looking more and more likely… 75 minutes now and it’s Forest Green down the right flank again, the cross comes in, it’s flicked on and it falls to Nicky Cadden at the back post!! OH! How has he not scored there!!? He’s mis hit the ball and Mansfield clear! They’re getting closer and closer here…
Only Usain Bolt himself could outrun the pace that my heart is pounding at now… And I’m probably not the only one in the Mansfield end… 78th minute and Mansfield play down the left flank, it’s played across low, Oates doesn’t get there but here comes Bowery at the back post… YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! SI SENOR!!!!!! JORDAN BOWERY PUTS MANSFIELD BACK IN FRONT!!!! Would you believe it!!! Crazy scenes in Block Q once again!!!! WOW!!! 2-1!!
Play continues! 2 minutes later Forest Green play forward, it’s a through ball to Josh March and he’s onside here, he’s in and out comes Bishop, he goes for the dink… He’s scored… I honestly don’t know whether to laugh or cry… He did look Offside from up here! It’s not given and Forest Green are level again! 2-2!!
2 minutes later and Forest Green have a corner… Oh no! In it comes… A free header for Adams… Just wide… That looked in from up here! Phew again!
The news is coming through from elsewhere and would you believe it! Barrow 1-3 Northampton Town, Bristol Rovers 7-0 Scunthorpe United! Bristol Rovers are promoted as it stands on goals scored meaning Northampton will slip back in to the Play-Offs to face Mansfield! Oh wow! The game goes on and Mansfield have it at the back and are playing it around the defence with Forest Green not pressing it that much. Both teams seem to be happy with their respective outcomes! Mansfield continue to pass it around the back… Come on Referee blow the whistle!! The tension is killing us all… And there is the final whistle!! Mansfield are in the play-offs!! Job done!!
Forest Green wait for their fate… Exeter City 0-1 Port Vale! Forest Green are the Champions!!! A pitch invasion from the away end now!! And a mark of respect from both sets of fans as applauses go around from some from both ends. How much added time is there at Bristol Rovers? It’s over now after around 20 odd minutes and they are up! It’s Northampton in the play-offs for Mansfield!
FT: Mansfield Town 2-2 Forest Green Rovers
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 10/10 – Sensational from the Mansfield fans today!!! Bouncing from start to finish!!
- The Ground: 6/10 – I do love this ground for obvious reasons but I do wish it had 4 sides… A decent view from the top tier and it does have character and history but still with only 3 sides it could be better!
- Expense: 10/10 – £18 for a good game and a roller coaster of emotions as a football fan today!! A good game for the neutral today!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Loved it! Loved being back!! A cracker of a game and Mansfield thankfully didn’t throw it away in the end!! Bring on the play-offs!
36/40