The Lamex Stadium, home of Stevenage FC based in Hertfordshire and play their trade in League 2. Nicknamed the “Boro” as the club was formerly known as Stevenage Borough but after getting into the Football League in 2010, the club was renamed as Stevenage FC. My beloved Mansfield Town are the visitors today and the Super Stag, Broseph, Tom, Curtis, Chris, Jack and Fez are making the trip and it would be very rude of me not to join them!!
The train from Sheffield to Doncaster and then a 12 minute wait for the train down to Stevenage, let’s hope there is no delays… 12:11 now expected at 12:19… Oh no! Finally leaving Sheffield at 12:21… This is going to be close! Will I be needing a Plan B? 12:47 is the time for the Stevenage train and it’s now 12:46 and the train is here in Doncaster… Will Usain Bolt lend me his legs for a quick run from platform 8 to platform 1? Made it to platform 1 and… 5 minute delay and a platform change! GET IN THERE!!! IT’S ON!!!!!! My lucky day! Let’s hope the 3 points follows!
2pm and here I am in Hertfordshire! Now for the walk to the ground. 1 mile later and here we are! £14 to watch this League 2 tie! Tasty indeed! The atmosphere is building in our end already! “Yellows Yellows!” along with a new one of: “Oates Oates! Rhysy Rhysy Oates! He gets the ball and scores a goal Rhysy Rhysy Oates!” And the other new one of: “WAHEEEEEEY WAHOAAAAAH! Super Mansfield!
But first, once again for our heroes who fought for us, we WILL remember them!! Kick Off! 7 minutes in and Stephen McLaughlin gives the ball away cheaply and Stevenage get it on the right wing, he crosses in low… John-Joe O’Toole is there to clear the danger for Mansfield. 13 minutes now and Stevenage play a through ball down the right flank, it’s crossed in low towards Jamie REID!!! He’s hit the post!!! And Nathan Bishop claims the rebound! The former Mansfield man nearly giving the home side the lead there! Stevenage fans with their heads in their hands. “Sit down shut up! Sit down shut up!! From the Mansfield fans now.
“Since I was young! I followed them! MTFC! The team for me!” Still banging in the away end! 16th minute and Mansfield have a corner, it’s whipped in… McLaughlin is there at the near post… Blocked! It falls to Ollie Hawkins to strike… Over! Close!
19 minutes on the clock and Mansfield have a free kick in the Stevenage half, it’s whipped into the box, John-Joe O’Toole with the header… GOAL!!!! Mansfield have the lead!!! And the away end goes crazy!!!!!! 0-1!!! “WAHEEEEEEY WAHOAAAAAAH! WAHEEEEEEEY! WAHOAAAAAAAH!!! Super Mansfield!”
34 minutes now and Stevenage play down the right wing again, they get the cross in… It’s hit the post! It is a corner, in it comes… Foul by Stevenage and Mansfield have a free kick. 2 minutes later and Mansfield play a long ball forward, Rhys Oates gets onto it and he’s in here… OH! He’s somehow put it wide… He has to score there!
43rd minute and Mansfield play down the left wing, played in, it’s up in the air, it falls to George MARIS!!!! OH! It’s a brilliant save by the keeper!! Corner, in it comes… Headed up in the air, headed towards goal… Keeper claims. Into stoppage time in the first half and Stevenage have a free kick on the halfway line, it’s lumped into the box, headed back towards Jamie Reid who goes for the VOLLEY!!! He’s hit the post AGAIN!!! Literally the same spot on the post too! It’s not his day surely! At half time, Mansfield remain in the lead.
Second half, 55 minutes played and Stevenage have a corner, in it comes… Scott Cuthbert free header… It’s there!!! Bishop can’t keep it out and Stevenage are level!! Who was marking him there!? The Stevenage drum is banging now!! “Red and White army!!”
65th minute and Mansfield have a throw in on the left high up the field, they get it on the field and cross it into the middle, it’s over everyone but Charsley gets it on the right, he gets it to Ryan Stirk who best his mans and he gets into the box, he goes for the far corner… AAAAAAAANNNND HE FINDS IT!!!! Brilliant finish! Mansfield lead again!!! Carnage again in the away end!!!! We love to see it!!!! 1-2!!!
“You’re not singing! You’re not singing! You’re not singing anymore!! You’re not singing anymore!” The Stevenage drum has stopped going for now. “We love you we love you we love you! And when we do we follow we follow we follow! Cause we support the Mansfield the Mansfield the Mansfield and that’s the way we like it we like it we like it!”
Stevenage starting to pile on the pressure now in the closing stages, can they find that equaliser? 81 minutes on the clock and Stevenage play forward, they lay it off for Jake Reeves to strike… Fantastic save from Nathan Bishop again! Corner, in it comes… Mansfield clear. “Yellows! Yellows! YELLOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWS!”
87th minute and Mansfield play forward, played through to Stephen Quinn who charges into the box, he’s brought down there! The Referee waves it away… Poor decision I have to say there but Mansfield win it back from Stevenage’s clearance, they come forward again down the left, played in to Stephen Quinn… He goes down again in the box… The Referee waves it away again! Mansfield get the ball back and come forward again, Stephen McLaughlin chases the loose ball and he’s clattered into there… But the Referee has given Stevenage a foul on the edge of their own box… Mansfield fans along with me absolutely seething at those decisions there! The first Penalty appeal was a definite, the second one not for me but that was definitely a free kick for Mansfield not Stevenage!
There will be a minimum of 7 minutes added time… Oh dear… This is going to be long! Stevenage are pushing for the equaliser here but can’t quite get there. 90+6 minutes on the clock and Stevenage charge down the right wing, John-Joe O’Toole brings down the Stevenage man there and they have a free kick on the right next to the corner flag, the keeper comes up for it, in it comes… Mansfield head away and break forward, “SHOOT!” Cry the Mansfield fans and me! They don’t and break towards the corner flag… The Referee blows for full time!! RELIEF!!! A first league away win for Mansfield this season!!! Fantastic!!
FT: Stevenage 1-2 Mansfield Town
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 8/10 – Mansfield fans were incredible today!!! Stevenage fans had a spell when they had equalised but the Mansfield fans were the louder of the 2 today for me!
- The Ground: 5.5/10 – It’s a decent little ground! I’m a big fan of the standing terrace along the side and the new stand is good! It does fit the level that they play at as well!
- Expense: 10/10 – I may have paid a fair bit on the train but £14 to watch a very tense game where I went through the motions is a winner for me!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – A fantastic day out here! One of my all time favourite away days with Mansfield ever and hopefully so far!! Great to have the squad in full strength again today too!!
33.5/40