Scunthorpe Spoil Stags Party

Mansfield officially make their Football League return - Picture by @CharlieSlater15 (twitter)

Mansfield Town’s dream start to football league life ended up a nightmare as Paul Cox’s conference Champions fell to a 2-0 defeat against ten men Scunthorpe United this afternoon.

Over 1,500 Stags fans made the journey to Glanford Park where, glazed in the afternoon sunshine, Cox’s men were again guilty of having no finishing touch and despite dominating the opening twenty minutes and having a Ross Dyer strike rule out , conceded the opening goal on the half hour mark as Matt Sparrow thundered home on the half volley from Andy Welsh’s left sided cross.

Mansfield were deflated by the opener and subsequently conceded again before the break after Alan Marriott had done well to deny Andy Dawson and Sam Winnall, the latter not deterred by his early miss as he doubled the Irons lead on 41 minutes, taking the ball around Marriott following Terry Hawkridge’s long range pass and stroking into the empty net.

Stags we’re still left in search of a first goal back in league football after the match as Louis Briscoe wasted an opportunity to set a tense finish, blazing over a penalty in the final minute – the handball from Scunthorpe’s Eddie Nolan resulting in his dismissal for a second bookable offence.

FULL TIME: Scunthorpe United 2-0 Mansfield Town

STAGS Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, John McCombe, John Dempster, James Jennings, Ross Dyer (Louis Briscoe 71), Adam Murray ©, Anthony Howell, Sam Clucas, Lee Stevenson (Lindon Meikle 51), Matt Rhead (Ollie Palmer 61)
Unused Substitutes: Ian Deakin, Ritchie Sutton, Jake Speight, Jamie McGuire

Match Referee Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Weir)

Attendance 5,241 (1,500)

Written by Craig Priest and Emily Sykes