Two Steps Back

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 06/10/2019

TOWN experienced a painful defeat at Blundell Park on Saturday when they lost to a 96th winner at home to Mansfield. The Stags had been reduced to 10 men for the last hour, but the first goal eluded Town despite lots of pressure and not helped by some poor refereeing.

Michael Jolley brought in Harry Davis and James Hanson in place of the less experienced pair of Mattie Pollock and Ahkeem Rose.

Town started well and had an early Hanson goal ruled out for offside, and the big Town striker also fired wide from a good chance with the 'keeper beaten after he had raced out of his goal.

Max Wright was an enforced first-half change due to injury and Matt Green came on in place of the speedy youngster. The change seemed to disrupt Town and Mansfield began to feature more in the game and Benning failed to make the most of a dangerous free for the visitors.

The second half burst into life when a bad tackle by White on Hessenthaler saw the ref show a red card and give Town every chance of a victorious final half-hour.

Town struggled to make use of the extra space and some dubious decisions by the ref frustrated the Mariners crowd - and players.

With Town looking to have blown their chance of three deserved points the killer blow came in the 96th minute when Pearce fired the ball past McKeown after a goalmouth scramble following a free-kick for an undeserved win.

It was tough on the Mariners who will have to lick their wounds and it's likely that changes will be made for the midweek game at Sunderland in the EFL Trophy,

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