Match ends, Forest Green Rovers 1, Mansfield Town 2.
Forest GreenForest Green Rovers1MansfieldMansfield Town2
Nigel Clough marked his first league game in charge of Mansfield with a 2-1 victory at promotion-chasing Forest Green.
Mark Cooper's side were caught cold after five minutes when Stephen McLaughlin skipped beyond Udoka Godwin-Malife and laid a ball across the box.
George Lapsley's strike was parried by Luke McGhee, but the Mansfield midfielder reacted quickest to rifle the free ball home.
Harry Charsley made it two for the Stags on 34 minutes. Rovers' Ebou Adams made a hash of his free-kick for Jordan Bowery to pick his pocket and find Charsley to plant a sweet finish beyond McGhee.
Only a stunning Marek Stech reflex parry after 44 minutes denied Rovers' Jamille Matt after neat footwork from Jake Young presented the opportunity. Seconds later Stech was at it again - beating down a Kane Wilson shot.
Rovers were quickly out of the blocks in the second-half - Young inducing two blocks from Stech and Farren Rawson headed against his own bar.
Rovers were given a lifeline when Odin Bailey stabbed home for Rovers with six minutes to go from a Nicky Cadden corner, but Clough's side held out.
Match report supplied by PA Media.
Line-ups
Forest Green
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1McGee
- 22Godwin-Malife
- 15Moore-TaylorSubstituted forStevensat 76'minutes
- 6Kitching
- 2WilsonSubstituted forCollinsat 45'minutes
- 8Adams
- 7WinchesterBooked at 45mins
- 11CaddenBooked at 38mins
- 17Bailey
- 14MattSubstituted forRichardsonat 76'minutes
- 18Young
Substitutes
- 4Sweeney
- 5Stokes
- 9Stevens
- 10Collins
- 20Whitehouse
- 24Thomas
- 25Richardson
Mansfield
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Stech
- 12Gordon
- 6Rawson
- 14Perch
- 3BenningBooked at 22mins
- 32Lapslie
- 7Charsley
- 10MarisSubstituted forO Clarkeat 31'minutes
- 9Bowery
- 22MaynardSubstituted forO'Keeffeat 83'minutes
- 20McLaughlin
Substitutes
- 2O'Keeffe
- 5Sweeney
- 8O Clarke
- 11Cook
- 15O'Driscoll
- 19Reid
- 31Stone
- Referee:
- Brett Huxtable
Match Stats
Home TeamForest GreenAway TeamMansfield
- Possession
- Home69%
- Away31%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away16
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Forest Green Rovers 1, Mansfield Town 2.
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Foul by Udoka Godwin-Malife (Forest Green Rovers).
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George Lapslie (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Farrend Rawson.
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Attempt blocked. Jake Young (Forest Green Rovers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
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Liam Kitching (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jordan Bowery (Mansfield Town).
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Foul by Jake Young (Forest Green Rovers).
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Corey O'Keeffe (Mansfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Forest Green Rovers 1, Mansfield Town 2. Odin Bailey (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner following a corner.
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Attempt missed. Liam Kitching (Forest Green Rovers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nicky Cadden with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Forest Green Rovers. Conceded by Corey O'Keeffe.
Substitution
Substitution, Mansfield Town. Corey O'Keeffe replaces Nicky Maynard.
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Offside, Forest Green Rovers. Liam Kitching tries a through ball, but Jake Young is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
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Attempt blocked. Jake Young (Forest Green Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. Matt Stevens (Forest Green Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
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Offside, Mansfield Town. Jordan Bowery tries a through ball, but Nicky Maynard is caught offside.
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Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
