Stephen McLaughlin’s goal and superb defensive performance led Mansfield to the final of the League Two playoffs with a 3-1 overall victory over Northampton.
McLaughlin scored the only goal in the return leg, with Mansfield taking a 2-1 lead from Saturday’s first game at Field Mill, half an hour after a perfect square ball from returning Elliott Hewitt.
The Deer goal was largely due to the decision of the referee Ben Toner to continue the game when Stephen Quinn made an offside to run for the ball in the accumulation, only to retreat with his hands up just before Hewitt took over.
In the end, this shot was just the icing on the cake for Nigel Clough’s team, which managed to put a lot of pressure on Northampton with the home team’s only shot on goal in the first minute.
The defeated hosts may have felt upset that what came out, two clean red cards, a late kick by Kieran Wallace and an elbow by Stephen Quinn went unpunished, but the Shoemakers may have little argument that Mansfield’s performance was theirs. made worthy winners to set a date at Wembley on 28 May.
The Deer are determined to arrange a meeting at Wembley
Mansfield entered their semi-final rematch of the playoffs after losing all but one of their top nine appearances, conceding at least two goals five times and keeping a clean sheet 0-0 against Bristol Rovers in February.
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Stephen McClafflin scored what turned out to be a decisive goal to make it 3-1 for Mansfield Town against Northampton Town
In the first minute of their last trip to Northampton, which beat them 2-0 in October, they seemed to wither again when Josh Epia’s header from a Sam Hoskin cross needed a fingertip rescue from Nathan Bishop. to stop the hosts from pulling on the level.
Apart from this early warning sign, they disappointed the hosts in the 90s and left them to regret that Hoskins, who shot over the missed ball from a long throw, would prove their only other clear chance in 90 minutes.
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Kieran Wallace may have been lucky to stay on the field after a strong challenge in their match against Northampton
It was a team from Mansfield who kept just six clean sheets in their 23 away games in the league this season and only one in their last six, but screened by matchmaker John-Joe O’Toole and Kieran Wallace and with colossal demonstrations defensively in their own box by Oliver Hawkins, they stood strong to reach the final with relative ease.
“From the first game, in the first half, you saw glimpses of what Clough is trying to create in Mansfield, how they pass the ball, their movement and creativity,” former Mansfield manager Keith Curl told Sky Sports after full time.
“But today you saw another side of Mansfield – the annulment of the opposition. Players who understand their roles and do their job. When you create a team to defend, your big players are vital and they did very well today.
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Stephen Quinn puts Mansfield at risk by raising his hands and making physical contact, but no red card is given
Brady refuses to blame the staff
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John Brady says several decisions have not gone the way of his Northampton, but congratulates Mansfield on their performance and reaching the final of the playoffs of Sky Bet League Two.
In addition to the two red card decisions that were against them, Northampton were denied strong penalties in both halves.
Fraser Horsfall appeared to be trapped by O’Toole in the area moments before Hoskins missed in the first half, before the same player left Louis Aperie on the floor within minutes of restarting with Toner.
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Northampton called for a penalty for the second time in the match, but again the referee was motionless.
Northampton manager Brady refused to use decisions as a factor in losing his team, instead focusing on the pros of his season, in which they missed the league title by four points and received an automatic promotion from Bristol Rovers on the last day of goals scored. .
“It’s hard to accept,” he told Sky Sports. “I thought we played well, several decisions did not work for us, but the season was fantastic. 80 points, 23 wins, we just missed an automatic promotion with a mustache.
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Nigel Clough acknowledges the efforts of his players after their 1-0 victory over Northampton to take them to the final of the playoffs of Sky Bet League Two.
“The effort we put in tonight was incredible. This club is on the right track, the players have been pushing and pushing, there have been a few penalty decisions that may have had to be given, but we can’t cry about that. You had to try to do it the hard way all season. “
The opposite number Clough focused on his country’s defensive performance, calling it an “extraordinary effort” as they moved within one game of their first return to third level in 19 years.
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Strong shouts for a penalty from the audience in Northampton after several presses in the penalty area, but the referee is not interested.
“It was absolutely amazing,” he told Sky Sports. “We were sitting in the locker room here after losing 2-0 and reaching the bottom of the league and we were really at the bottom. It is wonderful for them to come here and experience a different feeling.
“We dug naked and with the way we play, we are always able to do it. But the defense effort was incredible, the blocks we entered hit our head in our own field. Northampton were on the verge of an automatic promotion – they are a very good team. “
What next?
Mansfield will keep his dream of the playoffs alive at Wembley on May 28, live on Sky Sports Football; start 16 hours.
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