Mansfield Town 2-1 Accrington Stanley – Stags seal promotion to League One

Mansfield City sealed promotion to League One with an assured win towards Accrington Stanley at a euphoric One Name Stadium.

A second-half Stephen Quinn objective, which the midfielder tapped residence on the second try after he was first denied by the goalkeeper, accomplished an finally snug win for Nigel Clough’s aspect.

A late Leigh response for Accrington made for a tense closing jiffy, however was not sufficient to cease Mansfield from clinching their return to the third tier for the primary time in 21 years.

Clough – a former England striker who loved the most effective years of his enjoying profession below his well-known father Brian at Mansfield’s county neighbours Nottingham Forest – has marked his twenty fifth yr in administration with promotion success and the honour of being topped League Two supervisor of the season.

As somebody who, over two spells, masterminded Burton Albion’s rise from the depths of the non-league soccer to take the Brewers to the Championship on a meagre price range, expectations will once more be excessive at Mansfield subsequent season.

Prolific midfielder Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has offered 10 assists to go together with his 21 league targets this season, was recalled to the beginning XI after scoring two targets and creating one other in Saturday’s essential win at MK Dons.

The Stags knew a degree would just about guarantee them a spot in League One, however they made it clear from the beginning that wished to place promotion past doubt with a victory.

A fierce low cross from Maris within the second minute was helped into the again of the online by Leigh for a fortuitous opener, and solely a sprawled save from Vitek denied Hiram Boateng from including a second quickly after.

Maris additionally despatched a sliding end simply extensive after the half hour mark of a recreation during which Accrington confronted ceaseless stress.

The guests have been starved of possibilities to hit again, however Christy Pym did must be alert to clutch a close-range header within the first half.

Keillor-Dunn, one in every of three Mansfield gamers chosen within the League Two crew of the season, was the house aspect’s greatest menace after the break and it was his cut-back move that set Quinn up for the Stags’ second.

A Vitek save denied Quinn from including a 3rd quickly after, and Leigh’s volleyed objective late on had Stags followers anxiously crowded across the pitch awaiting the full-time whistle to rejoice the win and promotion.

Stags lastly get promotion get together

A 19-game unbeaten run to start out the season firmly established Clough’s Stags as a promotion contender.

And whereas it was not till the ultimate week of November that they suffered their first League Two defeat, they needed to wait till the final week of February to prime the desk for the primary time.

However their stint as league leaders lasted only a month, as defeat by fellow promotion chasers Wrexham noticed the Stags slip from the summit on the finish of March.

They then began April by dropping out of the automated promotion spots following a heavy loss at residence towards Crawley.

It was a defeat that might undoubtedly have evoked recollections of Mansfield’s close to misses of latest years whereas attempting to flee the division.

They misplaced the 2022 League Two play-off closing, missed out on computerized promotion on the final day of the season in 2019 and fell wanting the play-offs on objective distinction final time period.

However two wins in 4 days towards backside aspect Forest Inexperienced and MK Dons – their nearest challengers for a prime three end – put them on the verge of going up eventually.

And now, after greater than a decade within the fourth tier, they’ve lastly bought over the road and earned their place in League One.

‘Big aid’ – response

Mansfield City boss Nigel Clough informed BBC Radio Nottingham:

“It is an enormous aid to recover from the road. We did not need it to go to Saturday and presumably the week after going to Barrow.

“The MK Dons consequence from Saturday gave us that incentive to get it performed tonight.

“We had a few possibilities within the first half to double our lead then Quinny did that. It was splendid getting that early objective, it settled all people down.

“I believe individuals have been anticipating a little bit of an avalanche of targets after that, however soccer will not be like that. The principle factor is we bought the three factors, one other win and have gone second within the league and we’re there.”