Notts County 1-4 Mansfield Town: Stags fight back to beat Magpies in derby

The Nottinghamshire derby between Mansfield and Notts County was the first in four years

Mansfield Town fought back to beat League Two leaders Notts County and extend their unbeaten start to the season to 17 games with a memorable derby victory.

Dan Crowley smashed home a loose ball from close range to give the hosts the ideal start in front of an expectant crowd of 16,638 – the biggest attendance at Meadow Lane since their League Two play-off semi-final defeat by Coventry in 2018, which also ended in a 4-1 defeat.

Davis Keillor-Dunn hit the post in search of a response, which Louis Reed eventually came up with for Mansfield as he found the bottom corner midway through the first half.

Two goals in four second-half minutes, from Baily Cargill and Aden Flint, and a late fourth from Lucas Akins ensured Nigel Clough’s Stags extended the last remaining unbeaten start to the season in England’s top four divisions in style.

It also moved Mansfield up to second in the table, within a point of leaders Notts – although both sides can be overtaken if results go against them later on Saturday.

With Notts boasting one of the best attacks in the division and an immaculate home record in the league, with five wins from five, and Mansfield having the meanest defence in the competition and not tasting defeat in any competition this term, the first Nottinghamshire derby in four years promised much.

Stags boss Clough anticipated it would be his side’s “toughest challenge” of the season so far, and the Magpies were quick to show why.

Fine work by Aaron Nemane on the right teed up Macaulay Langstaff for a shot six yards out, but the striker’s scuffed attempt on the turn fell for Crowley to force past defender Flint on the line.

Keillor-Dunn went close to equalising in the 17th minute as he crashed a shot off the foot of the post – an effort that Notts goalkeeper Sam Slocombe was fortunate to eventually see go out for a corner after the ball hit his back on the rebound.

And when Notts’ defence were left scrambling after John Bostock was forced off the ball out wide, George Maris found Reed racing into the box unmarked to coolly finish first time.

It took a goalline clearance from Calum Macdonald to deny Notts and Crowley a second in first-half injury time.

After Slocombe did well to keep Maris out on the hour mark, and Nemane drilled a shot wastefully wide at the other end, Mansfield dominated.

Cargill’s header from a corner put the Stags ahead for the first time and was quickly followed by a third from Flint, who finished from close range after Akins’ header off the post rebounded into his path.

Akins then went on to grab one of his own with nine minutes remaining as Mansfield ran away with local bragging rights.

Line-upsNotts County

Formation 3-4-2-1

1Slocombe

2Brindley15Baldwin5Rawlinson

11Nemane16Bostock18Palmer8Austin

7Crowley17McGoldrick

9Langstaff

Substitutes

Mansfield

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

1Pym

9Bowery14Flint6Cargill11MacDonald

25Reed

15Lewis8O Clarke

10Maris

7Akins40Keillor-Dunn

Substitutes

Referee:Scott Oldham

Attendance:16,638

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