So soon after Saturday’s demolition of Huddersfield all we wanted was more of the same, for the result first and foremost and preferably the performance too. We knew we needed all three points if faint hopes of automatic promotion were to be sustained, with little expectation that Cambridge and Shrewsbury might do us a favour and take points off Wrexham and Wycombe respectively.
In the event we got the points, and unexpectedly the bonus of narrowing the gap to second by a couple of points. Did we get the performance? Yes and no. No, in the sense that there was very little that was beautiful in the game, with plenty of moments for both teams but very few real chances (even if you include the gift for our first goal). Yes, in the sense that we again showed admirable resolve and determination against equally committed opponents (on Saturday we won just about all the individual battles and nearly all the 50-50s, but Mansfield made that impossible), put bodies on the line, and fashioned a winner at a time when the match could have gone either way. We found a way to win.
Ahead of the game the issues for the team/squad had nothing to do with possible changes with improvement in mind, more a case of were there any legs in need of rest or knocks picked up from Saturday not yet overcome (we knew we would still be without Maynard-Brewer, Leaburn and Kanu). And turns out there was one, with Jones not recovering in time from a ‘minor calf injury’, McIntyre stepped into some pretty big shoes, with Mitchell taking the vacant place on the bench. No reflection at all on McIntyre but this was not welcome news, given Jones’ dominant display at the weekend and the risk of the enforced change having an unsettling effect. That the impact proved to be at the margins was down to a display from McIntyre that was all we could have asked for.
The game began with almost a carbon copy of Saturday’s explosive start. Campbell down the left sent in a good cross and Small, under pressure, couldn’t deliver the sort of finish that Godden had, heading wide. No matter, we bossed the early exchanges and looked quite likely to take the lead, even though Mansfield were causing us some problems, drawing free-kicks and with them scrambles in the box. But after around 20 minutes, just when it seemed our early advantage might count for nothing, after Small had cut inside and had a shot saved, we were handed the lead.
They tried to play out from the back but with a decent press their guy facing his own goal seemed to believe either that his ball back to the keeper would evade Godden or that he wasn’t there. Given the ball on the edge of the area and nobody around him, Godden drew the keeper, sent him the wrong way, and planted it comfortably into the net for his 14th league goal of the season (and now a strike rate of 144 minutes per goal, against 161 for May).
With minds perhaps turning back to Saturday, after that we maybe eased up a little. In any event Mansfield responded well to going behind and upped their effort, pushing us back. Before the half-hour it seemed to everyone watching that they had indeed equalised. A shot from the right side seemed to have found the net, only for it to prove it had gone wide, hit a post behind the goal, and ran along the back of the net. The relief didn’t last for long, however, as on 39 minutes they did draw level. We failed to deal decisively with another free-kick. It was headed out but only to find a guy inside the area who hit it cleanly on the half-volley, past a thicket of players and in off the bar, with Mannion having no chance.
From then until half-time we probably had our worst spell of the game as Mansfield, their tails up and backed by the crowd, might have taken the lead. Passes were going astray, Mansfield were doing a good job of crowding out Campbell and Small, leaving no easy outlet for balls forward, and their pressing was causing confusion in our half. Mannion was called on to make saves, in particular after a poor ball in midfield saw us lose possession, and there’s no doubt we were the happier side to get into the dressing room and regroup.
The half-time stats showed we had had the majority of possession (58/42); but five attempts on goal, three on target for us (including the gifted goal), against four and three for them reflected a tight tussle.
We did seem to have steadied ourselves after the break, but struggled to create real openings. Both sides were well aware of the importance of the next goal. We did have moments. A Small cross caused confusion and from the resulting corner a scramble resulted in a shot, possibly from Edwards, cleared off the line. Otherwise it was a grim battle and increasingly you had the feeling that the outcome could well be decided by the changes made by both sides.
Jones made his move on 67 minutes, with Aneke and Anderson introduced for Berry and Edwards. This meant Campbell moving over to the right and Small back to the left, although just what formation that resulted in is a matter of debate. One thing that did change is that Campbell, who had struggled to get the better of his marker on the left side, started to find more space, even if this usually resulted in him being pulled down, occasionally getting a free-kick for his pains.
Mansfield had moments too, with a superb Ramsay interception required to prevent a cross falling to one of theirs. But it was us who broke the deadlock on 74 minutes. The ball was worked well on the left, with Godden helping it on to Aneke. Chuks moved across the edge of the area and played it wider to Campbell. He took it on the outside and drilled a fierce shot low inside the near post and into the net. It was well taken, although if it was us we would be questioning whether it was a goalkeeping error, being beaten by a shot at the near post.
That still left 15 minutes plus to play out. Not surprisingly Mansfield made further changes, including planting Flint to contest balls in the air, and threw the kitchen sink at us. The defence stood up to the challenge. On 77 minutes Campbell went down with what looked like cramp and was replaced by Watson, to help shore things up, and later Mitchell came on for Small with similar intent. With Mansfield chasing the game there was the opportunity to hit them on the break, although without Campbell and with Aneke not able to outrun their defenders we couldn’t easily make use of the space.
On 80 minutes we had a repeat of the first-half incident with it appearing as if the ball had gone in, this time a shot from Godden. Understandably in the final minutes we were more intent on playing out time, although in the first of five minutes of stoppage time we almost had a goal of the season contender as a ball found Aneke on the right side a long way from goal and, with seemingly few other options, he hit an outrageous shot which required a good save. That proved to be the last meaningful moment and once again this season – in sharp contrast to previous campaigns – we had seen out a game with a one-goal advantage to take the points.
Did we deserve to win? On the balance of play and number of half-chances you’d have to say it was all pretty even. And they won’t be forgetting that they handed us the lead. But in the final analysis, when the game was there to be won, it was us who scored the goal.
We can’t tell yet how significant the three points will prove to be (obviously they kept us above Stockport, narrowed the gap to Wrexham and Wycombe, and increased our chances of at least a play-off spot). We move on to Saturday and another home game, against Lincoln, who like Mansfield and Peterborough before them would appear to have nothing but pride (and contracts?) to play for, but will no doubt provide another tough test. Wycombe travel to Reading, who badly need a win to revitalise their play-off hopes, while Wrexham will be at home to Burton, who desperately need a win for different reasons.
Whether we can further narrow the gap, perhaps shake free of Stockport at the same time, of course all remains to be seen. But as on Saturday we can take heart from what the team did last night, albeit for different reasons.