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

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.

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 third in the table, within a point of Notts – who later slipped to second after being overtaken at the top by Stockport County, who beat Harrogate for a seventh successive league win.

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.

Nott County boss Luke Williams told BBC Radio Nottingham:

“I thought we started the game brilliantly, we just couldn’t maintain that level.

“I think we played the best team since I have been at this club. There was a noticeable difference and that was reflected in the scoreline.

“Nothing changed, we just couldn’t maintain that level of quality and speed of our play and our opposition played man to man against us which proved to be a brilliant tactic.

“Everyone had to take the ball under more pressure and they came out on top, way on top.”

Mansfield Town assistant manager Andy Garner told BBC Radio Nottingham:

“Absolutely, it was an outstanding performance.

“We were gutted to go 1-0 down after three minutes. It took about 10 minutes for us to sort ourselves out and realise what we wanted to do and after that I thought we were outstanding.

“But we can play better. There have been games that we have drawn this season that we have played a lot better in.

“I’m not being over the top, we want to play better than we have just then, but we scored a couple of fantastic goals and they win you football matches.”