Mansfield ease past Grimsby in Carabao Cup first round

Posted Wednesday, August 09, 2023 by PA

Mansfield powered into the Carabao Cup second round for the first time in five years with a convincing 2-0 home win over Grimsby.

Mansfield dominated the first half and led through a Lucas Akins penalty on 27 minutes, sending keeper Harvey Cartwright the wrong way after Cartwright had brought him down following a loose touch on a back pass.

Early on, Abo Eisa made a brilliant block to deny Stephen Quinn while Luke Waterfall cleared an Aden Flint header off the line.

Davis Keillor-Dunn then sent Rhys Oates clear down the centre on 18 minutes but he blazed horribly over.

Akins could have had a first-half hat-trick, firing over on 19 minutes and forcing a save from Cartwright on 31 minutes.

Ex-Stag Danny Rose almost levelled against the run of play, but Christy Pym pushed away his header from a 38th-minute corner.

Aaron Lewis and Keillor-Dunn then both wasted great Mansfield chances late in the half, Cartwright saving from Lewis at the far post and Keillor-Dunn firing over a gaping goal from Akins’ square ball.

Constant early second-half pressure saw the Stags seal the win on 55 minutes as Keillor-Dunn’s square pass saw Oates wriggle into the box and dispatch a low finish from 12 yards off the outside of his boot.