Mansfield equal club record as Hiram Boateng leads rout of Harrogate

Posted Wednesday, February 14, 2024 by PA

Mansfield closed in on top spot in League Two as they equalled the club’s all-time record league win from 1932 by destroying in-form Harrogate by an astonishing 9-2 scoreline.

The visitors had won four and drawn two of their last six but were simply blown away, Hiram Boateng scoring a hat-trick in the highest-scoring Football League game since 2011.

From the 13th minute when Lucas Akins buried a home penalty after Derrick Abu had hauled down Baily Cargill, the Stags never looked back in a one-sided first half.

It was 2-0 on 20 minutes as Boateng won a tackle 25 yards out, ran to the edge of the box and slammed home a powerful finish.

On the half-hour Davis Keillor-Dunn’s square pass 18 yards out set up Boateng for his second and four minutes later Stephen Quinn set up Tom Nichols to roll home a fourth after Jordan Bowery had crossed.

Harrogate were reeling and conceded a fifth on 39 minutes as Nichols laid the ball invitingly into space for Keillor-Dunn to easily slot home his 16th goal of the season.

Boateng then completed his hat-trick five minutes after the break from six yards from Will Swan’s pass.

But the visitors were cheered by two goals in just over a minute as George Thomson clinically finished on the break on 54 minutes before Abraham Odoh turned home the rebound after Josh March had hit the post.

However, on 61 minutes Akins saw a shot deflect in for number seven from a George Maris through-ball.

On 75 minutes substitute Swan scored with a fantastic finish across the keeper from 25 yards and he netted again two minutes later, turning home Aaron Lewis’ ball for the ninth.