Heartbreak for AFC Mansfield as they crashed out of the Emirates FA Cup under dubious circumstances with a penalty in the final 2 minutes converted by Ollie Brown-Hill.
It was a pulsating cup game from the off and both sides were in no mood to lose this one. This was borne out by early bookings for both sides, a sign possibly of the referee’s intent to control the game.
AFC Mansfield took the lead on 12 minutes. A superb Ryan Wiliams free-kick found Matt Plummer whose effort was palmed away by Sam Donkin in the Stamford goal. Unfortunately, only as far as Ollie Fearon who fired into the roof of the net.
Video courtesy of Darren Shaw
Glyn Cotton tried his luck from 20 yards covered well by Donkin and at the other end a neat turn by Jevani Smith was wasted as he blazed his effort over the bar.
Stamford put an immense amount of pressure on the Mansfield goal but could not break them down and the half ended with the home side in front.
But it all went wrong for The Bulls in the 2nd half, first Ryan Robbins equalised around the hour mark and then Ollie Fearon was sent off for reacting to a late challenge on 65. It was a good finish from Robbins who controlled a long ball with one touch and then fired past Jason White from just inside the box. Fearon was incensed with the high tackle with studs showing and lashed out in retaliation.
The Bulls though looked just as good with 10 men and continued to take the game to Stamford. Captain Chris Timons was unlucky when his header came back off the post from a Jimmy Ghaichem cross. Ghaichem was having a superb game and was causing Stamford all sorts of problems to such an extent that the extra man was used to double up on him.
The Referee eventually evened it up sending off Stamford Captain Jordan Smith for an off the ball elbow on Jimmy Ghaichem. From the resulting free-kick Bradshaw clipped the bar with a curling effort that had beaten Donkin.
The game looked to be heading for a replay and in fairness both teams deserved another crack at it. But the final say came from a referee that neither side took a shine to and its Stamford who will be in the draw on Monday. Ghaichem won a header in his own box and off balance fell on the floor with the ball traveling 10 yards away, as he rolled over to get up Brown-Hill tripped over his legs and unbelievably the referee pointed to the spot.
Video courtesy of Darren Shaw
As Chairman Andy Saunders had said earlier “Some teams have been around for a hundred years and never got this far in the competition. As for The Bulls they have the FA Vase to go for and will be looking to get a run going in that. Before that the small matter of Worksop Town visiting The Forest Town Arena next Saturday, which promises to be another entertaining game.
AFC Mansfield: White, Plummer, Dudley, Allott, Timions (C), D’Laryea, Williams (Karkach 82), Cotton, Fearon, Bradshaw, Ghaichem. Subs not used: Wilson, Madin, Annable, Wright & Naylor.
Referee: Mr Robbie Dadley (Leics.)
Assistants: Mr Adam Brierley-Lewis (Leics.) & Mr Anthony Quinn (Leics.)
Attendance: 220
MoM: Jimmy Ghaichem