Mansfield 3-1 Hartlepool: Match Report

21 November 2015 18:01

Matt Green on target as Mansfield end five-game winless run

Matt Green scored twice as Mansfield ended a five-game goal drought with a 3-1 win at home to Hartlepool, to record a first win in five for the Stags.

Green ended the 474-minute wait with the opener and, after Pools levelled with a bizarre own goal from Krystian Pearce, substitute Adi Yussuf and Green again secured the win.

Hartlepool almost drew first blood when Brian Jensen had to claw an 11th minute effort from Rakish Bingham against the crossbar.

However Mansfield grew into the game and, after Green had just failed to turn home a low Nathan Thomas cross and Craig Westcarr had bundled a finish wide, finally went ahead on 24 minutes.

Thomas curled in an enticing, low cross from the left and Green threw himself at it to beat keeper Trevor Carson and force the ball home.

The hosts failed to make their pressure count and were caught on on 37 minutes when Blair Adams' clearance hit team-mate Pearce and sailed into his own net.

Mansfield threw on sub Yussuf on 55 minutes and within three minutes he had restored their lead, turning onto a long throw from the left and smashing the ball into the top right corner from 20 yards.

Green then sealed the win nine minutes from time with a close-range slot home from Yussuf's pass, before Jake Carroll rattled the home bar in the dying moments.


Source: PA