Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough brings his Stags side into Rovers’ second round Emirates FA Cup match in good form.
Mansfield have won six of their last seven in all competitions, including a 2-1 win away to Crawley Town in their last Sky Bet League Two match last week.
When it comes this competition, the “Magic of the Cup” is already in form with Mansfield Town as they have already taken down a higher division foe, defeating Sky Bet League One opponent Sunderland 2-1 in the first round at the Stadium of Light.
Since the 2013/14 season, Mansfield Town have a record of seven wins, seven losses and five draws. Incredibly every draw has resulted in a replay loss for the Stags.
The club reached the third round of the FA Cup in 2020/21, before bowing out of the cup to Cheltenham Town by a 2-1 score. They also reached the third round during the 2017/18 of the FA Cup, before losing 4-1 to Championship side Cardiff City.
The club’s largest FA Cup win in recent years was an 8-1 defeat of St. Albans in the first round of the 2013/14 FA Cup run.
One of the most memorable FA Cup runs for the Stags came in 2012/13, when a 2-1 win over Lincoln City set up a third-round showdown with Liverpool. Mansfield Town would fall short in a 2-1 loss, with the difference between the two sides being a controversial Luis Suarez goal which allowed the Premier League side to advance further in the competition. That same season, the Stags sealed promotion back to the EFL by winning the Vanarama National League title with a 1-0 win against Wrexham on April 20.
In League Two this season, Clough’s side currently sit 15th in the table on 23 points. The Stags have won six, lost eight and drawn five in the league. In their last 15 games across all competitions, the Stags have won six, lost five and drawn four.
However, the recent run is one which the manager and supporters hope will continue.
In November, Mansfield Town dropped points in just one league fixture, and won five-of-six across all competitions. This includes the previously mentioned FA Cup over Sunderland, in addition to a Papa John’s Trophy victory against the Newcastle U21 team. The only setback in the last seven games – a 2-0 defeat away to Sutton United on November 23.
With Mansfield Town applying their trade in League Two since returning to the EFL, Rovers and the Stags have met just three times since the 2013/14 campaign. The two sides last met in April 2017, with Rovers taking all three points in a League Two fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium. Earlier that season, the sides played to a 1-1 draw at Field Mill (One Call Stadium), while the first meeting of the year saw Rovers stake a 2-0 win away to Mansfield Town in the Papa John’s Trophy.