Luke Southwood made himself an instant hit on his Wanderers’ debut with two superb penalty saves to help the Whites come back from the dead and go through to the second round of the Carabao Cup, writes Pete Oliver.
After a superb strike from George Thomason had been cancelled out late on by Mansfield substitute Davis Keillor-Dunn to set up a penalty shoot-out, the Whites looked to be heading out.
Thomason’s fortunes changed when his spot-kick was saved and Randell Williams blasted his effort over the bar to leave the visitors on the brink of victory.
But after two wins on penalties in last season’s run to the fourth round, the Stags failed to take either of their chances to complete a hat-trick as Hiram Boateng shot over the top and Aaron Lewis saw his attempt superbly saved by Southwood.
With Dion Charles’ successful effort therefore enough to set up sudden death – after Victor Adeboyejo and Aaron Collins had also scored – Jay Matete and Josh Dacres-Cogley kept their cool to tip the balance back Wanderers’ way.
And even though Callum MacDonald slotted home to prolong the drama, the save of the night from Southwood to claw away the 14th penalty of the shoot-out taken by Will Swann proved the clincher as Ian Evatt’s men dramatically booked their place in round two for the fourth successive year to continue their upbeat start to the season.
Wanderers had retained just two players that started Saturday’s opening-day win as Evatt took the opportunity to give chances and game time to those returning from injury and others recently in the door.
Scott Arfield and Ricardo Almeida Santos were the duo on duty again with Santos playing 45 minutes as planned between defensive partners George Johnston – tasting his first competitive football in over a year – and debutant Chris Forino.
Both had work to do at times as Mansfield were lively on the break without working Southwood before the interval on his first outing in a Whites’ shirt.
Will Evans lifted the Stags best chance over the top, while Wanderers had more sights of goal without being able to test Christy Pym at the other end as their re-shaped side took time to gel.
Aaron Morley, John McAtee and Matete all had efforts from distance with McAtee also creating the clearest opening yet for the threatening Adeboyejo, who dragged his shot just wide as he looked to follow up his weekend winner at Leyton Orient.
Neither side had mustered a serious effort on target but that changed eight minutes into the second half following a lively start from the Stags, who had also started their first League One campaign in more than 20 years with a win.
Swan was given space to release a low drive which was well saved by Southwood, with Evans given off-side as he poked the rebound into the net.
With just over an hour gone and Wanderers needing to regain the initiative, Evatt made three further changes and all three substitutes were involved in the opening goal.
After Charles and Collins had linked up on the break, Charles was fouled by Deji Oshilaja to earn a free-kick just outside the penalty area.
Thomason’s initial effort was blocked but after winning the ball straight back, the midfielder took aim and curled a beauty into the top corner from 20 yards out.
That looked a worthy winner but with eight minutes to go Mansfield hit back through Keillor-Dunn as the Stags’ top scorer in last season’s promotion success coolly slotted home.
Stung by that and the prospect of a shoot-out, Wanderers suddenly went up a gear in search of the deciding goal with arguably their best spell of the game.
Helped by Matete and the free-running Jordi Osei-Tutu – who both showed positive signs on debut – the dangerous duo of Charles and Collins opened up the Town defence for Collins to twice bring saves out of Pym.
Osei-Tutu also fired just wide but the real excitement was still to come as Southwood – whose four penalty saves for Cheltenham last season was the highest tally in League One – took centre stage to announce himself as a Wanderers’ player.
Wanderers: Southwood; Forino (Dacres-Cogley 73), Almeida Santos (Toal HT), Johnston; Osei-Tutu; Matete, Morley (Thomason 62), Williams; Arfield (Collins 62), Adeboyejo, McAtee (Charles 62). Substitutes: Coleman, Iredale, Sheehan, Schön.
Booked: Johnston, McAtee, Evatt
Mansfield Town: Pym; Williams, Flint (Oshilaja HT), McLaughlin (Bowery HT), MacDonald; Boateng; Lewis, Nichols; Swan, Evans (Gregory 63), B Quinn (Keillor-Dunn 63). Substitutes: Flinders, Hewitt, Akins, Baccus, Flanagan.
Booked: MacDonald, Oshilaja, Boateng, Keillor-Dunn
Referee: Adam Herczeg
Attendance: 4,131 (547 away)