Newport County 0-1 Mansfield Town: Stags go clear at League Two summit after hard-fought win

By Michael Addison

Mansfield Town moved three points clear at the top of League Two with a 1-0 win over Newport County at Rodney Parade.

George Maris’ ninth goal of the season five minutes into the second half was enough to give the Stags all three points.

Newport’s best chance of the first half came through Bryn Morris. Good work by Seb Palmer-Houlden and Will Evans, saw the ball fall to Morris, his shot deflecting for a corner.

Mansfield’s Davis Keillor-Dunn had a chance to open the scoring when he was on the end of a sliced clearance by Newport defender Kyle Jameson, but his header was claimed by Nick Townsend.

The Stags stayed on top and Keillor Dunn, who has scored 17 goals in League Two this season, was in on goal, almost catching Townsend off his line, but the goalkeeper managed to get down to his left.

Then Ollie Clarke found himself one-on-one with Townsend after being set up by Keillor-Dunn, but his tame effort was grabbed by the Newport number one.

Newport started the second half brightly when Adam Lewis’ looping cross was pushed out for a corner by Mansfield goalkeeper Christie Pym.

However, Mansfield almost took the lead when George Williams’ cross was met by the unmarked Hiram Boateng, but his header went over the bar.

The visitors’ next attack led to the game’s opener.

Good work by Bailey Cargill down the left-hand side saw a cross met by Maris who put the league leaders ahead.

Maris almost made it two when he found in space, but his effort went over the bar, not even testing Townsend.

Newport tried in vain to find an equaliser, but were thwarted by the visitors.

Morris managed to get the ball down where substitute Harry Charsley could not find a pass and was intercepted.

In fact, Keillor-Dunn could have given Mansfield breathing space when he was left one-on-one with Townsend, but was denied his 18th of the season.

This was quickly followed by Cargill’s driving run which ended up with him testing Townsend, only to be denied.

Defeat for Newport sees them drop down to 12th in the table with 49 points, Mansfield are top with 66.