Mansfield Town vs Oldham Athletic. Sky Bet League Two.
One Call StadiumAttendance4,368.
Saturday 12 October 2019 17:58, UK
Nicky Maynard claimed a first-half hat-trick as clinical Mansfield destroyed nine-man Oldham 6-1 in Saturday's Sky Bet League Two clash.
Maynard had already netted twice when Latics had two men sent off in a sensational 37th minute - and the Stags then turned the screw.
Mansfield's early dominance had been rewarded when Maynard headed home a superb Kellan Gordon cross from five yards out.
He made it 2-0 three minutes later, this time tapping home from close range after Otis Khan had got to the left by-line and drilled the ball across the face of goal.
But after 37 minutes, Oldham lost their heads as the already-booked Filipe Morais went in late on Neal Bishop, whose pass reached Mal Benning, who was in turn hit by an awful Tomas Egert challenge. Morais was shown a second yellow card and Egert earned a straight red.
However, an error by goalkeeper Conrad Logan flapping at a cross gifted the nine men a goal after 43 minutes.
Tom Hamer tucked the loose ball away to reduce the deficit but - moments later - Maynard raced away onto a Conor Shaughnessy through-ball in stoppage time and rounded the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time.
After 56 minutes, a soft low cross from Benning somehow eluded defence and keeper and rolled into the net off Oldham defender David Wheater as Mansfield extended their advantage before a home breakaway saw Maynard set up Dapo Afolayan to roll home a fifth.
Oldham's misery continued as substitute Dylan Fage was carried off on a stretcher before teenage substitute Jimmy Knowles bagged his first league goal with a cool penalty after Hamer had brought down Afolayan with six minutes remaining.