Salford City vs Mansfield Town; Sky Bet League Two
Salford City vs Mansfield Town. Sky Bet League Two.
Moor LaneAttendance3,281.
Salford City 1
- M Smith (22nd minute)
Mansfield Town 2
- J Bowery (19th minute)
- D Keillor-Dunn (37th minute)
Saturday 11 November 2023 18:51, UK
Mansfield moved into the League Two automatic promotion places with a 2-1 win at Salford.
The Stags recorded a fourth straight league win as they preserved their unbeaten record in the fourth tier this season.
Nigel Clough's side - who are joined only by Portsmouth in not suffering a defeat in the Football League this term - landed the first blow when they took the lead in the 19th minute.
Jordan Bowery handed the visitors the upper hand when he advanced forward and finished emphatically beyond a helpless Alex Cairns.
However, their lead proved short-lived as the Ammies responded almost instantly thanks to the division's top scorer Matt Smith.
Named League Two player of the month for October, the 34-year-old rose highest to head home his 13th goal of the campaign.
Mansfield again re-established control, though, and they regained the lead before the interval through Davis Keillor-Dunn's volley from close range.
Salford should have secured another immediate reply, but Matthew Lund was thwarted by a miraculous reflex stop by Christy Pym.
And an inspired Pym handled the hosts' onslaught to protect a valuable three points in the Stags' promotion push.