Junior Daniel straight in as Mansfield Town make three changes at Newport County

Junior Daniel made an immediate return to action for Mansfield Town this afternoon at Newport County.
Junior Daniel.Junior Daniel.
Junior Daniel.

The former Stags star returned on loan from Port Vale in midweek and was one of three changes to the side today.

With centre half Krystian Pearce suspended, after a midweek appeal was thrown out, Stag went with a back four with Jamie McGuire sitting in front of them in place of former Newport man Adam Chapman.

Also out the side went striker Chris Beardsley as James Baxendale came back in to sit behind Matt Green with the versatile Daniel employed in midfield.

The Newport pitch had 40 tons of sand on it to get the game on and Stags boss Adam Murray smiled: “It’s a bit like a beach. It’s different.

“But three teams play on it and it can’t be helped. It’s just one of those things and it will be the same for both teams.

“They will be a bit more used to it than we are. But we will get on with it and we are not using it as an excuse.”

NEWPORT: Day, Holmes, Barrow, Jones, Davies, Elito, Wilkinson, Hughes, Ayina, Boden, Byrne. Subs: Green, Klukowski, Donacien, Morgan, Owen-Evans, Parselle, Meechan.

STAGS: Shearer, Alfei, Collins, Tafazolli, Benning, McGuire, Clements, Blair, Daniel, Baxendale, Green. Subs: Jensen, Thomas, Rose, Beardsley, Yussuf, Kavanagh, Chapman.

REFEREE: Gavin Ward of Surrey.