REPORT: Mansfield Town 0-0 Swindon Town

Despite an off day in today's 0-0 home draw with Swindon Town, Mansfield Town at least extended their unbeaten League Two run to 16 games.
Action from Mansfield v Swindon.Action from Mansfield v Swindon.
Action from Mansfield v Swindon.

The result was also enough to keep them in the top three promotion places.

After some sparkling recent displays, the Stags, unchanged for a fourth game in a row, looked a little jaded and short on ideas against a well-drilled Swindon Town side who deserved their point.

Neal Bishop did all he could to inspire his side from central midfield but with usually impeccable skipper Krystian Pearce making several potentially-costly errors, fans could see it was simply one of those days.

Over 5,000 home fans packed in for the clash but were unable to rouse their heroes into a breakthrough.

Hamilton had a shot blocked and Walker saw another effort deflect onto the roof of the net in a hectic opening spell.

But Mansfield had a let-off on 11 minutes from Swindon's first raid as Pearce was robbed of the ball by Adebayo, to set up Anderson for a firm low shot that Logan blocked with a solid, outstretched hand.

White put in a dangerous low cross on 14 minutes that neither Hamilton nor Walker were able to turn home as Mansfield resumed their offensive.

Then Mellis cued up Walker for a shot that deflected inches wide with Benning's blast blocked from the corner.

Elsnik had Vigouroux worried with a 30-yard daisycutter that he managed to eventually secure.

It was all Stags now and Benning had another effort blocked from Hamilton's pull-back.

McCourt, already irate to be brought down and no card shown seconds earlier, then tripped Bishop and was shown the first yellow card on 22 minutes.

On 25 minutes it was Swindon who again came closer as veteran Taylor curled a free kick over the wall from 30 yards that saw Logan tip into the bar as it began to dip over him to spark the first of three corner kicks for the visitors.

Pearce again put his side in danger on 32 minutes as he dallied on the ball in his own box and Adebayo almost robbed him in front of goal, Logan dropping onto the ball to smother the danger before he and Pearce furiously squared up nose to nose over the incident.

Stags looked shaken for a few seconds but regained their composure as Walker rolled an inviting ball to White, whose deflected shot beat keeper and post.

Preston saw his powerful header saved from the corner, then Walker forced a save from distance with his dipping shot as they turned up the heat on the Robins once more.

But, after Elsnik had cut in to fire over, once again Swindon came desperately close after a loose clearance from Sweeney. The ball was worked to Anderson on the left of the box whose first effort was saved and his follow-up over the bar.

A well-worked Swindon corner right on half-time ended with no power on Anderson's close range prod, making the save easy for Logan.

But the visitors went in the more pleased with their first half work.

Incredibly another Pearce error almost let Anderson in just after the break, the striker losing control eventually before shooting.

Doughty was cautioned for bringing down Bishop on 54 minutes and six minutes later Stags threw on Khan for Elsnik as they looked for a chink in the Robins' armour.

Another effort from distance by Walker had Vigouroux scrambling for the save on 67 minutes.

On 73 minutes Pearce was again caught out and tripped Woolery as he tried to race away from him but escaped with just a yellow card.

Sub Richards flicked a header over from a Knoyle cross with 15 minutes to as both sides looked for a winner.

Swindon boss Wellens was reported to the referee for verbals on 78 minutes and he was duly booked before Benning was sacrificed to get Rose on the field as an extra striker for the last 12 minutes.

Within a minute Walker was too high at the end of a fine home counter-attack.

On 86 minutes Hamilton, from wide on the left, forced Vigouroux to save at his near post.

Nelson needed treatment for a head injury and seconds later got his head in the way of a ferocious Mellis blast to need more attention.

In the four added minutes Stags forced a couple of thrilling scrambles while McCourt was inches wide at the other end on the break as it rightly ended honours even.

MANSFIELD: Logan; Preston, Pearce, Sweeney; White, Bishop, Mellis, Elsnik (Khan 60), Benning (Rose 78); Hamilton, Walker. Subs not used: Kean, Graham, Atkinson, Butcher, Law.

SWINDON: Vigouroux, Knoyle, Nelson, Woolfenden, Taylor, Conroy, McCourt, Doughty, Anderson, Woolery, Adebayo (Richards 65). Subs not used: McCormick, Smith, Iandolo, Dunne, Twine, McGlashan.

REFEREE: Trevor Kettle of Rutland.

ATTENDANCE: 5,311 (486 away).

CHAD STAGS MAN OF THE MATCH: Neal Bishop.