STAGS RETRO: Coventry clashes a rarity for Stags

1975/76 Stags v Coventry - Ray Clarke scores.

The sides have only clashed eight times in their histories with only six of those being in Football League action and the last two being in the League Cup.

Indeed, it is almost 42 years since they last crossed swords which was a League Cup tie at Field Mill in 1975/76.

Our memory match photo this week shows Ray Clarke scoring one of the two goals that earned the Stags a 2-0 victory on 8th October 1975 to take them into round four.

Clarke struck in the very first minute after keeper Brian King had failed to hold Gordon Hodgson’s corner, which had been helped on by Kevin Bird.

While down to 10 men, with Ian MacKenzie being treated for a knock, Terry Eccles popped up with the second goal to send a big crowd of 10,027 home happy as Dave Smith’s side ploughed their way on to beat Wolves in found four before a fifth round exit at the hands of Manchester City.

The win over Coventry was only Mansfield’s second in a major competition against First Division opposition and their first time past round three of the competition.

The last League meeting with Coventry was in February 1964.