As well fancied, well funded and star studded Mansfield arrived at the Globe, they stood just three places above us in the table. Something that has made them sack one manager and appoint another, to be real advantage so far it has to be said.

In a wind affected half, both sides struggled a little to keep the ball in the ground. The Shrimps has a golden chance when Stockton couldn’t quite reach a a Greta cross from Phillips after great movement. The Stags earned a couple of corners which gave us all the panics but otherwise it was a half of throw ins and goal kicks and goalless.

The second half opened in the same vein, but the Stags played a canny game pushing their full backs further forward. We pushed hard with Phillips pulling the strings but chances came and went, mostly over the home end as we couldn’t get an effort on target. On 60 minutes, a corner was headed goalward, Mafoumbi saved, then let the ball go and Riley pounced to open the scoring. Given Mansfield’s recent form they celebrated as if they had won the cup.

DA shuffled the pack, going three at the back and pushing our full backs further forward and this wrestled the initiative back our way. Pressure built, Olympic class time wasting from their keeper, a string of corners finally lead to a deserved equaliser.  Of all payers, Alex Kenyon read the wind better than anyone and side foot volleyed home from a Cranston corner.

Not a great game but we again proved we are hard to beat at home and DA is proving adept at changing the team and formation to get results. Oh and Cheatenage lost, so we open the gap a point more.