Lame Cats upstaged by Stags
PHIL PARKINSON questioned the desire of his Sunderland strikers as lowly Mansfield grabbed their first win of the season at the 15th attempt.
The Wearsiders were out-fought by the League Two strugglers who had not won a game in any competition all season, l osing seven and drawing seven, before inflicting this Cup upset.
With new Stags boss Nigel Clough, Sunderland born, watching in the stands, Mansf i e ld produced a magnificent display.
And Clough said: “Richard Cooper and the lads have done brilliantly.” And caretaker- manager
Cooper added: “To come to a stadium like this and get that victory means a lot. We showed togetherness, commitment – it had everything.”
Whi le Parkinson moaned: “We had enough chances to score. We have to look at the movement and desire. If you put 38 crosses into the box, that should end up in at least two to three goals.
“Mansf i el d were lifted by their new manager coming in. But we had to rise above that.”
Outside the Stadium of Light the statue of 1973 FA Cup-winning manager Bob Stokoe is a painful reminder of what the club used to be.
And, after weathering the Sunderland storm in the first half, Mansfield took the lead through George Lapslie, on loan from Charlton, his second goal of the week.
He sprung ahead of Dion Sanderson, rising to head home from 12 yards out after a brilliant cross from Kellan George on the right.
Then they soaked up Sunderland’s attacking play that lacked imagination and urgency.
Charlie Wyke went closest for the home side in the dying minutes.
Matthews 5; McLaughlin 4, Flanagan 4, Sanderson 4; Diamond 6, Power 4, Dobson 4, McFadzean 6 (O’Brien 75); Maguire 4 (Embleton 65), Graham 4 (Wyke 65), Grigg 4. Unused subs: Burge, Willis, Leadbitter, Neil MANSFIELD: Stech 7; Gordon 7, Rawson 7, Perch 7, Benning 7; Maris 7, Lapslie 7, Charsley 7; McLaughlin 7, Bowery 8, Maynard 7 (O’Keeffe 81).
Unused subs: Stone, Menayese, Cook, O’Driscoll, Reid, Sinclair
MAN OF THE MATCH: George Lapslie. Produced the one moment of quality with a wonderful header for a rare win. REFEREE: Anthony Backhouse 7.
SUNDERLAND: