Mansfield ran out 2-0 victors in their derby against Notts County
MANSFIELD Town star CJ Hamilton’s brace made sure there would be no upset in the big local derby as the in-form Stags saw off struggling Notts County.
Despite having new manager Neil Ardley in charge for the first time in League Two, the Stags swept Notts aside to chalk up a 13th unbeaten league game – Stags’ best run for 42 years.
Mansfield also stretched their unbeaten run against their bitter foes to make it 12 league games.
“You could argue looking at the table that it was going to be a forgone conclusion,” said Mansfield boss David Flitcroft.
“But these things are never foregone conclusions. Things happen in derbies all the time.
“Neil Ardley, a great football man, has come in and you always get a big lift from that.
“But that lift didn’t turn into enough to give us any real problems.
“The bravery of the back three and the keeper to play the ball out under pressure gave us the foundation to go on and win the game.
“The lads were brilliant and all credit to them as they’ve put the work in this week.”
Stags on-loan frontman Tyler Walker fired wide from a great position and veteran midfielder Neal Bishop was then denied by County goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons’ legs after being sent clear by a fantastic pass by Jacob Mellis.
At the other end, home keeper Bobby Olejnik twice denied ex-Stag Nathan Thomas and also saved from Will Patching.
But the deadlock was broken after 37 minutes when Mal Benning hoisted the ball to the far post from the left and the alert Hamilton ran in to turn it home. The lively Hamilton then rattled the Notts crossbar as Stags began the second half on the front foot, before he doubled the lead just past the hour mark, making space to fire home low from 10 yards after Mellis had fed him from the right.
Notts could not muster any sort of reply and never looked like getting anything from the game.
New incumbent Ardley said: “I thought in the end they were the better team. For the first 35 minutes it was a good game and our game plan worked well. Either team could have scored.
“We had two one-on-ones, Nathan Thomas and Will Patching both got in, and you have to take those chances.
“It could have been very different – goals change games.
“As we started to chase the game, it got a bit stretched and they’ve got a lot of pace and movement.
“In the two games I’ve been here we’ve been good in the first half and not so good in the second, so that’s something we need to address. But we will be all right.
“We just need to work hard at it and we will turn it around. There are good players here and we will get it right.”