FLETCHER DOUBLE SECURES A POINT FOR PARKGATE

AFC MANSFIELD 2 V PARKGATE 2
NCEL PREMIER @ FOREST TOWN ARENA
16 NOVEMBER --- 7.45PM

EXTRA LIGHTING AT THE FOREST TOWN ARENA

A double strike from substitute Craig Fletcher secured bottom club an unexpected point at Mansfield but it will be a blessing for recently appointed manager Graham Nicholas who will see a turn a round following this creditable performance.
Night time games are always a challenge for the blog with public transport a constant issue however one of the enjoyable reasons for a visit to Mansfield is the superb, there's 2 words you don't normally here in a sentence associated with Mansfield, bus station.  Its a middle sided affair which is well staffed with a shop open until 7pm for any tea time provisions the sad thing is a decreasing amount of evening buses.

FINE EXAMPLE OF A NEW BUS STATION

The 15a dropped me off ten minutes after departure and just after 7.30pm the ground beckoned first thing of note was the new turnstile block under construction and The Bulls are also planning a new Atcost stand at the opposite end to their current stand.  I wont describe the ground again its not one of my favourites for viewing but their a friendly bunch and Bullys snack bar is an asset with a chip cob sampled tonight just for those wondering about my diet.
The evening was spent in the company of Tony from Heanor Town's their media man and we spent most of the evening around the raised area by the corner flag to help viewing.

DEVELOPMENTS AT AFC MANSFIELD

The Bulls took a lead after 15 minutes with Gary Bradshaw firing the home side ahead but it was Parkgate who threatened and Myles Wright the Mansfield number 1 was alert on more than one occasion to deny the visitors.
We started the second half expecting AFC to extend their lead but 15 minutes into the 2nd half Parkgate were level thanks to substitute Fletcher who lashed home a superb edge of the box finish.  Mansfield re took the lead on 70 minutes with their own substitute Ryan Williams providing the cross off the left for Oliver Fearon to rise and head home.  With eleven minutes remaining it was all square again and that man Fletcher was on hand to fire home the loose ball to set of scenes of joy on the visitors bench.
This was probably a fair result with some real determination showed from the Parkgate players as for AFC Mansfield its a little blip in a game they failed to close out after that early lead.