05/09/2007 - Mansfield Town 0 Rotherham 1
THE fact Mansfield are out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy this morning will not particularly concern manager Billy Dearden. What will, though, is the ever-decreasing number of central midfielders available to him.
With Jonathan D’Laryea still recovering from ankle surgery, Lee Bullock nursing a thigh strain and Lee Bell suspended, what the Stags boss wanted more than anything was to get through last night’s game without a further setback in the centre of the park.
So when Stephen Dawson limped off after just five minutes against the Millers with a hamstring injury, it handed Dearden another headache ahead of Sunday’s trip to promotion favourites Peterborough.
It will not be until later in the week that the true extent of the Irishman’s injury will become apparent and the decision taken on whether he will be fit to run out at London Road.
But if he and the on-loan Bullock are unable to play, it leaves Mansfield with none of their first-choice central midfielders available.
Wide men Dan Martin and Matt Hamshaw could take both of those vacant slots, leaving other players to come in on the flanks.
But if Dearden fails to bring in a new face before taking on the Posh, as he hopes to do when the window re-opens for emergency loans on Saturday, then he is more likely to utilise one of those two with Danny Sleath.
So often the 20-year-old from Derby has flattered to deceive in his first-team appearances despite impressing for the reserves, appearing to freeze on the big stage.
But for the first time last night, Sleath seemed comfortable with his game and showed flashes of why Mansfield have so much faith in him.
His passing was crisper and his touch on the ball more assured than in the games he played at the end of last season and his solitary start in this one at Morecambe. He even got his foot in when required as well.
The Stags fans will just hope it gives him the confidence to produce his best more often.
Sleath was not the only fringe player to be given a run out as Michael Boulding was rested along with Martin McIntosh, who had stitches above his eye following an injury picked up against Stockport.
New signing Ian Holmes was handed his full debut up front while Chris Wood and Nathan Arnold also started and Dan Martin played almost a full game as the early replacement for Dawson. Holmes was eager, but lacked the service to make any real impression, and Arnold again struggled to prove he is not just explosive off the bench.
But Wood looked more than competent at right-back while Martin came into the game more and more as it went on.
At no point were either side dominant, with Rotherham the better in the first half and Mansfield having the edge after the break.
But it was the Millers who carved out the clearest opportunities and scored the only goal – denying their hosts a sought-after clean sheet once more.
Andy Warrington’s shut-out at the other end was also the first occasion the Stags have failed to score this season, and it was not until 11 minutes from time he was forced to make a save of consequence.
After Rotherham’s Dale Tonge, Ryan Taylor and Danny Harrison had all been off target, Derek Holmes finally tested Muggleton in the 35th minute but the home keeper got across well to tip a shot from distance around his right-hand post. The nearest Mansfield came in the first period was a 30-yard effort from Sleath which dipped late but not enough to sneak under the crossbar.
It was four minutes after the restart the decisive moment came. Stephen Brogan’s free-kick found the head of central defender Ian Sharps and he headed into the top right-hand corner.
Marcus Bean should have sealed the Millers’ passage to round two on the hour but he fired wide of goal as Muggleton advanced.
That let-off set up an interesting finish as Mansfield piled bodies forward.
Martin came closest to finding a goal when his 25-yard volley was too hot for Warrington to hold but a Rotherham defender got back to clear as the home side’s attackers looked to pounce.
The defeat means the Stags’ only realistic chance of getting to Wembley – play-offs aside – has gone for another year.
But as Dawson’s injury in such a low-priority competition highlights, that may be no bad thing.