06/08/2007 - Mansfield Town 0 Huddersfield Town 4
Mansfield Town's final home pre-season friendly was a big disappointment for the crowd of 1,363 who saw them lose 4-0 to League One team Huddersfield Town.
There had been little to choose between the sides in the early stages, with Huddersfield's academy product Michael Collins latching on to a Danny Cadamarteri through ball to fire just wide of the post.
Stags then turned the tables and forced visiting keeper Matthew Glennon to make two saves in quick succession, initially from a Stephen Dawson shot and then again moments later as former Huddersfield favourite John McAliskey attempted to steer home the follow-up.
Huddersfield half-heartedly appealed for a penalty when Luke Bennett, who had scored twice in a 2-1 mid-week victory over Blackburn Rovers, felt his close-range header had been handled, but his complaints turned to celebrations when after 24 minutes he nodded home Frank Sinclair's cross to open the scoring.
Mansfield's central defensive signing Martin McIntosh saw his hopes of scoring against his former team-mates dashed when his low free-kick was turned away by the Terrier's stopper.
As half-time neared, Huddersfield pressed again. A 20-yard screamer from Cadamarteri brought a full-stretch save from White, and was followed closely by another Beckett attempt, which went in but was rightly ruled out for offside.
That mattered little, however, when Andy Holdsworth doubled the visitors' lead in the 38th minute, calmly slotting home from 15 yards after former Chelsea star Sinclair had pulled the ball back nicely from the dead-ball line.
A snap shot from Mansfield's Mickey Boulding in the dying minutes of the half flashed wide of Glennon's right-hand post and Stags trooped off at the break two goals behind.
Early in the second period former Terrier McAliskey twice saw headers saved while Dawson teased the visiting defenders before sending his attempt wide of the target.
One more effort from Boulding, this time an angled shot, was held by the Huddersfield keeper before substitute Lucas Akins made it 3-0, tapping in from close range after Mansfield had failed to clear a Joe Skarz corner.
An hour had elapsed when Akins, scored his first goal for Huddersfield, having replaced Cadamarteri three minutes earlier.
With the game moving into its final quarter Boulding was again denied by Glennon, this time after finding himself in a one-on-one situation. His effort was blocked by the legs of the advancing keeper.
Despite creating a fair few scoring opportunities it was becoming increasingly apparent this was not going to be the Stags' day, and to compound matters they conceded a fourth in the 72nd minute when Sierra Leone international Malvin Kamara converted a cross from substitute Matthew Young, who shortly afterwards, along with Akins, saw shots well saved by Mansfield keeper White.
Stags have one more pre-season game, away at Matlock Town tonight, before the real action gets under way at Brentford next weekend.
Mansfield: White, John-Baptiste (Mullins 70), Buxton, McIntosh, Jellyman, Hamshaw, Bell, Dawson, Martin (Arnold 27), McAliskey (Reet 70), Boulding.
Huddersfield: Glennon, Sinclair (Young 67), Murfin, Clarke, Skarz, Kamara, Collins (Bailey 83), Holdsworth, Schofield (Brandon 67), Beckett (Hardy 67), Cadamarteri (Akins 57).
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton)
Attendance: 1,363