Mansfield edge Carlisle to stay unbeaten

Posted Sunday, September 02, 2018 by PA

Mansfield continued their unbeaten start and ended a run of four draws as Tyler Walker’s penalty halted visiting Carlisle’s run of three straight Sky Bet League Two wins with a deserved 1-0 victory.

Town dominated the first half and keeper Adam Collin kept out Walker’s low 20-yard shot in the fifth minute while Gary Liddle cleared a Danny Rose header off the line from a 23rd-minute corner.

Stags had two great chances just before the break, but when Otis Khan sent CJ Hamilton clear on 44 minutes, Collin denied him with his legs, then Matt Preston saw his stoppage-time header from a corner bounce up and over off the turf.

The hosts finally went ahead from their third chance in as many minutes after the break.

After Rose had shot wide and seen Collin deny him with his legs, Hamilton was brought down by Jamie Devitt in the box on 55 minutes and Walker’s spot-kick sent Collin the wrong way.

Craig Davies wasted a great chance to lob a second on 70 minutes and on 82 minutes Khan hit a post and Walker blazed the close-range follow-up wide.

However, home keeper Bobby Olejnik was needed in added time to tip over a Jerry Yates header.