Jason Pearcey frustrated Fulham with a fine goalkeeping display at Craven Cottage this afternoon as Mansfield Town ended their seven game losing streak away from home with a battling point by the banks of the Thames.
The Stags goalkeeper, rewarded a new contract in the run-up to this game by Mansfield manager George Foster, produced two superb saves to deny Lee Tierling and Sean Farrell. With the visiting defence marvellously marshalled by the excellent Chris Withe, the closest the Cottagers came to breaking the deadlock was actually in the very first minute when Pearcey was beaten by his own man – but Alan Walker’s attempted headed clearance came back off the crossbar and rebounded to safety.
Don Mackay’s man enjoyed the most of the possession but struggled for penetration with Mark Cooper’s performance in midfield a particular disappointment. The Stags created little in the final third themselves but might have snatched an unlikely win late on when Wayne Fairclough rounded Jim Stannard but cut the ball back for the unmarked Ian Stringfellow rather than shooting from an acute angle, allowing a grateful Glen Thomas to clear the danger.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, G. Thomas, Pike, Marshall, Newson, Onwere, Cooper, Hails, Farrell, Tierling. Subs (not used): Tucker, P. Kelly.
BOOKED: Marshall, Farrell.
MANSFIELD TOWN: Pearcey; Parkin, Withe, Spooner, Walker, Holland, Ford, Fairclough, Stringfellow, Wilkinson, Castledine. Subs (not used): Noteman, Gray.
BOOKED: Holland, Fairclough.
REFEREE: J. Martin (Alton).
ATTENDANCE: 3,285.
