Mansfield Town manager Ian Greaves savaged his side for failing to take their chances as they let a winning promotion slip and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Fulham this afternoon.
The Stags started strongly in south-west London with former Brentford forward Keith Cassells wasting a glorious chance to give the visitors the lead with only three minutes on the clock. The striker seized on a dreadful back pass from Richard Langley to race clean through on goal, but his weak shot was easily saved by a relieved Jim Stannard in the Fulham goal.
Mansfield played the much more inventive football on a pitch ruined by rain and had the better of the play throughout, despite the home side dominating possession. They had particular joy in the wide areas, with Stannard forced to gather a Steve Charles before it reached the waiting Cassells before the home goalkeeper made a magnificent save to keep out a goalbound strike from young midfielder David Hodges.
Cassells made amends for his early miss nine minutes before half-time when the former postman nodded home the rebounded after Stannard could only parry a speculative 30-yarder from Charles. Visiting goalkeeper Brian Cox did not have a save to make in the first half, but was picking the ball out of his net just before the break when veteran striker Gordon Davies equalled the Fulham goalscoring record set by former England captain Johnny Haynes.
The Welsh international centre forward drew the home side level when he forced home a shot from a tight angle after strike partner Michael Cole had headed down a cross from Gary Elkins. Davies’ predatory strike lifted the Whites who dominated the second half but failed to create a single clear-cut chance.
Instead, Mansfield should have clinched all three points on the hour when Hodges took the ball around the grounded Stannard and crossed for Kevin Kent to head into an empty net only for the winger to head wide.
Fulham manager Ray Lewington said afterwards: “We had ninety per cent of the possession, but they still could have won it in the second half”.
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Elkins, Langley, Marshall, Scott, Barnett (Donnellan 70), Wilson, Walker, Cole, Davies. Subs (not used): Skinner.
GOAL: Davies (45).
MANSFIELD TOWN: Cox; McKernon, Kenworthy, Hodges, Foster, Coleman, Owen, Kearney, Kent, Cassells, Charles. Subs (not used): Ryan, Leishman.
GOAL: Cassells (36).
REFEREE: David Axcell (Southend).
ATTENDANCE: 4,148.
