​GOALS from Keigan Parker, Louis Briscoe and Lee Gregory saw Mansfield Town run out winners in a keenly contested pre-season clash at Eastwood Town.

The Stags’ two goal winning margin was comfortable enough in the end against the Blue Square Bet North promotion hopefuls.

But the Badgers, playing their first game on a newly-levelled Coronation Park pitch, gave as good as they got and had their fair share of chances.

READ MORE: Match reaction - Eastwood Town v Mansfield Town

It was a decent work-out for both teams as the start of their respective campaigns on August 14 draws ever closer.

Mansfield handed full debuts to new signing Paul Connor, along with Parker, Ashley Cain and Tyrone Thompson.

Mansfield had the first serious sight of goal when Parker played an incisive ball down the right flank and Cain crossed from the byline for Connor to guide just wide of the far post from six yards.

The home side responded with a thrust down the left from Sam Duncum, who cut into the box before firing straight at Neil Collett.

Eastwood were then awarded a dangerous free-kick right on the edge of the box, but Lee Stevenson’s powerful drive was straight into the defensive wall.

The Badgers almost took the lead from the corner that followed when Connor headed off the line as Adrian Hawes rose highest from a left-wing corner.

At the other end, following a quick break, Parker teed up Tyrone Thompson whose blast was blocked by an alert Eastwood rearguard.

The Stags had the chance to go in front in the 24th minute when Hawes was adjudged to have pulled down Connor in the box.

Parker stepped up confidently and slotted home his first goal for Mansfield, placing his kick in the right-hand corner while John Danby went the other way.

Andy Todd almost put Matt Rhead in the clear as Eastwood fought back, only for Kevin Sandwith to nip the danger in the bud by heading back to Collett.

The home side should have drawn level in the 32nd minute when Tom Naylor brought down his old Belper team-mate Stevenson in the box.

Matt Rhead stepped up and went for the same side as Parker, but Collett guessed right and gathered in the shot.

Incredibly, four minutes later, the referee, quite rightly, awarded a third spot kick of the match as John Leonard chopped down Eastwood’s Duncum.

Andy Todd this time took responsibility and smashed his kick into the roof of the net with Collett having no chance.

Tempers flared as half-time approached when Todd reacted angrily to a sliding challenge from Leonard. Both men were given a talking to but escaped further action.

On the stroke of the break, Parker broke wide to the right and put over an inviting centre that was just too far ahead of strike partner Connor.

Soon after the restart, Adam Smith aimed a cross for Parker who missed his attempted flick.

Parker was involved again when his measured centre picked out Gary Mills, but the midfielder headed over the top.

A slick break from Eastwood saw Rhead set to score until a last-ditch tackle from substitute central defender Mark Preece saved the visitors.

The Stags were back in front in the 55th minute when Lee Gregory chased a long ball through and nicked the ball past substitute keeper Ian Deakin.

It left Louis Briscoe with the task of drilling in from a narrow angle, which he did despite a touch from an Eastwood defender.

The Badgers hit back determinedly as Michael Simpson released Lindon Meikle through the inside right channel, only for the winger-cum-striker to drill wide of the left-hand upright.

A smart save from Deakin prevented a Mansfield third after Briscoe had fired in a shot following Mills’ neat pass.

Next, Gregory let fly from 30 yards and was not too wide with his drive.

But Eastwood were far from finished and Todd drew a decent save from Collett by the foot of his right-hand post.

And Meikle might have done better when he headed over the bar from Markel Bailey’s flighted ball in.

Young striker Gregory was on target with eight minutes to go with a fine diving header from six yards out after Briscoe had swung in a pinpoint right-wing cross.

Then, in the closing stages, another Briscoe cross bounced on top of the bar with Deakin caught in no man’s land.

 

Eastwood: Danby (Deakin 27), Cooke, Riley, Simpson, Mat Bailey, Hawes (Haggerty 78), D’Laryea (Foster 69), Stevenson (Meikle 59), Rhead 78 (Muller), Todd (Nightingale 78), Duncum (Markel Bailey 73). Subs not used: Hollis, Handbury.

 

Mansfield: Collett, Leonard (Fairclough 46), Naylor (Foster 46), C. Smith (Preece 46), Sandwith, Cain (Briscoe 52), Mills (Somner 78), Thompson (Nix 69), A. Smith (Williams 73, Parker (Gregory 52), Connor (Mitchley 58).

 

Attendance: 665.