Phil Brown left frustrated as Swindon held by 10-man Mansfield

Posted Sunday, October 21, 2018 by PA

Swindon manager Phil Brown was left frustrated after his side were held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Mansfield on David Flitcroft’s return to the County Ground.

The Robins failed to make their numerical advantage count after Mansfield midfielder Will Atkinson had been sent off two minutes before half time.

Brown said: “When a side goes down to 10 men as early as that, you expect to win the game.

“But you’ve got no divine right to win a game of football just because it’s 10 vs 11, as we’ve proved on many occasions this season.

“They were organised, they were well drilled, and in the second half they showed what they were about, they were trying to nick the game, rightly so.

“But it’s one-way traffic for the last 10, 15 minutes and you just hope that something drops to you in the penalty box and you put it away.”

Atkinson had already been booked for a foul on Matt Taylor when he lunged in on Keshi Anderson.

Taylor’s curling free-kick against the post was as close as Swindon came to turning one point into three.

Prior to the dismissal Mansfield’s Danny Rose had seen a header well saved by Lawrence Vigouroux, while Elijah Adebayo and Anderson were both denied at the other end.

Brown had held crisis talks with his players in the lead up to the game after admitting they were ‘behind schedule’ with their points return from the season so far.

The home side were the more threatening in the second half and substitute Kaiyne Woolery forced a good save out of Mansfield goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik.

On-loan Fulham forward Adebayo had the best chance, however he could only divert a shot from close range wide of the post following a Jermaine McGlashan cross.

Mansfield boss Flitcroft said: “My boys earned that point. With 11 v 11 they did not create one chance.

“I am delighted we are unbeaten away from home.

“I am absolutely delighted with the way they shut the pitch down. They did not have too many chances with 10 men.

“I never felt uncomfortable at all but I was a little worried about what the ref might do.

“There’s one bad tackle – on Matty Taylor. I don’t know the foul count but I would say it was the highest it has been all season.

“The booking count was high.”