Missed opportunity for Bantams

As Stag nights go, at least City kept it clean.

But it was hardly a field day at Field Mill as they banked a first away clean sheet under Stuart McCall.

That will be some cause for satisfaction for the Bantams boss, but having set a four-point target from this week's two trips, this looked like a winning opportunity missed against a club currently propping up the table and with one eye on the off-field matter of a potential takeover.

And it could have been worse for City, with Donovan Ricketts saving Michael Boulding's first-half penalty after David Wetherall was punished for a nudge on Rory Boulding.

Former Stag Barry Conlon was one of three City changes from the FA Cup on the ground where he had scored his last open-play goal in April.

Paul Heckingbottom and Nicky Law both came straight back in but Paul Evans paid the price for his poor weekend display and dropped to the bench.

City last won here in 1990 when Paul Jewell netted inside the first minute. And they nearly repeated the trick in their first visit for 15 years after coming straight out the traps.

Nicky Law's clever flick sprang a speedy counter-attack led by Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Omar Daley, and the Jamaican's deep cross picked out Conlon for a well-struck volley which veteran keeper Carl Muggleton turned past the post.

Conlon had insisted before the game he had nothing to prove to his previous employers but he looked well up for it in the opening skirmishes and went agonisingly close again after ten minutes. This time the move was crafted on the left flank with Kyle Nix releasing Ndumbu-Nsungu, whose cut-back went through several Mansfield legs on the way to his strike partner. Conlon had to step back to get in a shot and curled a first-timer a fraction wide of the top corner with the defender guarding the line well beaten.

Mansfield had barely threatened when suddenly they were awarded a 20th-minute penalty after Wetherall's tug on Rory Boulding from Lee Bell's pass.

There was contact, though whether it was strong enough to justify a whistle was questionable and the skipper complained bitterly.

Elder Boulding brother Michael took it, aiming for his 14th goal of the season, but his weak spot-kick could find no way past the impenetrable barrier of Ricketts' right arm. In City's eyes, justice had been done.

Having ridden that scare, City went back on the attack, with Nix bursting through the middle. He appeared to get a clip as he lost his balance on the edge of the box but the loose ball ran to Daley, who almost broke the post with a thumping effort from close range.

Mansfield were starting to come into it and twice nearly got in behind the Bantams defence on the break. But City were displaying a sharpness going forward that had been absent against Tranmere and carved another good chance as Ndumbu-Nsungu found himself in space but slammed the ball straight at Muggleton's legs.

City's delivery from free-kicks was also better and there was a half-hearted appeal for hands as Mansfield struggled to deal with a Heckingbottom in-swinger into the danger zone.

City held a grip in midfield and Nicky Law's inch-perfect diagonal pass into Daley's path deserved better than the winger getting flagged for controlling it with his hand.

The home crowd were just getting edgy when their side had a strong shout for a penalty waved aside. Ricketts gave away a cheap throw-in and from it, Michael Boulding slipped through and went tumbling as the keeper plunged at his feet.

Referee Singh fortunately ruled in City's favour that he had made contact with the ball before the man. But the visitors were quickly cursing the official when Darren Williams was awarded the first booking of the night for a "foul" on Michael Boulding, who had clearly slipped on the wet surface.

The right back even pointed out the offending skid marks along the turf to Singh but his mind was made up.

Nix, who was having a good game, picked out Daley as half-time approached but the Jamaican's left-foot blast started wide and flew wider.

It was a half in which City had certainly carried the greater threat going forward but the way Mansfield had got in behind the back four on several occasions was a cause for concern.

The pitch was in excellent nick and 100 times better than the muddy quagmire Mansfield had slogged through at Harrogate Railway, but the swirling wind made long passing difficult. Twice, when the second half begun, City clearances flew over the roof of the condemned Bishop Street stand.

Matt Clarke had scored in his last two games against Mansfield and clutched his face in frustration at not making it three in a row when Law's tempting free-kick was flicked off his head by Muggleton.

Tempers flared as Dan Martin barged Daley to the floor - there was no complaint about the left back's yellow card. Williams confronted the Mansfield defender to vent his anger and Stuart McCall stepped on to the pitch to keep Daley away from any potential afters.

The travelling fans, who made up a quarter of the 2,308 crowd, turned up the noise behind the goal as City forced the first corner of the half but again Muggleton got enough on Law's kick to divert the danger.

Ricketts had to be on his toes to make a sliding clearance as Rory Boulding threatened to break clear for the Stags. And Mansfield had the ball in the net after 65 minutes following a scramble but the assistant's flag was already up for offside against Matt Hamshaw when Rory Boulding hooked home.

That stirred City again and Clarke showed fine footwork for a centre half as he stormed into the box but his dangerous cross was hacked away by Jake Buxton.

Conlon's day against his former club was over after 69 minutes as McCall threw on Peter Thorne.

Scott Phelan was caught out by an under-hit pass from Heckingbottom which Gareth Jelleyman seized on. It looked a good opening for Mansfield only to be spoiled by a comical air-shot from Michael Boulding - summing up the increasingly scrappy fare since the interval.

Mansfield's build-up play was neat but their shooting powder-puff for a team that had banged in ten goals in their previous three home games. Sub Simon Brown, a hat-trick hero against Macclesfield last time out, shot weakly from a good position before Thorne at the other end couldn't keep his effort down.

City made one last push in added time when Daley warmed Muggleton's hands with a blast from 20 yards.

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