Mansfield’s victory over MK Dons appeared to have guaranteed them a spot in the promotion playoffs.
Following the Dons’ victory at Stadium MK, which effectively sealed promotion to League One, manager Mike Williamson honoured Mansfield Town.
Five years ago, the Stags and Dons faced off in a winner-take-all match at MK1 on the last day of the season. Paul Tisdale’s team emerged victorious and earned automatic promotion. But as time went on, Nigel Clough’s team easily defeated Williamson’s team 4-1, and they now only need a point from their final three games to guarantee a return to the third division.
Following the game, Williamson stated, “Mansfield deserve a lot of credit for their performance and what they’ve done over the season.”
The score line is disheartening on several levels, especially in light of our performance. Throughout the season and during the match, my main thoughts have been to congratulate Mansfield.
Stephen Wearne, a midfielder, stated Mansfield skillfully neutralised the Dons’ threats and made it extremely tough for them to settle into their game at Stadium MK.
“They’re a decent team and have led the league all season for a reason,” he continued. They have some highly skilled and seasoned players, and they have made our job very tough today.
It’s a really dismal afternoon. They’ve done a job on us, but we gave it all. We still have two games left, so we need to pick ourselves up immediately.