Stags stun the Rams

League Two side Mansfield Town ran out 2-0 winners in yesterday`s pre-season friendly at Field Mill.

Goals from Mickey Boulding and John McAliskey gave Rams coach Billy Davies plenty to think about with the Premier League campaign only two weeks away.

The Rams boss used all the 19-man squad with Claude Davis and Lewis Price making their debut`s, and the Rams started well with Gary Teale and Robert Earnshaw wasting good chances, but Boulding showed them how to do it on 21 minutes, he had a bit of luck, the ball rebounding to him of Rams skipper Matt Oakley before neatly finishing past Stephen Bywater.

The Rams who were playing probably their best starting eleven with their new Jamaican international Davis, partnering Dean Leacock in central defence. Also in the back-four were Tyrone Mears and Jay McEveley, with Stephen Bywater in goal. In midfield was Teale wide on the right, Oakley and David Jones in the centre and Stephen Pearson on the left, and up front, record signing Earnshaw and Steve Howard.

The game was made safe for Bill Dearden side on 64 minutes, Andy Todd’s attempted clearance from the edge of the Derby area was blocked by McAliskey, sending Boulding one-on-one with Bywater. The keeper did well to save at the striker`s feet, but the ball bounced high out to McAliskey who headed back into the net over the stranded Bywater.

Teams – Stags: GK White, John-Baptiste, Buxton (c), McIntosh, Jellyman, Hamshaw (Arnold 77), Bell (Reet 65), Dawson, Martin (Kitchen 84), McAliskey (Mullins 65), Boulding (M) (Boulding R 65) (Wood 84). Unused sub: Muggleton.

Rams – GK Bywater (Price 71); Mears, Leacock (Todd 45), Davis (Moore 45), McEveley; Teale (Beardsley 71), Oakley (Malcolm 71), Jones (Camara 61), Pearson; Earnshaw (Fagan 61), Howard (Macken 61)

Referee: Mr A. Woolmer

Att: 2,980