Mansfield ease past Grimsby in Carabao Cup first round

Mansfield powered into the Carabao Cup second round for the first time in five years with a convincing 2-0 home win over Grimsby.

Mansfield dominated the first half and led through a Lucas Akins penalty on 27 minutes, sending keeper Harvey Cartwright the wrong way after Cartwright had brought Rhys Oates down following a loose touch on a back pass.

Early on, Abo Eisa made a brilliant block to deny Stephen Quinn while Luke Waterfall cleared an Aden Flint header off the line.

Davis Keillor-Dunn then sent Oates clear down the centre on 18 minutes but he blazed horribly over.

Akins could have had a first-half hat-trick, firing over on 19 minutes and forcing a save from Cartwright on 31 minutes.

Ex-Stag Danny Rose almost levelled against the run of play, but Christy Pym pushed away his header from a 38th-minute corner.

Aaron Lewis and Keillor-Dunn then both wasted great Mansfield chances late in the half, Cartwright saving from Lewis at the far post and Keillor-Dunn firing over a gaping goal from Akins’ square ball.

Constant early second-half pressure saw the Stags seal the win on 55 minutes as Keillor-Dunn’s square pass saw Oates wriggle into the box and dispatch a low finish from 12 yards off the outside of his boot.