Ironically it was Carlisle who laid the foundations for the Stags celebrations after holding Cheltenham to a goal-less draw on Tuesday night. A point not lost on the Mansfield fans who found time to applaud the travelling Cumbrians as part of amazing scenes of euphoria.

In the short space of three weeks growing Cumbrian optimism, borne out of a potential new dawn under prospective owner John Courteney, appears to have been dashed as takeover talks floundered. The much maligned fans now face a further summer of anxiety with no manager at the helm and the news that the club has released sixteen players leaving the Cumbrians with only eleven players still under contract.

The fans are not the only ones with anxiety high on the agenda as an uncertain future also faces acting manager Billy Barr who confesses to being totally in the dark about current events at Brunton Park.

He said after the game: “We don’t really know what the future holds but assuming nothing changes we will be back for pre season training as usual. I would like to thank the players for their commitment they have shown over the season and only wish things were a little clearer for all concerned.”

Given the prize at stake Mansfield showed the commitment of a team not to be denied, showing their intent as early as the third minute with Wayne Corden shooting over the bar. But the Stags were on their way two minutes later.

They won a corner when Peter Keen made a spectacular finger tip save from Andy White. Corden took a short corner and when the ball was played back to him he hit a tremendous shot which went in off the angle of post and bar.

Corden then spurned a great chance when former Newcastle favourite Scott Sellers had found him with an inch perfect through ball.

Carlisle’s only real threat on goal in the entire game came on 23 minutes and it should have brought an equaliser. Stuart Bell’s free kick from the left was helped on by Dave Rogers only for the usually reliable Ian Stevens to volley over the bar from close range.

The miss proved costly, as six minutes later the Stags effectively put the game beyond doubt. Another Corden corner was headed goalwards by Alan Tankard only to hit team-mate Lee Williamson on the line with White showing predator instincts to shoot into the roof of the net.

After the break the first half urgency in Mansfield’s play diminished, as they became content to hold onto what they had. Not that Carlisle remotely looked like getting back into the game.

In fact Chris Greenacre should have made life even easier on 53 minutes but was unable to force the ball home at the far post, after good work from White down the left.

A 79th minute substitution by Mansfield saw the introduction of David Kelly. The former Newcastle player almost scored with five minutes remaining only to be denied by a superb one handed Keen save, with White hammering the loose ball the wrong side of the post.

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