Northampton Town 0 - 2 Mansfield Town

Northampton 0-2 Mansfield

Updated: May 16, 2004, 12:15 PM ET

Mansfield have one foot in the Division Three play-off final after Rhys Day's first-half goal knocked the life out of Northampton in a 2-0 success.

Marc Richards alone missed enough chances to have put the hosts halfway to Cardiff before centre-back Day rose unchallenged to nod Liam Lawrence's free-kick past the stranded Lee Harper five minutes before the break.

And when Junior Mendes tapped home the second from close range midway through the second half Mansfield took a vice-like grip on the tie.

Mansfield manager Keith Curle's pragmatic approach was rewarded through a combination of dogged defending and wasteful finishing.

Though Richards was the chief culprit, it was wing-back Rob Ullathorne who spurned the hosts' best opportunity when he headed Derek Asamoah's delightful cross straight at Kevin Pilkington from just two yards.

Curle spread five men across midfield in order to frustrate the home side, leaving Junior Mendes with the unforgiving role of lone frontman on a hot and humid afternoon.

The striker's trickery created the first chance of the afternoon for the visitors when he evaded three tackles before guiding a precision pass to the feet of Wayne Corden. The winger shaped to curl the ball inside the far post but his weak finish was easily gathered by Harper.

Corden again threatened minutes later after being fed by Tom Curtis, but Northampton soon began to get the measure of the visitors.

Their most potent threat came from the express pace and twinkling feet of Asamoah.

The striker cleverly isolated Day before showing him a clean pair of heels with an eye-catching turn of pace which had the Sixfields crowd on their feet.

The centre-back had no choice but to hurl his elusive opponent to the ground and was duly booked for his indiscretion.

Martin Smith was inches away from connecting with Josh Low's cross after flinging himself towards the ball, but Mansfield managed to hang on before striking the hammer blow through Day.

Mendes, often an isolated figure before the break, went close to doubling the advantage shortly after - shooting narrowly over the bar after his pace left the home defence stranded.

Mendes was presented with an altogether simpler opportunity after 66 minutes which gladly tucked away.

Lawrence's corner was only cleared as far as Curtis whose fierce shot was spilled by Harper, allowing Mendes the simplest of tap-ins.

Northampton's miserable afternoon was completed in stoppage time when Ashley Westwood was dismissed after for a professional foul on Mansfield substitute Colin Larkin.