When : Monday April 21 2025, 3pm
Where : Field Mill (One Call Stadium), Quarry Lane, Mansfield, NG18 5DA
Capacity : 24,161
Easter Monday sees a right awkward trip up north for a game against Nottinghamshire’s Mansfield Town. Anyone else remember when these Easter period games were local derbies?
Mansfield started the season rather well and at one stage were putting pressure on Birmingham and Wrexham but then the New Year came along and the wheels, tyres and axles all fell off their bandwagon together and, since the FA Cup 3rd Round defeat to Wigan, Nigel Clough’s Stags have won just 2 of 19 league games played including a run of 13 league games without a win.
Consequently their promising promotion charge collapsed into complete nothingness as they slumped down into, currently, 18th place. The early season good form has basically kept them out of relegation fears however and we can look forward to another end of season, “nothing to play for but pride” opponent which can sometimes be the very worst type of opponent with which to deal as we all know after Friday’s debacle.
The threat is the forward line with Will Evans and Lee Gregory having bagged 22 goals between and with Jordan Rhodes in the background having joined on loan from Blackpool in February. There is also, of course, the obligatory ex-Reading player, this time Brighton loanee Caylan Vickers, who will no doubt be outstanding on the day, to taunt his old colleagues.
Pretty much the same line up as Friday but am hoping Noel will bring Wareham back into the starting XI instead of Camara after the lackadaisical slop of Good Friday.
Other Easter Monday League One games of interest to Reading’s cause:
Cambridge United v Leyton Orient
Lincoln City v Bolton Wanderers
Stockport County v Huddersfield Town
Wycombe Wanderers v Charlton Athletic
Referee
Ross Joyce
Previously...
24 Aug 24 > Wrexham 3-0 Reading
20 Feb 24 > Reading 2-0 Port Vale
13 Jan 24 > Reading A-A Port Vale
Historically
This will be the first trip to Field Mill since a 1-1 draw just after Christmas back in December 1992. The 25th visit to this bit of Nottinghamshire will be difficult though as Reading have a poorish record there having managed just 2 wins from the previous 24 visits (though some will say the record is pay back for Reading’s 7-1 win on their first ever visit back in 1932). Oddly though, while there have been only 2 wins, the “Biscuitmen” have battled to earn 12 draws down the years so it really wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see yet another one added to the list.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
- Sky red button/NOW App
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
