Postpublished at 63 mins
Mansfield 2-1 Northampton
Quick bit of housekeeping.
James Perch was booked in the aftermath of the Cobblers goal for an agricultural challenge on Mitch Pinnock in the build up to the strike.
Mansfield beat Northampton 2-1 in first leg of League Two play-off semi-final
Goals from Oates and Bowery gave the Stags a 2-0 lead at the break
Koiki halved deficit for Cobblers just after the hour
Cobblers missed out on automatic promotion to Bristol Rovers on final day
Stags finished seventh in table, ending the season with a four-game unbeaten run
Swindon face Port Vale in other semi-final on Sunday, with final to be held at Wembley on 28 May
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Ian Woodcock
Mansfield 2-1 Northampton
Quick bit of housekeeping.
James Perch was booked in the aftermath of the Cobblers goal for an agricultural challenge on Mitch Pinnock in the build up to the strike.
Ali Koiki (61 mins)
Game on!
I was just saying that Nathan Bishop in the home goal hadn't really made a save of note...
Northampton break out quickly and Louis Appere drifts in off the left before feeding Ali Koiki in the middle.
The defender shows good feet to make a yard and get a shot off that goes in via a knick off defender Oli Hawkins.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Mansfield go to their bench for the first time.
Newcastle loanee Matty Longstaff, who I have to say had been quite quiet, is off and Kieran Wallace is on.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Northampton are certainly making the home side work a bit more this half.
Home goalkeeper Nathan Bishop still to really make a save of note this evening though.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Cobblers boss Jon Brady has seen enough.
Idris Kanu is off and Josh Eppiah is on.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Northampton go close.
Sam Hoskins shows lovely feet to move away from some would-be challengers and then curls an effort just past the post from 20 yards out.
Better from the Cobblers.
You feel they need to get Hoskins more involved if they're to get back into this.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Ouch.
George Maris cynically chops down Sam Hoskins as the Northampton man looks to break forward and he's rightly booked.
Nasty that.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
How important could this prove to be?!
Jonny Maxted makes a big save in the Cobblers goal to stop Rhys Oates making it 3-0.
The forward raced in on goal from the angle and sent a powerful shot at goal that Maxted, only playing because number one Liam Roberts is banned, had to stand up well to.
Mansfield get us back under way in this one.
Can the Cobblers find a way back into it or can the Stags put themselves in total control for the second leg?
HT: Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
If there's ANY positives Northampton can take from that first half it's that they do have a recent history of coming back from 2-0 down to win in the play-offs.
The Cobblers lost 2-0 in the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Cheltenham in 2020 before roaring back to win 3-0 in the second leg in Gloucestershire and eventually go up to League One with an emphatic win over Exeter in the final.
Second half coming up shortly.
HT: Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
If you're just joining us - especially if you've been glued to the FA Cup final - here's a reminder of how the first half went.
First Rhys Oates drilled Mansfield in front from an angle.
Jordan Bowery tapped in a second for the Stags just after the half hour.
And the Mansfield fans have loved it. For Northampton's? So far it's been Cobblers....
HT: Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Jon D'Laryea
Former Mansfield Town midfielder on BBC Radio Nottingham
It's been relatively flawless from Mansfield, they have taken some of the chances they have had and not been under too much pressure at the other end.
It's now about them keeping their concentration and doing the same things to make sure they remain the team in charge.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Dominant first 45 minutes for the home team.
The Stags took an early lead through Rhys Oates' crisp strike and Jordan Bowery doubled their money with a tap in after nice approach play.
Northampton haven't been blown away by any measure but they're yet to really test Nathan Bishop in the home goal.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
You really could excuse Northampton players and fans for feeling a bit sorry for themselves.
They missed out on automatic promotion last Saturday on goals scored after Bristol Rovers thumped Scunthorpe 7-0 and now here they are a week later well and truly under the pump at Mansfield in the play-offs.
Two minutes added on at the end of the first half and boss Jon Brady has a massive teamtalk ahead of him.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Both the regular season meetings between these sides ended with the home team winning to nil.
Mansfield would certainly take that record continuing this evening as it stands.
Some lovely play on the right wing ends with James Perch sending a cross over everyone in the middle but the Stags have certainly got their tails up.
Do Stags really have tails? Not sure.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
This is the seventh EFL play-off game this post-season and none of them have ended 0-0.
The Cobblers win a corner after a long throw into the box is only half dealt with.
It comes to nothing though.
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Simon Dutton: Hi, West Ham Derek (20:05) - I was at Field Mill that night in 1969 to watch 4 World Cup winners come unstuck against the Stags. It’s been my dining out claim to fame ever since.
What is this, Friends Reunited?!
Don't forget you can get in touch with us about tonight's game, or indeed one played in 1969 apparently, if you like by using #bbcefl on Twitter.
Mansfield 2-0 Northampton
Jon D'Laryea
Former Mansfield Town midfielder on BBC Radio Nottingham
It's another great goal. Being 2-0 up is no less than what Mansfield deserve.
Jordan Bowery has worked hard to get there for the tap-in finish.
It's been a near-perfect performance so far from the Stags.
Jordan Bowery (32 mins)
So far, so VERY good for the Stags!
Well...
Mansfield keep the ball really well and Stephen Quinn eventually clips a ball from right to left for Jamie Murphy.
The experienced Scot beats his man and smashes a low ball across the face of goal and there's former Aston Villa man Jordan Bowery to convert into at the back stick.
Mansfield 1-0 Northampton
Few familiar faces out on the pitch this evening.
Mansfield have Matty Longstaff on loan from Newcastle in their midfield with veteran former Sheffield United man Stephen Quinn and ex-Rangers man Jamie Murphy is out on the wing.
Boss Nigel Clough, a bit like his dad Brian, is a big fan of signing players he's worked with at other clubs.
So far, so good for the Stags.