Mansfield Town bowed out of the Carabao Cup as Alfie Devine’s second-half strike proved the difference at One Call Stadium.
Heroic Stags had beaten Grimsby, Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough to reach the last 16 of the competition, but they were unable to overcome gutsy League One opponents Port Vale.
The loss ended Mansfield’s remarkable 19-game undefeated run in all competitions this season.
Forward Will Swan was drafted into the starting XI for Lucas Akins, who sustained a facial injury during Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to Walsall in Sky Bet League Two.
There were also second-half substitute appearances for Rhys Oates and Stephen McLaughlin following injury.
Referee Thomas Bramall had to stop the game inside the opening six seconds when Stags’ midfielder Ollie Clarke landed awkwardly following an aerial dual.
As heavy fog descended on One Call Stadium, Vale registered the tie’s first shot on goal as Oliver Arblaster turned well to drive forward and strike straight at goalkeeper Christy Pym from 20 yards.
Stags soon embarked on the counter surge and Davis Keillor-Dunn alost finished the move, bursting forward to see his drive blocked by Jesse Debrah inside the box.
Back at the other end, Funso Ojo missed the target from six yards following a floated cross on the right flank.
Pym was called upon in the 19th minute to beat away Tom Sang’s rasping hit on the right of the box after Calum Macdonald was dispossessed outside the area.
And Stags were saved by the woodwork midway through the first half.
Vale looked to penetrate on the inside right and after an inviting cross into the area, Arblaster struck the left post from six yards.
The visitors again came close to breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute when towering defender Aden Flint was well positioned to crucially divert Alfie Devine’s swerving effort behind for a corner.
Stags created a brilliant chance of their own three minutes later. Lewis Reed delivered a delightful right-flank cross into the box for Keillor-Dunn to volley goalwards, only to be denied by a fine acrobatic stop from Vale ‘keeper Connor Ripley.
On 42 minutes, powerhouse striker Uche Ikpeazu turned Lewis Brunt inside the box to blast over the target.
Vale took the upper hand five minutes into the second-half.
Alfie Devine surged through the middle before sending a crashing 25-yard effort inside the right post.
On 58 minutes, Stags made a treble change in a bid to alter the course of the contest.
Rhys Oates came on for Will Swan, Hiram Boateng replaced Ollie Clarke and James Gale was introduced for George Maris.
Vale were gunning for a second goal and Pym had to produce a top save at his near post, turning away James Plant’s strike, and from the following corner Pym stood firm to claim a bullet header.
Stags, in search of an equaliser, almost carved out a half chance when Oates wriggled into the box to strike against Gale, preventing Ripley from being required.
Oates was again tormenter-in-chief as he darted down the middle, and after being diverted wide, the frontman still managed to get a shot away only to see Ripley narrow the angle to save.
On 79, Arblaster showed fine footwork to advance to the edge of the box, before seeing his effort deflect behind for a corner.
Stags made another change on 83 minutes as Calum Macdonald made way for Stephen McLaughlin and as the encounter ticked over the 90, Baily Cargill was sent on for Lewis Reed.
Gale had the game’s last chance with a low skimmed drive which flew well wide in the dying embers as part of eight minutes of added time.
STAGS: Pym, Bowery, Flint, Brunt, Macdonald (McLaughlin 84), Reed (Cargill 90), Lewis, Clarke (Boateng 58), Maris (Gale 58), Keillor-Dunn, Swan (Oates 58)
UNUSED SUBS: Flinders, Williams, Johnson, Cooper
PORT VALE: Ripley, Sang, Smith, Garrity, Devine, Ikpeazu (Loft 62), Ojo, Lowe, Arbaster, Plant, Debrah (Cass 90+1)
UNUSED SUBS: Leutwiler, Massey, Conlon, Shorrock, Walters, Dipepa, Thomas
REFEREE: Thomas Bramall
ATTENDANCE: 7,432 (1,644 Vale fans)
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