Boro were 3-0 up at break, with Dael Fry heading in the opener, Tommy Conway doubling the lead from the penalty spot and the impressive Morgan Whittaker adding the third.
But the hosts fought back in the second half, with Nathan Moriah-Welsh getting the goal that started the comeback before Rhys Oates had a penalty saved by Sol Brynn. Stephen McLaughlin scored Mansfield’s second before Jordan Bowery struck the late equaliser from the spot.
Here are the main talking points to emerge from the game:
WHITTAKER IMPRESSES
Morgan Whittaker would be the first to admit his first six months at Middlesbrough didn’t work out as he’d hope.
The forward was an eye-catching recruit in January but joined an out of form side at a time when Michael Carrick was shuffling his pack almost every week in search of a winning formula. It was hardly an ideal recipe for Whittaker to come in and make a flying start.
But he made a flying start to the summer at Mansfield, where he created the first goal for Dael Fry, swung in the corner that led to the penalty that was scored by Tommy Conway and then scored the third with a calm finish after being set away by Rav van den Berg.
But what will undoubtedly have pleased Edwards as much as the forward’s attacking output was his workrate.
Edwards has stressed to his forward players that he wants them to be brave and will accept mistakes, as long as they react to them in the right way. Well Whittaker did exactly that on Saturday. On more than one occasion when a pass or move didn’t work, he raced back after the ball. On and off the ball, this was a promising start. And this very much feels like the start for Whittaker at Boro.
INTERESTING SELECTIONS
A first glimpse of Edwards’ side was always going to be interesting and revealing, and while it’s far too early to draw any conclusions, the domestic opener did give us more of an insight into the new head coach’s thinking.
First of all, he started with a back three and wing-backs. Whether or not that is a sign of things to come will become clearer in the next week or two.
Interestingly, despite having three left-backs in Neto Borges, Alex Bangura and George McCormick available, Sammy Silvera got the nod at left wing-back. Is that an indication that he doesn’t see any of those three named players as wing-backs? Or just an acknowledgement that Silvera – who returned to Boro for pre-season after a disastrous campaign of two failed loan moves – has caught the eye and deserved a start?
And in the second half both Marcus Forss and Delano Burgzorg had spells playing through the middle as central strikers. Is that how the pair will be used this season or needs must while Conway is the only out and out striker on the books?
TRANSFER NEED
Rob Edwards talked in the build-up to the Mansfield trip about the importance of making a good first impression on the Boro fans who made the trip.
Well Boro certainly did that in the first half, when, after a scrappy first 10 minutes or so, they took complete control and played some eye-catching stuff with purpose and penetration.
Edwards also acknowledged in the same interview that with wholesale changes, rhythm can often be lost in friendly games. And the second half was disjointed. Edwards will excuse certain elements – the back line, for example, consisted at one stage of Luke Woolston at right-back, Neto Borges and George McCormick at centre-half and Alex Bangura, fit again after a lengthy lay-off at left-back.
But Edwards felt Boro lost control in the last half an hour. And that underlined the lack of depth in certain areas of the squad. Edwards is calm about the transfer situation as Boro continue their effort to make a breakthrough, but some departments undoubtedly need strengthening, which the recruitment team know and are working hard to address.
Edwards went straight over to the away end at full-time and made sure his players followed him to show their appreciation to the supporters who made the trip.
Afterwards, he said: “It’s a horrible day and a long way to travel so huge thank you to them.
“It’s important for me, win, lose or draw, to go and show my appreciation.
“Supporters are the most important people at any football club and it’s important we show how much their support means.
“We’re not going to achieve anything if we’re not together, that’s really important.”
DAEL FRY OPENER
Neil Warnock regularly used to tell Dael Fry he wanted more goals from him. First and foremost, the Teessider’s jobs is to prevent goals rather than score them, but Warnock felt the defender – physical, imposing and strong in the air – should have made more of his attributes in the opposition box.
Considering his last competitive goal was February 2022, it’s hard to disagree with that assessment. But how he made his presence felt in the Mansfield box on Saturday.
Fry scored a fine header to set Boro on their way and Mansfield were clearly then aware of his threat, for he was dragged to the deck from Whittaker’s next corner that led to Conway’s spot-kick goal.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Glover (Brynn, 46), Lenihan (Borges, 46), Fry (Bangura, 62), Van den Berg (McCormick, 62), Ayling (Woolston, 62), Morris (Barlaser, 62), Hackney (McCabe, 46), Silvera (Hamilton, 62), McGree (Gilbert, 46), Whittaker (Burgzorg, 62), Conway (Forss, 46)
Subs not used: Johnson