Mansfield Town 1 Orient 1
Division II,  29 April 1978

Sandy Pate scores his third and final goal for the Stags.

To see a photo of Pate's first ever goal for the Stags, click here

Pate scores rare goal in final appearance at Field Mill

Sandy Pate was probably the greatest full-back in Mansfield Town’s history. Between 1967 and 1978 he made 471 league and cup appearances, which was the record at the time (though later beaten by Rod Arnold). Perhaps more incredibly, 366 of his appearances were consecutive, not missing a game between September 1968 and August 1975. He was ever-present for six consecutive seasons.

Pate scored just two league goals for the Stags and the second of them was in his final league game at Field Mill on 29th April 1978. It was the Stags penultimate game of their only season in the old Division II, and the Stags were already relegated when Orient visited. Stags took the lead in the 16th minute as Pate got on the end of a free-kick to score (pictured). Orient equalised in the second half when Joe Mayo followed up after Peter Kitchen’s blockbuster had been parried by Arnold, and the game ended 1-1. Pate’s other league goal came in a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Field Mill in April 1976. He also scored in the League Cup, in August 1972, in a 3-1 home win over Lincoln City.

Compiled by Martin Shaw