Another benefit of reaching the final of the Amateur Cup was exemption to the first round proper of the F.A. Cup and a potential tie against a professional side, although it meant missing out on potentially valuable revenue from playing local rivals in the earlier rounds. Mansfield had finished bottom of Division Three South the previous season and had only been saved from the ignominy of having to apply for re-election by dint of a Football League agreement giving clubs a seasons grace after the league had restarted following the cessation of hostilities. At the time of this game they had switched to Division Three North and were comfortably in mid-table, and would go on to finish eighth. Prior to the draw the Town manager, Mr. Roy Goodall, had expressed a specific desire to not be drawn against an amateur side. They had made special preparations for the game and had spend a spell at the seaside in the lead up to the game.

The only change from the Dons’ team that had beaten Clapton the week before was enforced, Jim Smith had failed to recover from his injury and Harry Bull was recalled to the outside-left position, with Green switching sides.

9,823 spectators, paying £515, crowded into Plough Lane wondering if the Dons could spring a surprise, and they had much the better of the first half. Their best chance fell to Green after ten minutes, put clean through by Rhodes and only a few yards out he shot straight at the keeper, drawing a groan from the crowd. A few minutes later Mansfield were also guilty of profligate finishing. Haydock, under pressure from Banks, punched out a Brown cross straight to Cooling, but with the goal at his mercy he handled the ball in his anxiety to put it into the net. Wimbledon’s forwards gave the Stags defence little respite, Wallis lobbed in a centre that Head headed just over, then Green fed Stannard, but his shot was wild and wide. Stannard then beat off the challenge of three opponents and fired in a shot which rattled the crossbar. The visitors should have taken the lead when Cousins handled in the area, but Welsh international Jones fired the penalty against the post and Haydock did well to save the rebound from Cooling. Ten minutes before the break Brown was forced to leave the game with a dislocated shoulder, adding further impetus to the home side’s endeavours.

At the restart Wimbledon were confident of getting a result but the professionals, despite being a man short, took the lead within four minutes. Devey, the visiting captain, tricked several Dons before centring for Cooling to tap the ball into the net. Thereafter, despite constant pressure from the home team, Mansfield used their guile to keep the forwards at bay, giving the ball plenty of boot whenever it came near their goal. The sucker punch came when Devey, the visiting captain,

Mansfield won by the same score at fellow Division Three South Oldham Athletic in the second round before losing 2-4 at home to Division One’s Stoke City in the third round.