Everton-Mansfield Cup tie delayed 15 minutes for stadium access

Everton's Carabao Cup second round tie against Mansfield Town was delayed by 15 minutes on Wednesday evening after the club said it needed extra time to ensure supporters could gain safe access to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium. The match, originally scheduled for 7.45pm BST, kicked off at 8pm amid lengthy queues outside the 52,700‑seat venue and visible empty seats as play began, broadcasters and reports said.

In a brief statement, Everton confirmed the 15‑minute postponement was intended "to ensure all supporters have safe access into Hill Dickinson Stadium in time for kickoff." Club social channels were inundated with fans reporting problems getting into the ground, with many saying they had not received digital tickets in their mobile wallets. The move from paper to a digital ticketing app has been cited by supporters as the cause of delays. Club sources, speaking to BBC Sport, said both home and away supporters experienced access problems but added the issues were not directly related to the app and that most problems were resolved at the box office before fans reached the turnstiles.

Mansfield arrived with a large travelling contingent, with the club reporting about 6,000...