MATCH REPORT: Wycombe 0 Mansfield Town 1

The Stags had succumbed to back-to-back defeats, before a deserved victory at Adams Park.

Steve Evans’ side could have opened up a commanding lead early on, but Pearce was the only one who could break down a spirited defence.

Despite dominating proceedings they were almost made to pay for their missed chances late on as young shot-stopper Jake Kean came to the rescue.

Although they were the away side, it was the Stags who put their foot on the gas early.

Hosts’ goalie Jamal Blackman had some early work to do as he had to keep out Danny Rose’s speculative half-volley, before commanding his box to snuff out a cross.

The Stags’ quick start paid dividends in the 14th minute as defender Pearce powered home his fourth goal of the season.

The former Notts County man guided his initial header, from Joel Byrom’s pinpoint cross, against the post before calmly nodding home the rebound.

Adebayo Akinfenwa was the Chairboys’ main outlet, but he failed to get the support he needed.

Ten minutes before the interval the Stags had a flurry of chances to double their deserved lead.

Alfie Potter saw his strike, after an impressive counter-attack, thwarted before his second strike was blocked on the line by a sprawling hosts’ defender.

The two misses almost cost Evans’ men as Akinfenwa launched a dipping effort over the bar.

After the break it was Potter making a last-ditch tackled as he got in the way of Michael Harriman’s goal-bound shot.

On the hour Akinfenwa missed another great chance to equalise as he headed wide after doing all the hard work.

Promising keeper Kean denied the ‘Beast’ twice at the death as the Stags clung on to all three points.

The first was a great reaction save to a header, before tipping a second Akinfenwa header past the post.

Wycombe: Blackman, Harriman, Pierre, Jombati, Jacobson, Bean, O’Nien, Bloomfield (Freeman, 76), Thompson (Weston, 81), Akinfenwa, Kashket (Jakubiak, 87).

Unused subs: Richardson, Gape, Saunders, Hayes.

Mansfield: Kean, White, Bennett, Pearce, Taft, Benning, Whiteman, Byrom, Potter (MacDonald, 69), Rose (Arquin, 83), Green (Coulthirst, 63).

Unused subs: Jensen, Howkins, McGuire, Baxendale.

Referee: Robert Jones

Attendance: 4,218 (305)